Assault, Robbery Near UC Berkeley

An 18-year-old male victim suffered minor injuries early Sunday morning when he was hit and robbed near UC Berkeley dorms south of the main campus, according to UC police.

Berkeley police reported that the robbery took place about 3:13 a.m. near the intersection of Dwight Way and Etna Street, according to a crime alert issued today, Tuesday, by campus police.

The victim was walking in the area and was grabbed by the suspect, who demanded the victim's wallet, police said.

"The victim gave the suspect his cash from the wallet," UC police said. "The suspect then struck the victim and demanded his cell phone. The victim gave the suspect his cell phone and the suspect fled the scene southbound on Etna." A search by Berkeley police did not find him.

The victim's sustained minor injuries but did not require medical attention, police said. 

Campus police said the suspect was described as "a Hispanic male in his mid-20s to 30s, with a heavy build, 5’8” in height, with a small goatee, wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and a dark colored baseball cap."

The campus vicinity has been plagued by a number of robberies involving physical assaults during the past two months, including these cases:

• Suspected Robber Nabbed After Knife Attack Next to UC Campus (Jan. 22, 2014)
• Daytime Assault, Armed Robbery in People's Park (Jan. 13, 2014)
• Suspect Caught in Daytime Robbery Next to Cal Campus (Jan. 11, 2014)
• Student Assaulted, Robbed of Cell Phone on Berkeley Campus (Jan. 7, 2014)
• Woman Robbed in People's Park Monday Morning (Dec. 24, 2013)
• Female, 19, Punched in Face, Robbed Near UC Campus (Dec. 20, 2013)
• Woman, Man Injured in Violent Armed Robbery South of Cal Campus (Dec. 19, 2013)
• Armed Robbery in Downtown Berkeley, Victim Hit (Dec. 19, 2013)
• Female Student Attacked in Robbery Attempt on Cal Campus (Dec. 18, 2013)
• Victim Hit with Gun in Robbery Next to UC Berkeley Campus (Dec. 13, 2013)
• Employee Punched in Ice Cream Shop Robbery 2 Blocks from Cal Campus (Dec. 13, 2013)
• Female UC Student Attacked, Robbed – Suffers Minor Injuries (Dec. 12, 2013)

For more police-related news on Berkeley Patch, see our "Police & Fire" section under the “News” tab.