A Piedmonter was awakened early Monday morning by a sawing sound. When they went out to confront suspects who were attempting to steal the catalytic converter on their vehicle, they were confronted by a suspect pulling out a Glock handgun, according to a post on the Piedmont Police Department Facebook page.
There were no injuries in the incident but the Department gave the following advice on confronting suspects:
“We want to remind residents to call 911 immediately and to stay on the phone with dispatchers until officers arrive. Do not confront suspects! Be a good witness from inside your home and provide the dispatcher with a description of the suspects and the vehicle associated with them. Your safety is our priority.”
The suspects left the scene in a white Kia four-door. License plates had been switched, according to Piedmont Police Capt. Chris Monahan, but the switched plates have been entered into the stolen vehicle database. The vehicle fled towards La Salle Avenue.
On March 28, at 1:35 p.m., a vehicle was detected on the city’s Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system near Boulevard and Warfield Avenue. A Gold 2015 Hyundai Elantra was reported stolen from Union City. The vehicle was found on Wildwood Avenue. A male in the passenger seat was looking in parked vehicles in the area while a female drove the stolen vehicle, according to Monahan.
The driver attempted to reverse the vehicle to flee, according to Monahan, and the male exited the vehicle and fled. He was not located.
Police searched the vehicle and found 0.32 grams of suspected methamphetaime, a glass pipe, a Sawzall, and six .223 rifle rounds, according to Monahan. The woman was taken to Santa Rita Jail.
At 8:21 p.m. on March 29 a person reported an auto burglary on Cambridge Way. An unknown suspect entered an unlocked 2003 Isuzu box truck and took two leaf blowers, a Carhartt jacket, a chainsaw, and a U.S. passport. The victim estimates the value of the items taken as $1,570.
A vehicle was recovered on March 25. An unoccupied 1999 Mazda B2300 was found by police parked on the sidewalk at 4:49 p.m. The vehicle had been reported stolen from Oakland. It was checked for evidence and towed.