Police Log: Robbers Strike on Park, Webster

Robbers struck twice on Tuesday, July 17, in unconnected incidents on Webster Street and Park Street, an Alameda Police Department spokesman said.

A young man tried unsuccessfully to rip a gold necklace from around the throat of an Alameda woman walking with her husband in the 1400 block of Webster Street about 1 p.m., Lt. Ted Horlbeck said. After a brief struggle, the would-be robber fled on foot, chased by the victim's husband, Horlbeck said. The thief escaped by boarding an AC Transit bus. He was described as wearing a white T-shirt, brown vest or jacket and khakis. The woman was not injured in the incident, Horlbeck said.

Tuesday evening, about 9:30 p.m., an Oakland man was working on his Apple laptop at an outdoor table at Starbucks, 1364 Park St., when two teenage boys hit him in the head and tried to steal his computer, Horlbeck said. When the man resisted, the boys hit him again and brandished a "realistic-looking" gun. This time the man gave up his laptop, Horlbeck said. Police later found the weapon — which turned out to be a replica rather than a real gun — beneath a parked car. The victim suffered minor injuries but declined medical treatment, Horlbeck said.

Burglaries

A burglar broke into the Union 76 service station at 1541 Park St. (at Lincoln Avenue) by smashing a window in the station's roll-up front door just after 4 a.m. on July 12, Horlbeck said. The intruder set off the station's security system, triggering a motion sensor and a glass-breaking alert. The alarm company notified the APD, but the burglar was gone when police arrived, Horlbeck said. The thief rifled through a cash drawer, taking the paper currency but leaving the drawer and the coins behind, he said.

A burglar broke into a storage unit in the 1900 block of Sherman Street, possibly by using a key left on the door by mistake, and took two boxes of goods, police said. The theft was reported July 13.

Someone forced open a window at a home in the 1900 block of Chestnut Street the evening of July 14 and stole computer equipment, including an iPad, an iPod and headphones, police said. The burglary occurred while the victim was away from the house for a couple of hours and was reported at 10:24 p.m., police said.

Vehicle Incidents

Three people received minor injuries when an SUV hit an exterior wall at Bay Farm Island Elementary School on July 13.

Two branches fell from a city-owned tree in the 2900 block of Gibbons Drive on July 15, causing moderate damage to an occupied vehicle and minor scratches to an unoccupied parked vehicle, police said. No one was injured in the incident.

A vehicle was reported stolen from the 2000 block of San Antonio Avenue the morning of July 15.

Arson

Fireworks touched off a small grass fire in the 1800 block of Eighth Street about 6:30 p.m. on July 16.

Don't miss a day of Alameda news, opinion and events. Sign up here for the Alameda Patch morning e-newsletter. And 'like' us on Facebook!