He said her daughter had been in a car crash. It was a scam.
The stranger told the 91-year-old woman "not to tell anyone else about their phone call" — a red flag, Berkeley police said.
Berkeley Hills
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Body found in Claremont Canyon park near UC Berkeley
Update, Jan. 23: The man who died has been identified as Brian Zanzibar, 55, of Berkeley.
Berkeley man, 76, crashes into tree on Marin Avenue
Marin was closed between Spruce Street and Santa Barbara Road for the emergency response.
Oakland teens with gun arrested near UC Berkeley stadium
When officers inspected the gun, they determined it had been stolen in an auto burglary in Boise, Idaho, UCPD wrote.
Young people are helping keep Tilden park safer from wildfire
Wildfire season has gotten more severe. Civicorps hopes its wildfire mitigation program will help build a pipeline for local youth.
Update: Berkeley Hills house fire extinguished Thursday
Over the radio, firefighters described the home as "fully engulfed" and called for traffic control in the neighborhood.
In Berkeley disasters, early evacuation is key: new study
"Early evacuation is the best course of action," said retired Councilwoman Susan Wengraf. "The longer you wait, the harder it's going to be."