Armed confrontation prompts Berkeley Hills police chase
Men in a stolen car linked to an armed robbery in another city led police on a chase on Grizzly Peak, police said.
Several men brandished a gun at a resident during a catalytic converter theft attempt Friday morning, leading to a police chase through the Berkeley Hills, authorities report.
The men got away and the investigation is ongoing, Berkeley police said Saturday.
BPD got several reports beginning at 6:10 a.m. Friday about men breaking into cars and, in one case, stealing a catalytic converter, on Ashby Place, Yolo Avenue and Walnut Street, according to radio traffic reviewed by The Scanner.
Initial attempts to find the car were unsuccessful, BPD said.
Just after 7:15 a.m., Berkeley police got another call, this time about a confrontation in the 1500 block of Summit Road, just off Grizzly Peak Boulevard.
Several men with a gun, and wearing masks, had tried to take a catalytic converter from a resident on the block, authorities said.
Their car was reportedly stolen and linked to an armed robbery in another city, a dispatcher told police.
Berkeley officers responded to the area, notified nearby police agencies and chased the car for several minutes.
At one point, according to radio traffic reviewed by The Scanner, the driver reached speeds of 40 mph or higher despite the winding roads.
Traffic was light but, when other motorists were in the area, they yielded to the pursuit.
Ultimately, the driver managed to escape near Fish Ranch Road, BPD said.
Catalytic converter thefts are down significantly in Berkeley compared to recent years but, anecdotally, seem to have been picked up in recent months.
The investigation is ongoing, Berkeley police said Saturday in response to a Scanner inquiry.
