Berkeley police are investigating a reported late-night carjacking in West Berkeley after a driver said an armed man took his vehicle near the city’s waterfront last Friday.
According to police, the driver told officers that a person with a gun approached his stopped car, where West Frontage Road meets University Avenue, and took the vehicle. He called authorities at about 11 PM, and officials say the investigation remains active as detectives work to follow up on leads.
The Berkeley Scanner reports that the caller told dispatchers the carjacking took place roughly an hour before he phoned in the crime and that the suspect was armed. Berkeley police, the outlet notes, have declined to release additional information while the probe is underway.
BPD data show a slight uptick in carjackings
Data from the City of Berkeley show 14 reported carjackings so far this year, compared with 13 at the same point last year, even as overall robberies are down year‑to‑date. The department’s public dashboards and downloadable incident records provide the raw counts behind those trends.
Police are holding details while they investigate
Officers have not named any suspects or released a vehicle description while detectives follow investigative leads, according to The Berkeley Scanner. That coverage also notes that residents have been talking about the incident on neighborhood forums and among Berkeley High parents online, though no independently verified video or images have surfaced publicly.
How to pass along tips
Anyone with information about the carjacking is asked to contact the Berkeley Police Department’s non-emergency line at (510) 981‑5900 or email [email protected]. Call 911 for emergencies. Police data tools and contact details are available on the City of Berkeley website.
