What happened in Berkeley crime and safety in 2025?
For the second year running, Berkeley crime was down — a lot. Here's our 2025 recap along with the biggest stories.
Most serious crime in Berkeley was down significantly in 2025, according to preliminary data from the Berkeley Police Department.
It was the second year crime reports plummeted following an unusual spike in 2023.
Below, we break down crime by the numbers. But first: Some of the biggest stories of the year.
Berkeley's biggest public safety stories of 2025
- Ursula Jones Dickson became Alameda County's new district attorney in February following the recall of Pamela Price (who says she'll run again).
- Berkeley saw significant issues with homeless encampments, including at Ohlone Park and Civic Center Park, near Codornices Creek and in the Harrison Street corridor
- People mourned the unattended deaths of several unsheltered people, including Robert Shadric and Trinity Brooks.
- Berkeley saw a number of high-profile arrests related to its Flock license plate reader system — but put plans for new surveillance cameras on hold. That item may come back for a vote in the next few months.
- A Turning Point event at UC Berkeley resulted in local protests, national headlines and federal scrutiny.
- There have been at least six earthquakes in Berkeley (magnitude 2.5 or greater) since Aug. 31.
- Berkeley had at least three fatal structure fires, killing 61-year-old Gwen McNeal, 64-year-old Michelle Ann Mulder and Roberto Rodriguez, 69. The East Bay Media Center was also destroyed by fire.
- After LA's devastating wildfires to start the year, Berkeley grappled with its EMBER plan and how to prepare for wildfire in the hills.
- An arson suspect who targeted the UC Berkeley campus and a federal building drew significant attention. Deemed a "domestic terrorist," he was ultimately sentenced to more than 19 years in prison.
- A 19-year-old UC Berkeley student died after drowning at a frat party.
- Serious stabbing reports were up, including an attack on a couple in the Lawrence Hall of Science parking lot.
- An investigation into antisemitic graffiti at University Village and in Albany nearby rocked the community.
- Rejecting more moderate alternatives, Berkeley decided to encrypt its police radio traffic.
- On the brighter side, Berkeley opened a new 'one-stop shop' for homeless health care and is working to launch a new diversion program for people struggling with mental illness and experiencing homelessness.
Berkeley crime in 2025 by the numbers
Here's how Berkeley crime statistics broke down in 2025, according to the latest BPD data available. (These numbers are preliminary; the department generally makes its annual report to the Berkeley City Council in March.)
According to BPD's Transparency Hub data portal, BPD got about 8,800 crime reports in 2025, a 12% drop since last year.
Robberies in Berkeley: Down 20%
There have been 179 robberies in Berkeley in 2025, including carjacking and home-invasion robbery reports, compared to 223 last year. That's a 20% drop.
Historically, the city averaged about one robbery a day, although those numbers fell during the pandemic.
Felony assaults in Berkeley: Down 11%
There have been 167 felony assaults reported in Berkeley this year, compared to 188 last year. That's an 11% decrease.
Felony sex crimes in Berkeley: Up 31% (with a caveat)
BPD has received 129 sex crime reports this year compared to 124 last year.
That includes 89 felony sex crime reports (compared to 68 last year) and 40 misdemeanors (compared to 39 last year).
Last year, there were also 17 sex crimes involving juveniles, according to BPD data — but this blanket categorization made it tough to track sex crime severity. The department appears to have retired that grouping (in response to Scanner requests).
As a result, this year's increase may be less dramatic than it appears, given that some number of past felonies were being masked by the juvenile designation.
Still, even with the switch, serious sex crimes increased in Berkeley this year while most other crime types plunged.
One homicide in Berkeley in 2025
The year's only homicide took place in January following a delivery van theft in Oakland.
The van's owner was initially charged with murder but the case was later dismissed. The circumstances indicated he was defending himself.
Last year, four people were killed in Berkeley throughout the year.
Berkeley traffic fatalities in 2025
Berkeley saw at least seven traffic fatalities this year: three pedestrians, two drivers, a motorcycle rider and a cyclist.
Pedestrian Elise Lusk, 66, died in January after a driver struck her near Monterey Market.
In July, pedestrian Roderick Nared, 67, died at the hospital after a driver struck him at Claremont Avenue and The Uplands.
Pedestrian Dinh Le, 80, died in August after a driver struck him near Willard Park.
The same month, Abdul Kamraan, 35, died in a solo car crash near the Ashby Avenue freeway exit.
Emilie Raguso
And Hongmei Chen, a 54-year-old cyclist from Berkeley, was killed when a driver struck her in North Oakland.
In November, cyclist John Edward Muller, 65, died when a driver hit him on Telegraph Avenue.
Later that month, a Pinole man, 40-year-old Mikos Dickerson, died in a motorcycle crash on the freeway.
And, in December, 34-year-old Jorge Velazquez Sosa died in what authorities have said was a solo scooter crash at California and Addison streets.
Emilie Raguso
There were also a number of serious crashes where people survived, including a 19-year-old UC Berkeley student who sustained critical injuries in a scooter crash; a 77-year-old woman who was struck by a hit-and-run driver while walking her dog; and many others.
The conditions of survivors are often not available after a crash due to medical privacy laws.
Read more about traffic safety in Berkeley.
A driver who intentionally hit three people, according to police, remains in custody facing attempted murder charges.
Liz Fox
Gun violence was down significantly across multiple metrics
Berkeley has had 15 shootings this year, including one by police.
Aside from the April police shooting involving a barricaded domestic violence suspect, none of the Berkeley shootings resulted in injuries — which may be a record.
Last year there were 30 shootings in the same period leaving three dead and seven wounded.
Meanwhile, gun seizures in Berkeley are down slightly this year: Overall, police have seized about 100 firearms in 2025 compared to 111 last year.
But unserialized ghost gun seizures have dropped significantly, with 30 in 2024 compared to about 17 so far this year, according to BPD data.
A quick look at Berkeley property crime in 2025
Home and commercial burglaries dropped substantially in 2025, for the second year running, from 776 to 646, a 17% drop.
The reduction came solely from commercial burglaries, which saw a sharp decrease of 33%, from 395 in 2024 to 265 this year.
Home burglaries were flat, with 381 reported year-to-date in both 2024 and 2025.
Vehicle thefts saw a massive 50% drop, from 1,048 last year to 528 this year.
Felony thefts were down 19%, with 521 compared to 647 last year.
Arson reports did increase, from 46 last year to 58 this year, with many of the incidents clustered around downtown and south of campus.
Caveats about the data
A few things to know about the Berkeley crime data presented in this report.
- These are preliminary raw numbers based on available data and will change in March — although we don't expect the percentages to be much different.
- Comparison numbers are not readily available for other agencies at this time.
- These numbers do not include UCPD statistics, which are tracked separately and reported differently.
