A slew of purse snatches in broad daylight across Berkeley has caught the attention of local police.
One of those incidents that took place Tuesday morning have brought the incident toll to over five in the past few days. Surveillance video shows perpetrators would pull up to the driver as they pumped gas and then quickly take the victim’s belongings, police said.
“[In] all of these cases, it’s a vehicle that’s described as a black sedan with two suspect who are masked,” said Byron White, a member of the Berkeley Police Department.
Most of the cases have taken place at a gas station but one took place at a coffee shop, and another in the Berkeley Bowl grocery store parking lot.
For Sambo Nhey of Berkely, she said she’s not surprised there’s been a wave of cases.
“It’s definitely something that’s always on my mind,” Nhey said. “Unfortunately, we have to be on our p’s and q’s all the time and it sucks to have to live like that. That’s just the reality of the situation.”
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The increase of incidents has forced one family to pump their gas in Orinda pr Lafayette.
“You have to lock the car you have to not leave anything sitting where they could grab it,” said Greg Witt, who’s advising his wife and daughter to pump gas in surrounding cities. “You literally have to have everything on your person or shoved away somewhere because they’ll come up right here and reach in here and take everything out of your car.”
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White said the public can best protect themselves by being “alert and aware” of their surroundings.
“Definitely keep your items locked out of you if you have to leave them there briefly,” White said.
