Purse snatched from woman dining outside on College Ave.
The woman left her purse hanging on her chair while she ate. Police said the culprit walked by and snatched it, then took off running.
A woman eating outside on College Avenue in Berkeley had her purse snatched by a stranger in a ski mask Tuesday night, authorities report.
The incident happened shortly before 7 p.m. in the 3200 block of College Avenue, at Casa Barotti, just south of Alcatraz Avenue, Berkeley police said.
The woman left her purse hanging on her chair while she ate. Police said the culprit walked by and snatched it, then took off running.
He jumped into a light-colored Kia and fled.
Police said BPD may classify Tuesday's incident as felony theft rather than a robbery, which requires the use of force or fear.
But there have been four robberies at the College and Alcatraz intersection already this year, on Feb. 2 just after 5 p.m., on May 15 at 2 p.m., on July 25 just before 9:45 p.m. and on Aug. 20 at 11:45 a.m.
Read more about robberies in Berkeley.
A felony theft was also reported at the intersection in May.
There have been about 570 felony thefts this year in Berkeley, up 13% from the same period last year.
Robberies in Berkeley are up 5% this year, with about 220 reported so far.
Elsewhere in the Elmwood: A CHP helicopter
Readers also asked The Scanner about helicopter activity Tuesday night in the Elmwood neighborhood.
Police said that was a CHP operation that led to the stop of a driver on Russell Street east of College, in front of the firehouse, around 10:20 p.m.
The Scanner has asked the CHP for details and will update this story if additional information becomes available.
