Carjacking, Craigslist Scam and Burglaries Among Crimes Reported to Police

The following is a collection of incident reports prepared by the . The document contains only items of note. Dated Feb. 25, the report contains incidents that occurred from Feb. 18 – Feb. 25.

 Friday, Feb. 18

A drunk driver crashed into a tree in front of a home on Almaden Boulevard on Friday night. Officers arrived to the scene and arrested the driver for driving while under the influence of alcohol.

Later that night, officers responded to the Greenhaven Apartments on 31770 Alvarado Blvd. after receiving a 9-1-1 call about a fight. The fight occurred when a group of suspects were drinking beer in the parking lot and sitting on the victim’s car. The victim confronted the suspects and a fight ensued, with the suspects jumping the victim and causing significant injuries. Some of the suspects flee in a vehicle, others on foot. Arriving officers were able to locate the suspect vehicle and detain two uncooperative suspects. The victim was found at his apartment and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The remaining suspects are still at large.

Saturday, Feb. 19

A man was arrested after attempting to burglarize a home on Deborah Drive. The victim called police after seeing the suspect attempting to crawl through a broken window. The suspect fled and jumped neighboring fences. Officers arrived, setting up a perimeter. While tracking the suspect down, police heard yelling coming from a backyard on Laura Way. Officers found that a homeowner saw the suspect jumping into his backyard and got into a short fight with the suspect, who was able to flee and hop over another fence. Police K-9 eventually found the suspect hiding in a sunroom. The suspect was bitten and suffered minor injuries.

Tuesday, Feb. 22

A lone suspect performed an armed robbery at GameStop, located at 31079 Courthouse Drive in Union Landing, on Tuesday night. The suspect brandished a handgun at the manager, threatening to shoot him and demanding money. The manager, fearing for his life, handed over an unknown amount of cash to the suspect, who immediately fled the store.

Wednesday, Feb. 23

Two suspects attempted to burglarize a home on Tamarack Drive. The victims at the residence called police and provided a description of a suspicious vehicle parked nearby. Officers arrived and set up a perimeter around the home while two officers approached the suspect in the vehicle nearby. The suspect in the vehicle was detained and later arrested after confirming his role in the burglary. The two suspects who tried to enter the home were eventually found hiding in a tree and were arrested without incident.

Also on Wednesday, a school resource officer arrested a teenager at James Logan High School for possession of ecstasy pills for sale.

Thursday, Feb. 24

A bicyclist fabricated a portion of his statement after being his by a vehicle. Officers responded to investigate what was reported as a felony hit-and-run. Officers learned that the bicyclist had actually accepted $60 from the driver after the incident.

In the afternoon, a victim fell prey to a Craigslist scammer who assaulted and robbed the victim. The victim had arranged to meet and purchase an iPad from the suspect at a location on Union City Boulevard near Alvarado Boulevard. The suspect arrived, punched the victim and took $250 cash from the victim before fleeing on foot. The suspect was described as a Hispanic or Middle Eastern male in his 20s.

Friday, Feb. 25

On Friday morning, police received two calls around the same time involving similar suspects. In the first reported incident, a woman and her boyfriend were leaving the 00 Liqour parking lot at Whipple Road and Medallion Drive when a dark green or blue Dodge Durango with at least three individuals inside cut them off, blocking their exit. The driver was a black male in his 20s and the rear passenger on the driver’s side was a Latino male with his face partially covered. The passenger got out of the vehicle with a handgun in his waistband. The victims reversed rapidly and left the area before calling from Hayward.

Around the same time, police received a call that a male on Valiant Way was backing out of his driveway in his Acura Legend and was blocked by what was described as the same suspect Durango. The victim was unsure of how many suspects were in the SUV. He said a Hispanic male knocked on the driver side window with a gun, ordering him to get out of the car. The suspect pistol-whipped the driver once with the gun. The victim was not injured but acted as if he was and went to the ground. The suspects fled in his Acura and the Durango. Officers conducted an extensive search but were unable to locate the suspects.

Crime prevention note from UCPD:

Recently, a community member was accosted by a man in a parking lot claiming to be a “FIX-A-DENT” repairman.  The “repairman” offered to fix a dent and order a part for the woman’s BMW.  The “repairman” took $200 from the victim and supposedly ordered the part using his credit card.  When the owner of the vehicle went to pick up the part she learned that the “repairman” did not have the authority to order the part (not authorized from BMW).  She contacted the Better Business Bureau and learned that the “repairman” did not appear to work for the company that he was representing.  He fixed a small dent, took her money, and she never received the part she intended to purchase from him.