Two masked men kicked in the front door of an Elmwood home on the 2900 block of Linden Avenue on June 29 while an 87-year-old woman was inside, turning a normally quiet street into an early-morning crime scene. The intruders walked past the resident as they moved through the house, according to police. She bolted to a neighbor’s place to call 911, and officers arrived within minutes, but the men were already gone. After returning home, the woman found nothing missing, and Berkeley police say the case remains under active investigation.
How police described the break-in
Berkeley police told The Berkeley Scanner that the break-in occurred before 8 AM and involved two men dressed in dark clothing and wearing masks; one suspect was described as about 5 feet 10. Officers said the pair forced their way in by kicking open the front door and "were aware of the woman's presence" as they walked through the home, then took off before patrol units got to the scene. According to the latest update from the outlet, police reported no arrests and no charges filed.
Burglary trends in Berkeley
On paper at least, break-ins around town appear to be easing slightly. According to Berkeley police data, there have been at least 172 residential burglaries recorded so far this year, compared with 196 over the same stretch last year, a drop of about 12%. Officials and crime analysts note that "hot prowl" burglaries, where someone is home when the intruder comes in, still make up a relatively small slice of those incidents.
Neighbors, safety and reporting
Linden Avenue is a short, typically calm one-block street just south of Ashby Avenue, and neighbors say the early-morning intrusion has rattled the Elmwood area, The Berkeley Scanner reports. Police and neighborhood safety groups are again pushing the basics: keep doors and windows locked, consider motion-activated lighting or cameras, and call 911 right away if anyone is in danger. For non-emergency tips or information related to this case, the City of Berkeley directs residents to the Berkeley Police Department non-emergency line at (510) 981-5900, per the City of Berkeley.
