A federal judge in Sacramento on Tuesday sentenced Mark. C. Anderson, 63, who was born in Berkeley and who resided in Sausalito, to 27 years in prison for the Oct. 12, 2005 fire at Wines Central.

“This was an enormous crime,” Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Steven Lapham … Continue reading »]]>

Mark Anderson: sentenced Tuesday

More than six years after a devastating fire ripped through a Vallejo warehouse, destroying 4.5 million bottles of premium wine worth more than $100 million, a man has been sentenced for the crime.

A federal judge in Sacramento on Tuesday sentenced Mark. C. Anderson, 63, who was born in Berkeley and who resided in Sausalito, to 27 years in prison for the Oct. 12, 2005 fire at Wines Central.

“This was an enormous crime,” Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Steven Lapham said after the sentencing. “He damaged so many lives. We tend to think of winery owners as rich, fat-cat types. But by and large, the people who were storing wine at this facility were doing so because they didn’t have their own storage. They were small family-owned wineries that couldn’t afford these losses.”(...)

Read the rest of Arsonist sentenced for destroying $100 million of wine (679 words)

By Frances Dinkelspiel. | Permalink | One comment |
Post tags: Jan Kurowski, Judge Lawrence K. Karlton, Long Meadow Ranch Winery, Mark C. Anderson, R. Steven Lapham, Ted Hall

His assailants were lying in wait for the barber, port worker, and father of five, and fired off more than 80 rounds from a semi-automatic weapon and a pistol to make sure the 35-year old was dead. After Warren … Continue reading »]]>

Police tagged more than 80 bullet holes at the scene of the fatal shooting on Emerson Street last night. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel

Kenny Warren had just left his job at the barbershop at 3019 Shattuck Avenue Thursday evening and was walking around the corner to a friend’s house to watch a basketball game when he was pelted with a barrage of gunfire.

His assailants were lying in wait for the barber, port worker, and father of five, and fired off more than 80 rounds from a semi-automatic weapon and a pistol to make sure the 35-year old was dead. After Warren collapsed on the porch of the duplex at 2114 Emerson Street, the suspects walked up the stairs and fired some more rounds point blank into his body, according to witnesses.

“I heard him knock on the door and say ‘It’s Ken,’ said an occupant of the apartment where Warren was killed. She asked that her name not be used. “I went to answer the door, then hesitated. Then the bullets started flying and I heard him scream. There were so many bullets. They kept coming so fast. There were so many.”(...)

Read the rest of Barrage of bullets killed man in Berkeley (648 words)

By Frances Dinkelspiel. | Permalink | 31 comments |
Post tags: Don Warren, Don's Headquarters, Kenneth Warren, murder, shooting

This is a partial list of recent crimes in Berkeley based on information from the Berkeley Police Department and the UC Berkeley Police Department. Last night’s murder occurred too late for this police-compiled listing.

See also BPD’s weekly calls for service and the San Francisco Chronicle’s regularly published list of arrests in Berkeley. For other sources of information on crime in Berkeley see Community CrimeView and Crimemapping.com.

Thursday, January 19

Armed Robbery – Channing Way and Atherton Street
… Continue reading »]]>

This is a partial list of recent crimes in Berkeley based on information from the Berkeley Police Department and the UC Berkeley Police Department. Last night’s murder occurred too late for this police-compiled listing.

See also BPD’s weekly calls for service and the San Francisco Chronicle’s regularly published list of arrests in Berkeley. For other sources of information on crime in Berkeley see Community CrimeView and Crimemapping.com.

Thursday, January 19

Armed Robbery – Channing Way and Atherton Street
On Thursday, January 19, at 8:31 p.m., an armed robbery occurred at the intersection of Channing Way and Atherton Street. The victim was approached by the male suspect who displayed a silver handgun and robbed him of cash. The suspect fled the scene on foot and was last seen entering a white or silver vehicle, possibly a Lexus.  The victim was not injured during the encounter. The Berkeley Police Department searched the area but was unable to locate the suspect or the suspect’s vehicle.

The suspect was described as: a Black or Hispanic male, in his 20s, approximately 5′-5″ tall, medium
build, wearing a black kerchief or cap, a black jacket, blue jeans, and white tennis shoes.(...)

Read the rest of Police blotter: Recent crime in Berkeley (1,897 words)

By lance. | Permalink | 17 comments |
Post tags: Berkeley crime, Berkeley Police Department, Police blotter Berkeley

The man, who has not yet been identified but is a younger man, was found near 3020 Shattuck Avenue, according to Sgt. Mary Kusmiss. He had been shot numerous times and was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, she said. His name and age have not been released.

Police responded to Shattuck Avenue near Emerson after 911 … Continue reading »]]>

The murder took place in south Berkeley close to the intersection of Ashby and Adeline

A man was shot and killed on the 3000 block of Shattuck Avenue around 6:50 pm, according to Berkeley police.

The man, who has not yet been identified but is a younger man, was found near 3020 Shattuck Avenue, according to Sgt. Mary Kusmiss. He had been shot numerous times and was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, she said. His name and age have not been released.

Police responded to Shattuck Avenue near Emerson after 911 was  flooded with call of shots being fired around the area, said Sgt. Kusmiss.

“The evidence so far suggests this was not a random shooting,” said Sgt. Kusmiss. “This person was the focus of the shooter’s attention.”

Berkeley police are still on the scene.

This is the first homicide in Berkeley in 2012. There was one homicide in Berkeley in 2011.

The location of tonight’s homicide is in south Berkeley close to the intersection of Ashby and Adeline. A murder took place near there on September 12 2010 when Adolfo Ignacio Celedón Bravo was shot and killed there while walking home with his girlfriend.

By Berkeleyside Editors. | Permalink | 62 comments |
Post tags: Berkeley crime, Berkeley homicide, Berkeley Police Department, homicide, shooting

Two 18-year-old Berkeley men have been arrested in connection with the shooting of two teenagers on Sacramento Street on Dec. 23.

Tyler Frank Jamison, 18 16, who lives on Hearst Avenue, has  been charged with two counts of attempted murder, assault with a firearm, and other charges, and is … Continue reading »]]>

Berkeley police investigate a Sacramento Street shooting on Dec. 23, 2011. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel

Update, 01.25.12: New information received from Assistant District Attorney Teresa Drenick from the Alameda County District Attorney’s office clarifies that Tyler Frank Jamison is in fact 16 but that he was filed on as an adult.

Two 18-year-old Berkeley men have been arrested in connection with the shooting of two teenagers on Sacramento Street on Dec. 23.

Tyler Frank Jamison, 18 16, who lives on Hearst Avenue, has  been charged with two counts of attempted murder, assault with a firearm, and other charges, and is being held without bail in Santa Rita Jail, according to Teresa Drenick, an assistant district attorney in the Alameda County District Attorney’s office.

Tyrone Anthony Terell, 18, was charged with a weapons violation, according to a press release issued by Berkeley police.

The two men were arrested on Jan. 13 when a patrol officer recognized the suspects, whose name and photos had been distributed in an internal wanted photo, according to the BPD press release.(...)

Read the rest of Two arrested for shootings on Sacramento Street (147 words)

By Frances Dinkelspiel. | Permalink | 7 comments |
Post tags: Sacramento Street shootings, Teresa Dresnick, Tyler Frank Jamison, Tyrone Anthony Terell

The Chevron gas station was robbed at 2:04 p.m. today at gunpoint by a single suspect who fled on foot. Berkeley police officers were on the scene within a minute, according to BPD Lieutenant Andrew Greenwood. Over one hour after the incident, eight to ten Berkeley officers were still scouring the neighborhood … Continue reading »]]>

The Chevron service station on Ashby and Domingo was robbed at gunpoint on Tuesday afternoon. Photo: Lance Knobel

An armed robbery this afternoon at the Chevron station on the corner of Ashby and Domingo led to an extensive manhunt that was continuing at time of writing.

The Chevron gas station was robbed at 2:04 p.m. today at gunpoint by a single suspect who fled on foot. Berkeley police officers were on the scene within a minute, according to BPD Lieutenant Andrew Greenwood. Over one hour after the incident, eight to ten Berkeley officers were still scouring the neighborhood in the hope of finding the suspect.

According to a manager in the Chevron station, the robber took approximately $50. No one was hurt in the incident.

Greenwood said the police had checked the grounds of nearby John Muir Elementary School as a priority. He said there was no reason to think the public was at risk. The police were issuing no description of the suspect at this point.

By lance. | Permalink | No comment |
Post tags:

A man was driving eastbound on Ashby near Harper Street around 3:10 pm when a red car pulled alongside him. Someone in that car fired shots and then sped south towards Oakland, according to Sgt. Mary Kusmiss of the Berkeley Police Department. The victim, who was not injured, drove east, away from the scene. Several bullets had been fired into his car.

Berkeley police … Continue reading »]]>

The shooting took place on Ashby near Harper in south Berkeley

Berkeley police are investigating a drive-by shooting that took place on Ashby Avenue on Jan. 2.

A man was driving eastbound on Ashby near Harper Street around 3:10 pm when a red car pulled alongside him. Someone in that car fired shots and then sped south towards Oakland, according to Sgt. Mary Kusmiss of the Berkeley Police Department. The victim, who was not injured, drove east, away from the scene. Several bullets had been fired into his car.

Berkeley police shut down a section of Ashby Avenue for about one hour to investigate the shooting. They also canvassed nearby neighborhoods, according to Sgt. Kusmiss.

The drive-by shooting came ten days after assailants shot two people on Sacramento Street near Woolsey. No suspects have been arrested for that crime. One of the victims remains hospitalized.

BPD is urging anyone who may know anything about this crime to call the BPD Homicide Detail at (510) 981-5741 or the 24-hour BPD non-emergency number of (510) 981-5900 and mention the crime when calling. If a community member wishes to remain anonymous, he/she is encouraged to call the Bay Area Crimes Stoppers (BACS) at (800)-222-TIPS (8477). Any information may be critical to solving this crime. Sometimes the smallest or seemingly insignificant detail can be the key to arresting the suspect or suspects in any crime.

By Frances Dinkelspiel. | Permalink | 5 comments |
Post tags: Berkeley crime, Berkeley drive-by shooting, Berkeley Police Department

In this partial list of recent crimes in Berkeley from Dec. 25-29, Sgt. Kusmiss also included a snapshot of what police have … Continue reading »]]> 2011 will wind down as one of the safest years in Berkeley. There was only one homicide this year — the March 8 slaying of Toby Eagle in the back yard of his Blake Street home — compared to five killings in 2010. This is lowest number of murders in Berkeley since 2001, according to Sgt. Mary Kusmiss.

In this partial list of recent crimes in Berkeley from Dec. 25-29, Sgt. Kusmiss also included a snapshot of what police have been doing, along with information on specific police calls. For other sources of information on crime in Berkeley see Community CrimeViewand Crimemapping.com.

Quick Facts - What BPD Officers are doing:

Between  Sunday, December 25, 2011 at 1:33 a.m. and Thursday, December 29 at 9:22 a.m., BPD officers were dispatched and handled 21 welfare checks of community members throughout the City of Berkeley.

Between Sunday, December 25, 2011 at 11:58 a.m. and Thursday, December 29 at 3:48 p.m., BPD officers made 26 pedestrian stops throughout the City of Berkeley.(...)

Read the rest of Police blotter: recent crime in Berkeley (742 words)

By Frances Dinkelspiel. | Permalink | 4 comments |
Post tags:

911 started getting numerous calls that shots had been fired at the intersection of Sacramento and Woolsey streets but when police arrived there there were no victims or perpetrators in sight, said Lt. Andrew Greenwood of the Berkeley police department. Shortly thereafter, police learned that someone had driven two people with bullet wounds to an area hospital, he said. They … Continue reading »]]>

Berkeley police confer during their investigation of two shootings on Sacramento St. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel

Berkeley police are looking for the suspect or suspects who shot two people walking on Sacramento Street around 12:41 pm.

911 started getting numerous calls that shots had been fired at the intersection of Sacramento and Woolsey streets but when police arrived there there were no victims or perpetrators in sight, said Lt. Andrew Greenwood of the Berkeley police department. Shortly thereafter, police learned that someone had driven two people with bullet wounds to an area hospital, he said. They have been admitted, but police do not yet know if their wounds are life-threatening.

The assailants fired numerous bullets at the victims. There were at least 20 evidence markers on Sacramento Street, although Lt. Greenwood said they were not all bullet casings.

Witnesses at the scene said the suspect or suspects had fled up Woolsey Street and police did a house by house search of a two block area, said Lt. Greenwood. They did not find the shooters. Oakland police assisted the search with its canine unit, he said.

“The block search is going on right now,” said Lt. Greenwood. “We are searching a two block area. There are cops all over the block.”

Clumps of neighbors stood behind the yellow police tape, watching the action. One neighbor said cops had told him he should go inside his house to be safe.

By Frances Dinkelspiel. | Permalink | 10 comments |
Post tags: Lt. Andrew Greenwood

At its height, there were about 70 tents pitched at the park with a population of about 150 … Continue reading »]]>

Dan Stone packs up his tent at the Occupy Berkeley encampment in case they are removed from Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park in Berkeley, California, late Wednesday, December 21, 2011. Photo: David Yee

In the two months since Occupy Berkeley set up camp in Civic Center Park, Berkeley police have responded to 33 calls for service to the park, 24 of which were classified as crimes. The most serious of these included an attempted rape, a stabbing, and a few assaults. Police also issued 46 citations for smoking in a public space and drinking alcohol.

At its height, there were about 70 tents pitched at the park with a population of about 150 people.

Berkeley police released this partial list of activity at the Occupy Berkeley camp.

10/23/11 11:25 p.m. – Battery
Did not wish police services

10/24/11 11:11 a.m. – Assault with a Deadly Weapon (Felony) – a Stick, Brandishing, Threats, Battery
A victim from Occupy Berkeley to safety at the Public Safety Building after a known woman suspect living in a tent there attacked and threatened him, causing lacerations to the side of his face. The suspect accused the victim of stealing her money and then attacked him. The suspect allegedly scratched his face with her fingernails, pulled out a knife and chased him, trying to stab him, and then picked up a picket sign stick and beat him. She threatened to have the victim killed by her acquaintances from Oakland. There were people in the area/likely numerous witnesses in Occupy Berkeley at the time, but nobody would cooperate with BPD officers on scene.(...)

Read the rest of Police Blotter: Occupy Berkeley (1,479 words)

By Frances Dinkelspiel. | Permalink | 35 comments |
Post tags: Occupy Berkeley