Berkeley police seize gun, arrest man, woman after ALPR hit
Mustafa Aqa and Jessica Villalobos were arrested in a stolen car where officers found a loaded firearm and more than 24 grams of meth, police say.
A Flock camera alert in West Berkeley this week saw two people arrested in connection with a loaded gun, drugs, a stolen car and alleged ID theft, authorities report.
On Wednesday, the city's new automated license plate reader (ALPR) system reported a stolen car heading into the Berkeley Marina just after 11:30 a.m., BPD said in response to a Scanner inquiry.
Officers responded to the marina and spotted the car, a blue Honda Civic, near the DoubleTree Hotel at 200 Marina Blvd.
Police detained 44-year-old Mustafa Aqa (no address), who was behind the wheel, and passenger Jessica Villalobos, also 44, of Sunnyvale.
Berkeley police search a stolen car after an ALPR hit from the city's new Flock Safety camera system Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. Ariel Nava Photo
"When officers searched the vehicle, they found a loaded handgun, several items of suspected stolen property (US Mail, laptop, personal identifying information, etc.) as well as over 24+ grams of methamphetamine," BPD said, adding that "a single dose of methamphetamine is about 0.1 grams."
BPD determined that the Honda had been stolen from Oakland on Monday.
Aqa and Villalobos were arrested in connection with the loaded firearm and allegations of drug sales, according to booking records.
Aqa was also arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft, identity theft, being a felon in possession of a firearm and being out of custody on some type of supervised release in another case, according to jail records.
He is being held at Santa Rita Jail on $365,000 bail and is scheduled for arraignment Friday, according to jail records.
Villalobos is set for arraignment at the same time and remains in custody, also at Santa Rita, on $150,000 bail.
