Group surrounds victim in Berkeley robbery near Peoples Park

Posted: May 27, 2023 / 08:11 AM PDT

Updated: May 27, 2023 / 10:23 AM PDT

(BCN/KRON) — A group of suspects, one allegedly armed with a gun, surrounded and robbed a person near People’s Park in the 2400 block of Bowditch Street in Berkeley, police said in an emergency alert sent out to the University of California, Berkeley campus.

The group of about three suspects took the victim’s purse and cell phone about 8:27 p.m. Friday, police said.

The suspects left the area in a black Audi-style sedan, northbound on Bowditch Street. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Berkeley Police Department at (510) 981-5900.

The University of California Police Department shared the following safety tips with community members:

Use and encourage others to have a safe means of conveyance at all times (e.g. traveling with a trusted friend or in a group, taking a taxi, or utilizing the free night safety services available to every member of the campus community such as BearWalk or the night safety shuttle: nightsafety.berkeley.edu).
If you need help, dial 911 or use a blue light emergency phone (located throughout the campus and identified by a blue light on top of the phone box or column).
Electronic devices are popular robbery targets. Being aware of your surroundings and keeping your devices out of public view can help reduce risk.
Please do not delay in calling law enforcement. UCPD strongly encourages the reporting of criminal or suspicious activity in a timely manner.

The Berkeley area has seen several robberies over the past few months. In March, a series of robberies and burglaries were reported near the UC campus. Earlier that week, police also reported an attempted robbery on Berkeley’s campus. Towards the end of January, another person reported that a suspect used a knife to cut the purse strap off of their body in an attempted robbery not far from campus.