Crime & Safety

Man Accused Of Dozens Of Smash-And-Grab Robberies Arrested

Police believe that he is responsible for 37 robberies in one city alone, with victims in other communities in the Bay Area.

NEWARK, CA — A man accused of robberies in Newark, Union City, Hayward, Oakland, San Jose, and unincorporated areas of Alameda County has been arrested, according to Hayward Police.

The accused man is believed to have committed at least five and as many as 37 robberies in Hayward alone.

Hassani Burleson-Ramsey of Oakland was arrested and booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail for multiple counts of felony robbery and misdemeanor vandalism.

Find out what's happening in Newarkfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Investigators believe he is responsible for a series of smash and grab robberies over the last several months.

"In most of these cases, the suspects watched victims after they conducted a bank transaction or purchased items in different shopping centers," Hayward Police said in a press release. "Once the victims got into their vehicles, the suspects smashed the windows of the cars, stole the victim’s property from inside, and fled the area. On several occasions, these suspects approached the victims before they reached their cars and forcibly took the victim’s property. Most of these victims are female and are members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community."

Find out what's happening in Newarkfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Hayward Police, in connection with San Jose Police, arrested Burleson-Ramsey on Wednesday. Another suspect still outstanding who has not been identified.

If you have any information about these attacks, contact Newark Police at their non-emergency number:510-578-4237.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Newark