El Cerrito Police Blotter: Forgery, False Impersonation, Prowling

December 30 

Shoplifting and Warrant Arrest - Safeway 11450 San Pablo Avenue 
At 6:36 p.m., a patrol Sergeant was driving through the Safeway parking lot when he was flagged down by an employee who stated that a man appeared to have stolen items and walked away towards the Del Norte BART station. The Sergeant located the 50-year-old man from Richmond at the BART station and contacted him. The man was carrying a Safeway shopping basket with un-bagged groceries to include 4 packs of Red Bull Energy drinks. The man initially denied stealing the items but then later admitted to the theft. A records check by the Sergeant revealed the man had an outstanding warrant from the Richmond Police Department for assault with a deadly weapon. The Sergeant booked the man for theft and he was transported to county jail in Martinez for the warrant. 

Petty Theft with Prior Theft Convictions/Possession of a Controlled Substance/Warrant Arrest - 
Safeway, 11450 San Pablo Avenue 
At 7:26 p.m., an officer responded to Safeway for a report of a theft. The officer accepted the citizen’s arrest of a 46-year-old man from San Rafael after loss prevention agents saw the man steal from the store. The officer searched the man and located suspected cocaine in his possession. The officer booked the man at ECPD and then transported him to the county jail in Martinez because he has an extensive history for theft convictions and a warrant from ECPD for a previous theft. 

Shoplifting / Battery / False Impersonation to Police Officer – Safeway, 11450 San Pablo Ave. 
At 8:42 p.m., officers responded to Safeway for a report of loss prevention agents in a physical fight with a theft suspect. Upon arrival, officers found that the suspect had been placed into handcuffs by the loss prevention agents. An officer accepted the citizen’s arrest of the 29-year-old man from Oakland for shoplifting items from the store and then fighting with the agents in an attempt to escape capture. The man provided a false name to the officer however his fingerprints proved his true identity. The man had a warrant for a probation violation for a theft related offense out of Alameda County. The officer booked the man and then transported him to county jail in Martinez. 

Driving Under the Influence - Central Avenue and Yosemite Avenue 
At 1:35 a.m., an officer conducted a traffic enforcement stop and arrested the 27-year-old female driver from Richmond for DUI. The officer booked the woman at ECPD and then released her with a citation to a sober friend. 

December 31 

Warrant Arrest - BART Path at Stockton Ave. 
At 9:53 a.m., officers arrested a 29-year-old Santa Monica man on an outstanding parole violation warrant during while investigating a call of a suspicious person. The man was transported to the Martinez Detention Facility. 

Burglary - 10140 San Pablo Ave., L&L Chinese Restaurant 
At 8:19 a.m., an officer was patrolling when they noticed the front window of the listed business was vandalized. Upon further inspection it was discovered that an unknown suspect broke out the glass to the front door and stole several hundred dollars from the cash register. Based on video surveillance the time of the break in was at 6:51 a.m. 

Petty Theft/Shoplift - 11450 San Pablo Ave., Safeway 
At 4:04 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the above listed business to assist store security with a person they had detained for shoplifting. The officer arrested a 50-year-old homeless man for stealing miscellaneous merchandise. The man was booked at the ECPD and then transported to the Martinez Detention Facility and booked for petty theft with priors and an outstanding warrant. 

Stolen Vehicle, DUI and Possession of Stolen Property - Richmond St. at Potrero Ave. 
At 1:57 p.m., officers were dispatched to the above listed location on the report of a major injury vehicle collision. Once officers arrived on scene they discovered the driver, a 26-year-old man from Pittsburg, had fallen asleep at the wheel after spending all night at the casino smoking methamphetamine and marijuana. Officers also discovered that the vehicle which the man was driving was stolen earlier in the day from San Francisco. The man was booked at the ECPD and then transported to the Martinez Detention Facility. 

Driving Under the Influence - San Pablo Avenue and Lincoln Avenue 
At 11:05 p.m., a patrol Sergeant conducted a traffic enforcement stop and arrested the 19-year-old female driver for DUI. The woman was booked at ECPD and then released with a citation to a sober friend. 

Driving Under the Influence - San Pablo Avenue and Panama Avenue 
At 11:45 p.m., an officer witnessed a vehicle exit the Jack in the Box parking lot onto Panama Avenue and collide with parked vehicle. The suspect vehicle continued westbound on Panama Avenue without stopping after the collision. The officer conducted a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle and contacted the extremely intoxicated 25-year-old male driver. The officer took the driver into custody for DUI and booked him at the ECPD. After booking, the officer transported the man to county jail in Martinez. 

Felony DUI, Driving on Suspended License for DUI, False Impersonation to Police Officer - San Pablo Avenue and Hill Street 
At 1:40 a.m., an officer observed a vehicle speeding northbound on San Pablo Avenue. As the officer caught up to the vehicle, the driver ran a red light at Hill Street nearly colliding with other vehicles in the intersection. The officer conducted a traffic enforcement stop and arrested the driver, a 34-year-old woman from El Sobrante, for DUI. During booking, the woman provided a false name to the officer. Her fingerprints proved her true identity and her criminal history revealed that this was her 4th DUI since 2007. The officer booked the woman and then transported her to county jail in Martinez 

January 1 

False Impersonation of Another- San Pablo Ave. at Potrero Ave. 
At 11:13 a.m., an officer conducted an enforcement stop on a person skateboarding on San Pablo Ave. During the contact the subject did not have any form of identification. Several minutes after clearing the scene, the officer discovered the person, a 47 year-old man from Pinole, provided his older brother’s information to the officer. Further research revealed the younger brother provided the false information to avoid being arrested on an outstanding warrant. An additional arrest warrant is currently being sought for today’s incident. 

Forgery - 11450 San Pablo Ave., Safeway- 
At 2:06 p.m., an unknown suspect entered Safeway and attempted to pass two counterfeit checks. When a manager began to investigate the validity of the checks, the suspect and female accomplice left the business. Officers responded to the scene but the subjects were able to get away without being apprehended. The reporting officer is following up on leads in hopes of identifying the suspect. 

January 2 

Warrant Arrest - San Pablo Ave. at Potrero Ave.- 
At 8:59 a.m., a 56 year-old homeless man was arrested on an outstanding petty theft warrant. The man was transported directly to the Martinez Detention Facility. 

Prowling - 7400 block of Moeser Lane 
At 2:48 p.m., an unknown suspect entered the garage to a residence via an open garage door. The suspect fled when confronted by the resident. 

Warrant Arrest - Potrero Avenue and San Pablo Avenue 
At 8:59 a.m., an officer contacted a 55-year-old transient man on the sidewalk. A records check revealed he had a warrant. The officer arrested the man and transported him to the county jail in Martinez. 

Driving Under the Influence - 10650 San Pablo Avenue 
At 12:38 p.m., employees from CVS observed an intoxicated woman inside of the business and watched as she entered a parked vehicle in the parking lot. The employees called 911 and surrounded the vehicle and detained the woman until officers arrived. An officer arrested the 45-year-old woman from San Francisco for DUI. The officer reviewed the video surveillance recordings from the parking lot which showed the woman drive into the parking lot and park her car earlier. The woman was booked at ECPD and then released with a citation to a sober friend.