The Berkeley Gazette from Berkeley, California • 3

The INDEPENDENT GAZETTE Thurs Feb 28 1930-3 Most stolen for parts Picky thieves push auto thefts up with groups such as low riders have parts which are highly interchangeable from model to model and always have a market value In Berkeley a summer theft ring -specialised in Plymouth Valiants and Dodge Darts but that activity recently ceased The old favorites General Motors older Volkswagens and Ford Mustangs are back on top of the "most stolen list Auto thieves also have favorite spots to abandon their stolen cars Richmond cars tend to show up in Oakland Cars stolen in Oakland tend to appear in Richmond Berkeley cars tend to go in either direction And not all cars reported stolen are really stolen at all Crane said in Berkeley 20 percent of the cases reported are not true thefts but either an owner attempting to get out from under car payments or someone involved in a traffic accident attempting to lay the blame on an imaginary thief who he claims was driving the car at the time of the collision charged with a felony only to get a misdemeanor rap plead guilty and get off with only a few months time There were 1021 auto thefts in Berkeley in 1979 lip from 805 thefts in 197S That's an increase of 26 percent and Crane said he knows many of the cars will never be recovered since auto rings dismantle them and sell their parts John Brooks a detective with the Richmond Police agreed with Crane that auto theft rings are stealing select Porsche and Mercedes cars then selling their parts These often bring more than the entire car would if sold at market value But auto thefts tend to create cycles Certain theft rings specialise in certain makes of cars If apprehended their record of thefts disappears but another group may take up business in the area swinging the balance to another make or model of auto In Richmond the car most commonly stolen is a General Motors product These cars are very popular pediting the prosecution of such cases by turning them into misdemeanors Terry Vruiniers deputy district attorney in Alameda County denied that the DA will not charge an auto thief with a felony but admits other counties may be more stringent in demanding a felony because the case volume is not as heavy as it is in Alameda We consider auto theft a wobbler Said Vruiniers It can be either a misdemeanor or a felony What we charge a defendant with depends on many factors the most important being his criminal history Vruiniers admits it is true many auto theft defendents plead guilty when charged with the lighter misdemeanor offense Vruiniers said there were three felony auto theft cases in Alameda courts as recently as Monday He also admits it is not uncommon for investigating police officers to become disgusted with cases in which they believe a defendant should be By JOHN ADAMS Auto thefts have taken an alarming jump in the state are up 26 percent in the city of Berkeley and are being used to make a tidy profit by theft rings which dismantle vehicle's and sell their parts Almost as alarming as the number of thefts is the impact on the overworked Alameda County district attorney's office One detective in the Berkeley Police auto theft division has charged that many auto thieves who should be charged" as felons are getting by with misdemeanor raps' because it speeds the court procedure and defendants are more willing to plead guilty to the lesser charge Ive got people stealing 25 cars and stripping them and the district attorneys office continues to charge them as misdemeanors said Charles Crane a Berkeley Police Department auto theft inspector Crane knows the pressure of watching auto thefts spiral and feels' the district attorneys office is ex Police probe rapists link to murders By JOHN' ADAMS SACRAMENTO Sheriffs deputies here are investigating the possibility that the East Area Rapist shot and killed a Santa Barbara couple in December Sgt James Bevins and Lt Ray Rott were sent to Santa Barbara last week and have returned after studying crime reports on the murders of Robert Offer man 44 and Debra Manning 35 The Santa Barbara couple were shot in the bedroom of Offermans condominium Dec 30 and their bodies were discovered the same day by friends who had arrived for a tennis match with Offerman Officials are reluctant to discuss similarities between actiyities of the East Area Rapist and the Offerman-Manning murders Authorities say only that there are certain similarities such as the times the crimes occurred and possession of weapons Following the study session by the two Sacramento sheriffs deputies in Southern California a Sacramento spokesman said there appears to be a difference of opinion among officers as to whether the East Area Rapist is connected with the murders Some officers say no others say yes said Bill Miller an assistant to the Sacramento sheriff "Any- thing is possible but lets just say we are not adding the I murders to our list (of East Area Rapist crimes) I The Offerman-Manning murders apparently involve a single crime incident whereas the East Area Rapist is believed to have committed multiple crimes in a given area i Thus the Sacramento officers were forced to study simply physical evidence from the Offerman-Manning murder scene rather than a pattern of activity that could help establish a link to the East Area Rapist A spokesman for the Santa Barbara sheriffs department said officers could not find any link to the East Area Rapist and indicated that Sacramento was just touching all bases The East Area Rapist is believed responsible for up to 44 rapes in an area stretching from Sacramento to Stockton including Walnut Creek San Ramon and Fre-I mont Officers think his last attack was April 6 1979 in 1 Fremont The East Area Rapist is known to carry a gun or knife during his crimes wear dark clothing a hood or i mask over his face and to select victims ranging in age from 13 to 42 He has been described as white between 25 and 35 1 5 feet 11 inches with a medium build and exceptional agility action man UC faculty vote to drop mandatory American history Dear Robin Cousins of Great Britain is on international tour and it will be difficult to get a letter to him But the Action Man suggests you simply wait until he arrives here Cousins and many other skaters will appear at the Oakland Coliseum May 4 Why not hold your letter and present it at the coliseum a day or two before that date Otherwise send your letter in care of the US Olympic Committee 1750 Boulder St Colorado Springs Colo 80909 and ask that they forward it The Action Man Can you tell me what was the final medal count for the recently completed Winter Olympics? Thank you It Richmond Dear The count for nations which won medals (either gold silver or bronze) was East Germany 23 USSR 222 United States 12 Finland 10 Norway 10 Austria 7 Switzerland 5 West Germany 5 Sweden 4 Lichtenstein 4 Canada 2 Italy 2 and England Hungary Japan Rulgaria Czechoslovakia and France one each The Action Man: I would like to know about a football player named Michael Thomas who plays for the San Diego Chargers His number is 32 I have watched and enjoyed him many times on TV Can you tell me his background? Mrs Richmond Dear Mrs Mike Thomas was born Malcolm Thomas on July 17 1953 in Greenville Texas He attended Greenville High School and is the brother of Earl Thomas wbo played professional football for Chicago Houston and St Louis and Jimmy Thomas who played with the San Francisco 49crs He is married has two daughters and lives in Vienna Va His college career began at Oklahoma for whom he ran 90 yards for a touchdown the first time he touched the ball against Oregon in 1972 He later transferred to the University of Nevada at Las Vegas where he finished bis college career He was picked by the Washington Redskins in the fifth round of the pro draft in 1975 and was traded to San Diego in 1979 The Action Man: Where can I write to Robin Cousins of Great Britain the Olympic Gold Medal winner in mens figure skating? Richmond reported Sociology Professor Neal Smelser chairman of the faculty Educational Policy Committee said that at one time some 88 courses of varying scope were accepted as meeting the breadth requirement Although the number of courses that now meet the requirement numbers around 40 there is still much debate about the merits of individual courses Smelser said Those attending the meeting agreed with the recommendations of Smelsers committee over the objections of student body President Karen Westmont who argued that students need the American History and Institutions requirement to insure a more complete education BERKELEY Students entering UC-Berkeley in 1980 will no longer have to take a course in American History and Institutions in order to graduate Representatives of the campus division of the academic senate voted Tuesday to drop the campus-wide requirement The faculty members attending the meeting voted 26-18 to drop the requirement but to recommend that individual schools and colleges within the campus consider setting their own requirements The American History and Institutions requirement which was intended to give UC students a basic understanding of American history and government has been rendered virtually meaningless in recent years a faculty committee 1 coming events Samuels Down on the farm The 1979 harvest em- same harvest before ployed some 5 million machines would have American farm workers taken 31 million people us-accordmg to Sperry New ing 61 million horses and Holland which savs the mules where qualify still means good value STYLE: like you we shop with on eye to styles that express today's mood ond elegance TONIGHT i ON CAMPUS Lecture Paul Jabber Professor Department of Political Science UCLA will i present a lecture on The Emerging Nuclear Forces in the Middle East" i 400 pm 150 University Hall Lecture I Professor James Deetz Director Lowie Museum of Anthropology UCB will present a lecture entitled: "Somersvtlle" 7:30 pm LHS AROUND TOWN Jazz Dance Group Jazz Dance class meets from 430 to 6 pm Live Oak Park Music Kensington Recreation is offenng beginning classical guitar for children from 300 to 4:00 pm For registration call 525-0292 in the afternoons or call Deddie Golata 845-6900 Recovery The ongoing group meets every Thursday at 8 the North Congregational Church Cedar at Walnut streets Berkeley FRIDAY FEBRUARY 29 AROUND TOWN North Berkeley Senior Center Square dancing and sewing at 9 am matinee theater at 1030a disco piano lessons mandarin and creative writing at 1 bingo at 115 and practice at 230 pm 1901 Hearst St Call 644-5107 for more information i i Dancerslze Evalee Harrison will conduct women's exercise to music for weight i control and firming from 9:30 to 10 20 a Berkeley YMCA Women's Dance Circle The East Bay Women's Dance Circle is back to folk dancing again from 930 to 11 30 a Our Ladies Home (Senior Center) Foothill Boulevard and 35th Avenue in Oakland Ladies with intermediate or advanced expenences are welcome to visit and participate Bodywork for Women A noon-time opportunity to revitalize our bodies and spirits through movement pm at Y-House 2600 Bancroft Way Berkeley Senior Lunch Seniors are invited to a hot nutritious lunch from noon to 1 West Berkeley Senior Center 1816 Sixth St at Hearst Street Suggested donation is 75 cents Call 644-6053 for information and transportation i Dinner In honor of Black History the Berkeley Co-op is sponsoring a dinner to honor local Black Co-op members and employees who have worked for advancement of minorities will be at 600 pm at the East Bay Skills Center Lecture The Philosophy of Concept-Therapy instructors Bud Fenton and Bill and Virginia McQuiston 730 to 830 pm Fireside Room Live Oak Park Shattuck at Berryman Berkeley For more information call 841-0483 Concert The La Pena Community Chorus will be in concert at the center 31 05 Shattuck Avenue at 7:30 pm Cast of Snowwe As part of the Black History Month celebration at Laney College "An Evening with the Cast of Snowwe" will be presented at 800 pm in the Laney College Theater Native New Yorkers New York dancerschoreographers Wendy Perron and Susan Rethorstwillpresentanevenmgofsolosandduetsat830p attheSan Francisco Performance Gallery on 17th at Shotwell Virginia Matthews Virginia Matthews will be in concert with guest artists Karen Attix John Henry Inna Nadel and Doug Skinner at the Margaret Jenkins Dance Studio 1590 15th Street San Francisco at 8 30 INTEGRITY: on indispensable element in every bridal set we sell SELECTION: we hove all the bridol sets you'll hav time to look ot Just Shake It And Let It Fall Into Place The Precision Haircut Because your head is unique the way your hair grows is equally unique Really quite different from every one elses Precision haircutting is a technique for cutting the hair in harmony with the way it grows Your hair eventually grows out but it doesnt lose its shape with a precision haircut Consequently your haircut will 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Department sought a federal court order Wednesday to prevent Philadelphia officials from including 32 women police officers among the 628 officers to be laid off Friday Justice attorneys say tne 32 women would have had enough seniority to prevent their being laid off if the city had nired them as quickly as the court had ordered The layoffs are planned to relieve budget problems 1 InApenrknt Gazette Published daily except Saturday by Brown Newspaper Publishing Co Inc 2043 Allston Way Berkeley California 94704 Phone 843-4800 Under postal requirements mall subscnptions are paid In advance Entered at the Berkeley Post Office at Berkeley California as second class matter under the act of March 1879 CHANGE OF ADDRESS Form 2679 send to 2043 Allston Way Berkeley California 94704 SUBSCRIPTION RATES 1 month 3 00 MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS 1 month 5 00 6 months $30 00 Single copy 25c For Circulation service call 843-4800 between 8 30 a and 630 pm (USPS 051-200) 4 Hour: Mon thru Friday pm Sat 10 to 6 pm 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