West Seattle, Washington
02 Friday
Lauren reports her car was stolen from in front of her home in the Luna Park area sometime between last Saturday and today. It’s a 1999 red 4-door Honda Civic, license plates ABW0982. Please call 911 if you see it.
If you are or have been a Block Watch captain in the Southwest Precinct area – West Seattle and South Park – you might have received e-mail from the precinct’s new Crime Prevention Coordinator, Jennifer Burbridge. Or not – which is why she asked if we would circulate this request too. From her e-mail, sent to 350 people who might or might not still be BW captains:
Part of my work in the SW Precinct includes helping to start new Block Watches and assisting existing Block Watches in whatever way that I can.
When I took over the position, a list of Block Watch Captains for the SW Precinct area was passed down to me … My intention for this email is to verify (which blocks still have) an active Block Watch and to determine who the current Block Watch Captain is. If you are not the current Block Watch Captain but have the current Captain’s email address, could you forward this email to him/her? That would be greatly appreciated.
If you feel comfortable doing so, please respond to this email with the following information:
-First name of Block Watch Captain (please no Last Names for privacy purposes)
-Email address of Block Watch Captain
-Block or area your Block Watch covers (For example: 2300 Block of Webster- from Delridge to 24th Ave SW)
-Approximate number of homes/residences in your Block WatchI hope to create a list of Block Watch Captains for the SW Precinct for a few purposes. First and foremost, to distribute information to the communities in an organized and efficient way. Secondly, I hope to have a running list so that when community members inquire about whether their area has a formal Block Watch- I can refer the Block Captain to the curious neighbor.
Please let me know in your response if you would like your information to be passed along to the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network. This community-based network provides many resources to Block Watch Captains in the SW Precinct. They offer monthly informational meetings, and have an online community where you can connect with other Block Watch Captains and benefit from their experience.
If this applies to you and you haven’t heard directly from Burbridge, her e-mail address is je****************@*****le.gov.
P.S. Speaking of neighborhood-based crime prevention/deterrence, we’re now less than three weeks from Night Out – the big annual night of neighborhood block parties – on August 1st. You don’t have to have a Block Watch to have a block party, but if you want to close your (non-arterial) street, you do have to register – here’s how.
ORIGINAL 9:03 PM REPORT: Aaron reports his motorcycle was stolen on Beach Drive:
The bike is a black, silver, and white 2007 GSXR 750 sports bike. It has Texas license plates # 3ZL797. Last 8 of Vin: 72101610. The bike was stolen today between 9 am and 5 pm. Please call (911) if found.
9:48 PM: Ben reported in comments that two motorcycles were stolen from him today in West Seattle; he has since e-mailed the photo and info:
“Had two bikes stolen today from my driveway on Admiral Way between 1030 and 1130 AM. 2007 Suzuki gsxr and 2007 Yamaha R6.” Same goes for these – if you see one or both, call 911.
(Reader photo, early Saturday afternoon – cropped just above where suspect was lying on ground, in custody)
As promised, we followed up today on Saturday’s bizarre and frightening Avalon Way incident involving a naked man running in the roadway, bolting into a business, and smashing windows on an occupied Metro bus before police got him under control.
(Photo from KD – bus windows smashed during rampage)
We had few details that day – most of the story was told by commenters – but we obtained the police report narrative today and have transcribed much of it. It begins:
At 11:52 (am) … numerous callers reported a naked male in the vicinity of SW Avalon Way/SW Andover Street acting erratically and armed with a hammer. Dispatch advised the following: “On Avalon, just north of intersection, naked male hitting vehicles and lying in the middle of the road. The subject was described as a white male, late twenties to forties, 5’8” to 6’, thin, bald, facial hair, and completely naked.
Three officers were sent, two who are described as having had Crisis Intervention Training, one described as from the SW Precinct Bicycle Squad. They were in the small bus that transports the bicycle squad, “which lacks emergency equipment or in-car video,” the report notes, continuing:
Prior to officers arriving, dispatch updated that the subject was unintelligibly yelling, striking vehicles with a hammer, appeared high, jumped onto a pickup truck, stopping traffic, lying in the street, dancing, broke a bus window, went into a pet-care business, and covered in blood, chasing people with a hammer.
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch so far today:
STOLEN LAPTOP: Lisa reports a car break-in, sometime between Saturday night and this morning on Delridge near Home Depot; a black bag containing her boyfriend’s work laptop was taken. Useless to the thief or thieves, she says: “You aren’t able to do much because it is secured and needs a government ID to turn on.” It’s a black Dell laptop, Latitude e7450, serial starts with G7S, also “identifying number (ending with 3837) barcode on bottom.” If you have any info, the police incident # is 2017-250195.
THREATENING GRAFFITI VANDALISM: A reader reports spotting “DIE” in orange spray paint on the side of a house near Fairmount Park. He spoke to a neighbor who planned to notify the residents; the police Twitter log indicates a report has been filed.
Two reports in West Seattle Crime Watch today, both involving businesses:
BOUTIQUE VANDALIZED: The window at the Lika Love boutique, 6031 California SW in north Morgan Junction, was smashed last night, and this video shows it was no accident:
Another view shows the vandal as he approached:
If you have any information on who he is, contact SPD and refer to incident 2017-248431.
TRAILER BREAK-IN: From Aviva:
Yesterday Kelli Mitchell of Seattle Mobile Entertainment learned that the trailer that houses her DJ and karaoke gear for her business was broken into and all of her equipment stolen. The trailer is parked in the alley on the 7300 block of 35th Ave SW. Based on neighbors’ accounts we think the gear was stolen some time between 5 am and 10 am 7/8/17. If anyone saw any suspicious vehicles in that area or a bunch of DJ equipment in a pawn shop etc, please call SPD to report it. Below is a list of missing items:
4 Electrovoice 12″ 250 watt unpowered speakers
2 Yamaha emx512 1000watt all in one mixer/amps
4 Shure wireless PGX/SM 58 wireless microphones/receivers
2 ASUS basic laptops with Compuhost software
2 western digital harddrives
PRO LINE speaker stands with locking and tension releaseAnd of course all the cables and karaoke books to go with all of it. Incident number 17-248125
From the inbox:
I came across two commercial type lawn mowers ‘stashed’ in a remote area off the beaten path area below Highland Park in a spot they shouldn’t be. My concern is they might be stolen from some commercial landscaper or gardener and that’s how they make their living. I have the two brand names on the mowers for proof if someone is missing their equipment. These do not belong where I found them.. that’s for sure!
A police report has been filed, and we’re awaiting the number.
ORIGINAL REPORT, 12:43 AM: Both adult suspects in last week’s South Delridge street robbery are now charged, with bail for each suspect quintupled to $250,000.
The two adult suspects, 22-year-old Aaron K. Knox and 18-year-old Robert W. Degrat IV, are each charged with one count of first-degree robbery, with a firearm enhancement, which would add five years to any sentence, if convicted. They are accused of stealing a 58-year-old man’s bicycle at gunpoint with a juvenile accomplice last Thursday night in the 9200 block of Delridge Way SW. (Court records don’t show whether the juvenile has been charged yet, so we’ll be checking on his status later today.)
The court documents say the victim told police he was riding his bicycle northbound on Delridge around 9:45 pm Thursday when he was approached by all three suspects. Degrat and the juvenile allegedly grabbed the victim’s handlebars; he struggled to regain control, and while that was happening, court documents say, Knox pulled out a .380 semi-automatic pistol, racked its slide several times, placed it against the victim’s body, and demanded “Give me all your money.” The victim at that point got off his bike and ran. Looking back, he told police, he saw the three take his bicycle toward a vacant house at 9222 Delridge (site of a small fire in May and a bigger one that killed a person in 2014), into which the three then allegedly ran and hid. The victim called 911; police found the pistol in the grass outside the house and eventually found the three suspects inside.
The arrest documents for both Degrat and Knox show them with West Seattle addresses. Degrat is reported to have told police that he had just been kicked out of his residence and went to 9222 Delridge with the juvenile, where Knox allegedly told Degrat he would have to “earn it” if he wanted to stay at that house. The robbery allegedly ensued. Police say they found 13 rounds of .380 ammunition in Degrat’s backpack, identical to what was found in the loaded pistol in the front yard. Both Degrat and Knox – neither of whom has a felony record – remain in the King County Jail.
10:45 AM UPDATE: The 17-year-old suspect has been charged with attempted first-degree robbery and documents provided by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office indicate they are seeking to try him as an adult.
Reader report:
Our car, 2014 Blue Volvo xc90, plates APC 9327, was stolen sometime last night 7-3 from the 4000 block of 59th Ave SW. We have filed a police report.
If you see it, police ask that you call 911.
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:
BURGLARS TAKE BIKE AND MORE: Rebecca reports her home in the 8800 block of Delridge Way SW [map] was burglarized late last night, with the burglar(s) stealing a bicycle, video-game consoles, and laptops. Since abandoned/likely stolen bicycles turn up often, we asked her to describe the one the burglar(s) took: A black women’s Sportster Comfort 10, serial number starting with 513. If you have any information or might have found any of the stolen items, the police report number is 2017-238353.
ILLEGAL DUMPING: A commercial dumpster temporarily in place for a roofing job on SW Thistle proved attractive to someone looking for a place to unload a couch, JW reports. His cameras caught it around 12:30 am today:
That clip shows the truck pulling up with the couch – this one shows what followed. He’s reported it. (SMC 21.36.440, in case you were wondering.)
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
ALKI HIT-RUN: Roma says this happened last night (Friday) around 10 pm near Alki/59th:
A red truck (possibly a 2000s Dodge) hit my car, backed up, hit another car, then sped off.
Any info? Police incident number is 2017-236752.
ABANDONED BICYCLE: Jeff has been seeing this bicycle for a while now, east of The Triangle, and suspects it was stolen/abandoned:
Yours? Let us know.
Just published on SPD Blotter, word that three people were arrested last night after a street robbery was reported near 18th SW and SW Barton:
On Thursday night, just before 10:00 pm, officers responded to that area after a 58-year-old man called 911 to report he had just been robbed of his bicycle at gunpoint by three suspects. The suspects then fled and the victim was able to call police.
Officers responded and set up containment. A K-9 team responded and tracked to a nearby vacant house in the 9200 block of Delridge, where the victim’s bicycle was found abandoned in the tall grass. Officers heard voices inside the house and three individuals came out. The three individuals matched the suspect description provided by the victim. The victim was able to positively identify the suspects, all male, ages 17, 18, and 22. They were arrested without incident.
Officers checked the vacant house for additional suspects. During a check of the house, officers discovered an open window in a back bedroom. Thinking that was a little odd, the officer looked out the window and, using his flashlight, located a firearm in the tall grass. The gun was recovered with a fully loaded magazine. The victim confirmed that was the gun the suspects used in the robbery.
The 17-year-old suspect was later booked into the Youth Services Center, while the older suspects were booked into the King County Jail.
Juvenile detention rosters aren’t available online, but we’ve verified via the King County Jail register that the 18- and 22-year-old suspects are still in custody. Neither appears to have a felony record.
From the “unusual theft” files, this report from Hannah:
Overnight, someone stole all the tree gator/water drip bags from our street (including ours and the neighbors). On Graham St SW, between 49th and 50th Ave SW in Seaview. Jerks! And also, WHY?
The missing bags are dark green.
Please watch for a kids’ bicycle that was taken from Sommer‘s yard:
My son’s bike was stolen out of our front yard. Nearly brand new.
20″ boys BMX bike
Matte black w/ neon green and white writing ‘Hyper Spinner’
Foot pegs on back wheelsIf whomever took it could return it to 4045 45th SW, that’d be great.
From last night’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meeting – the return of SPD’s Community Service Officers, plus an update/Q&A on local crime trends.
COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICERS: This SPD program is being revived after more than a decade. Presenter Angela Socci from SPD talked about its history from 1971-2004 as a bridge between the police and underserved neighborhoods. Now, for 2018, there’s money in the budget, and she is making the rounds seeking input about what the new CSO program should look like and how it might fit into the current existing structure, which includes Community Police Team Officers and Crime Prevention Coordinators. The major public outreach and rollout is expected to start in January.
One thing for certain: As they were back in the day, the CSOs will be uniformed but unarmed. No mission statement yet, though. So, Socci asked meeting attendees, what skills should the new CSOs have, and what would you like to see them do?
Many said the skillset should include things like de-escalation, conflict management, knowledge of group dynamics, and a general understanding of psychology. That came up again when someone asked if the CSOs might interact with homeless people and others who are dealing with mental illness.
As far as what they should do, there were requests to send CSOs into schools to deal with troubled kids and also to get involved when kids get interested in gangs. Also there was talk about dealing with
runaways and families who are having issues.
According to Socci, SPD is largely just listening and pulling all the comments together from people like this group, for now. She and her team will also be working with the city’s Office of Civil Rights to see how the CSOs can work to apply the social-equity toolkit.
CRIME TRENDS AND CONCERNS: The meeting began with Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis giving toplines on recent crime trends. Overall, crime is down from this time last year, he said, and SPD continues to work with judges and prosecutors to try to slow down the cycle of catch/release, catch/release for people arrested for crimes such as car prowls. Attendees told Capt. Davis that they would like to see more traffic enforcement, particularly for drivers failing to stop for pedestrians, as well as speeding. No info yet on plans for enforcement of the new cell-phone law, which takes effect next month. Though it didn’t come up in open discussion, we asked Capt. Davis afterward if he had an update on last month’s Alki murder; short answer, no, but longer answer, detectives are continuing to work on identifying the suspected killer.
The West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network will not meet in July or August, so next meeting will be the fourth Tuesday in September – that’s 6:30 pm September 26th.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports to share this afternoon:
STOLEN CAR: Rene‘s car, with disabled-person license plates, was stolen from a carport in the 3700 block of Beach Drive. It’s a silver 2002 Toyota 4Runner, plates DP 35458. Call 911 if you see it.
PROWLER IN WESTWOOD: From Stuart near 32nd SW and SW Barton, this video and a still from it:
Last night at 10:25 pm, a prowler rode his bike up to the front of our house and spent about a minute along the side of the house presumably looking into our bedroom windows. He rode up, checked down the side of the house, and then rode away. Our windows were closed and locked, so we hope this ended there. Incident was reported to police. Description of person involved – Hair: Hat with print on front, Top: Hoodie sweatshirt, Bottom: Sweat pants, Shoes: Appeared to be dark-colored shoes. Age: Looked 20-40. Build: Medium build. Race: Hard to determine. Sex: Male, Other details: The video shows a necklace with what appears to be a pendant. BMX-style bike with the seat post set high.
P.S. One more mention – the next briefing on area crime trends is at tonight’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meeting, open to all, 6:30 pm at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster).
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes tonight.
HIT-RUN VICTIM LOOKING FOR INFO: The report is from Becky:
Our friend Bobbie was involved in a hit and run on Genesee between 42nd and California this morning between 11:05 and 11:15. She had a parked white Subaru Outback on Genesee when a Republic recycle truck employee witnessed a white box van try to go around my friend’s car and ended up sideswiping her car and dragging off the bumper and fleeing the scene. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Bobbie’s # is 206-851-0526 and my name is Becky, 360-471-3373.
The SPD incident number is 17-230397.
DUMPED BICYCLE: From Mark:
A stolen Manhattan-brand mountain bike with a small Stanford Univ sticker was discarded in the 1500 block of Alki Ave (along the water). For details contact ms********@***il.com
P.S. If you want to hear firsthand from Seattle Police about the latest crime trends – and find out about the revived Community Service Officer program – be at the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meeting Tuesday night, 6:30 pm at the precinct (2300 SW Webster).
We heard it – and others saw it: A dozen-plus Seattle Police units (per three readers’ counts) pursuing a car southbound on West Marginal Way just after 2 pm on Saturday afternoon. And today we know why. We also know it started outside West Seattle, thanks to this video from Patrick O’Connor:
He sent that to us on Sunday, explaining that it was recorded on 1st Avenue South in Pioneer Square, but we suspected it was the same incident, given the ~2 pm time frame and proximity to West Seattle. At the time of the pursuit, we heard the sirens from Puget Ridge, where we were covering the Seattle Chinese Garden Kite Festival. We opened a scanner app just in time to hear that whatever it was, was ending, with the pursued vehicle apparently having crossed the city-county line.
We couldn’t find out anything more over the weekend, so today we followed up with SPD’s media-relations team. Det. Mark Jamieson tells WSB, “This was a pursuit of a stolen car involved in several robberies from different jurisdictions. The pursuit was called off as it went across the county line.” He also sent the narrative, which has these additional details:
The officer who wrote the report was on patrol with his partner at Rainier and Graham (map) when they saw a silver Nissan Sentra pull into a gas station. The officers noted that the car resembled one to which they had been alerted the day before, with information from Bellevue Police saying the car was stolen and linked to thefts and robberies in Bellevue and Kirkland. They started to follow the car and then sought authorization for a pursuit, which the report says was eventually ordered terminated by a sergeant.
The officer writing the report noted that he felt a pursuit was warranted because, “Based on recent crime statistics, there has been an increase in robberies (strong-armed and armed) and other violent crimes in the Seattle area. Based on my training, experience, and research of the recent calls, I know that robbery suspects are commonly armed or threaten to use weapons during the commission of these crimes. Knowing that this vehicle was stolen and used in prior robberies and thefts, I felt that if these suspects were not immediately apprehended, they would be a greater danger to the public than if we had let them drive away.” The officer also wrote that further research suggested the same vehicle was linked to four Seattle incidents too.
On Tuesday night, the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meets at the Southwest Precinct for the final time before summer break. The 6:30 pm meeting is another chance to hear about crime trends and bring up community concerns with local police. And this month’s special guest, as just announced by WSBWCN co-leaders Karen Berge and Deborah Greer, will talk about the impending return of SPD’s Community Service Officer program:
City Council set aside funding to re-implement the Community Service Officer program in 2018. Our guest speaker will be Angela Socci from the Finance and Planning Section of the Seattle Police Department. She’ll talk about the plans for reinventing the CSO program. They are in the early stages of the program development process, so we have an opportunity to offer feedback. How would you like to see the new program take shape?
You don’t have to be a Block Watch captain – or even a Block Watch member – to be there; all are welcome. The precinct is at 2300 SW Webster (east of Home Depot) and the meeting room is right off the public parking area by the entrance.
First, from Adam:
Our garage (on the alley bounded by 46th, 47th, Genesee, and Dakota) was burglarized last night and a number of things were stolen. The most valuable was a black and green Specialized Rumor FSR Comp Mountain Bike (S/N WSBC601045128I). I attached our best picture of it.
The list of stolen items, as best we can tell:
Specialized Rumor FSR Comp Mountain Bike, black with green accents
Sierra Bike Helmet, black and pink
A bike pump, tool kit, and water bottle (attached to the bike)
A pair of skis and bindings (yellow, can be seen behind the bike in the photo)
A cordless DeWalt drill and reciprocating saw in a black plastic case and several associated drill bits and blades.
A pneumatic nail gun, also in a black plastic case
A DeWalt orbital sander in a small fabric tote
An assorted set of tools in a gray plastic case (sockets and drivers, screwdrivers, Allen keys, fixed and adjustable wrenches, pliers, wire cutters, a tape measure, bit drivers, etc.)
No police incident # yet – Adam was still awaiting an officer at last report.
BICYCLE-THEFT DETERRENCE: Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Burbridge just happens to have focused her next newsletter on advice for bicycle owners:
If you can’t read it embedded above, here’s the PDF version.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Crime trends, community Q & A, and a briefing you might call “Gangs 101” were all part of last night’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting at the Southwest Precinct.
CRIME TRENDS: Capt. Pierre Davis opened the meeting with the latest, saying the precinct is “putting out as many resources” as it can, since “things get a little bit more boisterous” in the summer around here. That includes pulling SWAT officers for extra patrols, the precinct’s Anti-Crime Team, and the full-time bicycle squad, “able to patrol our hot-spot areas.”
One bright spot: Non-residential burglaries are down 2 percent – “we’re arresting a ton of people out there.”
No other stats were mentioned as attendees jumped right to community Q & A: Read More
Mail theft has been taken to a new level in Cecelia‘s neighborhood:
I live on 16th Ave SW in Puget Ridge. On Saturday night our USPS-issued community mailbox was broken into (5400 block) along with one on 21st Ave SW and Holly (and) at least one other one on 17th (also 5400 block). There was at least one report that someone noticed that one other of the same type mailbox was damaged but not fully broken into. They were all pried open and most mail was missing with just some random pieces left behind.
It was noted in our neighborhood newsgroup that each individual in these kind of boxes must make their own police report. I’ve filed a report and I know some other neighbors have too. Also that one neighbor spoke with USPS and was told that if the mail carrier cannot lock a box they will automatically hold the mail at the post office.
We’ve had many mail thefts in the past but they are usually street boxes that are not locked. I’ve lived here 5 years and this is the first time our USPS mailbox has been broken into.
Here’s how to report mail theft and/or mailbox break-ins, which, SPD notes, are federal crimes.
The photos and report are from Paula:
I live in a condo near the totem pole on 35th Ave SW and discovered several items that were apparently discarded under some trees on the west side of our property. They include a navy hooded sweatshirt, a long sleeved black t-shirt, black sweat pants, one wireless mouse, one wired mouse, one headset, a wall power connector, a battery of some sort and a set of cables that look like they’d run between a television and different electronics.
My best guess is that it’s stolen property that someone dumped there. Perhaps there were larger electronics which they kept that these things were accessories for. Happy to return them if someone claims them. I first noticed them Friday (6/16) late morning and am thinking they probably were dumped sometime Thursday night/early Friday morning.
After that note, she discovered a bicycle had been abandoned nearby too:
She’s been trying to figure out how to turn the items over to police but in the meantime, if you have any info on who these items belong to, let us know.
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