Rockridge Burglary Victim Recovers Stolen Jewelry — With a Little Help from Piedmont Police

A prowler arrested when he emerged from a Piedmont backyard last month has been linked to a Rockridge burglary, Piedmont Police Detective George Phifer said Tuesday.

Phifer said 10 pieces of jewelry stolen from a home in the 5400 block of Manila Avenue in late February have been recovered from an Oakland pawn shop and returned to the victim.

Piedmont PD became involved when the Rockridge resident read about the arrest of Yardley Brown, 61, Phifer said.

In a March 28 press release, Piedmont Police Chief Rikki Goede said Brown was suspected of pawning more than $50,000 worth of jewelry during the previous five months.

The Rockridge victim contacted Piedmont police, who have been investigating Brown in connection with at least four burglaries in their city where jewelry was stolen. The Piedmont Police Department also recovered a piece of jewelry stolen in a Jan. 8 burglary there from the same Oakland pawn shop, Phifer said.

The pawn shop owner has cooperated with police and is not suspected of illegal actions, he said.

Phifer said information tying Brown to the Manila Avenue burglary and to a break-in on Manor Drive in Piedmont will be presented to the Alameda County District Attorney's office today.

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