Crime & Safety
UC Police Arrest Woman in "Hot Prowl" Burglaries
Authorities said many items were recovered because victims had good records of their serial numbers.
The woman authorities say is responsible for a in since the fall is set to appear in court this morning to enter a plea.
University of California police officers arrested Toni Cooper, 40, last week after a Village resident called to report a prowler who was looking into windows and wandering around the property.
According to information released Friday by UC police, there have been 11 reported burglaries and three attempts in the Village since September.
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Seven of those were "hot prowl" cases, where victims were at home asleep during the burglaries. A hot prowl burglary can be dangerous because of the possible confrontation between burglar and victim, according to authorities.
In the latest case, reported Feb. 14, a man and woman woke up about 3:33 a.m. after hearing someone in their living room.
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"The victims heard someone running through the kitchen and then heard the rattle of vertical blinds as the suspect exited the apartment through sliding glass doors," according to information released by police. "The victims discovered that the suspect had entered through an unlocked sliding glass door."
Various items from the living room had been taken, including a laptop and two cameras. Police searched the area but did not find anyone.
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On Wednesday, Feb. 16, at 1:35 p.m., a Village resident called police to report a suspicious person nearby.
Police responded and found Toni Cooper in the area. According to information released by police, an officer identified property from the Feb. 14 burglary in Cooper's possession.
Police arrested Cooper. When searching her backpack, police said they found property from four other University Village burglaries, along with burglary tools.
Detectives searched Cooper's home and found several items from Village burglaries.
According to police, the investigation is on-going, "as detectives have numerous items to inventory" and more work to do.
Authorities said many computers and electronics "have been recovered and confirmed stolen" because victims had good records of the serial numbers on their valuables.
Police also credited the watchful resident "who took the time to notice and report the suspicious activity they observed."
Cooper is being held in Santa Rita Jail with a bail of $50,000. She was arrested on suspicion of several felonies, including possessing a controlled substance for sale, burglary and receiving stolen property worth more than $400; and a misdemeanor (illegally possessing a building key).
Cooper is a cashier, according to the Alameda County Sheriff's Department Inmate Locator website.
Cooper is set to appear in Department 112 at the Wiley M. Manuel Courthouse at 9 a.m. today.
University of California police ask anyone who sees suspicious activity to call 911 or, from cell phones near campus, 510-642-3333. Learn more at http://police.berkeley.edu.
