Crime & Safety

POLICE LOG: Shoplifter Caught Stocking Up On Bathroom Supplies

Activity between June 7-13 as reported by the El Cerrito Police Department.


Friday, June 7

Warrant Arrest – Lexington Ave. / Central Avenue
Officers conducted a pedestrian enforcement stop and subsequently arrested a 31-year-old El Cerrito woman for two outstanding warrants. The woman was booked at the El Cerrito Police Department and transported to the Martinez Detention Facility.

Attempted Suicide
Officers responded to a house after a resident ingested pills in an attempt to commit suicide. Officers arranged for the resident’s transportation to the Contra Costa County Regional Medical Center for observation.

Missing person (located) – 11740 San Pablo Avenue
Officers conducted a pedestrian enforcement stop and found that the 45 year-old Richmond woman had been reported missing to the Richmond Police Department 4 months earlier. The woman explained that she returned home a few days after she was reported missing and has been there since. She was removed from the Missing Persons system.

Robbery – 3400 block of Belmont Avenue
At approximately 2:20 p.m., officers responded to a report of a bicycle theft that had just occurred in the 3400 block of Belmont Avenue. A police motorcycle officer located the suspect pushing two bicycles up the foot path on the south side of Albany Hill. A foot chase ensued and the thief was ultimately tackled by another police motorcycle sergeant in front of Al’s Big Burger in Albany. The suspect, 27-year-old Rodney Jones from Richmond, was booked at the El Cerrito Police Department and transported to the Martinez Detention Facility after officers determined that he had punched the victim several times after the victim confronted him during the theft.

Saturday, June 8

Driving under the Influence, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Parole Violation – San Pablo Ave. / Bayview Ave.
Officers conducted a traffic enforcement stop and arrested the driver, a 36 year-old San Pablo man, for driving under the influence of alcohol. A search of the vehicle revealed a controlled substance. The new charges resulted in a violation of his parole terms. The man was booked at the El Cerrito Police Department and transported to the Martinez Detention Facility.

Missing Person – Del Norte BART Station
At approximately 8:45 a.m., a concerned girlfriend phoned ECPD to report that her boyfriend had not returned from a haircut appointment in Alameda the day before and that his phone was off. Officers contacted allied agencies and local hospitals but were unable to locate him. Later in the day officers located the 23 year old Vallejo man when he turned his phone back on. The man reported that he was fine and already contacted his girlfriend to let her know that he was okay.

Sunday, June 9

Runaway Juvenile
Officers were dispatched to the EC Plaza for a runaway juvenile. The mother of a 13 year-old El Cerrito girl stated that her daughter walked away from home after an argument. The mother last saw her daughter at the Plaza BART station. Information gleaned from the girl’s mother led officers to Berkeley. El Cerrito PD Officers worked in conjunction with Berkeley PD Officers and the girl was located on Shattuck Ave. in Berkeley.

Warrant Arrest – Potrero Ave. / I-80.
Officers conducted a traffic enforcement stop and arrested a passenger, a 36 year-old Oakland man, for an outstanding warrant. The man was booked at the El Cerrito Police Department and transported to the Martinez Detention Facility.

Theft – Safeway, 11450 San Pablo Avenue
At approximately 7 a.m., officers responded to Safeway for a report of theft that just occurred. Witnesses reported that the suspect was last seen walking northbound through the parking lot. Officers located the suspect at the Del Norte BART station and detained a 46-year-old man from Oakland. Officers located the stolen property that the suspect discarded and witnesses positively identified the man as the thief. Officers booked the man at the El Cerrito Police Department and took him to county jail because of his extensive theft-related criminal history.

Theft – Safeway, 11450 San Pablo Avenue
An alert Sergeant on routine patrol saw Safeway employees following a subject through the parking lot and suspected a theft had just occurred. The sergeant detained the subject, a 51-year-old woman from Richmond, and began investigating the incident. Additional officers arrived and learned that the woman had just attempted to steal a full cart of groceries. She fled the store after the store manager confronted her about the theft, abandoning the groceries. Officers arrested the woman, booked her, and released her with a citation.

Attempt Vehicle Theft – 500 block of Liberty Street
The owner of a Jeep Cherokee reported that an unknown suspect pried the driver’s side door lock to gain entry into the car and then attempted to start the car by prying the ignition. The thief was unsuccessful however extensive damage was done to the door lock and ignition column. The attempted theft occurred sometime over the last 24 hours.

Vehicle Collision with Injury – 1700 block of Lexington Avenue
At approximately 7:15 a.m., Officers responded to a report of a single vehicle roll over collision. Officers discovered that the driver of the Honda Civic traveling southbound on Lexington Avenue diverted her attention and struck two parked vehicles causing her vehicle to roll over onto its roof. The driver suffered minor scrapes and was transported to the hospital for evaluation.

Monday, June 10

Theft – 6700 block of Glen Mawr Avenue
An unknown suspect stole the rims and tires from a parked Chrysler 300 overnight, leaving the car on cinderblocks.

Theft – 1500 block of Lexington Avenue
An unknown suspect stole the rims and tires from a parked Ford Mustang overnight leaving the car on cinderblocks.

Burglary – 11700 block of San Pablo Avenue
An unknown suspect broke the front passenger window of a parked Kia Optima and removed loose change from the interior sometime overnight.

Shoplifting – CVS Pharmacy, 670 El Cerrito Plaza
At approximately 8:20 a.m., employees from CVS phoned police to report that a man had just stolen numerous bottles of alcohol and fled on foot northbound on San Pablo Avenue. Officers located the 46 year old Richmond man on Carlson Boulevard and detained him. An employee from CVS positively identified the man as the suspect and the bottles of alcohol were recovered and returned to the store. The man was arrested and booked at the El Cerrito Police Department before being transported to the Martinez Detention Facility.

Warrant Arrest – Potrero Ave. / I-80.
Officers conducted a bicycle enforcement stop and arrested a 25-year-old San Leandro man for an outstanding warrant. The man was booked at the El Cerrito Police Department and transported to the Martinez Detention Facility.

Tuesday, June 11

Warrant Arrest - San Pablo Avenue @ Lincoln Avenue
A 40 year-old woman from Richmond was arrested on a Marin County warrant during a traffic enforcement stop. The woman was booked at the ECPD and then transported to the Martinez Detention Facility. Time of call: 11:34 a.m.

Hit and Run - 200 block of Behrens Street
Officers responded to the above listed area to investigate a hit and run collision. Upon arrival on scene, the investigating officer determined a 19-year-old Albany man stole his friend’s vehicle, got into a collision and then fled the scene. The man was turned over to the Albany Police Department and booked for vehicle theft. The hit and run violation will be submitted to the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office for review. Time of call: 12:50 p.m.

Petty Theft - 11450 San Pablo Avenue
An unknown suspect stole a backpack and iPad from unlocked Honda CRV, which was parked in the Safeway lot. The theft occurred on Monday between 6 p.m. and 6:25 p.m.

Wednesday, June 12

Robbery - 6009 Potrero Avenue (Super 8 Motel)
At 6 p.m., two suspects entered the lobby of the hotel and confronted the receptionist who was behind the front desk. Suspect one stood near the doorway and pointed a silver handgun at the receptionist while suspect two demanded cash from the register. Upon receiving the cash, suspect two grabbed the victim’s laptop and then both suspects fled the business.

Burglary (Commercial) - 1000 El Cerrito Plaza (Lucky)
Store security arrested a 27-year-old Oakland man for stealing $650 worth of toiletry items. During the investigation, officers determined the man was also in possession of several hundred dollars worth of toiletries from CVS. A review of the video footage from CVS showed the suspect stealing the toiletries and then leaving the business without paying for the items. During each theft, the man used several empty shopping bags, which he brought into the store. The man was booked at the ECPD and then transported to the county jail.

Possession of Narcotics and a Firearm
& Possession of Narcotics for Sale - South 55th Street

During a traffic enforcement stop, officers arrested a 46 year-old woman for a warrant, a 50 year-old woman for being in possession of a firearm and narcotics and a 49-year-old man. After booking, officers transported the women to county jail and released the man.

Thursday, June 13

Burglary (Auto) - 2500 block of Tulare Avenue
An unknown suspect broke out the window of a Honda Element and stole various tools valued at $600 dollars. The theft occurred between 5 p.m. Thursday and 2:30 p.m. Friday.


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