Berkeley robbery cases: Police make 2 arrests
In one incident, a Cal student was walking when a stranger waving a cane began to chase him and demand his phone, BPD said.
Berkeley police made at least two arrests over the weekend linked to robbery cases, one involving a Cal student on his way to the airport and another where a woman threatened a gas station clerk, authorities report.
The first incident took place Saturday morning near Telegraph Avenue and Channing Way, Berkeley police said in response to a Scanner inquiry.
The student was walking at about 7:30 a.m. when a man brandishing a cane began to chase and threaten him while demanding his phone, police said.
Officers spotted the crime as it happened and arrested the culprit on suspicion of attempted robbery and drug possession, BPD said.
He was identified as 54-year-old James Rainey Jr. (homeless), BPD said.
Emilie Raguso
Rainey has run into repeated trouble in Berkeley with the law, court records show.
In October 2022, he was charged with four counts of battery after punching four strangers, including Cal students.
He ultimately took a plea deal that resulted in unsupervised court probation.
At the time of that arrest, Rainey was already on probation for assault with a deadly weapon, according to court records.
In that earlier incident, Rainey had been caught on video, according to court papers, "ranting, raving" and brandishing a 5-foot stick. Police said he used the stick to attack a local businessman in the 3000 block of Adeline Street near the Ashby BART station.
He was subsequently charged with elder abuse and assault with a deadly weapon, both misdemeanors.
James Rainey Jr. in 2022. BPD
Earlier the same year, Rainey was charged with indecent exposure and engaging in lewd conduct, both misdemeanors. He was convicted and placed on a year of probation, according to court records.
He picked up another misdemeanor battery conviction in July 2023 and was placed on probation again.
In the months that followed, his probation status was repeatedly revoked due to violations, according to court records.
Rainey, who is listed as an in-home care provider, is now at Santa Rita Jail being held on $60,000 bail. Arraignment is set for Wednesday.
Gas station robbery, also on Telegraph
On Sunday night, Berkeley police responded to a report of a robbery at the Chevron gas station at 2996 Telegraph Ave., near Ashby Avenue in South Berkeley.
Police said a woman went into the business and began causing a disturbance with the clerk at about 8:45 p.m.
During the interaction, she "got upset and jumped onto and over the counter," threatening the cashier, BPD said.
A witness called 911 as the woman grabbed cigarettes, hopped back over the counter and left, BPD said.
Officers stopped the woman in the parking lot and arrested her on suspicion of robbery, police said.
BPD identified the woman as 21-year-old Kadira Wilkins of Richmond.
As of Monday, Wilkins remains in custody at Berkeley Jail with a bail of $100,000, according to booking records. She has no prior criminal cases listed in Alameda County.
No other information, including her next court date, was immediately available.
Emilie Raguso
There had been at least 28 robberies in Berkeley as of Feb. 21, the most recent date available, compared to 33 over the same period last year.
That's an 18% drop.
But Berkeley robbery reports appear to be trending up: There were more than 20 robberies in February compared to 10 in all of January, according to preliminary BPD data.
Historically, Berkeley averaged about one robbery a day, although those numbers fell during the pandemic.
