Three held in robberies, kidnapping above UC Berkeley campus

Jose Avila, left, and Brenton Holtzclaw Jose Avila, left, and Brenton Holtzclaw Photo: UC Berkeley Police Photo: UC Berkeley Police Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Three held in robberies, kidnapping above UC Berkeley campus 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Three suspects have been arrested in connection with two armed robberies of couples in the hills above the UC Berkeley campus on Thanksgiving, police said Wednesday.

One couple was forced to go to an ATM in Contra Costa County and pull out cash, UC Berkeley police said.

Jose Avila, 18; Brenton Holtzclaw, 18; and a 17-year-old boy, all of Concord, are being held on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, armed robbery, kidnapping, kidnapping during a carjacking and carjacking. Both of the adults are being held at Berkeley City Jail in lieu of $630,000 bail each.

The first incident happened about 1:40 a.m. Nov. 27 when a 45-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man were accosted at gunpoint by the suspects while parked at a turnout off Grizzly Peak Boulevard, police said.

The assailants stole numerous items, pistol-whipped one of the victims and tried to steal their car, police said.

About 20 minutes later, the same suspects confronted a 26-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man who were also parked off Grizzly Peak, police said.

The suspects demanded money, but when the victims said they didn’t have any, one of the assailants got into their car and ordered them to drive to an ATM in Contra Costa County, police said. The other suspects followed in their vehicle.

The couple was released after handing over money.

Henry K. Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: hlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @henryklee