UC Berkeley: 2 Strong-Arm Robberies Reported on Campus

Police are investigating a pair of strong-arm robberies that occurred Tuesday on the campus of University of California at Berkeley.

The first incident occurred around 7:05 p.m. in the Ellsworth Parking Structure. The victim, a 19-year-old man, had both of his arms grabbed from behind by one man before another man went through his pockets and stole a wallet, police said. Both suspects fled the scene on foot, headed east toward Channing Way. They were described as a black man in his mid 20s, roughly 5 feet 10 inches tall wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with baggy jeans and another male wearing a red flannel shirt with tan cargo shorts and long white socks, police said.

Later that night at 9:30 p.m., another strong-arm robbery was reported on Spieker Plaza near the Octagon Bridge. An 18-year-old victim encountered two ladies on a bench, one of whom asked to borrow his phone. The women started walking away with the phone, at which time the victim asked for it back before the suspects threatened him and fled towards Shattuck Avenue on foot. The first suspect was described as a black woman with an athletic build standing roughly 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall, wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and black pants. The second suspect was described as an East Indian woman with braided hair, roughly 19 or 20 years old and wearing all black.

--Bay City News; Image by Gku via WikiMedia Commons