West Seattle, Washington
24 Wednesday
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports:
RECOGNIZE THOSE BENCHES? If you do – you might be able to solve a case of illegal dumping that happened around 10:30 pm Saturday night in Westwood, on 24th SW near Thistle. Dumping is a problem in more than a few spots around West Seattle, but this time a surveillance camera caught it happening:
The camera’s owner says, “I’ve reported a lot of dumping and graffiti in the neighborhood but first time we recorded dumping live. … It’s about the 4th time dumping has occurred in that exact spot on our lot in the last 9 years.” If you have any information that might help track down the dumpers – the video’s been provided to police, too – contact them and refer to case #15-447815.
Also from the WSB inbox:
CAR PROWL: From Jeremiah in Gatewood, at 39th SW and SW Orchard:
Our Honda Element which we leave virtually empty and unlocked was gone through last night. The glove box was left open and papers were everywhere. Nothing of value is ever left in the car. It looks like several other cars on the block were hit.
STOLEN ITEMS RECOVERED: One night earlier, Collin‘s cargo trailer was broken into in the 5400 block of 48th SW, and tools were stolen. Hours later, they got some of them back, and he says this is how it happened: His wife Amber mentioned the theft on Facebook, and got a message that tools resembling theirs were spotted on OfferUp – someone in Burien was trying to sell them. Collin and Amber went to a Burien Police station and in the meantime managed to arrange to meet the sellers to see if they could identify their tools before officers moved in – Collin says they wanted to meet up in a public place but the sellers invited them to their house instead. With police following, they headed over. Almost instantly, he was shown his own pressure washer – which even had his surname written on the bottom. He relayed a message to his wife outside to have police move in, and they did. He’s not sure whether they made arrests or are compiling evidence for a wider investigation, “but all in all we recovered more than probably 99.9% of the people ever burglarized.”
1:16 PM: That’s Gus, and he’s in West Seattle Crime Watch as well as on the Lost/Found Pets page because we’ve received a reader report that he was inside a car stolen near The Junction this morning. The car is a 2003 silver Infiniti FX 35, license plate ALL9711. Gus is half Pomeranian, half Brussels Griffon. Please call John or Laura if you find him – 206.935.3525 or 206.948.8540. And call 911 if you see the car.
2:19 PM: Per commenters, Gus has been spotted in the Fairmount Park/Fairmount Springs area.
3:40 PM UPDATE: Found!
SUNDAY EVENING P.S. Happy-ending photo, forwarded by John and Laura’s friend Madeleine, who sent the original info about the theft.
John also e-mailed us to thank WSB readers: “Thanks to the Blog we found him. It worked like an Amber Alert. His first sighting was near the Morgan Junction, and I finally found him near Admiral and 50th Ave SW.”
Four Five reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
STOLEN CAR: Kirk‘s car has been stolen, again:
My 1994 Honda Civic Hatchback was stolen from my condo parking lot on California Ave. SW (just south of The Junction), sometime between 10:30 p.m. Dec. 25 and 8:00 a.m. Dec. 26. It is a greenish color. This is the third time that car has been stolen in West Seattle over a course of about 15 years.
Its plate is ADY3889. As advised via @getyourcarback – where SPD tweets all vehicle-theft reports (though not with locations, unfortunately, which is why reader reports are vital so we hear about and can publish West Seattle thefts) – call 911 if you see it.
RECOGNIZE THESE BURGLARS? Maria has these screen grabs from surveillance video of burglars who broke into her “private fenced carport” on 26th SW in Westwood, including one Grinch-ily clad in a Santa hat:
Maria says they stole “clothes, shoes, camping gear, pots and pans.” If you have any info on their identities, the SPD case number is 15-443118.
BREAK-IN ATTEMPT: Liz near 31st/Elmgrove says someone was “rather violently” rattling/pulling at the doorknob of the “converted garage” at their house around 11:30 last night. Turning on a light apparently scared them away.
PACKAGE THEFT: From Tricia:
Neighbors in the 3800 block of Charlestown, please be aware that a package was stolen from my front porch. It was a food shipment from Blue Apron. Strange thing to steal because it is only ingredients for meal preparation, but evidently the thieves take anything they see on a porch. I’ve reported the package stolen, but want my neighbors to be aware.
P.S. If your neighborhood doesn’t have a Block Watch – here’s how to start one. And once you do, get involved with the West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network, which resumes monthly meetings in January.
ADDED 5:03 PM – LICENSE PLATE THEFT: Greg sent this very early Christmas morning (late Christmas Eve), and we missed it until Diane‘s comment below:
I just filed a police report as my back plate with tab was apparently stolen while parked in my alley spot behind 42nd, 2600 block near Safeway/Hiawatha. It likely happened over the past 24-48 hours.
Plate theft is more common than you might think – as pointed out here a year ago – so know your number and keep an eye on it.
Just a reminder to not leave anything in your vehicle because car prowlers don’t take the holiday off – and if you have visitors, remind them too. We have one West Seattle Crime Watch reader report, from Steve in the 2700 block of 37th SW:
My 2003 Toyota Camry was car-prowled sometime between 10 pm last night and 5:30 am this morning. When I went out to the car at 5:40 the glove box was open and stuff strewn around, but they didn’t take anything! They left my registration and insurance, my cell phone charger, my business parking pass. Either they didn’t go into the trunk or decided to not steal (a relatively heavy box containing a present for a relative). I can only guess that they got spooked and left quickly.
We’re hoping for a quiet holiday for all. If news does break, though, we remain on call – text or voice, 206-293-6302.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports, starting with a followup on the Friday robbery/attack first reported here on Tuesday:
ROBBERY/ATTACK SUSPECT CHARGED: 19-year-old Diego Allejundro Gonzalez is now charged with first-degree robbery, accused of attacking a 67-year-old Highland Park woman last Friday and stealing her glasses. Along with filing the charge, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office asked that Gonzalez’s bail be doubled, to $150,000, and the jail register indicates that it has been. The charging documents make the same allegations we published here last night from the police report and probable-cause paperwork – that Gonzalez first tried to break into a house, then attacked the woman as she walked home from visiting her husband at a care facility, punching her in the face twice and running off with her glasses.
The case summary confirms that he is on probation from his plea bargain earlier this year related to a vehicle theft (bargained down to car prowl) and DUI case, saying he was “placed on 24 months probation and was ordered to not possess alcohol to obtain a substance-abuse evaluation and follow all treatment recommendations, and to commit no further law violations. By his egregious behavior in this case, the defendant has shown he is not willing or able to comply with such court orders.” Prosecutors also say he had one juvenile conviction, at age 17, for harassment. The robbery charge incorporates the physical-violence component of the current case.
Meantime, the donation drive that the victim’s friends launched to help her pay for repairing the dental damage done in the attack passed its goal within hours, and was closed. We’re hoping for a followup soon on how she’s doing. We will also track this case through the system.
*************
Also in Crime Watch, we’re including this reader report with some time sensitivity:
STOLEN BY CAR PROWLER(S): From Angelene:
My car was broken into last night on the 4500 block of 42nd Avenue SW. It has been reported to the police. Very unique items were stolen, and I am hoping you can post them in an effort to locate them if selling is attempted:
2 Canon 5D Mark 2 bodies
1 Tamron 24-70 lens
1 50 mm 1.4 lens
1 large leather camera bagThese are pretty obscure professional kitchen knives and unless you read Japanese, might be hard to identify. However, they look like really nice kitchen knives and there aren’t usually a lot of them floating around outside of a few niche shops.
Black canvass and leather kitchen knife bag by Boldric containing
1 Singatirin Honyaki 240mm Chefs knife (crappy yellow laquered wood case”
1 Moritaka Aogami 210mm Chefs knife (“no hand grab” sticker on wood case)
1 Watanabe Kaibou Deba 210 butcher knife
1 Richmond Honesuki 165mm butcher knife
1 Yoshikane SKD 95mm paring knife
1 Sakai Yusuke 180mm petty knife
1 Blue Thermopen probe thermometer
1 Small .1x600g digital scale with Thomas Hammer Coffee sticker on top
Angelene said they will of course be watching various websites in case these turn up, but wanted to get the word out locally too.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
A 67-year-old West Seattle woman is recovering from being attacked and robbed while walking back to her house after visiting her ailing husband.
We hadn’t heard about last Friday’s attack until a friend of the victim e-mailed us last night:
She was walking the few blocks home after visiting her husband at a care facility and she was attacked by a random perpetrator. He punched her in the face and knocked her to the ground. She suffered a black eye and had two teeth knocked out, as well as suffering other damage to her teeth. They caught the suspect, but she is now looking at a $3,000 dental bill, and she is retired on a fixed income. We wanted to get the word out and make sure everyone stays safe and is aware of their surroundings.
We’ve since obtained the report that includes details of the incident. Here’s what an officer reported finding after responding to the 911 call from 16th SW and SW Sullivan around 6 pm Friday:
(The victim) was holding her face and blood was coming out of her mouth. She stated that she thought her teeth were broken. (She) stated that she was walking down 16th Ave SW when she noticed a male following behind her. She stated that the unknown male charged at her and punched her in the face with a closed fist. (She) fell to the ground on her right knee and screamed for help. She stated that she had had a full knee replacement in her right knee.
She was now experiencing significant pain in her right knee. (She) stated that after she fell, the male came back at her and punched her a second time in the face. The male then ran northbound down the alley on the west side of 16 Ave SW. (The victim) advised that she was missing a pair of prescription glasses.
When the suspect was found nearby, he had her glasses – worth $500 – in his possession, according to the case paperwork, and that raised the crime level from assault to robbery.
Turned out that officers had found him even before they learned of the attack, because of a burglary attempt nearby – a resident in the 8400 block of 17th SW reported a man “banging and kicking at the back door,” according to the police report, which added that the man was reported to have appeared “extremely intoxicated.” The resident yelled at him to leave, which he did, briefly, returning to kick open the door to a shed behind the house, police say. Officers found the suspect at 17th and Cloverdale a short time later; they happened to be nearby, checking out a report of a hit-run crash that damaged a parked car.
The suspect is 19 years old. His record shows that he last spent time in jail this past March; documents in that case indicate that he was arrested for allegedly stealing a hotel van in SeaTac. He was charged with auto theft and DUI – with tests finding .20 blood alcohol – and then struck a plea bargain, pleading guilty to car prowl and DUI. In June, Judge Roger Rogoff sentenced him to two days in jail plus a one-year suspended sentence. While paperwork in this case doesn’t include a current address for him, he was living on Beacon Hill at the time of his arrest in March. Right now, he’s in the King County Jail, in lieu of $75,000 bail.
Meanwhile, the donation account set up by friends of the victim to pay for her estimated $3,000 in dental work is on this GoFundMe page.
8:08 PM NOTE: After reaching the goal, the donation page has been closed, we just noticed.
Two reports of West Seattle mail theft – first, from Lori:
Just walked out [Monday afternoon] to get our mail (on Webster near Solstice Park) and our mailbox was stuffed with opened cards and mail from 2 other addresses. Not sure how it got into our box – perhaps it was on the ground and a passerby thought it was ours. We’ve called the post office and will also be contacting the 2 addresses. Just hope that nothing of value was in the cards.
We were also forwarded a report of someone breaking into three locked mailboxes along SW Thistle in Upper Fauntleroy. Here’s the US Postal Inspection Service‘s advice on preventing and reporting mail theft.
The 15-year-old arrested for allegedly bringing a gun and bullets to Chief Sealth International High School last Wednesday is now charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. We obtained the charging papers late today from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. They include the probable-cause document written by Seattle Police, which we transcribed as follows, minus suspect and witness names:
On 12/16/15 prior to the start of school, at Chief Sealth High School, an ammo clip for a firearm was found on the floor of (teacher’s) classroom. The ammo clip was turned over to Ms. Hammer, the school Principal. A meeting was held by Ms. Hammer that was attended by the Vice Principals and school security, where a plan of action was discussed.
Two reader reports to share this morning:
THEY EVEN TOOK THE PILLOWCASES: From Jim in Arbor Heights:
Heads up for those in the Arbor Heights/Marine View vicinity. Our home was burglarized (Wednesday). It happened while we were at work. Busted the window pane on the front door to gain access…the door was wide open when we arrived home with our cat standing in the door way. They got watches, jewelry, some heirlooms, cash, some jackets. A couple of pillowcases are missing….I guess a criminal’s version of a reusable bag. It could have been far worse. Police report filed.
We followed up with Jim to ask about any particular items that people might watch out for if they’re browsing online listings, etc.:
They took a number of very identifiable items: a Breitling Blackbird watch with a black leather strap. They also took some mid 1800s daguerreotype photos in original leather cases. They look like little embossed leather books that open up with picture inside. These were family images. Not sure why they took those except for the fact that the pictures are printed on metal plate that looks like silver.
CAR BREAK-IN: From Randall:
Overnight (Tuesday night-Wednesday morning), 31st & Trenton: Backpack full of kids’ clothes & snacks taken. Nothing of value other than sentimental. Thanks for the broken window, though!
P.S. If you’re interested in overall stats, SPD shares them in various ways, but we just noticed that they updated the Seastat page for the first time in almost two months, and you can view the slide deck there for an easy one-glance look at key categories – for other precincts as well as ours (Southwest, which includes West Seattle and South Park).
5:20 PM: Just forwarded by multiple Chief Sealth International High School parents, this letter sent to families by principal Aida Fraser-Hammer:
I want to notify you of an incident which occurred today at our school. A few minutes before the start of school today, a teacher found a magazine from a .22 caliber gun in his classroom. There were 2 bullets in the magazine.
The teacher immediately brought the magazine to my office and we immediately began an investigation to determine how and when the magazine got there, to whom it belonged and the location of the gun that the magazine fit into. Naturally, our first concern was for the safety of all students and staff.
After a thorough investigation, we were able to quickly identify the location of the gun, the student who brought it to campus, and that the gun was not loaded. The student was arrested and charged with bringing a gun on campus and possession of a stolen gun. Please know that everything was handled in a safe and secure fashion without putting any of our students or staff in danger. The student was removed from campus without resistance. I want to applaud the security and the teacher for their prompt response to the situation.
This is the only notification/announcement we’re seeing – nothing from Seattle Police or Seattle Public Schools. So we have a variety of questions to follow up on, and will add anything more we subsequently find out.
5:40 PM: While the letter says the incident happened “before the start of school” – which suggests, in the 8 am hour – the e-mail is time-stamped 4:49 pm, and the only reference to the incident we’re finding on Tweets by Beat is this call, time-stamped 4:25 pm. (Added clarification at 6:21 pm: The automated tweet was at 4:25 pm; it says the incident was “reported” at 3:52 pm. That is likely the time the report was finalized in the system, as we subsequently got confirmation it happened and was called in in the morning.)
5:46 PM: We did just reach Det. Patrick Michaud at SPD media relations, to get some additional details: The student is 15 years old and was taken to juvenile detention. The gun was a .22-caliber handgun and it was indeed confirmed as stolen; the letter’s use of the word “charged,” however, is inaccurate, as it would be up to prosecutors to decide whether to file charges. The police report says the school called SPD about this at 11:25 am.
We start this West Seattle Crime Watch roundup with a story that’s still developing:
GUNFIRE & SEARCH: For the second consecutive afternoon, police are investigating gunfire, with no injuries reported. This time it happened at or near the Seamart store at 16th and Holden. Police we talked to there say that one person was reported to have left on foot northbound afterward while a vehicle described as a green SUV – in which the shooter reportedly was riding – headed south.
What’s believed to be that vehicle has turned up in downtown White Center, on 16th south of Roxbury, but police are still looking for the person believed to have been driving. We’ll update with anything else we find out about this incident.
All that happened as we were putting together a roundup with other reports from the inbox, so on with those:
CAR PROWL ON VIDEO: Mike‘s surveillance camera caught what happened early Monday morning on the street outside his home in the 6300 block of 41st SW:
Mike is a firefighter and says the thief/thieves “got some of my Firefighting gear. Brand new boots (still in the box) and gloves worth about 500. Some DVDs.”
ANOTHER CAR PROWL: Bill says this happened last night near 41st and Barton in Upper Fauntleroy:
After removing Christmas tree from car at 8:30 pm 12/14, I forgot to lock the vehicle. Approximately at 1 am on 12/15, just before going to bed, I was in the kitchen getting a drink. I looked out to where my car was parked, I noticed a pick-up truck suspiciously parked in the middle of the street next to my vehicle. I went out to my car noticed that the driver side door was ajar, and the contents of my glove compartment and middle console compartment were dumped on the seats. Some personal items, a pair of Nike sunglasses ($75) and a tray of coins/change < $5.00. The prowler sped off when he saw me, but I got a pretty good look at the vehicle and have reported its description to the police.
CAR PROWL/HOUSE BREAK-IN CONCERN: Mia at 42nd and Findlay writes, “Over this past weekend, we experienced our 3rd car break-in (we’ve also had a couple home break-ins in the past 5 years). Fortunately, we didn’t have any valuables inside the car, but we’re very worried that we are being watched, or, rather, there is a very shady crew combing our streets on a regular basis.”
(WSB photo)
3:07 PM: On 18th SW in Puget Ridge, north of Myrtle, police are investigating gunfire that hit a car. No one in that car (or elsewhere) is hurt, but it clearly has a bullet hole; its driver veered off the road after the bullet hit. Police are still in the area looking for shell casings and suspect(s) and talking to witnesses. More as we get it.
3:11 PM: According to scanner traffic, at least two casings have been found in the 7000 block of 18th. (The car that was hit is the Volvo in our photo.)
3:41 PM: Following up on discussion in the comments, we confirmed that Sanislo Elementary, near the scene, sheltered in place briefly, but that’s been lifted, and they are dismissing “normally,” per principal Bruce Rhodes, with whom our photographer spoke at the school.
3:52 PM: We just checked with SPD and there’s no further information available yet about circumstances, suspect, etc.
3:55 PM: Update on that: it’s now described as believed to be related to a “domestic dispute.” No arrest so far.
(UPDATED 10:39 AM with package-theft alert in Gatewood)
ORIGINAL REPORT, 9:22 AM: Two West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports this morning. First, watch for Tony‘s stolen car:
I woke up this morning and went I to leave for work my car was gone. I reported my stolen car with SPD and my insurance. (3200 block of) California Ave (car was parked behind building in alley parking spot). 1998 Honda Civic 4 door sedan/Burgundy.Car has a laborers sticker in the back and a local 440 union sticker in rear window.
Here’s a photo of the plate in its distinctive holder:
One difference from the photo – the tabs have since been renewed, so they would read 10/2016. If you see the car, call 911.
Also from the WSB inbox this morning, Lindsey reports a weekend car prowl:
Just wanted to let you know over the weekend our car was prowled on 32nd Ave SW (near Genesee). We forgot to lock it and came out the next morning and found our center console rummaged through. I believe they only took an old iPod. I am about to report it on the police site next. But just a heads up for our neighbors.
And a followup on Jane‘s garage burglary on Genesee Hill, in which tools worth $1,800 were stolen, reported here December 4th. A neighbor’s surveillance camera yielded this image:
That’s as clear (and large) as it gets, she says, but if you think you recognize it, please contact her directly and/or share the tip with police by referring to case #15-420895, not in a comment; thanks.
ADDED 10:39 AM: Sarah in Gatewood just sent this, so we’re adding ASAP:
Just saw two males taking Amazon packages off a doorstep on Othello (3600 block). The driver was white – 30ish round face, the guy taking packages was maybe Asian/Mexican in a red and black oversize hoodie – he looked about 5’8 and skinny. It was an older white SUV, maybe a Ford – with a window that was broken out, but taped up on the driver’s side, and one of the driver-side doors had a big black circle. License plate ATS68–. Cops are being notified too.
In West Seattle Crime Watch: Two car-prowl reports. First, from the victim of one south of Morgan Junction – maybe you’ve seen one or more of the stolen items?
I want to report a brazen daytime car prowl in broad daylight. I’m a professional landscaper; this is my livelihood. I was working with my crew in the 6900 block of Frontenac [map] on Friday morning (Dec 11) between 9 am and 10 am, loading my truck with yard waste. When I had my back turned someone grabbed my bag from the front seat. The items of interest to the thief (iPhone and credit cards) are not as important to me as my: multicolored woven basket purse, canvas handbag with a ferris wheel on the flap, Key Bank checkbook and register, black spiral bound calendar, yellow legal pad, gray raincoat. If any neighbors see these items discarded, please add a comment. Incidentally, the thieves began charging on my credit card approximately 30 minutes after the theft: $750 at The Rack, lunch at McDonald’s, a couple of gas station purchases. Unbelievable.
This also is reported to have happened Friday:
Car prowled (Friday) night at SW Barton & 22nd Av SW [map], in the driveway. Nothing was in the car so nothing was stolen, but the glove box was open and the driver’s side door was ajar.
Crime report to share so your neighbors all around West Seattle know? Once you’ve reported it to police – send us the info too – editor@westseattleblog.com. If it’s breaking news, text or call 206-293-6302, any time day or night.
24-year-old Si A. Phu is now charged with first-degree murder in the deadly shooting of his 14-year-old niece Christy Phu, a freshman at Chief Sealth International High School, where friends and family gathered to honor her with a vigil Wednesday night. We’ve just obtained the court documents, which also include a charge of second-degree unlawful firearm possession – as a convicted felon, he wasn’t legally allowed to have a gun. The charging papers say the felony was a domestic-violence “cyberstalking” case from Snohomish County earlier this year, alleging that case and this one “illustrate a pattern of erratic, dangerous, and threatening behavior by the defendant when he does not get his way.”
The charging documents expand on what was outlined in the probable-cause paperwork earlier this week, alleging Si Phu shot and killed Christy because she refused to give him a pair of shoes. Investigators now say she reportedly did give him a pair of shoes, but they were not the ones he wanted. The dispute over the shoes is reported to have lasted over three hours of text messaging and in-person confrontation just before the deadly shooting, and included threats to kill Christy and her cousin, with whom she shared the Columbia City bedroom where she was shot. After the shooting, Si Phu is reported to have fled the house, where he had gone to watch football with family members; two days later, police spotted him in the Skyway area and arrested him. He claimed, they say, that the clash began with Christy trying to “rob” him. He said he then decided to “rob” her and “it all went bad.” He is reported to have told police that he feels “guilty” because “she didn’t deserve it” and he “only meant to hit her.”
Four West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports in this roundup – including one case of suspicious activity that wasn’t what it seemed to be. First, two burglaries (plus where police reports say others have happened) and a car prowl:
HIGHLAND PARK BURGLARY: From Cam:
7700 block of 17th Ave SW. Wednesday, Dec. 9, i came home to find back door ajar and the power turned off. the house was ransacked and discovered a number of apple electronic items and camera equipment missing. keep your eyes peeled and report any clues.
GATEWOOD BURGLARY: Vanessa says this is the getaway car used by burglars who hit a home near 39th SW & SW Kenyon in Gatewood on Sunday afternoon.
She says the red SUV was parked in her neighbors’ driveway and that a man ran from the side of the house “with the TV in hand.” Police were called and arrived quickly; a door and window were damaged, she says.
OTHER BURGLARY REPORTS: Though we’ve only found one since Monday on the SPD Police Reports map – – early Wednesday morning, a nonresidential break-in in the 4400 block of Fauntleroy – Tweets by Beat, collected on our Crime Watch page, reveal 11 others reported since Sunday (no details available in SPD’s online records, just times/locations, which is why reader reports are so helpful – editor@westseattleblog.com):
-Tonight, 7300 block 16th SW
-Tonight, 4800 block 21st SW
-This morning, 39th SW/SW Elmgrove
-Wednesday night, 7700 block 17th SW
-Wednesday night, 3000 block 52nd SW
-Early Wednesday, 37th SW/SW Oregon (commercial)
-Early Tuesday, 2500 block SW Trenton (commercial)
-Monday night, 4700 block 41st SW
-Monday night, 1700 block California SW
-Monday afternoon, 8500 block 14th SW
-Early Monday, 7200 block Detroit SW
CAR PROWL: From Kristiana:
Our car was rifled through last night at Spokane and 48th SW. Nothing of value to steal and no damage, but stuff was strewn on the seats and a door was left cracked open.
Yes, it’s been reported to police – even if nothing (or “nothing of value”) is taken, it’s important to file a report, and you can even do that online.
WHAT LOOKS SUSPICIOUS MIGHT NOT ALWAYS BE: From a reader:
A package was delivered to our front door just after dark, and I wasn’t able to get to the door for a couple of minutes. When I went outside to retrieve the package, a young couple was walking down the sidewalk, shined a flashlight down the front walkway to my house, got into a Budget rental truck parked nearby and drove away relatively rapidly without saying anything.
Having received a recent SPD SW Precinct report concerning car prowls and package theft, which stated “Thieves will often follow or watch for FedEx, UPS, US Mail and other delivery trucks and then target a home after a delivery is made,” I was suspicious so I stood there watching what they were doing.
I started to call the SW Precinct’s non-emergency line (feeling like I was maybe be overly cautious) and then saw the same Budget truck drive by under a streetlight on the next block behind our home and heard them stop. So I called 911, thinking this was now too suspicious to not report immediately. The 911 operator took all of the information and said an officer would be sent to the area. I opted to not have an officer follow up, however, I had a call back from an officer within about 15 minutes.
They had stopped the truck, and it was a Budget rental truck being used by UPS as they had run out of vehicles for delivery. The officer verified their info and left a message for me per this.
It was such a relief to know how this ended, but it was also a good wakeup call on being careful with deliveries and reporting suspicious activity if something doesn’t seem right.
I’m also extremely impressed and very thankful with how quickly the SW Precinct followed up on this and reported back. Kudos to them!
ADDED: After reading this, @SudsyMaggie shared this photo of a UPS-deployed Budget truck she’d seen recently:
@westseattleblog Spotted a UPS-rented budget truck on First Hill this week. Took a picture it was so unusual! pic.twitter.com/kCAJjlSp8K
— SudsyMaggie (@SudsyMaggie) December 11, 2015
(WSB photo: KCSO officers outside house where murder suspect was arrested last Thursday)
Charges are now filed against 39-year-old Aaron Parypa, arrested by SWAT-geared King County Sheriff’s Officers last week at his Junction-area home in connection with a shooting death near Sea-Tac Airport. Parypa is charged with second-degree murder and first-degree assault, for the death of Andrae Medina-Wong and the attempted shooting of a second man in what detectives say started as an attempted marijuana sale. Parypa remains jailed in lieu of $1 million bail, requested by prosecutors because while he has no criminal history, they allege he “shot at both victims from a moving car in broad daylight during rush-hour traffic … (firing) at least seven times with a high-powered assault rifle.” The shooting made regional news on October 29th because of its proximity to the airport; Medina-Wong was found dead by a car in an intersection just north of Sea-Tac. Another man found hiding in the woods nearby turned out to have been with him. According to court documents, that man told police he and Medina-Wong had used Craigslist to try to buy marijuana, and had obtained – possibly stolen – some, in a glass mason jar, from a prospective seller they arranged to meet in the shopping-center parking lot on the northeast corner of 1st and 160th in Burien.
A vehicle believed to belong to that person subsequently pursued them, the survivor told investigators, and caught up with them at the intersection near Sea-Tac, where he saw a gun barrel pointing at them from the other vehicle. He got out of the car, carrying the mason jar of marijuana, and started running, at which time he heard gunshots. Medina-Wong was later found to have been hit by .223-caliber bullets in the head and heart. The other man was not hit.
The documents tell a detailed story of how detectives identified Parypa as the suspect, including phone and Internet records:
Seattle Police say they have arrested Si Phu, the man accused of shooting and killing a 14-year-old Chief Sealth International High School student in Columbia City on Sunday. Relatives of the victim say Phu is her uncle. According to police, he was found in South Seattle, and will be booked into King County Jail for investigation of homicide. Meantime, the candlelight vigil mentioned in the letter sent home to families is set for 5 pm tomorrow outside the school, according to Sealth staff.
ADDED: The King County Medical Examiner has identified the victim as Christy Phu.
Maybe you’ve seen Chris‘s motorcycle:
My motorcycle was stolen from the street in front of my house last night, in the 7700 block of 13th Ave SW (just off Holden). It was most likely put onto a truck because I was working on it a few days ago and had a bunch of wires unplugged. I don’t think it would have run, even if someone had a key. If you wouldn’t mind asking your readers to be on the lookout for it, I’d appreciate it. Maybe it will also keep someone else from getting their bike snatched.
Since the photo above was taken, Chris adds, he’s added a “new giant white gas tank” to the bike (shown here), which “also doesn’t currently have the windshield, blue plastic surrounding the headlight, or speedo/tach gauges because I had removed them to work on it.” Call 911 if you see it.
1:44 PM: The latest stolen vehicle to watch for: A U-Haul truck full of equipment from a Morgan Junction business. The report is from Ian, who with wife Elise owns Chill Massage Therapy:
We are currently remodeling and had all the contents of the shop in a U-Haul parked out front. That truck was stolen last night. Police reports filed, but we were hoping maybe you could post something with the truck license plate number so people can keep an eye out for us, please?It’s an Arizona plate, number DC1721K, and 14-foot truck.
“Out front” would be in the 6900 block of California SW. As the @getyourcarback tweet about this says, call 911 if you see the truck.
ADDED 1:57 PM: We asked Ian if there are any particular items in the truck that readers could watch for (in classified listings or wherever else): “a Large white mirrored wardrobe, front desk, two massage tables (1 blue, 1 brown), two corner glass door cabinets, large brown electric fireplace, small 2 drawer black filing cabinet, small refrigerator, boxes of marketing materials, brown 5-foot storage bench with drawers, bottles of massage oils and aromatherapy etc. These were the larger items that people may try and move on.”
11:25 AM: A deadly shooting on Sunday in Columbia City has touched the lives of hundreds here because of the victim. She was a 14-year-old freshman at Chief Sealth International High School. We just confirmed with Sealth principal Aida Fraser-Hammer that grief counselors are available today for students, many of whom learned about this via social media starting late last night (thanks to the Sealth parents who let us know about this), and that she plans to send e-mail to Sealth families today. Meantime, Seattle Police say this morning that the suspect they are seeking, 24-year-old Si Phu, is a relative of the victim. Here is the photo they have released publicly:
The circumstances of the shooting have not been disclosed; so far, police have only said that they got a call just after 3 pm Sunday about a shooting in the 3500 block of S. Brandon in Columbia City, and that the victim died at the scene. Later in the day, SPD circulated the photo shown above, and this morning, they say Phu is still being sought. If you have any information about his whereabouts, please call 911. We will update this report with anything additional that we find out today.
12:04 PM: Here’s the letter sent to Sealth families by principal Fraser-Hammer:
Dear Sealth Families,
It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I share the tragic news that one of our students was the victim of a fatal shooting yesterday in Columbia City. Seattle Police are investigating, and we are in communication with her family.
As a community, I know we will come together to not only support our student’s family members, but work to ensure our larger community is a safe place for us to live, learn and work.
We have counselors at school today and will continue to have counselors and mental health support available in the days ahead for students, staff and families, as needed. When someone dies, particularly in an act of violence, it is normal for children and teens to have different kinds of feelings and reactions. Parents and guardians have important roles in helping students understand about death.
We understand that each culture has its own way of dealing with death, and we encourage children to talk with their families about their ideas, thoughts and beliefs. Additionally, talking about the incident can be a healthy way for families to process their feelings and reactions to an event of this nature.
Here are some suggestions for how to help students cope:
• Maintain a normal routine.
• Stick to facts. Answer questions factually.
• Remain calm and reassuring. Students take their cues from their parents and adults.
• Be a good listener and observer. Pay attention to changes in behavior.
• Notice when children have questions and want to talk.
• Be especially loving and supportive; children and teens need you even more at this time.
• Take care of yourself. You are better able to help your students if you are coping well. If you are anxious or upset, children are more likely to be so as well.We recognize that even if your student may not have known or been close to this family, he/she may still feel a strong reaction. We also realize this may be your student’s first experience with death or it may trigger feelings about other deaths your child may have experienced.
A candlelight vigil is planned and details will be shared as information becomes available. This is an opportunity for students and families to acknowledge their grief and express their feelings about a sudden loss for which they have no control over.
If you have any questions, please let me know. We will keep you updated on how we as a community can move forward, and how we can support the family.
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
STOLEN CAR: Emily‘s silver 2010 Nissan Altima, plate AXL5242, was stolen sometime between 2 am and 11 am Saturday in Delridge. As the @getyourcarback tweet says, call 911 if you see it.
PACKAGE THEFT ON VIDEO: Two clips from an Admiral resident’s security cameras, plus the backstory:
Here are the pertinent details.
1. We live in North Admiral near 41st and Holgate.
2. We found an empty box on our porch (Saturday) morning with a note from a neighbor saying, “We found this on our lawn.”
3. The box had been addressed to us, but was ripped open, the items removed and then the packaging was discarded in our neighbors yard.
4. We used the tracking number to find out it had been delivered to us Friday afternoon. Unfortunately, we didn’t see the box and take it inside when we got home Friday night.
5. We have video cameras installed, so we reviewed the video and found that at 3:39 AM (early Saturday morning), a car drove by our house, the turned around and returned. A young woman got out, came through our gate, walked up to our doorstep and took the box.We reported the incident to the police and have the entire event on video, so wanted to share it with you. If anyone can identify the thief or the car, please let us know. It would be great if we can stop these criminals before they steal from other people during this holiday season.
Some alternative tips for delivery are among the police recommendations for deterring package theft.
Four reports in West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:
GUNFIRE IN UPPER MORGAN: Thanks to those who texted to report hearing possible gunshots around 7:30 tonight in Upper Morgan. Police did respond and search for evidence; we couldn’t get there in time to talk with them, and we haven’t been able to reach SPD for confirmation, but one neighbor said officers told her they did find evidence of gunfire, and Tweets by Beat now shows the call was classified that way too, with 37th SW/SW Morgan as the general location.
HOME BURGLARIES: From Erin:
FYI- our home, and our neighbor’s home, in the 8000 block of 5th Ave SW were broken into this afternoon between 2 and 3 pm. Both doors were kicked in, and the perps took financial documents, electronics, and jewelry. Unfortunately, they also stole my engagement ring and wedding ring which I forgot to put on this morning – Merry Christmas to me!. A neighbor caught video of the vehicle entering and exiting our dead-end street. It looks like it was a purple Scion. Please warn neighbors to be extra vigilant – we have a great block watch system in place, but this was the perfect storm situation where it didn’t protect us.
GARAGE BURGLARY: From Jane:
Sadly we were the victims of property theft sometime last night. Someone came up our driveway, entered our gated backyard and then entered our garage through an unlocked side door (which is now locked) and stole my husband’s chop saw and blades worth about $1800. Normally, our work trailer and both cars are in the driveway, but last night my husband unloaded his trailer and moved it into the street along with my car because we are having tree work done today and I suspect that someone saw him unloading his tools and came back later to take advantage. We live on 55th between Dakota and Andover and I just wanted to get the word out to our neighbors to be aware this is happening. We have lived here 30 years and have had cars prowled and tools stolen from our vehicles a couple of times but this seems very brazen to walk into a private backyard and enter the garage.
SUSPICIOUS VISITOR: Another reader report:
We are near the intersection of 41st and Oregon. We had a man wearing a very dirty dark brown hoodie ring our doorbell at around 1 am. We looked out our windows and saw he had a very nice bicycle that seemed out of place given his appearance. He continued to ring the doorbell and knock for a couple minutes before leaving. About 10 minutes later, someone we think was the same person tried to open our back door and then left through a vacant lot next door. This incident freaked out our cats and our neighbor’s dog and we’re pretty sure he went to their door as well.
We did call 911 and spoke to a couple officers that responded and checked out the surrounding area and patrolled a few times. That seemed to scare off whoever was snooping around. We live near the vacant house that was cleared by police earlier this week, they suspected it might be related. We’ve had other issues with squatters in some of the other vacant properties nearby that our neighbors have called in.
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