Berkeley Laptop Robbery Probed

BERKELEY, CA — Five juvenile suspects were arrested Tuesday afternoon in connection with a Berkeley laptop robbery, police said.

All five suspects are 15 years of age or younger, according to police. One of the suspects is 11, The East Bay Times reports.

The arrests followed a vehicle pursuit in which a bystander was injured, the Berkeley Police Department said.

The bystander was hospitalized with a leg injury, according to police.

Officers at around 2:25 p.m. responded to a report of the robbery at a coffee shop in the 1700 block of Fourth Street, police said.

Witnesses provided officers with the license plate number of the suspect's getaway vehicle, which came back to a vehicle stolen from Oakland earlier this week during an armed carjacking, police said.

Officers spotted the vehicle in the area of Sacramento and Cedar streets and a pursuit ensued after the vehicle failed to yield to the officers’ attempt to stop the vehicle, police said.

The vehicle turned westbound from Sacramento Street onto University Avenue and collided with another vehicle at the San Pablo Avenue intersection, police said.

After the collision, the suspect vehicle lost control and collided with a nearby bench where a bystander was seated, police said.

The suspects tried to run away but after a block search were taken into custody.

officers arrested 5 juveniles on suspicion of the robbery (age 12-15 years old).

Police are investigating whether the suspects had a role in similar incidents in neighboring jurisdictions.