Robbery reported in Elmwood city parking lot
Police say the assailant struck a man in the face, forced him out of his vehicle "and beat him."
Berkeley police are investigating a robbery this week in the city's Elmwood parking lot.
On Monday at about 6 a.m., a man in his 30s had just parked in the lot, which is located south of Russell Street and west of College Avenue, when a stranger opened his door, Berkeley police said in response to a Scanner inquiry.
Police say the assailant struck the driver in the face, forced him out of his vehicle "and beat him" via punches and kicks.
Then he stole the man's wallet, along with cash from the car, and left.
The robber, who wore dark clothing, was described as an "unknown race male," about 5 feet 11 inches tall and 250 pounds.
To date, no arrests have been made. And some community have asked for an increased police presence in the neighborhood.
Individual crime reports can be disturbing, but the overall picture appears promising, for now.
Robberies in Berkeley hit a 10-year low in 2025, with about 180 reported throughout the year, according to BPD data.
That was a 22% reduction from 2024, which had been its own historic low.
Berkeley's low numbers in 2025 mirrored broader trends around the state.
"According to the Major Cities Chiefs Association, new data show crime declining nearly across the board statewide, including an 18% drop in homicides, an 18% reduction in robberies, and a 9% decrease in aggravated assaults year over year," Gov. Gavin Newsom's office reported this week.
Historically, for many years, Berkeley consistently averaged about a robbery a day. Those numbers began to fall during the pandemic aside from a spike in 2023.
There have now been at least four robberies reported in Berkeley this year, according to police data.
