The Berkeley Scanner
@berkeleyscanner.com
Authoritative news about public safety and politics in Berkeley, California. Founder: Emilie Raguso, 2017 SPJ NorCal journalist of the year.
A federal judge has hit pause on Berkeley's latest Harrison encampment closure plan, citing three questions that still need answers.
Why did a judge halt Harrison encampment closure?
The city says dangerous conditions demand action. Berkeley Homeless Union says officials haven't met the court's requirements.
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A man who burned a mezuzah at a Jewish student center serving UC Berkeley was found guilty this week of arson, authorities say.
Berkeley Hillel arson ends in hate crime finding
David Denton faces up to three years in prison and must register as an "arson offender," the DA's office said.
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An auto repairman has been charged with paying a teenage girl for sex in a trailer at the Berkeley U-Haul where he worked, court papers say.
Berkeley U-Haul repairman paid teen for sex, police say
Frank Vieira met the victim when she was 16, and knew she lived in a San Ramon group home, authorities say.
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Vehicle thefts in Berkeley have been falling for the past two years. Now, they're going up. Police are paying attention. Here's the latest data and details on a recent case that took BPD to an Oakland chop shop.
Berkeley auto theft case leads police to Oakland chop shop
Officers found more than 50 vehicles that had been stripped for parts, and several that had been set on fire.
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EXCLUSIVE: Berkeley police have arrested the suspect in a recent shooting that left a young woman's teeth scattered in the roadway, according to court records.
Attempted murder arrest made in domestic violence shooting
Darius Tate has a history of violence with the victim, a 19-year-old woman with a 1-year-old baby, according to court papers and community reports.
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Despite a sharply divided public, Berkeley has approved protected bike lanes on Hopkins Street. CM Shoshana O'Keefe (who reps the district) called it "absolute madness." "This is about more than just a bike lane," countered CM Mark Humbert.
After years of debate, Berkeley approves Hopkins bike lanes
The plan, which includes paving and pedestrian safety improvements, is estimated to cost up to $20 million.
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"Todd has kept a lot of people alive." Friends say Berkeley is still feeling the loss of Todd Walker six months after his death.
Todd Walker: The man who helped keep Berkeley's peace
"Todd has kept a lot of people alive," said Senon Nails, a Live Free life coach who worked with Walker.
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A man police say broke into his ex-girlfriend's apartment in the middle of the night, attacked her and her roommate and took their phones has been arrested.
Berkeley police: Ex-boyfriend jailed after knife attack
Berkeley police tracked down Israel Pierson in Dublin and arrested him 10 hours after the crime, according to booking records.
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Don't miss today's deep dive from Kate Darby Rauch, a tribute to Berkeley violence prevention guru Todd Walker. He would have been 65 today. "Todd has kept a lot of people alive," said Senon Nails, a Live Free life coach who worked with him.
Todd Walker's legacy lives on in Berkeley's fight against violence
"Todd has kept a lot of people alive," said Senon Nails, a Live Free life coach who worked with Walker. He would have been 65 today.
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EDITORIAL: In recent weeks, a key resource for tracking local arrests has gone away, making it that much harder to report on police activity and public safety in Alameda County. Here's what happened.
Sheriff's office cuts daily arrest log, citing scam: Editorial
Another decades-old public resource for tracking police activity has been quietly retired, at least for now.
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WATCH: A lithium ion battery caught fire at a North Berkeley home Sunday, quickly spreading to a towering palm tree nearby, according to early reports.
Firefighters douse burning palm tree after battery fire: Video
Readers who saw the dramatic sight on Milvia Street shared photos and videos with The Scanner.
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Two women were taken to the hospital Sunday after crashing into a building on Shattuck Avenue, likely taking out a tree, authorities report.
Driver strikes tree, hits downtown Berkeley building
The incident took place at 12:35 p.m. on Shattuck Avenue and Bancroft Way, just south of the old Regal UA movie theater.
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SCOOP: The Berkeley Animal Shelter will reopen to the public Saturday, July 25, after a seven-week closure by an arson fire.
Berkeley Animal Shelter reopens Saturday, weeks after arson fire
"We are still not back to normal, and being open will look a little different than what we are used to," the city told volunteers Friday.
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A man was stabbed by his son after an argument Friday morning at their North Berkeley home, authorities report. Police identified the weapon as a screwdriver and said the man is expected to recover.
Berkeley police: Father stabbed with screwdriver; son arrested
The victim called 911 himself and met officers outside his home on Lincoln Street, police said.
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A car crash in South Berkeley knocked a cyclist unconscious Friday and sent him to the local trauma hospital, according to early reports.
Berkeley car crash sends cyclist, 66, to hospital
Police blocked southbound traffic on Sacramento Street at Oregon Street, and northbound traffic at Julia Street, for the investigation.
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A walk in Berkeley's Aquatic Park turned violent Wednesday when police say a homeless man used a skillet and tree branch to attack pedestrians.
Berkeley police: Park debris dispute leads to skillet attack
A Scanner reader who saw five police cruisers arrive with their lights on asked for details. Police arrested Shawn Strength.
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A Vallejo man has been charged with sexually assaulting a Berkeley High student after police say he used Instagram to arrange a meeting to give her marijuana.
Police: Man raped Berkeley High student after marijuana meetup
Police say Uriel Alegre Rangel was known to sell marijuana and went by the handles "bayareasupplierrrr" and "stackdollaaa" online.
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A driver who ran into a power pole, then fled the scene, knocked out electricity to more than a thousand PG&E customers in West Berkeley on Tuesday, according to police and community reports.
Berkeley power out, road closures after hit-and-run crash
There are closures on Sixth Street, between University Avenue and Allston Way, and on Addison Street from Fifth Street to Sixth Street.
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Weeks after he was attacked and robbed while leaving work on College Avenue, Roman Becerra is still struggling to eat and speak.
Berkeley father recovering after brutal College Avenue attack
"It's pretty hard to see my dad go through this," said Axel Becerra, 26, on Monday. "He was injured really badly."
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Berkeley police arrested three boys — ages 13, 14 and 15 — who chased a man down and attacked him during a robbery Sunday evening, authorities report.
3 teenage boys arrested after violent street robbery
The boys — ages 13, 14 and 15 — jumped the man and stomped him when he was on the ground, police said.
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Three mini-mart armed robbery suspects are in custody Friday after police tracked them down using Flock cameras, authorities report.
Berkeley police arrest mini-mart armed robbery suspects
An "alert community member" witnessed the armed robbery at the Stop & Shop Mini Mart on San Pablo Avenue, police said.
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An individual arrested by federal agents last week in Berkeley has been identified as a 30-year-old Moroccan man who overstayed his visa, an ICE spokesperson told The Scanner today.
ICE detainee in Berkeley ID'd as 30-year-old Moroccan man
He is "currently in ICE custody pending removal proceedings," according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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A homeless man police say followed a woman into her downtown Berkeley apartment building before sexually assaulting her is set for arraignment Thursday. Suspect Sean Johnson kept pressing elevator buttons to prolong the terrifying encounter, BPD said.
Police: Man trapped woman in elevator during sexual assault
Suspect Sean Johnson kept pressing elevator buttons to prolong the terrifying encounter, Berkeley police said.
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EXCLUSIVE: Federal agents detained a man in Berkeley last week amid a "civil immigration enforcement operation" led by ICE, The Scanner has learned. It appears to have been Berkeley's first confirmed public ICE detention.
ICE operation sees man detained in Berkeley
The operation on Woolsey Street appears to have been Berkeley's first confirmed public ICE detention.
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He died on the UC Berkeley campus in April. For months, Terry Nash's family didn't know what had happened. Now they're sharing his story — and asking people to remember the humanity behind the headlines. Reporting by freelancer Vicente Vera.
He died on the UC Berkeley campus. But who was he?
The family of Terrence Walker Nash Sr. only learned recently that he had been found deceased on the UC Berkeley campus in April.
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On a recent Monday morning, an 87-year-old woman was home alone in the Elmwood neighborhood when two men kicked in her front door.
Berkeley hot prowl burglary reported at Elmwood home
The burglars, who wore masks, "were aware of the woman's presence" and walked past her during the break-in, police said.
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Albany has begun to lay the groundwork for a protected bike lane on Solano Avenue, a key commercial corridor for Albany and North Berkeley alike.
Solano Avenue bike lane plan gets early look in Albany
Albany is considering a protected eastbound bike lane on Solano Avenue from the BART tracks to the Berkeley border.
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UPDATE: UCPD has issued the "all clear" after getting reports of a man with "a weapon" near Haas on Tuesday afternoon. Onlookers saw officers with long guns drawn. Summer campers hid under desks. In the end, police didn't find anyone.
Update: UC Berkeley 'all clear' after search for armed man
The Scanner is working to learn more and will update this story as quickly as possible.
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BREAKING: UC Berkeley authorities have asked people to shelter in place due to a police search near the Haas School of Business on Tuesday.
UC Berkeley police search underway near Haas
The Scanner is working to learn more and will update this story as quickly as possible.
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A 30-year-old cannabis dispensary in South Berkeley was robbed at gunpoint over the weekend by several masked men with guns, authorities report.
Armed takeover robbery at Berkeley cannabis dispensary
The group threatened the victims and held them at gunpoint throughout the robbery, Berkeley police said
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