West Seattle, Washington
23 Tuesday
(WSB photo)
ORIGINAL 12:47 PM REPORT: Police are in the 5200 block of 18th SW on Puget Ridge (south of Dawson), after a report of a home-invasion robbery. It’s still early in the investigation, but so far, they have been told that four armed men, described only as black, wearing black hoodies, and black masks, broke into the house. At least one person was home, a man who suffered a facial injury. The robbers are believed to have gotten away in a vehicle, though SPD tells us there are conflicting descriptions. We also don’t know yet what if anything they took. Robbery detectives are on their way to the scene; we’ll check back later for an update.
FRIDAY MORNING NOTE: The report was not available yesterday but we’re renewing our request this morning. The final classification of the call, meantime, was “strong-arm robbery.”
1:09 AM: Multiple reports of suspected gunfire have had police out searching in the Roxhill Park area for the past hour or so. So far, no reports of them having found anything or anyone; one person who called police told WSB he saw the shots fired from someone in a vehicle. We’ll check later this morning for the final incident report.
11:52 AM: Just checked with SPD, and they confirm, no evidence of gunfire found – doesn’t mean it didn’t happen, only that they did not find casings, property damage, or victim(s).
ORIGINAL 1:32 PM REPORT: Two items in West Seattle Crime Watch today – the first, a reader report; the second, from SPD files.
STOLEN RED HONDA CR-V: The photo above is from Joe; it’s his most-recent photo of the 2001 Honda CR-V someone stole from him very early today near 16th SW and SW Thistle [map]. He says, “Although the actual event wasn’t captured (I don’t know how), my security camera showed my car present at midnight and gone by 1 am.” Washington plates AYU3617. If you see Joe’s CR-V, call 911; police incident # is 2018-002500.
9 PM UPDATE: Thanks to the reader who spotted Joe’s car about half a mile north on 17th, called 911, let us know too, we made sure Joe knew, and he has the CR-V back – though it needs repairs to the center column to be driveable.
(Back to original report) Next: We didn’t get a reader report about this burglary last week, but the narrative is now available online (as SPD does for some, but not most, reports):
STOLEN ITEMS FOUND AFTER ADMIRAL BURGLARY: This happened last Thursday (December 28th), according to the report we found in SPD’s online files. Police were called to a Walnut Avenue SW address in early afternoon. They were told that someone had broken into a garage overnight, stealing two bicycles and “a saw, leaf blower, wheelbarrow, flat-screen TV, an Airstream battery, and a red backpack with fishing gear.” A neighbor spotted the garage door open early in the morning and alerted the victim – apparently the burglar(s) got in through a window and left via the door. Police learned that someone else in the area had called 911 at 1:15 am after seeing someone near the garage door working on a bicycle that matched the description of one of the two stolen bikes; officers responded at the time but didn’t find anyone or anything.
While investigating the burglary hours later, officers were told about a bicycle spotted near 41st/Lander [map], and discovered it was one of the stolen bikes. Checking the area nearby, they found other items taken in the burglary, dumped or hidden in bushes – the flat-screen TV, leaf blower, saw, and battery. They also found fingerprints on the TV and on the window through which the burglar(s) had been entered, so those were going to be crosschecked with a database.
11:13 AM: We’re at the County Courthouse downtown, where Mitzi Johanknecht has just taken the oath of office and become King County Sheriff. She’s a West Seattle resident who has risen through the Sheriff’s Office ranks over a career of more than 30 years. The oath was administered by Superior Court Presiding Judge Laura Inveen; right after taking her oath, the new Sheriff led her staff in taking their oaths. Those scheduled to speak as the ceremony continues include two other prominent elected West Seattleites, County Executive Dow Constantine and County Council Chair Joe McDermott.
(Video added – the short speeches by Constantine, McDermott, and Johanknecht)
11:22 AM: “It is a new year, and a new day in King County,” Constantine began. He underscored the importance of public-safety services in citizens’ lives. He declared that Sheriff Johanknecht had “served well … and earned the right” to the office she now holds, hoping that she will help make King County “a safer and more-equitable place” for everyone. His brief speech was followed by that of McDermott. He noted that jobs like theirs take “an incredible amount of teamwork and listening” and said that he and his Council colleagues “look forward to working with you” on a variety of issues including budgeting. He expressed hopes that she will serve as an “accountable, transparent, and listening Sheriff.”
(The ‘all West Seattle’ photo, as one participant called it)
Then the sheriff took the microphone, thanking those in attendance for their presence on “this kind of special day” and she acknowledged the service of her predecessor, John Urquhart, who she defeated in November’s election. She said she hopes to “build and reimagine law enforcement” and looks forward to keeping “public safety … a high priority. It’s not just the Sheriff’s Office, it takes community to help us achieve those goals.”
(Sheriff’s wife Maureen pins on her new badge)
She concluded by thanking wife Maureen and the rest of their family, and describing herself as “honored and humbled.” We’ll add more photos and video when back at HQ.
3:33 PM: Often, bicycles are stolen to get between two crime scenes. So maybe Kathy‘s bicycle has been abandoned by now, and you might even have seen it:
I’d like to report a bike stolen from outside our third-floor apartment sometime yesterday/overnight. We live on the 2400 block of 54th Pl SW, off Alki. We had two bikes chained up outside the apartment; one was missing this morning. It is a white women’s lux sport Diamondback 29’er with bright green accents. We had detached the seat. Attached is a photo. If we are lucky, someone has spotted it.
We’re checking with Kathy for the police report #.
8:40 PM: The SPD incident number is 2018-900013.
The photo is from Jacob, who found those car seats while out walking his dog this morning.
Found these 2 car seats in the ditch on Brandon street behind the 7th hole of West Seattle golf course. They are both in excellent shape. Do not know why someone would throw them in the ditch but guess is a car was stolen and these were thrown out.
Please post if you see worthy as I am a parent and have paid a lot of money for car seats for my children and would want them back.
If yours, please e-mail us – editor@westseattleblog.com – and we can forward your contact info.
Steve hopes you will keep an eye out for his motorcycle, stolen today:
2015 Honda Grom, black with an orange stunt setup
License plate: 5E7102
Police Report # 17-475056It was stolen between 9:30 am – 5:30 pm on 12/27/17 from my apartment’s garage in North Admiral, West Seattle. If you see it, please call 911.
The crime didn’t happen in West Seattle, but the resolution did, with the assistance of Southwest Precinct officers, and Zach (a WS resident) wanted to share the story:
3 days ago, on Christmas eve-eve, downtown underneath the viaduct, someone smashed my wife and I’s car window and absconded with our ski bag.
In the bag: ski boots, pants, jacket, etc. An intolerable expense to replace. However, as the days went by it was less about losing the “stuff,” as it’s just stuff, and instead, the angst hinged on the nuisance of the insurance claim and getting the glass repaired, and above all, the feeling of obtrusion my wife and I felt. Our karma, we thought, was past due. Insert the SPD.
Yesterday, the day after Christmas, I perused OfferUp (a safer Craigslist) for my recently stolen ski boots. Alas, there they were! I messaged the “owner” of my boots and he agreed to sell me the boots. Amazingly, I got him to meet me at the Home Depot right across the street from the Southwest Precinct. I called the precinct for help and I was quickly connected with Larry Longley, to whom I divulged my story. He asked us, an hour before I was to meet the ski boot “owner,” to stop by the Precinct to see how SPD could help me safely retrieve my ski boots.
In addition to Larry Longley: Officers Andre Constantine, Jack Johns, Ryan Levens, Garth Lindelef, and Ken Mazzuca were there with my wife and I at the precinct. They were gracious with their time, curious, and extremely helpful. They were fervent in their mission to help law-abiding citizens, yet were buckled by bureaucracy. They unmasked my issue as thus: I could not prove these boots were mine (disclaimer, take a picture of all your valuables) and because we couldn’t prove the man meeting me stole them, we were stuck on how to proceed.
With the officer’s guidance, we devised a plan and operated within the boundaries of the law: I was to go meet the “owner” (thief) and ask him a barrage of ski-related questions – that he clearly wouldn’t be able to answer – in order to fluster and redirect him, all the while, the officers did a civil standby (an amazing service I had no idea existed) to make sure I wasn’t harmed. It worked flawlessly. With the police officers behind me, I effectively confronted the thief and got him to admit the boots weren’t his, I then gave the thief $10 to complete a transaction so he wouldn’t file a complaint of theft (incredulous, right?) and I victoriously went on my way.
Thank you Seattle Police Department, for your patience and inclination to help. Keep up the good work!!!
(Though we can’t find an official SPD page about “civil standbys,” here’s a local lawyer’s explanation.)
We start West Seattle Crime Watch with suitcases you might see, if they were dumped after being taken. From Justin:
We arrived home from the airport at 2 am Tuesday morning. After unloading the family and all our gear from the Uber, we mistakenly left two suitcases on the curb in front of our house (4700 block of 37th SW). We realized the mistake this morning and went out to get them…but they were gone! If you see a red Ricardo rollerboard or blue Kirkland rollerboard suitcase in the neighborhood, please let us know! Both were the size to fit into an overhead bin and had Southwest bag tags from Denver to Seattle. They look like the ones in this photo, but are red and blue.
The initial (tracking) number for the police report is T17015412.
Also today: Mail theft/tampering. These photos, and accompanying report, came in via text:
We’re in Arbor Heights at 31st Ave SW and 104th – a whole bunch of our neighborhood’s mail has been stolen and dumped behind our house.
Mail from 31st Ave SW (or neighbor 2 doors down), as well as 4th and 5th Ave. Looks like on 30th and 102nd there were a bunch of mailboxes left opened. A neighbor has since closed them.
The texter says a neighbor has an alarm that went off at 2:30 am today so that might be when it happened.
Also: Just before Christmas, Andrea reported finding dumped, stolen mail in Upper Fauntleroy, in her planting strip in the 3600 block of SW Cloverdale. She says it was addressed to others in the 98136 zip code. Along with reporting mail theft to police, you should also report it to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
And just as we were getting ready to publish the reports above – one more:
That’s the person who took packages off Jessica‘s porch in the Morgan Junction/Gatewood area on Christmas Day: “Looks to be a woman dressed in green winter gear, perhaps wearing a boot from foot injury and carrying a dog” – small dog in a bag under her right arm.
Thanks for sharing Crime Watch reports so your neighbors all over the peninsula can be on alert – once you’ve reported it to police, editor@westseattleblog.com – and if something is happening NOW, call 911!
No holiday for a car thief: Lucy‘s midnight blue Hyundai Veracruz was stolen around 7 am today: “329YTL … with Seahawk emblem stickers and license plate holder. Around Hinds and 42nd Ave SW.” Call 911 if you see it.
We’re continuing to track high-profile West Seattle cases making their way through the justice system, and today a pretrial hearing was held for Ryan Cox, the repeat offender charged with stabbing a man in Gatewood back in August. While Cox’s trial date remains set for January 29th, Superior Court Judge Dean Lum ordered a pretrial mental-health evaluation, to see if Cox is competent to stand trial. Cox remains in the King County Jail and that’s where the evaluation will take place, according to the court order, with results due back before another pretrial hearing on January 22nd.
In West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:
STOLEN SHOP KEEPSAKE: Just in from Sam, proprietor of Fleurt in The Junction, the photo and report:
I wanted to let you know that late this afternoon/ maybe early evening an iconic vintage (early 1900s) watering can was stolen from the outside front of Fleurt. Sadly we didn’t see who stole it as the shop has been busy today and filled with customers getting last-minute gifts.
This is an item we placed outside everyday since we opened in 2010. This breaks my heart. I am saddened to think that a person or people would be so low to steal from us. And at Christmas time.
I’ve had the watering can for 20+ years. The watering can stood over 2 feet tall. It is made from a very heavy metal. The color is galvanized and rusty looking. The watering can has special sentimental value to me. I would like to offer a reward for its return. If anyone saw someone take it, or have information on its whereabouts, please contact Sam at Fleurt: 206.937.1103.
CONDO-BUILDING BURGLARS: The report and security-camera image are from Sharon, who says this happened last Saturday at 35th/Roxbury:
Two men with a screwdriver entered our condominium building and attempted to pry open 2 locked doors. They were unsuccessful in getting in, but damaged one door and broke the door handle. The police have been notified.
SUSPECTED CAR PROWLER: From Rich:
At 5:45 PM I saw a person looking into cars with a flashlight near 59th and Stevens, across from Alki Elementary. He was white, bearded, a bit short (5’ 6” – 5’ 8”), wearing brown suspenders and a green shirt. When he noticed me he walked off to an alley. After a couple minutes (presumably waiting for me to leave) he walked out of the alley and got into a small red car and drove away. FYI in case anyone reports something missing in that area.
ALSO ON ALKI: Thanks for the text about a police response a short time ago. According to scanner traffic, they were headed to a fight situation on Alki, which has since been declared under control. Meantime, at a different location, police have found a stolen car in an alley off 60th SW – we don’t know the make/model.
POSSIBLE PACKAGE THEFT: From Dana:
I’m pretty sure a package was stolen off of our front porch at 41st & Graham on Tuesday around 1 pm. Unless it was misdelivered. In which case, everyone check your packages! :) Either way, a reminder to all to keep an eye out.
Also note that package delivery in these days before Christmas is continuing late at night – we’ve heard of multiple cases of 10 pm-ish deliveries.
Four reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch, the first two with video:
CAMERA STOLEN: A resident in the Westcrest Park area shares two videos from early Sunday, when someone removed/stole his doorbell/camera combination:
The theft occurred at 1:17 am on 12/17/17 and I’ve captured it via both the doorbell/camera (until it was yanked off the wall) and a camera on the eaves of my house.
… You will note in the (second video) that the recording stops midway through as the doorbell/camera was removed from the front wall of my house.
It is interesting from the first video that the thief doesn’t go directly to the doorbell/camera but moves off to the side, (but looking to his right at the doorbell/camera as he approaches the house), and then quickly moves in to steal the doorbell (on the other video), perhaps trying to evade being captured on video. The thief is walking purposefully like he knew there was a doorbell/camera there that he wanted to disable. And what was he doing out at 1:17 am? Why is an open padlock hanging from his coat? Is he a smoker given he has a cigarette lighter in his hand? Someone was in the front bedroom to the immediate left of the front door and didn’t hear anything.
If you have any information, the SPD incident # is 17-464158.
PACKAGES STOLEN: This next security video and report are from Ryan:
Had several packages stolen from my front door at 1:55 pm (Tuesday). 37th and Brandon. Older white Subaru wagon pulled directly into the driveway and passenger hopped out and walked up to front door to grab the boxes. Thief dressed in jeans and black puffy jacket with hood pulled over head so couldn’t see the face. Captured on door camera but not enough to identify car plates.
BIKE STOLEN: From Coty:
My husband’s bike was stolen from behind our townhouse on Delridge near Southwest Plumbing sometime between yesterday and this afternoon. It’s a red Mercier bike with a seat bag and a light on front. If you happen to see it, please let me know!
CAR WINDOW SMASHED: From Niccole:
My grandmother’s car window was smashed late last night. This is the second time and we wanted to alert people. We live on 13th Ave SW. It appears that there is nothing stolen — just, someone broke the window.
STOLEN CAR FOUND: Thanks for the text about a sizable police presence at 16th and Henderson this past hour. Officers were questioning someone after finding a stolen car.
Two reader reports:
CAR PROWL: From Cheryl:
Wanted to let you know that I filed a police report on 12/12 regarding a break in of my car parked in front of my apartment building (in the 3500 block of) SW Ocean View Drive, Arbor Heights. They took several personal items including leather gloves (which were in a compartment), my phone holder, CDs (in the trunk) and my handicap parking permit (in the side compartment of my door). Other silly items taken as well.
ABANDONED BICYCLE: Lisa says this has been on a Fauntleroy corner for almost two weeks:
Yours? Let us know.
Four notes in West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:
GAS-STATION ROCK-THROWING: Ladder 11 was parked at the Fauntleroy/Alaska gas station early this evening not to fuel up, but because firefighters were helping with the aftermath of a rock-throwing attack. Police were there too and told us that a man, apparently under the influence, threw a large rock through the station mini-mart window, near the clerk. No one was hurt but firefighters were helping clean up the glass when we arrived. Police took the suspect into custody.
From the WSB inbox this weekend:
ARBOR HEIGHTS PACKAGES VANISH: From Kirsten:
We believe two packages were stolen within 2 hours of their delivery from our house in Arbor Heights! Was curious if any other people in the area have mentioned anything. One of the packages had a dark purple raincoat in it that we were donating to the Pike Place giving tree. Unfortunate to have this sort of thing taken. We live in the 3700 block on SW 100th Street.
UPDATE: See Amanda‘s comment – misdelivered, not stolen!
STOLEN ELEMENT FOUND: Last Thursday, we published Kanti‘s report about a black 2004 Honda Element stolen from 30th/Henderson. It’s been found – just a few minutes east, Kanti reports, near 16th/Cambridge, with one person arrested.
Finally, if you don’t get City Councilmember Lisa Herbold‘s weekly newsletter (which she also publishes online in blog format), you might not have seen this:
NEIGHBORHOOD PER-CAPITA CRIME COMPARISONS: While it was included in Herbold’s followup about crime concerns in South Park, this per-capita crime comparison covered West Seattle neighborhoods too:
(Click here for full-size version on seattle.gov)
The first two pages of this slide deck also break down crime trends by SW Precinct neighborhoods. You’ll note that not all West Seattle neighborhoods are mentioned. That’s because they don’t all have “micro-community policing plans” which in turn lead to ongoing SPD neighborhood-by-neighborhood tracking. Those plans were initially developed a few years back in collaboration with the neighborhoods that had established community councils/groups. SPD still keeps overall precinct-wide info too. And you can look up trends/stats any time on the SPD website; even more links are part of Councilmember Herbold’s writeup.
While on her way to work this morning, Krystal spotted and photographed that open-and-dumped package at the corner of 30th and Holden. Whether the contents were originally with that box, impossible to tell, but the box is labeled with the name and address of someone nearby, in the 7700 block of 30th SW.
Two reader reports received this past hour, both of which include items big and small you might be able to help find:
STOLEN ELEMENT: The photo and report are from Kanti:
Stolen 2004 Black Honda Element WA AWN9996 from our home at 30th and Henderson. Vehicle has rocket box that carried supplies to Standing Rock, homemade Bernie 2016 sticker for WA delegate to the DNC in Philly and many many other heroic events. May we find her soon and continue our journey in sacred activism.
SPD incident number: 17-458428.
(DECEMBER 17 UPDATE: The Element’s been found, with one arrest. Waiting to hear where.)
CAR BREAK-IN DURING SCHOOL CONCERT: From Jennifer:
Tonight while we were attending our son’s 6th grade band concert at the Chief Sealth auditorium, someone broke the back window of our car and stole several items inside. Most notable are a blue & white striped 150 ft arborist rope in a blue canvas bag, a battery-powered lantern, and two brand new pairs of Nike cleats we purchased today to give our son for Christmas. I’m hoping maybe these things will be discarded by the thieves and end up somewhere else in West Seattle – especially the cleats. They are size 5 and 5.5, one indoor pair (black/white) and one outdoor (gray/pink). This happened between 6 8:30 pm on the side of the school and we have reported it to Seattle Police. If anyone finds the items, I’d be happy to come pick them up!
We’ll add the incident # when we get it.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes today – a followup and reader report:
DELRIDGE ROBBERY FOLLOWUP: We weren’t able to obtain the report on Monday night’s street robbery yesterday but do have it now. The narrative begins with the officers stopped at Delridge/20th and flagged down by a passing driver who said he had seen a fight in a parking lot to the north, and continues:
We started northbound on Delridge checking the area for the fight. We noticed two Hispanic males standing at the bus stop just south of 9Oxx Delridge Way SW. We also noticed a third Hispanic male walking northbound from 7/11. These were the only three people we saw on the west side of Delridge. We slowed down and one of the two males standing at the bus stop gave us a peace sign. Seeing no fighting or any signs of a disturbance we continued on. We got to the light at Delridge and SW Henderson when we noticed a male come out from behind the gas station at 90xx Delridge Way SW. The male … flagged us down and stated the two males at the bus stop just robbed him at gunpoint. As we turned our vehicle around the victim yelled that the suspects were running down the alley. The victim also pointed out another male next to the tree who he said was also with the suspects.
The male still at the scene was detained and identified … Officers began setLing up containment for the remaining two suspects that were last seen fleeing southbound through the alley in the 9000 block of Delridge (alley to the west). A K9 responded to the scene and attempted a track. K9 was unable to locate the suspects. Later (the victim) stated he was not certain he saw the suspects flee down the alley. A Metro bus was also pulling up at the same time and the suspects may have climbed aboard the 128 bus route.
(The victim) provided the following story during the K9 track … he had just dropped his girlfriend off at the gas station … and parked his vehicle in the parking lot. (He) stated he then realized that his girlfriend had his cell phone and he needed to get a hold of her.
(He stated) he decided to ask a couple of males he saw standing near the gas station if he could use their phone. (He) stated the males then placed him in a headlock and punched him in the side of the head (and) told him to give them his keys. (He) stated the male released him and then pulled out a black handgun from the front of his waistband. (He) said the suspect then said to give them what he has … he gave them the keys to his Jeep but they must have seen something because they threw the keys back to him and walked away. (He) stated he ran away and contacted police. (He) declined SFD (medical attention but he) had slight reddening on the right side of his forehead. (He) was unable to provide much of a description other than two Hispanic males 18-20 year of age, wearing dark hoodies. (He) was unable to say which suspect grabbed him and which suspect had the gun. During a search of the area around where the suspects were seen, (an officer) located a blue T-shirt in the bushes outside (a nearby address in the 9000 block of Delridge). Under the T-shirt on the ground was a black .380 handgun. These items were photographed and recovered.
As was, the report concludes, a brown bag with three unopened beers – a bag the victim thinks the suspects had been carrying. That led the police to a nearby store where they discovered one of the suspects had bought the beers at 9:04 pm, and saw video of him, recognizing him as someone they had seen at the bus stop before they knew there was a robbery. They describe him as Hispanic, early 20s, short hair, shown in the video wearing a blue jacket, white shirt, tight blue jeans with holes, and white shoes. They released the person they had detained earlier, as the victim was not certain he had been with the robbers, had not attacked him, and there was no other evidence, though they planned to check for more video.
One other Crime Watch note:
PACKAGE THEFT: Happened to a reader on Tuesday: “Amazon box with cat food taken off my porch, sometime between 9:30 and noon … On 36th Ave SW between Raymond and Graham.”
Another business hit by thieves – this time, Mountain to Sound Outfitters (3602 SW Alaska in The Triangle) reports:
We had 2 Thule Cargo Boxes stolen from in front of the shop last night. A Thule Force Large and a Thule Force XL. This is now the 3rd total that has been ripped off this year, and we want to let the community know to be on the lookout that local small businesses are being targeted.
If you have tips for the investigation, the SPD incident number is 17-457102.
9:25 PM: Thanks for the tips/questions about a police response in South Delridge. Police are investigating a report of an armed street robbery. We don’t know yet exactly where it happened – possibly near 9000 Delridge Way SW – but they’re seeking two suspects, described so far only as two Hispanic men 18-20 years old. Via scanner, we’ve heard police report finding a gun. There’s no medical dispatch, so – so far – it appears no one’s been hurt.
9:40 PM: A K-9 team is assisting with the search.
10:32 PM: Still searching. No new details – we will be seeking the report tomorrow.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch notes tonight:
STREET ROBBERY FOLLOWUP: Though the victim apparently still has not reported it directly, witnesses’ account of a street robbery in The Junction on Saturday afternoon resulted in a police report that we requested and obtained today. (Above is one witness’s photo of the three suspects running away, as originally published Saturday night.) It was classified as a “suspicious circumstance” since the victim was never found. Here’s our transcription of the report narrative by one of the first two officers dispatched at 4:38 pm, “called in by a third party”:
Upon our initial arrival in the area, no one (victim/witnesses) flagged us down in reference to the robbery. Multiple witnesses would continue to call 911 stating they observed three younger black males being chased by a female southbound from SW Edmunds St and California Av SW. (Six officers) did an extensive area check for the victim/suspects with negative results.
(The original two dispatched officers) were able to make contact with three witnesses on the corner of 44th Ave. SW and SW Edmunds St. (One witness) stated the following: She was in the parking lot on the southeast corner of 44 Av SW and SW Alaska St. She observed the three listed unidentified suspects loitering in the same parking lot. They appeared as if they were “plotting” something; possibly criminal. They then began to approach her. She had her child with her, and she stated to them “don’t even think about it.” The three suspects then turned around and walked toward the Metro bus stop on SW Alaska St. She then entered her vehicle and locked same. She then heard a woman screaming “They took my phone!” She looked up where the three suspects walked toward and observed the three suspects running southbound through the alleyway between California Av SW and 44 Av SW. She also observed a “Persian”-looking female wearing a white hooded sweatshirt and black framed glasses chasing them. She lost sight of all suspects where the alleyway meets SW Edmunds St.
(Another witness) stated the foI1owing: He observed three black male juveniles running eastbound on SW Edmunds St. from California Av SW. He then observed a male wearing an orange jacket chasing them. As the male wearing the orange jacket passed him, he stated to him “CaIl 911, they stole a purse!” He did not see a female chasing after them. He lost visual of the subjects running as they proceeded eastbound on SW Edmunds St.
(Third witness) stated the following: He observed three black male juveniles running southbound through the alleyway between California Av SW and 44 Av SW. He observed a female chasing after them. AlI subjects were running toward the intersection of SW Edmunds St and California Av SW. He lost visual of the subjects running after they cleared the alleyway and ran toward said intersection.
All witnesses described the three unidentified suspects as three black males, l2 to 13 years of dg€, and aI1 wearing black hooded sweatshirts. The female [victim] was described as olive skinned, has a foreign accent, wearing a white hooded sweatshirt, and black framed glasses. Officers could not locate either the suspects or the victim at this time. Nothing further.
The incident # is 17-454074.
STOLEN CAR FOUND: Five days ago, we published Linda‘s report about her niece’s Honda Accord getting stolen in mid-move. Early this morning, they got the call that police had found her car. Linda says it was in OK shape, with a flat tire, “only missing a backpack and a new little speaker. I say she got off lite! The gas tank was mostly still full! Maybe someone just needed a ride home :-). We are thankful and want to thank Seattle Police for finding her car so fast. Merry Christmas, everyone. Oh, by the way, we both have ‘the club’ on our steering wheels now.”
RECOGNIZE THIS PACKAGE THIEF’S CAR? Dee Dee shares a neighbor’s security video of a package stolen from her front porch last Wednesday afternoon:
The car has a distinctive look and sound so she wonders if you might recognize it. Dee Dee usually has packages delivered to her workplace “but I somehow missed this order.” The thief had a passenger, and yes, this has been reported to police. She adds, “The package was expensive but I’m sure they won’t be too interested in my candle-making supplies!”
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
STREET ROBBERY: We have heard from several people about this incident in The Junction late today. From Kevin:
At 4:35 p.m. today, I was walking past the alley behind Northwest Art and Frame, near California and Edmunds. I heard a woman’s screams. The woman screamed “they stole my phone, stop them” and I saw three black males, I would estimate between 14 and 18, run south through the alley. The three individuals ran east on Edmunds. The woman was chasing after them and crying and screaming. I took the best photos I could of the three individuals as they ran by.
I heard from other witnesses that another bystander chased after them, as they ran east on Edmunds. I am not sure if the woman made a report to the police, however. I spoke with the police, gave them my name and showed them the photos. The police were trying to locate the victim.
We were contacted separately, via text, by the person who reported chasing the suspects; they also did not know if anyone was caught, saying, “Several people joined me in chasing them to 40th and Edmunds, where we think they were hiding in a yard. Police took it from there.” we just checked the jail register and the only person booked for robbery since this afternoon is way out of the described age range, so likely not related. We will pursue more details on this Monday, but in case the suspects are still at large, a heads-up seemed in order.
MAILBOX PROWLED: From John:
Thought your readers might want to watch out for this:
It occurred at about 5:20 pm on December 7th. This guy walked up to our front porch, took a quick look in the mailbox (empty) then walked away. We were not at home at the time, but it happened so fast it would not have made any difference anyway. This is in the Genesee area just west of the Junction.
P.S. If you happen to be downtown right now, a reader reports that a shooting investigation at 3rd/4th/Pine has led to the rerouting of the C Line. We don’t know anything else about the incident but thought we’d mention it since we were writing Crime Watch anyway.
The photo and report are from Linda:
Some “POS” stole my niece’s car from in front of our house 12/5 late at night or 12/6 early morning – Merry Christmas. She was in the process of moving to my house from far away and still had several items still needing to be unloaded including: Social security cards, birth certificate, blankets, important legal papers, clothes, my great nieces backpack for school complete with school work and book from library, assorted goods and sundry. License #BFR9941, Tan, 1990 Honda Accord LX.
We will add the theft location when we hear back from Linda. Meantime, if you see this car, call 911. Police report #17-449471.
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