Berkeley police arrest pair after auto burglary spree

Berkeley police investigating an auto burglary spree over just one hour last week arrested a young man who is now facing charges, according to police and court records.

BPD also arrested a teenager in connection with the case, but no information was available about him this week due to privacy laws that protect minors.

On Thursday evening, Berkeley police linked the suspects to three auto burglaries between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m.

The crew broke into two Teslas near College and Ashby avenues in the Elmwood neighborhood as well as a third vehicle near Shattuck and Durant avenues downtown, according to police and records online.

The investigation began at about 5:50 p.m. Thursday when a caller reported three people casing vehicles in the city parking lot off Russell Street.

They were "all in dark hoodies … and looking into car windows," the caller told BPD.

Officers responded quickly and were able to find video of the suspects and their getaway vehicles, Berkeley police said.

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BPD found those vehicles in the 200 block of Second Street in Oakland, near Jack London Square, and arrested two associated individuals, police said.

They were identified as a 17-year-old from San Francisco and Mizahn Parker, 21, of Richmond. (Parker's first name is sometimes spelled "Mizhan" in jail records.)

Parker was booked at Santa Rita Jail and the teenager was released to a guardian, BPD said.

During the investigation, police found burglary tools in the getaway vehicles as well as other evidence linked to the case, BPD said.

"Officers were able to return numerous stolen items to their rightful owners," BPD said in a prepared statement.

The pair was arrested on suspicion of multiple counts of auto burglary, possession of stolen property, possession of burglary tools and conspiracy to commit a crime.

On Monday, according to court records, the Alameda County DA's office charged Parker with just two counts: felony auto burglary and possession of burglary tools, a misdemeanor.

Parker was released on his own recognizance and is set to appear in court Aug. 6 to enter a plea.

It's not his first time in trouble with the law, records show.

According to arrest records online, Parker was picked up by the Oakland CHP in 2022 on suspicion of organized retail theft and gun possession, among other alleged crimes.

Less than a year later, in January 2023, the Oakland Police Department arrested him on suspicion of assault with a firearm, negligent discharge and other crimes.

The Scanner was unable to find charges filed in relation to either arrest.

Parker was also arrested in 2023 by OPD and the Alameda County Sheriff's Office (in two separate incidents) on suspicion of gun possession, receiving stolen property and other alleged crimes.

In March of last year, the Alameda County DA's office charged Parker with two felonies as well as possession of a large-capacity magazine (a misdemeanor) in relation to the 2023 gun possession arrest.

For unknown reasons, however, the DA's office later reduced both felonies to misdemeanors. As of this week, the case remains pending, according to court records online.

Some auto crimes trending up in Berkeley

After stabilizing for much of the year with a monthly combined average of about 150 auto burglaries and thefts from vehicles, these crimes hit a monthly low of 114 in May, according to BPD data.

But in June they spiked to 159 reports, a 40% increase.

This month, at least 107 auto burglaries and thefts from vehicles had been reported as of July 22 — the most recent data available — with more than a week to go before the month ends.