BERKELEY — Police said Friday no arrests have been made in a series of takeover-style robberies of businesses in Berkeley and Oakland.

Police announced Wednesday at a community crime meeting in Berkeley that "a person of interest" was in custody and was arrested by Oakland police.

But on Friday, Berkeley police issued a statement saying, "We regret any confusion regarding the robbery series ... there is no definitive evidence that individuals may be in custody."

Police are looking for a man working alone who wears a mask and carries a handgun with a long barrel. They believe he is responsible for the robberies of five businesses and their customers in Berkeley and three businesses in Oakland.

The man probably is working independently of a group of men who have held up several restaurants in Oakland and Berkeley recently, police said.


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