Three West Seattle Crime Watch notes tonight:

PHONE THEFT: From Chelsea:

Last night, as I was walking home from LA Fitness, I was standing on the corner of Edmunds and Fauntleroy when 3 males approached me from behind as I was sending a text. They then grabbed my phone out of my hand (they did not assault me or pull any weapons). After they grabbed the phone, they proceeded to run West on Edmunds (away from me), where they split up right around 40th Ave. Two of them booked it into an alley behind the apartment building there while one of them ran toward and then crossed Alaska.

I didn’t end up filing a police report because I didn’t get a good look at them plus I didn’t have a phone to call. They appeared to be younger, based upon their clothing, which was dark hoodies with jeans and at least one of them had a backpack on.

As we told her, it’s vital to file a police report so this is on record at the very least, and it’s not too late to file one. (Wednesday update: She has filed a report – incident #18-019576.)

PURSE-SNATCHING FOLLOWUP: We still haven documents with full details of the Saturday night incident in The Junction, but we’ve got a few more than we did on Sunday. We’ve confirmed that two 19-year-olds booked into jail for theft on Saturday night are the adult suspects in this case (police told us a juvenile also was arrested, but juvenile detention rosters are not available online). Both are still in jail, one with bail set at $20,000, one with bail set at $1,500. Both have been ordered – if they do get out – to have no contact with the Junction Starbucks, which at least one witness told us is where the purse theft happened.

ABANDONED BICYCLE: Latest sighting is reported by Becky:

She spotted it at the corner of 47th SW and SW Edmunds.

Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch so far today, and a reminder:

CAR BREAK-IN: From Steve:

We had our car prowled overnight, sometime between 11 pm and 9 am. We are on 37th Ave SW between Lander and Stevens [map]. Registration and Title, Insurance, car chargers, special parking permit and shopping bags were taken. The car was completely cleaned out. The registration (etc.) was in a bright-orange vinyl folder.

The tracking number for the incident is T18000652.

(ADDED 1:12 PM) After reading this, Todd e-mailed to say his car window was broken by someone last night just a block west, on 38th SW.

BICYCLE FOUND: A texter found a bicycle at 12th SW and SW Myrtle [map] – near Riverview Playfield – and turned it over to a Parks and Recreation crew that was nearby. The finder didn’t take a photo but described it as a black or gray Trek “commuter bike” that had been purchased at Gregg’s. (The general Parks number is 206-684-4075.)

REMINDER – WEST SEATTLE CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL TOMORROW: 7 pm Tuesday (January 16th) at the Southwest Precinct, it’s the next meeting of the WS Crime Prevention Council, with your chance to bring neighborhood crime/safety concerns to local police. A drug-trend guest is booked this month too.

One reader report in West Seattle Crime Watch tonight. Just in, from Liz:

My boyfriend and I live at the Alaska Junction and today between 1 am and noon, Luc’s maroon 1992 Subaru Legacy wagon (hatchback – license plate number AAM 5011) was stolen with his black MacNeil BMX bicycle locked inside. It was parked on Glenn Way near the alley between Oregon and Alaska. We have made a police report, looked at Offerup and Craigslist, and called the tow yard, but there has been no sign of the bike or the car.

The bike is a MacNeil Default frame with S&M bars and forks, purple Hoder grips, and Odyssey pedals (purple) cranks and wheels.

SPD incident # 18-14338. Call 911 if you see the car.

P.S. Reminder that the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meets Tuesday (January 16th), 7 pm at Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster) – bring your neighborhood crime concerns/questions for police.

ORIGINAL TUESDAY NIGHT REPORT: Around 7:30 tonight, Jeff reports, his wife’s car was broken into in the front parking lot at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) in Morgan Junction. There’s one thing he’s hoping will be found:

Her black work work bag was stolen. Most important to her is her notebook and thumb drive containing many many references and resources. Also in the bag was a black iPhone. I’m hoping that the bag gets ditched somewhere close to the scene. … The stolen bag was a black Kipplinger messenger-style bag. In the bag was some medications (Rx & OTC), black iPhone (6s), work keys and badge, a notebook, and a thumbdrive (Lexar, green/blue).

No police report # yet; if you think you have found the bag, let us know.

ADDED WEDNESDAY MORNING: The SPD incident # is 18-10904. Also, as Jeff posted in comments, they’ve found the stolen phone – still looking for the bag.

(January 2016 WSB photo)

Almost two years after a deadly trench collapse at a West Seattle worksite, the owner of the company that employed the victim has been charged with criminal manslaughter. The announcement late today from the state Department of Labor and Industries says this is “the first time a Washington employer has faced felony charges for a workplace fatality.” 36-year-old Harold Felton was killed January 26, 2016, when the dirt walls of a trench collapsed during side-sewer work at a house in the 3000 block of 36th SW. Seven months later, the state cited Alki Construction LLC for seven violations, as reported here. And now, the company’s owner, 40-year-old Phillip Numrich, has been charged with second-degree manslaughter. The announcement quotes L&I director Joel Sacks as saying, “There are times when a monetary penalty isn’t enough. This company knew what the safety risks and requirements were, and ignored them. The felony charges show that employers can be held criminally accountable when the tragedy of a preventable workplace death or injury occurs.” We’ve looked up the court documents, which were not included in the L&I news release; Numrich has been charged with two counts, second-degree manslaughter and “violation of labor safety regulation with death resulting.” The documents note that he and the victim not only had an employer-employee relationship, they were longtime friends. Mr. Felton was the first person killed in a trenching incident in our state in more than seven years.

The last two stolen vehicles reported in West Seattle Crime Watch were both found by readers – maybe this will be three in a row. Ivana reports a 1999 Ducati Monster Cromo 900 motorcycle was “stolen from the driveway next to the apartment building at 9011 35th Avenue SW [map] between approximately 10:00 PM on 01/04/2018 and 07:45 on 01/05.” Black frame, chrome tank, carbon fiber fairing, Brembo brakes, round mirrors, low mileage. WA license plate 4C7676. Call 911 if you see it – SPD incident # 18-5224.

Two reader reports tonight in West Seattle Crime Watch, both including car prowls:

IN NORTH DELRIDGE: After reading last night’s report about tools taken in a Pigeon Point shed break-in, Lauren sent this:

Both of the following incidents happened at our house located very close to Pigeon Point at Delridge and Oregon [map].

Sometime in the very early hours of yesterday, January 4th, both my and my boyfriend’s cars were broken into in our driveway. Nothing of value was inside but items were clearly rifled through and strewn around. I discovered this at 7:30 am. Police report was filed.

This early AM (January 5th) at ~2:50AM, we heard a loud sound like a car door slamming. My boyfriend and I went out to the deck and saw a car part way up the driveway. The car quickly turned into the street and sped away very fast. The car was black or dark blue and either a PT Cruiser or a Mini Cooper.

IN ADMIRAL: From Wendy:

I wanted to report that we had a car prowl yesterday or last night on the 2600 block of 47th Ave SW [map]. We have reported it to the police but wanted to get the word out to the neighborhood to be aware. No signs of forced entry so not sure if we left it unlocked. We don’t keep much in our car, they took a phone charge cord, ice scraper, wet ones, a nearly empty tube of lotion, and a dog harness.

The only thing I care about having back is the dog harness. Brand-new green and brown Gooby.

P.S. The West Seattle Crime Prevention Council is back in session this month – Tuesday, January 16th, 7 pm at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster). Neighborhood crime updates and concerns are always the centerpiece, but this month WSCPC president Richard Miller has also scheduled a guest, Steven Freng from the Northwest High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, who will talk about “recent drug use trends, including specific problem drugs and other emerging issues,” according to the announcement from Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Burbridge.

Two Three West Seattle Crime Watch items tonight:

ANOTHER STOLEN CR-V: For the second day in a row, we’ve received a report of a stolen CR-V. The one stolen yesterday was found by a WSB reader hours later. Maybe you can find the one taken overnight from Sarah in Seaview:

I’d like to report the theft of my vehicle sometime last night, 1/3-1/4, in the 5900 block of 48th St SW, it was parked legally in the vicinity of my residence and it’s been verified by SPD as not towed.

The vehicle is a blue 2011 Honda CR-V; notable features include Maryland license places and several Washington, DC parking permits, as well as a whole lot of bumper stickers including: Sierra Club, Bernie Sanders, Barrie School, George Washington University, Ocean City Brewing Company, West Marine Sailing, and several magnets for Marathons, Half-Marathons and Cycling. It’s pretty distinct and that’s not an all inclusive list, but hopefully could help positively identify it if spotted.

If you see it, call 911 – and then let us know.

(Sunday update: Confirmation that the CR-V was spotted by a reader – southwest of The Junction – and has been recovered!)

ADMIRAL ATTACK SUSPECT UPDATE: Today brought another hearing for Kierra Ward, charged in October’s knife attack on a mother out walking with her baby. Documents from the hearing indicate that Ward is choosing to go to trial rather than seeking a plea bargain; the date is tentatively set for February 21st, depending on what happens at a readiness hearing set for February 9th. Ward remains held in the King County Jail in lieu of $400,000 bail.

ADDED 8:50 – PIGEON POINT SHED BREAK-IN, TOOLS TAKEN: This just came in from Elizabeth, minutes after we published the above two items, so we’re adding it:

I wanted to let the Pigeon Point community know that my shed was broken into either last night or sometime today. The thieves stole all of my tools. (4100 block 19th SW) … They cut the hinges off my shed to get in. Below are a list of the tools stolen I have identified so far in case anyone hears or sees anyone out there with new things.

-Rigid Miter Saw, collapsible
-Rigid Table Saw, collapsible
-Rigid Hand Sander
-Rigid Nail Gun & Nails
-Dewalt Cordless Hand Saw
-Dewalt Cordless Reciprocating Saw
-Dewalt Cordless Drill
-Dewalt Cordless Impact Drill
-Dewalt Drill Bits (4-5boxes)

Unfortunately I don’t have any cameras working that could help catch these people. My thought is that they drove some kind of truck and reversed back into my driveway up to the shed and broken. This would have shielded them from being seen from all sides (the other sides are surrounded by two other neighbors and my house as I have an open driveway, no garage. I’m guessing they had some kind of van as the miter saw and table saw are big.

Wanted to let the neighborhood know so everyone can keep an extra eye out on their homes as well as hope that someone saw something that could help catch these thieves.

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.

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.

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 # 17-475056

It 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.

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.