MAN ADMITS TO 100 BERKELEY BREAK-INS, POLICE SAY

January 27, 2006, 2:42 a.m.

By Tamara Barak, Bay City News

BERKELEY (BCN) - A prolific Berkeley burglar has come clean about his crime spree, according to the Berkeley Police Department.

Andrew Larry Austin reportedly admitted to as many as 100 business break-ins in Berkeley over the past eight months, many in the downtown area.

Police said that after interviewing Austin they were able to tie him to approximately 50 commercial burglaries.

Austin was arrested Jan. 11 after Berkeley police responded to an alarm at the Model Shoe Renew on Shattuck Avenue at 3:30 a.m. Officers arrived to find a shattered glass door, but no suspect.

Two blocks away, police officers spotted Austin looking into a garbage can and questioned him as a potential witness. While talking with him, officers noticed slivers of glass on Austin's hat, jacket and gloves.

Austin was carrying allegedly stolen property from Model Shoe Renew and numerous burglary tools when police arrested him.

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