Man charged with Berkeley North Face thefts of $24,000
Juandell Joseph, who is already on probation for similar crimes, was charged with eight felonies and released on his own recognizance.
A man who stole $24,000 in jackets from the Berkeley North Face store in just six weeks is now facing felony charges, according to court papers.
During one of the incidents, he went right back into the store for more jackets after loading up his car the first time, Berkeley police wrote in court papers, making off with a haul that day of more than $10,000 in gear.
Juandell Joseph, 25, was charged with eight felonies this week in connection with the crimes.
He was then released on his own recognizance, according to booking records.
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Police said Joseph first went into the Berkeley North Face store on March 7, 2023, and took 10 puff jackets valued at $4,100. He fled in a black Nissan Altima with significant body damage, according to court papers.
On March 24, 2023, he went back to the store and took about $4,300 in puff jackets before fleeing in the Nissan, according to Berkeley police.
On April 16, 2023, he was back again and made back-to-back trips into North Face, taking about $10,500 in jackets and leaving in the Nissan, police wrote.
Joseph went back two days later and took more than $5,000 in jackets before leaving in the Nissan, according to Berkeley police.
Police determined that the Nissan was registered to Joseph at a San Francisco address.
They also learned that Joseph was on felony probation in both Los Angeles and Santa Clara counties for grand theft, according to charging papers.
Emilie Raguso
In April of last year, Berkeley police entered the Nissan into the system as a car that had been used in felony burglaries.
Two months later, in June, Albany police found the Nissan unoccupied and towed it. They found clothing inside that Joseph had worn during several of the crimes, police wrote.
In July, BPD reviewed Joseph's cellphone records, which showed him near the Berkeley North Face in at least two of the crimes under investigation.
A few days later, Joseph was arrested in San Francisco in connection with a grand theft case in that city, police wrote.
Emilie Raguso
At some point, according to court papers, Joseph ended up in San Mateo County Jail.
On May 2, he was transported from San Mateo to Berkeley Jail, police wrote.
On Monday, the Alameda County DA's office charged Joseph with both grand theft and commercial burglary for all four dates last year.
Charging papers also note a grand theft conviction from Marin County in 2019, a grand theft conviction from Santa Clara County in 2022 and a grand theft conviction in Los Angeles County in 2023.
All three cases resulted in probation, according to court papers.
Joseph is now scheduled to enter a plea May 13 at Wiley Manuel Courthouse.
The Scanner has asked police for a booking photograph and will add it to this story if it becomes available.
