BERKELEY — A man already on probation for assault has been arrested on suspicion of robbing a cafe tip jar June 18 and then throwing it and a chair at an employee who tried to stop him, authorities said Tuesday.
The suspect, Bennett Taylor, 53, described as homeless, is also accused of hitting a woman the same day with a bottle he threw at her and then taking her wallet that she dropped, authorities said.
Taylor was arrested Sunday at another dining establishment after he refused to leave and began swinging an umbrella at employees, police said.
Neither dining establishment was identified by police.
The June 18 confrontations began about 6:30 p.m. in the 2100 block of Center Street.
Employees at the cafe told police that Taylor stole the tip jar — the exact amount taken was not disclosed — then threw the empty jar and a chair, striking an employee who intervened.
While fleeing the cafe, Taylor threw a glass bottle at a woman who happened to be passing by, police said. The bottle struck her, causing her to drop her wallet, which Taylor took, authorities said.
Neither the cafe worker nor the woman required hospitalization, officials said.
Office Byron White said police recognized Taylor from video surveillance and were already looking for him when he was arrested at the Sunday disturbance, which happened at 2:23 a.m. at another dining place in the 2100 block of Center Street.
He was arrested on suspicion of robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, theft and violation of probation. He is being held without bail.
Taylor is on probation for a 2016 assault with a deadly weapon case, according to court records. He was convicted of hitting a woman with a piece of metal rebar in Berkeley. He also has a 2002 prior conviction for robbery in San Francisco that he was placed on probation for, according to the records.