Incidents highlighted in the blotter were recorded in the Piedmont Police Department log Oct. 8-15. Information was supplied by the police and does not indicate any convictions.
An Oakland man who was struck by a vehicle as he jogged across Highland Avenue Sunday afternoon was in stable condition in the Highland Hospital intensive care unit earlier this week and expected to recover from his injuries, according to a Piedmont Police Department spokesman.
James Chanin, 65, was hit by a vehicle about 5:50 p.m. on Oct. 14. Capt. Scott J. Trudeau said Chanin was jogging across Highland between the Wells Fargo Bank and Piedmont Park, but was not in a crosswalk when he was hit. The vehicle did not appear to be traveling at an excessive speed, and the driver was not cited, Trudeau said.
According to acquaintances, Chanin is an East Bay attorney who, along with fellow attorney John Burris, filed a motion earlier this month to place the Oakland Police Department under partial federal receivership.
Burglary at Grand Lake Ace Hardware
Piedmont police arrested one man after a burglary at Grand Lake Ace Hardware after midnight on Oct. 18. See Burglars Hit Ace Hardware, Suspect Injured for details.
Parolee Arrested in Grand/Arroyo Area
Extra police surveillance led to the Oct. 13 arrest of a parolee on suspicion of violating parole, possession of methamphetamine and possession of burglary tools, Capt. Trudeau said.
Trudeau said Officer Kristina Foster was "keeping an eye on" the neighborhood near Grand and Arroyo avenues after recent reports of several residential and auto burglaries in the area. About 9 p.m., she saw two people — a man and a woman — emerging from the side yard of a home on Grand Avenue and contacted them, Trudeau said.
The man did not have identification and told Officer Foster that he was picking flowers for his girlfriend, but he was ultimately identified as Gary Valko, 41, of Berkeley, who had an outstanding warrant for violation of parole, Trudeau said.
Valko had a butter knife which had been shaped into a lockpick in his possession, Trudeau said.
Valco was taken to the Glenn E. Dyer Detention Facility in Oakland, Trudeau said. The woman, whom Valco identified as his wife, was not arrested, he said.
Catalytic Converter Arrests
Police arrested two men Oct 15 on suspicion of stealing catalytic converters from vehicles, Trudeau said. Samuel Castillo Sampayan, 31, and Richard Riego, 32, were booked into the Glenn E. Dyer Jail after they were taken into custody during a traffic stop about 3:20 a.m., he said.
Trudeau said the men had two catalytic converters in their possession, but police had no current reports of converter thefts at the time. Later that day, though, a Piedmont resident found his vehicle was very noisy — "it sounded like a Harley" — and discovered the converter was missing.
Investigators matched one of the confiscated converters to that vehicle, Trudeau said.
TUESDAY, OCT. 9
Home burglary — A resident of the first block of Olive Avenue reported that her home was broken into overnight.
Vandalism — Four juvenile boys were taken into custody after they were spotted spray painting graffiti on the old PG&E substation at 408 Linda Ave. shortly before 4:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 10
Stolen computer — A Manor Drive resident reported a computer missing from her home at 1:26 a.m.
SATURDAY, OCT. 13
Auto theft — A vehicle was reported stolen from the Linda/Lake avenues area overnight.
MONDAY, OCT. 15
Stolen vehicles recovered — License plate checks identified two vehicles parked in Piedmont as stolen, one from Oakland and the other from Berkeley.
Vehicle stolen — A Resident of the 200 block of San Carlos Avenue reported that a Honda Accord was stolen.
Residential burglary — A Sea View Avenue resident reported that someone broke into the garage and stole about $4,000 worth of tools.
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