In a string of early-morning incidents that rattled the tranquility of Petaluma, a vandalism spree unfolded on January 24th, 2024, prompting a swift response from the Petaluma Police Department.
The perpetrator, identified as Jeffrey Berg, a 36-year-old Petaluma resident with a history of similar crimes, was taken into custody later that day.
The PPD dispatch center received its first call at approximately 5:00 a.m., reporting an act of vandalism at Martial Arts USA (822 Petaluma Boulevard North). Responding officers discovered a shattered window, the destructive work of a rock found inside the business, police said.
Subsequently, the adjacent Blazing Ace Smoke Shop at 860 Petaluma Boulevard North was also targeted.
The morning unfolded with a series of vandalism reports, affecting a total of ten businesses and vehicles in the downtown area.Photo byPetaluma Police
As officers canvassed the area, they identified Berg through surveillance footage from the smoke shop. Known to law enforcement from prior incidents, Berg was located by officers from the Petaluma Police Department Community Impact Response Team (CIRT) near the Trestle Bridge around 11:13 a.m. on the same day, police said.