"Dangerous" Trio Nabbed In Carjacking Cases, Police Say

Three "violent and dangerous" people have been charged in connection with two carjackings, robbery and burglary in El Cerrito, Albany and San Pablo, El Cerrito police said late today, July 14.

The more recent carjacking occurred at Albany Hill about 12:30 p.m. Sunday when a woman who had just parked her car at 555 Pierce St. had her purse taken from her at gunpoint by a man who got out of a car that had pulled up alongside her, according to Albany police.

Another man in the robber's car took the victim's car, a silver Toyota Matrix, which an El Cerrito police officer spotted several hours later at about 12:40 a.m. "driving erratically" near Carlson Boulevard and South 55th Street, according to El Cerrito police. 

The driver of the stolen car fled with officers in pursuit. The California Highway Patrol took over the pursuit, which ended when the driver, Thomas Souza, 27, of San Pablo, hit an embankment near the Cushing Parkway in Fremont, El Cerrito police said. Souza, whom police described as a "parolee absconder," was arrested by Fremont police along with a female, Tommie Schwartz, 22, of Nevada, police said.

Another man, Charles Brown, ran from the car but was arrested by the CHP. All three were treated for minor injuries and turned over to El Cerrito police, according to police. El Cerrito police said Brown was 35 and from Oakland, while Albany police gave his age as 33 and his hometown as Richmond.

Brown was found in possession of methamphetamines and of stolen property from a July 1 armed carjacking in El Cerrito, police said. In that case, the victim had her 1999 Volvo stolen from her at gunpoint on San Mateo Street near Central Avenue about 2:30 p.m., police said. Later that day, her residence in Concord was burglarized while she was home, and the suspected burglars, two males, fled in a silver Dodge Neon driven by a woman, according to El Cerrito police.

Follow-up investigation led by El Cerrito police included a search of the residence of Souza's girlfriend, Brenda Lee Mahaffey, 26, in the 1300 block of Monterey Ave., Richmond, where police found additional property taken in the July 1 carjacking in El Cerrito, according to El Cerrito police.

Mahaffey was also identified as being involved in the Albany carjacking, police said. She was arrested near her silver Dodge Neon by San Pablo police, police said. She and Souza were also identified as being responsible for additional crimes in San Pablo, according to El Cerrito police.

According to El Cerrito police, the Contra Costa County District Attorney charged Souza with two counts of carjacking, robbery, and attempted burglary of an occupied dwelling. Albany police said Souza was charged also with felony fleeing from police in a vehicle and that the charges were filed with enhancements for prior felony conviction and use of a firearm.

Brown was charged with attempted burglary of an inhabited dwelling, robbery, carjacking, receiving stolen property and possession of methamphetamines, El Cerrito police said. Albany police said the charges carried enhancements for prior felony conviction and use a of a firearm.

Mahaffey was charged with carjacking, robbery and receiving stolen property, along with a gun enhancement, El Cerrito police said.

Schwartz was not charged, police said.

"This case was solved through the collaborative efforts of the Albany, El Cerrito and San Pablo Police Departments," said an El Cerrito police news release prepared by Detective Sgt. Scott Cliatt. "It was very lucky that no one was injured in the crimes occurring in El Cerrito and Albany."

"This was a violent and dangerous group of individuals," the release said. "If you ever find yourself being robbed, don’t resist and give the attacker whatever they are asking for."