West Seattle, Washington
28 Thursday
Mark says his son’s bicycle was stolen from Alki last night, near 57th/Stevens:
Description: “It is black, gray, and red. It has pegs on the front and is a Kent 1800 abyss. Has a name plate under the seat with his name Logan on it.” Report # T18005002 – call police if you see it.
Four West Seattle Crime Watch notes:
CAR PROWLER IN SUNRISE HEIGHTS: Above is reader video of a prowler trying the handles on cars parked along the alley between 34th and 35th off SW Othello. The sender reports, “I’m usually really good about locking my door but I forgot to on this night. He rummaged through my things but I’m fairly certain my dog started barking, so he left. It appears nothing was taken. He just threw my glove compartment items around my car.” After sending this, he sent an addendum: “I forgot that I had a … conversion kit for my car. It’s KETSUN brand for 2015 Hyundai Accent (either 9003 or 9005 bulbs); the kit came in a case with a big brand sticker, 2 bulbs, 2 ballasts, and a mounting kit.” If you have any info, the police report number is 18-903453.
HIT-AND-RUN IN THE JUNCTION: From Jeff:
My perfectly good Wednesday afternoon was ruined, when a car sped past and cut me off, tearing their rear bumper nearly off in the process. This happened around 5:45 pm tonight in front of Shadowland (just north of Oregon on California. Right where the right lane merges to the left to one-lane). Car sped up to get around me on my right, and while he did make it, his driver’s side rear bumper caught an air intake and the front wheel well. I pulled over but he was already speeding off, dragging his bumper behind him. Tried to catch up but King County Metro and the lights had other ideas.
Jeff says the suspect’s car was a black Scion Xb, but he didn’t get the plate; missing rear window, covered with plastic. “Now also missing rear bumper.” Jeff’s car is a white late-model Lexus 4-door sedan. Police incident # is 18-146007.
Now, two followups:
PAUL STORY SENTENCED: We last wrote a year ago about Paul D. Story, charged in the boathouse break-in after which police pulled him out of the water to arrest him. He had been in and out of jail twice since then, most recently booked in October of last year. Since then, he struck a plea bargain, pleading guilty to residential burglary and third-degree assault. Today he was sentenced to a jail term that equaled time already served, plus a residential Drug Offender Sentencing Alternative program for three to seven months, starting immediately; the register shows he was released this afternoon and court documents say he was supposed to go immediately into the custody of the service administering the program.
GREGORY THOMPSON’S BAIL INCREASED: We reported earlier this week on the arrest of Gregory Thompson of Puget Ridge, wanted on warrants for failing to appear in two drug cases. His bail has now been increased to more than $110,000, and the jail register shows he is under investigation for a possible new charge of unlawful gun possession, because of the gun found after he was arrested at Westwood Village.
Two notes before the night’s out:
ARREST ON 35TH SW: We received some questions about an incident around 7 pm tonight on 35th SW – police were reported to have arrested a man at gunpoint. We didn’t hear about it until afterward but asked at the precinct. They told us it was a “person in crisis” situation – the man had a knife and was walking in and out of the road. He was taken into custody without anyone being hurt.
CAR PROWLS FOLLOWED BY DUMPED ITEMS: The photo and report are from Tony:
We live on the 3400 block of 44th Ave SW. Two nights ago someone car-prowled their way down 44th Ave sw. Our car was hit but fortunately we had nothing of value inside. Anyways while on a walk this evening my wife and I spotted what looked like possibly some ditched belongings potentially from the car prowl due to proximity and location. On 44th just South of Charlestown St on the east side of the street was this small pile. I’m mainly writing due to the fact there were two sets of what looked to be car keys which I know can be expensive and potentially hard to replace.
9:18 AM: Almost two weeks ago, we reported on a warrant out for the arrest of 28-year-old Gregory L. Thompson, whose February arrest on Puget Ridge in connection with guns and drugs had made citywide news. (The photo at right was distributed by SPD at the time.) The warrant was issued because he had failed to show up for a court hearing. Thompson is back in jail as of Monday afternoon, according to the King County Jail Register, which shows he is being held on two warrants for failure to appear in drug cases, with bail now set at $60,000. We’ll keep watching the case to see what happens next.
1:03 PM: SPD Blotter has just published details of Thompson’s arrest – from the post:
… Officers patrolling Westwood Village as a part of an ongoing effort to curb car break-ins and auto theft spotted a vehicle they recognized that had in the past been used by a warrant suspect. The officers did a records check and found the 29-year-old warrant suspect had over $60,000 in outstanding warrants, so they waited for the man to return.
The suspect returned a minute later, drink in hand, and was approached by police. The suspect dropped his beverage, turned and ran away. The suspect slipped and fell less than a block away and was taken into custody.
Officers searched the man’s backpack and discovered a Rock Island Armory 1911 .45 handgun. The suspect did not possess a concealed weapons permit and the gun was placed into evidence. Officers also found credit cards not belonging to him, lock picks, and shaved keys.
The SPD post includes a photo of the gun.
Two notes in West Seattle Crime Watch:
STOLEN CAR: From Samantha:
Car was a 2013 white (Toyota) RAV4 with a few scratches on the passenger door. Stolen from 44th and Hanford. Inside was a black seat inside, green stroller and red diaper bag. Plus a bag of baby clothes. License plate BBK1728.
Call 911 if you see it.
HIT-RUN: From Joe:
(Thursday) night in the West Seattle parking lot behind Husky Deli, someone plowed into the side of our minivan. Ok, parking is tough in West Seattle but to have someone crash into your car in the parking lot and not leave a note or something. Terrible. This is not a little scratch, it’s a huge smack and caved into the door. Their car must have had some damage. Therefore it must have been very loud and someone must have heard it. Anyone (Thursday) night in the area of the West Seattle free parking behind Husky Deli, please let us know. About 8:30 pm.
Police report # 2018-138916.
P.S. Tomorrow is your next chance to hear directly from police about local crime trends, and to bring up your neighborhood concerns, during the monthly meeting of the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network – 6:30 pm Tuesday at the precinct (2300 SW Webster).
Seattle Police, according to radio communication, have found at least one shell casing while investigating reports of gunfire in Highland Park. The discovery is reported in the 8400 block of 10th SW, not far from some of the locations where 911 callers reported hearing it – from the 8600 block of 12th SW to the 9200 block of 21st SW. No reports of anyone being hurt.
WSB readers have had a great track record lately for finding stolen vehicles shown/featured here (most recently, the red Nissan Pulsar was spotted and recovered in the Admiral Bartell Drugs parking lot). So maybe you will be able to help John get his motorcycle back. Here’s the motorcycle, a red 2011 Honda CBR 600RR:
And here’s a security photo of a pickup truck leaving with the motorcycle this morning in the 4800 block of California SW in The Junction:
John says the pickup appears to be a red 1980s Toyota. SPD incident # 18-141400 – call 911 if you see the motorcycle or have other info about the theft.
P.S. If you are anywhere in that area and have a security camera, check your video when you can – maybe you caught the truck too and can see its plate #.
From a reader reporting anonymously:
(Friday) sometime between 12:00-1:30 pm, in the South parking lot at Westcrest Park, my car was broken into – no sign of forced entry and nothing obvious taken – except for my wallet, from the glove compartment. I was playing with my son for about 20 minutes at the small play area there in front of the lot, and did take passing note of a sketchy looking man hanging out listening to his radio and possibly reading a newspaper in a beat-up old-model white pickup truck.
After 20 minutes, we walked the dog into the dog park, then played for an hour or so at the Westcrest playground and then returned to the car around 1:45 pm. I noticed my wallet was gone only when I went to grab it before heading into a store around 2 pm. I then started receiving text alerts about suspicious charges about 15 minutes later. The thieves racked up over $11,000 or charges at Apple, Nordstrom, Macy’s, and other stores, all at Southcenter – within probably 20 or 30 minutes, before their charges started being declined and I was notified. While filing a police report, I was told by the officer that it is relatively common for thieves to use signal-boosting devices for RFID key fobs to mirror the correct frequency to a vehicle and thereby gain entry without any apparent sign of forced breaking and entering. These devices can work over a fairly sizable range: the playground we were at near this parking lot would be well within range. I had no idea such a thing existed and hopefully others can learn from my mistake:
1) Westcrest parking lot, in the middle of the day, as per other reports on here, is still a high car prowl, sketchy place.
2) Be aware of suspicious looking car-sitters and remove all valuables from your car. The glove box is the first place they target after any visible purses on seats.
3) Thieves can essentially gain entrance to your vehicle if you have a keyfob and hang out relatively near your vehicle for a while. Consider getting an RFID blocking device and place your key in it.
Regardless of whether they’re using an electronic device, car prowlers can work quickly, we’ve heard from police and victims time and time again, without those nearby, even in busy areas, being aware of what’s going on.
Four West Seattle Crime Watch notes tonight:
BURGLARY ATTEMPT: From the scanner – police rushed to a residence near 26th/Nevada about half an hour ago after a report that someone tried to break in while at least one resident was at home. They found and detained a suspect within minutes.
NOT SHOTS: Also via radio communications – earlier in the evening in North Delridge, 911 got multiple calls about possible gunfire heard near Delridge/Brandon and some other areas not too far from there. Officers who responded were told by people out walking that “kids” were seen setting off fireworks, so, absent a victim or other gunfire evidence, that’s what they believe people heard.
TIRE THEFT: Tony e-mailed tonight to report, “Someone is stealing right now in the Fauntleroy/Gatewood neighborhood – just went out to get something from my car and my spare tire is gone and that’s the second time it happened!”
TRUCK THEFT FOLLOWUP: More information and visuals tonight on the theft of a ’97 red Ford F250 and white trailer, reported here Thursday. The truck owner says this screengrab includes “the vehicle that dropped the car thief off at our house and then followed him once the car was stolen.”
It appears to be a dark color (green or dark blue) Ford Explorer with tan lower trim. They drove from our house at 36th down SW Charlestown … and took a right on 34th which is a very weird path to take (instead of getting on 35th, main road to highway and South Seattle)….if anyone has video on 34th or the intersection of Fauntleroy and 35th, it would be very helpful.
This video shows the stolen truck being driven off, with the other vehicle following:
The truck’s plates are C95175L; the trailer’s plate is 1261YF.
Three updates from King County Superior Court files:
KIERRA WARD: The defendant in last October’s Admiral stabbing was in court again this morning for a trial-readiness hearing, postponed from last week. The result: Ward’s trial date has been continued to May 23rd, with another readiness hearing on May 11th, because the defense has just received an expert report and requested time to review it. Ward remains in jail in lieu of $400,000 bail.
SALVADOR SAHAGUN: A month and a half after theft charges were filed against Salvador Sahagun for allegedly not paying millions in sales taxes due from his Tacos Guaymas restaurants, he was arraigned today. Documents from the hearing say he pleaded not guilty. He remains out of custody on personal recognizance.
NICHOLAS WATSON: Three weeks after his return to jail, this suspected burglar/car thief was released last week, according to the county jail register. We reported March 20th that he was booked on a warrant after ceasing to show up for the alternative-custody program CCAP into which he had been released. Checking back on his case, we learned that he was released April 9th, to be given another chance in that program, the “enhanced” version which according to this page includes substance-abuse treatment. Court documents show Watson told authorities he will be living in Everett.
Six notes this afternoon:
POLICE IN JEFFERSON SQUARE AREA: This isn’t a crime situation but we’re mentioning it since some are asking – they’re dealing with a person in crisis in an apartment.
STOLEN PICKUP: From a reader:
Our ’97 red Ford F-250 with black axle dump trailer attached (filled with pavers) was stolen at 5:35 am (driving away caught on camera). We live in West Seattle, Belvidere area. We filed a police report.
If you see it, call 911.
CAR BREAK-IN #1: Via e-mail:
Our family member’s car was broken into (Tuesday) night (in the 6500 block of) 37th Ave SW sometime between 7:00-9:00 pm. There were 10 boxes of family heirlooms, books, etc taken as our Aunt is in the middle of moving. Anyone see any plastic containers dumped anywhere? Surprised and disappointed as this happened so early in the evening on a pretty busy street.
CAR BREAK-IN #2: From Molly:
I wanted to report to the West Seattle Blog that our car was broken into Saturday morning at 2:00 AM. The car was parked outside our house in the alley between 40th and 41st and Alaska and Oregon. The person wore a hood and was not deterred by our motion detector light or camera. The person went through our car and left it in shambles, and left the light on so the battery died.
CAR BREAK-IN ATTEMPT: This car prowler was caught on video a month ago by Jon in Upper Morgan:
He brought it up during last night’s quarterly Morgan Community Association meeting and shared the video with us afterward. Nothing taken – though several neighbors did note items stolen from their cars that same night – but he also notes that his car is a 1996 Subaru Legacy Outback and we’ve reported this week on several thefts involving cars like that.
GUN/DRUG SUSPECT CHARGED, OUT ON BAIL: Following up on last week’s report of two 25-year-olds arrested after a police sting operation to buy stolen wheels – the male suspect has been charged, and is out on bail; the female suspect is out of jail and has not been charged. The former is Benny P. Saeteurn, a Highland Park resident, who posted bond and was released yesterday after six days in jail. His bail was raised to $30,000 when he was charged with one count of first-degree unlawful firearm possession and one count of felony drug possession. Charging documents say Saeteurn told police he was there and armed because he was acting as protection for the woman during her meetup with what she thought was a buyer for stolen wheels she claimed to have received from a third party. Prosecutors say he should not have had a gun because he has a felony record, for burglary and attempted robbery.
FIRST REPORT, 5:42 PM: The two older Subaru Outbacks stolen since last night and reported here have both been found – but now there’s word of ANOTHER being taken. We just talked with Alice, who says her white 1996 Outback was taken from her parking space behind an apartment building in the 4000 block of California SW this afternoon. A police report is filed. Plates (updated) AWC6441. Distinguishing features include a passenger-side dent and a “2016” rear-bumper sticker. If you see it, call 911.
DETERRING THIEVES: Even before getting the call from Alice, we had asked Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner if she had any recommendations. The Club, she says, “does work if effectively installed.” (Alice told us she usually uses one but had it off at the time because she was just briefly stopping at home.) Plus, “An alarm is also effective, if the vehicle has one- if neighbors call when they hear it and if it is consistently on.” Here’s the official SPD auto-theft-prevention tipsheet.
ADDED 8:39 PM: Since this story is still atop the site, we’re adding yet another car-theft report that’s come in – Matt reports, “Our friend’s car was stolen from the garage of the LA Fitness just outside Alaska Junction. The car is an ’89, red Nissan Pulsar NX … We’re in contact with the police who’ll be coming to our house to file an official report shortly. They’ve verified that the car was not towed.” (added) Plates 874YVU.
ADDED SUNDAY, 4/22: The Pulsar was found this weekend in the Admiral Bartell Drugs lot, and we are told the finder had seen it reported here.
Three auto-theft-related reports in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon – starting with two more stolen vehicles to look for:
STOLEN IN ALKI AREA: Someone took Paul‘s white 1999 Subaru Legacy Outback from the 2000 block of Alki Avenue SW between 11 pm last night and 8 am today. Plates: ATV0897. Also: “It’s got a Backcountry.com goat sticker, and a PLU Alumni sticker.” (3:56 PM UPDATE – Just found in Junction area!)
STOLEN ON 39TH SW: Mimi‘s blue 1996 Subaru Outback was taken between 3 am and 7 am on 39th SW near SW Oregon. Plates: BJL4075. (3:35 PM UPDATE – Just found in the Alki area!)
If you see either one, call 911. Thanks to someone who did that last night, a stolen car mentioned here earlier this week has been found:
‘OSCAR’ FOUND, THANKS TO A WSB READER: As promised, we followed up with SPD about the search for auto-theft suspects near Westcrest Park late last night, and the report narrative confirms it’s something we heard on the scanner just before the search – police were tipped by somebody who recognized the car because it was shown here on WSB:
It was the Jeep Cherokee whose owner nicknamed it “Oscar,” as confirmed today by her dad Wade. Meantime, the police-report narrative confirms the search resulted in one arrest, a 37-year-old man found hiding in the greenbelt nearby (who crawled out, the report said, after being warned the K-9 might bite him). Whether he was linked to the theft is not yet clear but he turned out to have a felony warrant, the report says, adding that he was booked into jail after a stop at Harborview because he said he had used heroin and felt ill.
1:29 PM: We’ve learned that the suspect is 41 and is being held for investigation of obstructing (police) as well as a warrant related to a drug case.
11:31 PM: If you hear the Guardian One helicopter in southeast West Seattle, near Westcrest Park – it’s being called in to help with what scanner traffic indicates is a search for two people described as auto-theft suspects. There’s a ground search with K-9, too. The suspects are described so far as male, white, one in a camouflage jacket, ponytail and goatee, the other in a black shirt or jacket and “slightly unshaven.” If you have any information, call 911.
12:54 AM: Sounds as if police detained one person. We’ll be following up later this morning to see what else we can find out about how this started and shook out.
Another stolen car to be on the lookout for:
Wade reports, “My daughter’s car was stolen last night from the street by our house at Delridge and Cloverdale. It is a 1993 Army Green Jeep Cherokee 4 door. The car’s name is Oscar. A police report has been filed.” (We don’t have the plate number but will add when we hear back. Meantime, call 911 if you think you see the stolen vehicle.)
UPDATE: Plate number BGX9092.
Five notes in West Seattle Crime Watch today:
STOLEN SUBARU: Just received from Ricardo:
Our 1999 Subaru Legacy wagon was stolen from our house this morning/last night. Just wanted to let the community know and to be on the lookout for it. It’s tan in color and has a moon/sunroof. License plate number ANJ2766. Nothing of any real worth in the car unless someone was really looking to lift a case of Trader Joe’s water and a 20-year-old dog blanket. Has been reported to SPD, incident #: 18-132219.
It happened near 36th SW/SW Henderson. (APRIL 19 UPDATE – Ricardo tells us it’s been found.)
WALLET/PHONE THEFT: Stacey says this happened in a flash at the Junction Shell minimart – her wallet and phone were snatched off the counter, and the cards were used “all over downtown” shortly thereafter. She’s hoping to get the surveillance video, and is also still awaiting the report number, so this is a warning for starters.
GRAFFITI VANDALISM: Yes, we know, this happens a lot, but the past few days have brought an extra-brazen wave south of Morgan Junction, Will noticed while walking in the area this morning. The tagging, mostly on the west side of California SW, included multiple commercial buildings as well as a townhouse building at California/Mills, where Will found people painting it over this morning. He says they told him they had called police, who came by to photograph it this morning.
(Photo added, courtesy of commenter KittyJorts)
(Getting graffiti photographed before painting it over is always a good idea, SPD has said repeatedly at community meetings we’ve covered.) The police incident # is 18-132170.
SUSPICIOUS VISIT POST-PACKAGE DELIVERY: A Puget Ridge resident in the 6500 block of 16th SW got a package delivered around 11:15 am today but wasn’t able to get to the porch immediately to pick it up. Around 11:30, they report, a car backed into the driveway with two people inside, and the passenger got out and started walking up the resident’s steps toward the package – until the resident opened the door, at which time the person “turned around and (weirdly casually) went back to the car. Ignored me when I asked if I could help with something, so I gathered my stuff and went inside. They casually drove off, south on 16th.” The car, the resident believes, was a dark gun-metal-colored Jeep Cherokee, mid-2000s. The person who came up the steps wore a black baseball cap obscuring his/her face, “chin-length braids with maybe a little brassy bleaching at the tips of some,” and loose all-black clothing.
CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL ON TUESDAY: If you have neighborhood crime/safety concerns, your next chance to bring them directly to the attention of Southwest Precinct police – outside of 911 calls – is Tuesday (April 17th), 7 pm, at the precinct (2300 SW Webster). It’s the April meeting of the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council, and all are welcome. The scheduled guest is SPD Bias Crimes Unit Det. Elizabeth Wareing (rescheduled from an earlier date).
Posted in the WSB Forums by Kelso:
Our apartment complex’s storage unit was broken into over the weekend, and while the burglar left behind things of high value (skis, bicycles, electronics) they did take a carry-on hard-case silver Samsonite luggage from my wife and I. They also took a LeSportsac weekender bag that has a very high sentimental value and isn’t made anymore (it has an aloha stamp print on it) … A few other items were taken, but we would be particularly keen to get these back. If it’s been dumped somewhere and someone finds it, we would really appreciate getting these back! This was near the corner of Graham Street and California.
Kelso’s post includes an image of a similar bag.
(August 8th WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli)
Three months after a judge ordered him to Western State Hospital, Gatewood stabbing defendant Ryan Cox is still waiting for a spot there to open up. As we reported in January, a judge ordered Cox to the state hospital for up to 90 days of treatment to attempt to restore competency to stand trial. He is charged with second-degree assault in an incident that left a man seriously injured last August. A status hearing for Cox was scheduled for this week; a court document filed yesterday says the hearing is postponed until July 16th. We checked with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to find out why, and they tell us he is “still waiting for admission,” which is currently expected to happen around April 30th. The up-to-90-days treatment clock won’t start until he is admitted. WSH has long been reported to have backlogs leaving patients waiting,
Out of the WSB inbox, from Aiko:
My forest green 2000 Chrysler Cirrus LX was stolen from the front of my house this morning between 12:00 am-7:15 am. I live in the 9000 block of 32nd Ave SW in the Arbor Heights neighborhood. The license plate number is BGK1449. I have reported this to Seattle Police.
If you see it, call 911.
APRIL 18TH UPDATE: Aiko tells us her car was found today in SODO.
11:53 PM: From Thom:
We had a mailbox break-in at our apartment today at 6609 SW Admiral Way. Around 12:30 pm, my wife found the mailbox panel pried open. It’s not clear if they were interrupted or if they were targeting a specific box, but some boxes had all contents removed (ours included) while others still had mail in them. Who knows what, if anything, they got away with.
They seem to have popped it open with a crowbar just above the locking mechanism, because the whole assembly is open and there’s a large bent portion in the metal frame right where the lock engages. … If anyone finds any discarded mail in a bush or alley or somewhere from 6609 SW Admiral Way, 98116 I’d be curious to hear about it.
ADDED 1:15 AM: Police are investigating multiple reports of gunfire – five or six shots –
heard in High Point, near the 3000 block of SW Graham. (We have received a texted report, too.) No victim reported, and so far we’re not hearing any word of other confirmation such as casings or property damage.
Two reader reports in Crime Watch this morning:
DUI CRASH INVESTIGATION: Thanks to Keith for the photo and report from a crash around 9 last night south of Alki, at 59th SW/SW Charlestown. He reported that the driver was taken into custody after hitting parked cars; Tweets by Beat confirms it’s a DUI investigation.
And a package-theft victim reports finding himself face-to-face with the person who took his package:
PACKAGE TAKEN: Nathan reports that happened on Wednesday:
I literally spoke to a thief that stole a package from the side of my house. I did not know I had a package delivered; usually I receive a notification from UPS.
You’ll see her walk to my backyard, talk to me as I was in the basement, go to the side of my house where UPS has been leaving packages lately, then run back through my yard with a much fuller bag. Seconds later, I walk outside, not realizing what had just happened. She asked if my house was for rent. I told her no, but didn’t really think it was suspicious because our neighbor rents their house out and I thought maybe they were looking for another renter. Guess I should have known better.
UPS confirmed the package was delivered minutes before the theft. If you have any information, refer to police incident # 2018-902958.
In West Seattle Crime Watch, two followups and an alert:
FOLLOWUP – SUSPECT AWAKENED IN STOLEN CAR: Remember last Friday’s incident in Arbor Heights during which Guardian One‘s crew recorded that video of Seattle Police awakening a man found asleep in a stolen car? The suspect got out of jail tonight after five days. Prosecutors have yet to charge 34-year-old Craig R. Crisler in last week’s case but we are identifying him because he was being held on a warrant from a similar case in which he is charged. Crisler was charged three weeks ago in a February case in which police found him asleep in a stolen pickup truck in Burien. Also asleep in the truck, a 6-year-old whose mother is described in court documents as Crisler’s girlfriend; he was taking care of the child because she had been booked into jail two days earlier. The child was turned over to CPS; meantime, it was discovered that the stolen truck had been painted a new color since it was taken, and that it was found to contain tools including a pressure washer stolen from someone else. Crisler missed a court appearance in the case and that led to a warrant carrying $5,000 bail. He posted bond tonight and got out before 9 pm. Court documents from the Burien case show his last known address in North Shorewood, not far from where he was arrested last Friday.
SPEAKING OF STOLEN TOOLS: We’ve published more than a few reader reports recently of tools stolen in break-ins, both vehicles and structures. This alert from Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner says it’s a trend:
The SW Precinct Crime Analysis Unit Detective informed us of a recent crime trend involving burglaries of sheds, outbuildings, and garages. A variety of items have been stolen including bicycles, power tools and generators.
Please keep an eye out on your sheds/garages/out buildings! Ensure they are securely locked, regularly check to see if your door has been tampered with, take inventory of your items and secure bicycles with quality locks! Remember to always report theft and suspicious behavior to the Seattle Police Department by calling 911.
ONE MORE FOLLOWUP: Back on March 24th, we reported on trouble for a Southwest Precinct police officer while he was taking a suspect to jail – the suspect allegedly started a fire in the patrol car just as they were arriving downtown. As first reported in The Seattle Times, that suspect, 24-year-old Nickolas J. Osborne, is now charged with felony malicious mischief and misdemeanor harassment.
We have obtained the court documents, which say the latter charge is for the original reason he was arrested, reportedly harassing Lincoln Park and Lowman Beach park visitors and threatening them with a stick. The former is for the squad-car fire. The charging papers say that even before being placed in the car, Osborne was accusing police of being “agents of the Illuminati” out to get him; in the car, police say, he “slipped his handcuffed hands to the front of his body, unbuckled his seatbelts and began violently kicking the rear driver side window.” The officer radioed for backup at that point. Osborne then allegedly said the officer would have to kill him and should be nervous. After that, the charges say in-car video shows Osborne picking up a lighter from the car floor (whose lighter, it doesn’t say), using it to generate a flame, and setting the car ceiling on fire, including a camera; he was recorded, the report continues, saying, “There we go! Let’s both burn in hell!” Shortly afterward, the officer pulled over and got the suspect out of the car; Osborne’s clothing had ignited but he wasn’t hurt, nor was the officer. The car was damaged badly enough that it had to be taken out of service, SPD says. Osborne remains in jail, his bail set at $10,000.
5:15 PM: Police at the scene aren’t saying much but the black car in the southbound lane of 35th SW just north of SW Webster is stolen, according to scanner traffic, and officers are searching for two men last seen running west from there. A K-9 team is now joining the search.
6:06 PM: No luck so far in finding the suspects. The car is no longer in the travel lane.
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