Berkeley, California (Thursday, October 07, 2021) - On October 5th, at 2:23 pm, a man was sitting outside Artis Coffee typing on his laptop when a suspect approached him and asked a question. After distracting the man, the suspect grabbed the man’s laptop and ran to a waiting getaway vehicle and drove off.
Witnesses of the crime were able to obtain a license plate of the suspect's getaway vehicle, which came back to a vehicle stolen from Oakland the previous day during an armed carjacking.
When officers searched the area for the suspect, they spotted it in the area of Sacramento Street and Cedar Street. When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, it failed to yield and officers pursued it. From Sacramento Street, the vehicle turned westbound onto University Avenue--where the vehicle later collided with another vehicle at the San Pablo Avenue intersection. After the collision, the suspect vehicle lost control and collided with a nearby bench where a bystander was seated--injuring the bystander (taken to the hospital with a leg injury).
The suspects then fled on-foot. After a block search, officers arrested 5 juveniles (age 11-15 years old) on suspicion of the grand theft, possession of stolen property, evading police, hit and run causing injury, possession of a stolen vehicle and resisting arrest.
Other law enforcement agencies are investigating other crimes the suspects may have been involved with in their jurisdictions.
Case 2021-00045929
