Suspect Caught in Daytime Robbery Next to Cal Campus

A 36-year-man was arrested after he tried to take a cell phone and other items from a victim at the busy intersection of Telegraph Avenue and Bancroft Way about 9:10 a.m. Wednesday morning, UC Berkeley police said.

"The victim was walking in the area using his cell phone," campus police said in a crime alert. "The male suspect initially walked past the victim.  As the victim approached the suspect he was attacked by the suspect who tried to take his phone.  The suspect also tried to grab items from the victim’s pockets.

"The victim managed to fight off the suspect and fled to UCPD located in Sproul Hall.  A UCPD officer detained an individual matching the description of the suspect a few blocks away."

The victim was not injured, police said.

There has been a spate of robberies involving assaults in the Cal campus area is recent weeks:

• Student Assaulted, Robbed of Cell Phone on Berkeley Campus (Jan. 7, 2014)
• Woman Robbed in People's Park Monday Morning (Dec. 24, 2013)
• Female, 19, Punched in Face, Robbed Near UC Campus (Dec. 20, 2013)
• 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)