Female, 19, Punched in Face, Robbed Near UC Campus

A 19-year-old female walking near the UC Berkeley campus last Saturday was punched in the face and robbed by a man carrying a pellet gun, according to UC Berkeley police.

It was one of at least seven robberies last week reported by UC Berkeley police in the general vicinity of campus in which the victims were physically assaulted. The victims sustained minor injuries in six of the cases, including two in which victims were hit by guns.

In robbery of the 19-year-old female, she was walking near the intersection of College Avenue and Haste Street about 7:43 a.m. when the robber approached her from behind and grabbed her backpack, police said.

"The suspect pointed a pellet gun at the victim and punched her in the face," according to campus police crime alert. "The suspect took the victim’s backpack and fled to a waiting vehicle. The victim sustained minor physical injuries during the encounter."

A search by Berkeley police in the area did not find the suspect or the suspect’s vehicle, UC police said.

Police said the suspect was described as:

"A Black male, 25 to 32 years of age, 5’8” in height, with a medium build, dark complexion, shaved head, clean shaven, wearing a red/white and gray hooded sweatshirt and gray sweatpants."

For the other robberies in the campus vicinity last week in which victims were physically assaulted, see:

• 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)

• Patch Articles on Recent Berkeley Robberies.