Man arrested in $400 Ben & Jerry's ice cream heist
Police say the suspects threatened workers with a stun gun or Taser before fleeing. One was arrested after a foot chase in Oakland.
An Oakland man was arrested Wednesday after recent robberies at Berkeley grocery stores, including the theft of $400 in Ben & Jerry's ice cream, police said.
Wednesday's incidents began around 3:30 p.m. at Andronico's on Solano Avenue, where two men who entered the store were recognized by loss prevention staff, according to preliminary reports.
When staff confronted the men, one of them activated a stun gun or Taser and made threats before the pair fled in a silver Hyundai, Berkeley police said.
About 40 minutes later, they turned up at Andronico's on Shattuck Avenue, where they allegedly made off with roughly $400 worth of ice cream.
During that encounter, one of the suspects activated the electronic device and punched a loss prevention worker, police said.
But the ice cream didn't get far.
A Berkeley police officer who knew where stolen merchandise was often sold went to check several liquor stores in West Oakland.
BPD also used the department's Flock camera database to track down the car.
In West Oakland, police spotted the Hyundai and saw one of the men leaving a liquor store.
He took off running when he saw police, setting off a foot chase through several West Oakland blocks, BPD said.
Officers set up a perimeter and ultimately found the suspect in a backyard in the 700 block of 25th Street, hiding beneath plexiglass behind a shed, amid overgrown vegetation.
The 34-year-old Oakland man was arrested on suspicion of robbery and attempted robbery in connection with Wednesday's incidents, as well as a robbery in Berkeley last week, which also involved ice cream, police said. He also had an outstanding warrant from Contra Costa County.
Investigators are looking into whether the man may be connected to other cases.
His name was not immediately available because he had not been booked.
Police also recovered the stolen ice cream.
