Henry Lee's Rap Sheet for Nov. 19, 2015

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Thanks to social media, El Cerrito police have identified this woman, who they say robbed a teenage girl of her phone -- and then took a selfie with it. Now, investigators need the public's help finding 18-year-old Tasja Dowell.

Here's the Rap Sheet for Nov. 19, 2015

"SELFIE" ROBBERY SUSPECT IDENTIFIED: El Cerrito police thanked the public and the media today for plastering the picture of a woman they say took a selfie with the cell phone belonging to a teen girl she robbed. Now, they just need to find her.

Investigators say Tasja Dowell, 18, is the woman who confronted the girl, a student at El Cerrito High School, about 12:45 p.m. Nov. 5 on Central Avenue near Clayton Avenue. Dowell demanded the girl's cell and backpack, beat her up and took her phone, police said.

The victim, who recovered after she was knocked unconscious in the attack, realized several days later that Dowell had taken selfies with her phone, police said. The images were uploaded to the victim's online "cloud storage." The girl contacted, who in turn notified the news media.

"Within several hours after the press release, the ECPD received numerous calls from the public providing us with Dowell’s identity and addresses she may be associated with," the department said in a statement today.

There is warrant out for Dowell's arrest for robbery and child abuse, investigators said. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call El Cerrito police at (510) 215-4418.

 

TEEN GIRL, WOMAN HELD IN BANK HOLDUP: A day after two females robbed a Bank of America in Dublin, the duo and the alleged getaway driver were arrested in Modesto, authorities said.

Heather Renee Salcedo, 32; a 17-year-old girl and Jason Celes, 32, were being held in connection with the holdup at the bank at 7496 Dublin Blvd. 

The case began shortly before 11:30 a.m. Monday when two females walked into the bank, handed over a note threatening to harm the teller's family if she didn't hand over money, authorities said. 

The two took an undisclosed amount of money before jumping into a GMC Yukon XL driven by a man, police said.

Dublin police were able to identify all three suspects, including a 17-year-old girl whose name was withheld because of her age, authorities said. Investigators obtained search and arrest warrants and surrounded a home in Modesto, with the help of Modesto police.

Authorities said they found the SUV used in the bank robbery as it was leaving the home. Modesto police tried to stop it, but Celes failed to yield, investigators said. Officers chased it for about eight miles before it crashed into a gate in a rural area. 

The stolen money was recovered. 

 WILD CHASE ENDS IN BERKELEY: A wild chase that streaked from El Sobrante and continued onto Interstate 80 came to an end when the suspects crashed in West Berkeley.

A witness who came across the spectacle Wednesday -- and wondered why Contra Costa County sheriff's deputies were doing all the way in Berkeley -- tells Rap Sheet that it was a hairy situation and it was fortunate no one was injured.

"These guys were really flying, blowing through stop signs, and bottoming out and getting air at the intersections of 10th and Parker and 10th and Carleton," the witness says. "Absolutely zero regard for human life. This could have ended badly."

It all began about 4 p.m. Wednesday when a sheriff's deputy tried to stop a Nissan Altima for a traffic violation near Renfrew Road and Hilltop Drive in El Sobrante. The car was later determined to have been stolen.

The driver, later identified as Victor Casias, 22, of El Sobrante, refused to pull over and got onto westbound Interstate 80. A California Highway Patrol helicopter monitored the chase from above. The deputy stopped the chase when the suspect "drove onto oncoming traffic near Berkeley."

Berkeley police were notified about the pursuit as the Nissan was at 7th Street and Hearst Avenue. Casias continued to the corner of 10th and Grayson streets, where he hit a curb, disabling the car, police said. Casias and a passenger, Tiffany Baker, 29, of Richmond fled on foot but were soon captured, authorities said.

 Casias was booked on suspicion of auto theft, felony evasion, possession of stolen property and drug violations as well as outstanding warrants.

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