Berkeley Armed Burglary Suspect Charged: Cops

BERKELEY, CA — An armed burglary suspect has been charged in connection with an incident in Berkeley last week, police said.

The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office on Friday charged a 33-year-old Berkeley man with burglary, making criminal threats, possession of a concealed firearm and several criminal enhancements, the Berkeley Police Department said.

Officers at around 3:55 p.m. on Thursday responded to an apartment building in the 1600 block of 62nd Street on a report of a disturbance involving an armed man who broke out an apartment window, police said.

After officers arrived, the suspect emerged from apartment armed with a handgun, police said.

Officers directed the suspect to put the handgun down and were then able to safely take him into custody, according to police.

Officers learned from the victim that the suspect (an old acquaintance) had come by the apartment to ask for a favor, police said.

The suspect left the apartment at the victim’s request but returned about 15 minutes later to confront the victim, police said.

After the suspect broke the apartment’s window and climbed inside, the victim locked himself in a bathroom and called authorities, police said.

When the victim heard the suspect banging on a locked bedroom door, the victim feared the suspect might get through the door and climbed out a bedroom window and jumped to the ground level — where he was met by officers who were outside.