Two reader reports tonight:

PROWLER/PEEPER RETURNS: A North Admiral resident (California near Palm), reports, “This guy has entered our gated area twice from the alley to California. The first time was 1/15/25 at 6:15 a.m., and the second was today at 6:06 a.m. I wanted to let you know so I can warn others in the area. I have alerted our neighborhood watch group, the building owner where the guy was peeping, and the tenant.” This clip is a closer look as he opens the gate. Police report # is 25-035150.

RECOGNIZE THIS CAR? Possibly stolen, says the reader who’s noticed it for “some days now”:

I live on 44th Ave SW between Oregon and Genesee and noticed an unfamiliar car parked for quite a few days now. Initially, its lights were on and now they are not, probably a dead battery at this point. It seems like maybe someone stole the car and dumped it. Hoping the owner recognizes it and can get their car back.

They’ll be reporting it to police.

1:02 PM: Two items in West Seattle Crime Watch:

BURGLARS STEAL EGGS: The security-camera image is from from a burglary early Wednesday at Luna Park Café. Two people in that van stole boxes of food from a refrigerated shed on the site at 2918 SW Avalon Way. The police-report narrative mentions only “boxes of produce” but café founder John Bennett, who provided the images, says the stolen items included “a couple cases” of eggs, which are priced at a premium these days.The narrative also says that when a café employee showed up after an alert from the security system, the burglars returned, but quickly left. Police say they got the call around 4:40 am. If you have any information on the burglary, the incident number is 25-033137. (Friday morning update: SPD now has more details, which they’ve. posted on their website, including that the burglars “removed boxes containing an estimated 540 eggs, worth about $387, as well as bacon, ground beef, blueberries and liquid egg products … In total, the items in this breakfast heist were worth about a shell-shocking $780.”)

MAIL-THEFT ALERT: Back on Tuesday, we published a short report from a reader whose USPS letter carrier had told them that mail trucks were broken into. Today, another reader sent us this notice they’d received in their mailbox:

The reader who received that notice lives in the 4700 block of 49th SW; the person who heard about it from their carrier is in the 4800 block of Beach Drive. Anyone else get a theft alert?

ADDED 6:05 PM: In addition to what’s in comments, we got this text:

Saw your reporting on WS mail trucks being compromised. My credit card was slated to be delivered and instead was stolen and used fraudulently – 3 times in the middle of the night before it was shut down. Just letting you know in case you want to update your reporting to let readers know the fraud is real.

The photo and report are from Zach:

Stolen between 1 am and 3 am. Please keep an eye out. 44th and Charlestown. 2004 black Yukon Denali.

Call 911 if you find it. We’ll add the police report # when we get it.

In West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:

MORE MAIL STOLEN: Heads-up sent by Mike this afternoon:

Just an fyi to the readers. We live in the (4800 block of) Beach Dr SW and were just informed by our mail carrier that our mail was stolen yesterday out of the mail truck.

SHOPLIFT-TURNED-ROBBERY: After SPD released a short summary of this Monday afternoon incident, without location information, we obtained the narrative. A 34-year-old man is in jail, under investigation for first-degree robbery after allegedly threatening to kill an employee at PCC West Seattle while stealing three beers and a bag of chips. Store employees told police the confrontation escalated after they tried to stop him from stealing; he pulled out a knife with a six-inch blade. Police. say he dropped the knife when they confronted him outside the store. They recovered the beer, chips, and an allegedly-also-stolen orange. The suspect remains held in lieu of $25,000 bail, according to the jail register.

ORIGINAL SUNDAY REPORT: About the same time police were dispatched to the flipped car on the bridge, they got word of a carjacking and assault. The victim is reported to have been carjacked near Salty’s on Alki (1936 Harbor SW) and assaulted in the process; he went to the Harbor Avenue 7-11 and SFD medics treated him there. The stolen car is described as a 2006 black Porsche Cayenne. No other info so far.

ADDED EARLY TUESDAY: We obtained the police-report narrative. Police say they got “various conflicting accounts about the circumstances” from the man who said he was carjacked. They say he wouldn’t give descriptions, he gave two different locations for where it happened, and though he said he’d been hit on the head, police found no “obvious signs of injuries.” He also didn’t know his license plate number and police couldn’t find anything in the system registered in his name. No witnesses or video either, according to the police report.

Todd at Swedish Automotive (35th/Kenyon; WSB sponsor) reports his shop was broken into early today, and it’s on video:

We had a break-in this morning at the shop around 4 am. Ring camera captured some of it and the alarm went off, but not before they broke the front door, 4 windows in the back, cut the latch off the back gate and made off with our safe. SPD case 2025-29750 if anyone has any information.

That includes if you happen to find a dumped safe.

The video and report were sent by Corey:

We want to share this hit and run last night that completely wrecked my wife’s car, And hoping our West Seattle community can help identify the car in the video. This happened at 2:48 AM on the 8800 block of 18th Ave. SW and SW Trenton. As you can see, the car smashes into the front driver side, backs into the truck behind it, and then takes off.

If someone can help identify the car make or model, that would be very helpful or if you have seen this car in your neighborhood with a smashed front driver side, please let us know. thecoreyis@gmail.com.

Corey says the report #, filed with the State Patrol, is M4014103.

SUNDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Corey emailed to say, “Because of the post, someone identified the car and they live less than a block away. The Tesla was found, parked on the street with the very apparent damage. Contacted the owner and he gave us all of his information. We also saw that he backed into a neighbor’s truck and did damage there as well. Now we can all get our cars fixed and not have to pay our deductible. Thanks to the Blog and thanks to the people who emailed us with the information about the car, And the individual who emailed me about the location.”

Reported to us via text, a stolen trailer to watch for:

STOLEN on 7300 Block of 35th Ave SW.
*2025 Black 5×8 enclosed with drop door ramp and side doors
*WA plate…. A8120132
*Police report # 25-28848
The trailer is brand new, the owner tells us. Call 911 if you find it.

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The report and photos are from Evan at Lady Jaye in The Junction, burglarized just before 5:30 this morning:

A couple of guys broke into Lady Jaye last night at 5:30 am. They broke through the back door, busted into the office and stole staff tips, cash, checkbooks and booze.

Thankfully they didn’t totally trash the place and we will be open tonight with a little cleanup … There seems to be a lot of activity on California Ave these last few days.

Lady Jaye is on the west side of the 4500 block of California SW; on Thursday, we reported on incidents targeting HVAC equipment outside two buildings on the same side of the 4400 block.

UPDATE: Police report # for the Lady Jaye break-in is 25-028731.

Three reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

HVAC SYSTEMS TARGETED: The West Seattle Junction Association is circulating this alert to businesses; we’re republishing it with permission:

… Seattle Fish had their refrigerator/HVAC system vandalized over the weekend. Someone had punctured it to drain the oil and relieve pressure. The would-be thief must have been scared off, as they not did take the system.

Last night, however, these thieves returned and broke into the back area of CenturyLink and stole two units. If your system is exposed, especially at street level, please take warning. There are thieves targeting these systems for scrap metal. We have alerted our security patrols to pay extra attention in the alleys. Please protect your property.

Seattle Fish Company and the CenturyLink facility are both on the west side of the 4400 block of California SW.

ASSAULT/ROBBERY SUSPECT ARRESTED: A 42-year-old man is in jail, accused in a shoplift-turned-robbery at Jefferson Square Safeway late last night. We requested and obtained the report narrative from police. It says police were called after 11 pm and told a man had thrown an employee into a shelf, hit a customer, took items, and left the store. Employees told them it began with the man yelling and causing a disturbance in the store. When confronted, he hit the person who confronted him “three times in his head with a toy guitar” (who the confronter was is not clear because of redactions). Earlier, officers were told, the suspect was seen “stuffing his backpack with stolen food products and merchandise”; he was reported to have become upset and lashed out when seeing an employee “recording him.” Nobody wanted/needed medical attention after all this, but the recordings helped police recognize the suspect from a different call, and they arrested him after spotting him walking near 35th/Avalon a half-hour later. The report says he was wearing the same clothes as during the store incident – and that officers also found the “toy guitar” as well as items stolen from Safeway.

TIRES SLASHED: This is from an anonymous reader:

I live at California and Hinds. I routinely park my car on 42nd. This morning two of my tires were slashed and the hood of my car scratched by a sharp object. As was another vehicle in the same block.

This happened around 11 pm last night 01/29/25. If anyone saw anything or knows of who may have committed this crime please contact the Seattle Police, two incident reports have been made.

I am beyond sickened that someone would do this. Destroying someone’s property with malicious and violent intent is a crime. Doing it in such an aggressive manner shows that it was done premeditated … let people know to be on the lookout for suspicious behavior, and Tesla drivers, no matter what your political leanings are, turn on your Sentry Modes.

We have a followup question out to confirm whether that means their vandalized car is a Tesla and if they know whether the other one was. (UPDATE: Yes, they say, both targeted cars are Teslas.)

Charges have been filed against the two men whose Harbor Avenue arrests – which started with police investigating a parking violation – were reported here Tuesday. First, the suspect charged with a felony: The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged 27-year-old David Valdovinos, now listed as a Des Moines resident, with first-degree unlawful possession of a gun. According to the charging documents, the gun officers spotted in, and seized from, his 2006 Honda Civic early Saturday was a “Springfield .40mm pistol with a round in the chamber” and had been stolen in a burglary in Tacoma in 2016. These images are from the charging document:

Valdovinos cannot legally possess any gun because he is a convicted felon; the documents say he was convicted of three felonies as a juvenile in 2011 – child rape, unlawful imprisonment with sexual motivation, and burglary. He was not charged with possession of a stolen firearm because, the case detective wrote, “There is insufficient evidence to establish the knowledge element by Valdovinos that the firearm was a stolen gun.” He claimed to officers that he had bought it from a friend in Portland for $700. The charging papers say he was also found in possession of a “small baggie of cocaine,” though no drug charge is filed. Meantime, Valdovinos remains jailed in lieu of $25,000 (bail cannot be changed from the initial amount set unless significant new evidence is brought to light).

His passenger early Saturday, 24-year-old Nayel G. Orduno-Araujo of Graham, is charged with two misdemeanors, unlawfully carrying a pistol, and resisting arrest. Case documents filed by the City Attorney’s Office say Orduno-Araujo was concealing a “loaded M&P 9mm” handgun but admitted he did not have a concealed-pistol license. There is no other background on the gun, which police had said in the initial summary also was stolen; he was said to be in possession of 27 grams of fentanyl but no drug charge was filed. The documents say the City Attorney’s Office wanted bail set at $5,000 but a judge set it at $3,000; he too remains in jail.

Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch so far today:

CAR BREAK-INS: Mat sent the report and video, wondering if anybody recognizes the thieves and/or their vehicle:

I live on Juneau and 26th and last night at 2:17 am at least 4 neighbors including myself had our cars broken into. I filed a police report and have this video.

We’ll add the report # when we get it.

PACKAGE THEFT: Kelsey sent this report from Alki, hoping someone’s found her stolen package:

We had a porch pirate steal a package yesterday Between 12:30 and 5 pm of rental women’s clothes, which is incredibly frustrating as I need to return them! Please be on the lookout in case a Rent The Runway package was ditched somewhere. Our address is 30xx 61st Ave SW – we are on 61st Ave SW between admiral and Stevens. Thanks for being on the lookout!

Thanks to everybody who shares crime reports to keep the wider community alerted – email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302 if it’s happening now (after 911, of course) – thank you!

11:20 AM: Seattle Police have released a summary of two weekend arrests in West Seattle that they say started with an investigation of “illegal parking.” Early Saturday morning, SPD says, “patrol officers located a vehicle illegally parked after hours in the 1000 block of Harbor Avenue SW [map]. While speaking with the occupants, police saw a loaded handgun in the center console.” That led them to get the 27-year-old suspect out of the car and seize the gun, which they say “was previously reported stolen.” He was arrested for that; his passenger was found to also have a stolen handgun in his possession, police say – as well as a warrant from Federal Way. He allegedly tried to run, but SPD says he “was quickly apprehended.” In addition to the two stolen guns, the summary says, officers also found and confiscated nearly four grams of cocaine and 27.5 grams of fentanyl. The two suspects were booked into the King County Jail; we’re following up to try to find out their status.

ADDED 4:42 PM: The 27-year-old suspect, an Auburn man, remains in jail, bail set at $25,000; the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said they had requested $75,000. The probable-cause document has a few more details:

On 1/25/2025 at approximately 0025 hours, I (the officer) was working uniformed patrol as unit 3F3, when I saw a car parked illegally at 1055 Harbor Av Sw. There is a sign posted at that location stating no parking from 2300 hours to 0500 hours, I approached the vehicle and attempted to tell the driver he can no longer park here.

As I was speaking with the driver, I was able to see a loaded handgun in plain view in the center console. The driver admitted that he was the owner of the gun and admitted he did not have a CPL. The driver granted us consent to grab the gun from the vehicle. I conducted a records check on the firearm and it returned to a stolen firearm out of Tacoma. I placed the driver under arrest for possession of a stolen firearm.

A charging decision is expected tomorrow.

We don’t have a corresponding document for the passenger, 24; KCPAO says his case has not been referred to them so far. But he’s still in jail in lieu of $10,500 bail – $3,000 for potential Municipal Court charges in this case, and that Federal Way warrant, a “physical control” case, with $7,500 bail.

A woman suspected of robbing at least five Seattle banks – including one in West Seattle – is being sought by the FBI.

The robberies in which she is wanted started last June and ended January 13, the day we reported on a holdup at the US Bank in the West Seattle Junction. The FBI is circulating images today and describing her as an Asian woman, late teens or early 20s, 5’3″ to 5’5″, black hair, wearing a hat and mask during the robberies, in which she typically gave a teller a note demanding money. If you have any information on her identity, the FBI’s hotline is 800-CALL-FBI (or you can simply call 911).

P.S. If you’re wondering about the other robberies (all outside West Seattle – the January 13 holdup was the first bank robbery here in more than a year), the local FBI office tells us, “The others were: 6/28 Wells Fargo on Queen Anne, 9/7 a US Bank on NE 45th, 10/31 a US Bank on NE 63rd, 11/21 a Key Bank on Holman Road.”

Two reader reports in Crime Watch this afternoon:

STOLEN HIGHLANDER: Received via text:

Stolen this morning around 8:40, SW 97th Place, Greenbridge community

2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid XLE – Washington license plate: CGT0093

Call 911 if you find it.

CAR PROWLERS TAKE BACKPACK WITH MACBOOK: MaKenzie just moved to West Seattle, and got hit by a car break-in:

Sometime last night or early this morning, my silver 2018 Chevy Cruze Sport Premier was broken into. The location of my car was in a residential area, off SW Avalon Way and SW Genesee St where 32nd Ave SW intervenes. I first saw my car at 7:30 am today (January 22nd).

They rummaged through my items and when I entered my car, the center console was open, my back seats pulled down exposing my trunk, and my personal items in my car were thrown about. When approaching my car, I could see glass everywhere from the back driver’s side window being shattered. In my car was my Black backpack with Rose Gold zipper lining, which contained my Rose Gold MacBook Air 13″ and some Nike gym clothes, and my personal notebook with some pens, possibly a few smaller items. The items were in my backpack, on the floor of my backseat, so not easily visible to the eye.

If you have any information or video footage from one of the houses nearby, it would mean a lot. I have filed a police report and will link the case number below … my MacBook means a lot to me and contains very personal and cherished memories. Unfortunately, my dash camera did not catch anyone and was moved, so I am unable to see any footage. …

Police Report Reference Number: 2025-20055 – My backpack is the: Swissdigital Design Business Laptop Backpack For Women, With USB Charging Port

P.S. If you have questions or concerns to surface to local police, about any incident or trend, they’re expected to be in attendance at tonight’s monthly HPAC meeting, 6:30 pm at Delridge Library (5423 Delridge Way SW)

(WSB photo)

ORIGINAL MONDAY REPORT: In case you too are wondering about the big police response on SW Thistle near 24th SW: In the center of our photo is a red Honda Accord whose driver is being investigated by police for an alleged hit-and-run rampage this past hour. It was first reported in the 7900 block of Delridge Way SW, where at least one parked car is reported to have been hit; then the same car was reported “driving through yards” near 22nd/Thistle; and police finally caught up with the driver and car a block from there. What they’re trying to sort out is the report that the driver was fighting with and/or being assaulted by a passenger at least part of the time that this was happening; the passenger is reported to have fled on foot, northbound on Delridge, and police were looking for him in the Home Depot vicinity at last report.

ADDED TUESDAY NIGHT: We requested the report narrative from police and got this at day’s end. We’re posting it largely as received as it’s a convoluted situation:

At 1210 hrs I was dispatched to the report of a motor vehicle collision at 79XX DELRIDGE WY SW (Private Residence). Cad stated (VEH JUST HIT RPS HOUSE AND PARKED VEH, DRIVING SOUTH ON DELRIDGE, J/O, DRIVER HAD A BASEBALL BAT AND SUSP GOT OUT OF PASSER SEAT AND RAN NORTHBOUND)

I arrived on scene 1213 hrs and met with the Reporting Party, XXXX XXXX (XX/XX/1996). XXXX was at home when she heard a loud noise and looked out her window. She saw a red sedan in her front yard where it had struck the retaining wall and several vehicles. XXXX witnessed the driver in some sort of argument with the passenger. The Driver, later identified as XXXX XXXX (XX/XX/2002), exited the vehicle brandishing an aluminum metal bat and yelled at the passenger, an unidentified male only identified as “XXXX”, who ran away from the vehicle northbound on Delridge. XXXX then got back in his car and drove southbound on Delridge stopping after turning westbound on SW Thistle St and calling 911 himself.

The collision at 79xx Delridge WY SW caused a large amount of property damage striking the property of three separate homes and two vehicles. I interviewed and collected information from all owners. The resident of 79XX Delridge WY SW, two houses south of the RP, identified as XXXX XX (XX/XX/XXXX), was able to provide ring camera footage of the crash. For more information, please see my collision report on sector under the same case number.

I was able to contact XXXX after he was detained by backing officers on SW Thistle St. XXXX was able to provide the following explanation. XXXX had been living in his car at (a White Center facility’s parking lot). XXXX was approached by an associate he knows as “XXXX”, who lives in the buildings to the east of (the parking lot). XXXX asked XXXX for a ride to Home Depot. In route to the Home Depot, located at 7345 Delridge WY SW, XXXX and XXXX got into an argument over the speed XXXX was driving. XXXX got angry and started punching XXXX in the face from his position in the passenger seat, which caused XXXX to turn sharply off the road and crash into the properties located there. XXXX then got out the car and brandished an aluminum bat to scare off XXXX from attacking him, as he knows XXXX carries a knife. XXXX then fled northbound on Delridge towards the Home Depot, and XXXX drove away to safety to call 911.

XXXX also provided a cell phone from his vehicle that XXXX had left in the car. XXXX called 911 from this phone. The phone is a gray Samsung with the serial #XXXX. I submitted this phone into evidence.

XXXX seemed incredibly distraught, crying at points during my interview and was concerned that he may have accidentally hit someone. XXXX was also very cooperative in attempting to identify his attacker. I did not notice any clear injuries on XXXX but XXXX complained of head pains. XXXX stated he did not need medical attention.

I investigated the parking lot XXXX said he met XXXX in, and noticed several security cameras on the (building) that may have seen XXXX get into XXXX’s vehicle.

Due to the corroborating witness statements and the information provided by XXXX I believe, if “XXXX” can be identified, there to be Probable cause for the crime of RCW – 9A.36.041 | ASSAULT – ASSAULT in the fourth degree and SMC – 12A.06.050 | RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT.

Nothing further at this time.

Another stolen car to watch for – this report was sent by Jerry: “Our 1992 red Honda Civic, license plate number ABC8590, was taken tonite between 5:00-6:30 pm from California & Eddy streets.” That’s right by Morgan Junction Park and its expansion site. Police report # 25-17697.

The report and photo are from Cam:

My 2014 black Chevrolet Corvette, Washington license plate BZD3572, was stolen on 1/19/2025 at 2:05 AM on the 27xx block of 60th Ave SW in West Seattle. The car has a white “Live Long and Prosper” Spock (Star Trek) hand decal on the Passenger side rear panel. I can be emailed at x.cw.x@outlook.com or called at 425-686-8232 for any information regarding the vehicle.

We’ll add the police report # when we get it. (11:55 am update: 25-017145)

2:42 AM: Police are investigating gunfire in the 3700 block of SW Admiral Way. First 911 calls came in about possible gunfire a short time ago; then the dispatcher reported getting a call from someone in that block who heard at least one shot and then found broken glass. No injuries reported; no other details so far.

ADDED 4:16 PM: SPD’s summary of the incident:

At 0238 hours, the complainant called to report hearing five gunshots South of the 3700 BLK of SW Admiral WY. While officers were on scene looking for a crime scene, another complainant called to report that he had possible bullet damage in his house window. The second complainant was at home with his wife and two kids when the incident occurred. Officers checked inside the home for evidence and saw a bullet hole in the window. The round struck thick metal and possibly broke up in small fragments. Evidence was recovered, and GVRU was notified.

(That’s the Gun Violence Reduction Unit.)

Missing your mailbox north of Morgan Junction? The report and photos are from KT:

Woke up to this mailbox for the condo building at 5916 California Ave SW dumped un front of our house.

Still has mail in it, mostly junk mail. I am not sure can lift it into my car to drive it over there.

I am at 25th and 98th just one block south of Roxbury.

Damien says this rare imported-from-Japan car was tracking to our area this afternoon, after being stolen from Mountlake Terrace early this morning, and is hoping you can watch for it.

My right-hand-drive MR2 was stolen from Mountlake Terrace and has been driving around Seattle all day, police report filed, contains a Tile tracker, last updated at around 3 PM in Southwest Seattle, The car has a Japanese plate on the front and a collector’s plate on the rear. Plate number 9814K (rear) Y 21-70 (front, Japanese original plate). It is a MT, and has a paint scheme only available in Japan (white/gray) – it is an extremely high-profile theft; if you see this car, it 100% is mine without a doubt. If you have any information regarding this vehicle, please email me at GalaxyGryphon1@gmail.com or call 845-520-8634.

UPDATE: Damien says his car’s been found an thanks everyone for helping watch for it.