West Seattle, Washington
24 Wednesday
Topping today’s West Seattle Crime Watch roundup – an update on Tuesday morning’s 35th/Thistle arrest. As we noted at the time, police were still sorting it all out, and here’s what SPD media-relations Officer Renée Witt says it came down to: The man who was arrested was also the one who claimed he’d been robbed at Westwood Village – but police have determined there was NO robbery; he made up the story and was having some kind of “mental breakdown.” They confirmed (as a commenter also reports here) he was indeed trying to get into houses along 35th SW. Eventually, he was arrested on a “weapons violation,” Officer Witt says; items police found on him included knives and brass knuckles.
Ahead: a crime report that also includes some good news about West Seattleites’ kindness, plus stolen items to watch for – including a motorcycle, a car, and keepsakes:
Out of the WSB inbox, from Mary:
Our 1988 burgundy Toyota Camry station wagon was stolen from where it was parked on Barton by the Fauntleroy Church. I park it there for my husband because he is a staunch bus rider of >30 years. The #21 no longer goes to Arbor Heights at the time of night so he catches the C line to the Church. He has health issues and walking the remainder home causes his problems to worsen. Unfortunately, someone decided to take it Friday night for their own purposes. The police were notified.
We are lucky that we’re self-reliant – we’ll figure something but gosh, our old dog loved that car, as we made the entire back of it his comfy ride as we went about errands.
If anyone spots it (has a small Honeywell Security card in back window – maybe no longer, a slight ding on the right rear passenger side door, and the driver’s seat is torn so there’s a fleece seat cover), please call it in to the police.
Three Four West Seattle Crime Watch notes today. First, Sydney hopes you can help find her SUV stolen overnight from the 7900 block of 32nd SW:
The back hatch wouldn’t lock. *facesmack* It is a black ’88 Nissan Pathfinder with a small dent left rear bumper, license plate something like 173 VEU. It’s got a rock guard on the hood and some
mud splatter there as well.
(added, from commenter report shortly after we published this) Linda‘s van was stolen in the Fairmount Springs area last night:
Our van was stolen last night – we gave a police report but in case anyone sees it – it’s a maroon 1994 Plymouth Voyager-not super pretty but it also had an air compressor in the back. Stolen off Fauntleroy Way SW. 5900 block. It also has a for-sale sign in it with our phone number.
(back to original report) Here’s a car-prowl report from Aaron:
I just thought I would send a quick note to let you know that we had a car prowl last night in Arbor Heights. Our block on Marine View Drive at 106th Ave SW has been targeted before. This time they broke out a friend’s car window, rummaged through some clothes bags and took a bathroom bag, but nothing of real value.
And GA reports a package-contents theft:
We came home to a torn-open box from Fed Ex at our home (alley of 61st Ave. SW) Sunday evening about 7:00 pm. The box was delivered on Saturday, and we came home Sunday. We reported to police along with a description of the two younger people who neighbors saw near alley on Sunday about 6:30 p.m. This is not a full report, but wanted to alert my neighbors that the woman was seen casing the alley after the theft. The box was taken from the porch, cut into and contents were taken. The box contained art work that we purchased from Louisiana at an auction.
Six West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports to share from the past few days, plus new details about the WS Crime Prevention Council‘s Lincoln Park Safety Walk next Tuesday night. We start with Katie‘s report of a Highland Park burglary:
Sometime between 6:30 am and 5:00 pm on Thursday (May 23rd), there was an attempted burglary on the 7700 block of 11th Ave SW [map]. The (burglar/s) attempted to enter the home through a window. Police were notified when the occupant of the home returned after work.
We start today’s West Seattle Crime Watch with details on a street robbery – the type of crime that, according to what Southwest Precinct Lt. Pierre Davis told the WS Crime Prevention Council this week, has been on the rise in the area lately. A friend of the victim just e-mailed us with these details about what happened on SW Barton between 16th and 17th SW (map) about 11 pm last night:
The thieves sped up in an older dirty white Cadillac type car, jumped out, ran at the victim. They then hit the victim with a baseball bat and threatened to shoot him with a gun when he was on the ground. The victim only gave up his laptop when one of the youths went for something in his belt. They are two dark skinned African American youths between 17-20 years of age, skinny between 5 foot 9 and 5 foot 11. One was dressed in a black hoodie, jeans, white sneakers, in Ray Ban type sunglasses. The other was in a red hoodie, jeans, and wore a red bandana over his nose and mouth.
We’re expecting a little more information from police on this later today. P.S. Added information regarding the victim’s injuries: “Thankfully he didn’t have to go to the hospital. He is scraped up and traumatized. The alley they pushed him into has gravel. It tore up his hands, knees and elbows.” (added) Here’s the SPD Blotter report on this.
Now, on to two late-night/early-morning helicopter searches:
First, several notes this morning asked about one heard in the Alki area around 2:30 am today. The only call we could find on the log was described as “suspicious circumstances” in the 63rd SW/Marguerite Court vicinity (map). SPD media-relations Det. Mark Jamieson, looked it up for us: While there’s no formal report, because there’s no indication a crime was committed, he says someone called police to say there was a man standing in front of a house “holding a baseball bat and a flashlight, staring into the house. When asked what he was doing, he told the complainant ‘there’s a burglar in the house, but don’t call police’.” Someone did call police, and law-enforcement helicopter Guardian One happened to be in the area and heard that call, so joined the search. Eventually, though, no burglar was found, inside that house or anywhere else, and after about 20 minutes, the search ended.
Ahead, a Wednesday night helicopter search, three reader reports, and one bit of good news (added – also, a car-theft arrest report):
(SCROLL DOWN for newest updates – 8:16 pm, video added with Lt. Ron Smith briefing media)
(Photos by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
5:02 PM: Police and fire are responding to an “assault with weapons” call believed to be a shooting, initially reported in the 4700 block of 38th SW (map), which is just south of The Triangle. The victim is being taken to Fire Station 32, which is nearby. We’re en route. Police are searching the area – radio traffic suggests police believe the victim was shot while walking in the vicinity. More to come.
5:10 PM: Official police info via Twitter – “a man was shot in the mouth.” If you are seeing/hearing a helicopter, it’s TV.
5:14 PM: Per medic discussion on scanner: The victim is a 31-year-old man who was walking his dog when he got hit by a pellet.
5:20 PM: Police were using a bullhorn to try to get someone out of a house on 38th SW. Our crew on the scene reports someone has been cuffed. No formal confirmation yet if that is the, or a, suspect.
5:28 PM: It’s clear from what our crew is seeing and what we hear via radio that police are still trying to sort all this out, regarding the circumstances, and whether the person they were talking to had anything to do with it. Their search remains very active. We’re seeing Gang Unit detectives on scene, though it is always stressed that their presence doesn’t necessarily mean gang involvement is suspected.
5:40 PM: An update on SPD Blotter describes the “pellet” as “possibly (a) BB” and says the victim was hit in the right cheek. Still a very active search/investigation. The injury is described as NOT life-threatening.
6:27 PM UPDATE: Police are reported to be searching the house they’ve been focusing on.
6:33 PM UPDATE: Also via radio – the house is reported to have “checked clear.” (We still have crews at the scene but they’re on each end of the block, as close as anyone will be allowed.)
8:16 PM UPDATE: No updates of note. We’re adding more photos and also this interview with Lt. Ron Smith – who discusses some of what else police found, including damaged vehicles:
The streets in the area are back open as of about an hour ago.
9:04 PM: If you couldn’t play back the video – Lt. Smith says police have no idea what the victim was shot with, describing it repeatedly as an “unknown projectile” that went through his cheek and out his mouth, apparently without even damaging his teeth in the meantime. He told police he didn’t see anyone or anything – just suddenly felt it hit him. Lt. Smith says the search of the house turned up a .22 rifle but it had not been fired recently.
THURSDAY MORNING, 9:27 AM: Just checked back with SPD media-relations Det. Mark Jamieson. He says the “projectile” still has not been found; also, the person who was being questioned was released, no arrest made – this all remains something of a mystery.
Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch: 
First one involves a dog reported as stolen. This dog has been on the WSB Lost/Found Pets page, and its owner is now going public with an added fact – she says it’s missing because it was stolen:
My male black Pomeranian was stolen from outside Bartells at 15th & Roxbury Sunday, May 19 at 5:25p. Last seen with two white females (one adult, one possible juvenile) on the #128 Metro bus heading East on Roxbury. I am devastated! If you have any information please call 206.938.4242 or the King County’s Sheriff’s office 206.296.3311. Thank you!! Reward offered!
Also reported as stolen: Golf equipment taken from Alex‘s car outside his home at Beach Drive and Atlas. He writes, “This is the third break-in this year that I am aware of on my little section of the Dr.; I hope word can get around so that neighbors become more aware, and so that we can all help each other by looking out for thugs like these scumbags that stole my clubs.”
Also, be on the lookout for this bike stolen from Lydia:
It’s a Giant Avail III, stolen from her front porch in the 7900 block of Delridge Way SW on Monday or Tuesday.
P.S. Long-form report from last night’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting is in the works. Two toplines:
-Street robberies are on the upswing – still primarily the type where you’re at risk of getting held up for your iPhone or iPod.
-The most popular brand among car thieves right now is Subaru.
First – before two reader reports – here’s something that likely would have topped West Seattle Crime Watch 52 years ago:
Anne Higuera from longtime WSB sponsor Ventana Construction was working on a project in Ballard when that West Seattle story from a 1961 edition of the Seattle P-I, stuffed in the walls, caught her eye. It tells the tale of how a West Seattle family nabbed a would-be burglar. Click here for a larger, readable version (you might have to click it to zoom in when it opens in your browser – that’s what happened with ours).
Ahead, the current cases:
3:18 PM: A police operation that blocked off streets in Riverview this past hour is reported to have resulted in the arrest of two people in connection with a crime elsewhere in the city. (update) SPD Blotter reports the arrests are in connection with a shooting earlier today in South Seattle.
4:28 PM: Added a photo from the arrests’ aftermath, with some police remaining at the scene. The earlier shooting happened at a restaurant in the 500 block of South Michigan in Georgetown, according to police, with one person shot in the arm. We don’t know at this point whether the people arrested this afternoon lived at the Riverview house where they were found or were visiting.
7:04 PM: One more update from SPD – confirming something we heard during radio communications – investigators found a gun while making the arrests.
12:16 AM: Alan points out in comments that SPD added yet another update late tonight – here’s the additional information relevant to this afternoon’s arrests:
… Patrol officers developed information during the course of their field investigation that led them to a residence in the 1200 block of SW Myrtle Street. Once there, officers saw that the suspect’s Blazer was parked in front of the residence.
Officers surrounded the house and made telephone contact with the suspects. Both suspects subsequently surrendered to the officers and were taken into custody without further incident.
The officers recovered the gun that is believed to be the one used in the shooting. The firearm was submitted into evidence for further forensic analysis.
Both suspects were booked into the King County Jail.
Suspect #1, a 20-year-old male, was booked for Felony Assault.
Suspect #2, an 18-year-old male, was booked for (Felony) Rendering Criminal Assistance.
We start West Seattle Crime Watch with word of a business burglary overnight. From Natalie at Ola Salon in Luna Park:
Hi there, I wanted to let the community know that Ola Salon in West Seattle was broken into and (burglarized) last night. All of our retail, equipment, cash, checks, two laptops and more was stolen. Everyone is safe; we just want to give the community a heads up and to be aware of a robber in the neighborhood. If anyone happened to see anything, please let the police and the front desk at Ola know immediately. Thank you! 206-933-6702
We have another reader report – this one from Mona, who says she ordered something because of a crime report- and now it has resulted in one:
I came home around 5:30 PM today and found (an) empty package on my doorstep which was supposed to have contained the stun gun flashlight that a WSB reader recommended in (comments on) this post. I already filed a report. This happened near 17th avenue SW and Cambridge.
The latest West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports are about car prowls. Jay tells the tale of break-ins on 37th SW:
Two cars were broken into, one (the 6500 block) and the other (in the 6700 block). The windows on the outside (rather than the sidewalk side) were almost fully broken.
Analysis:
Observation 1:
The distance betweeen the two houses is far enough that if a person heard one car being broken into, the other one was far enough away that the person would not hear the other being broken into. There were plenty of cars that could have otherwise be broken into. Thus, I think the person has some sense of not awakening the neighborhood.Observation 2:
Both glove comparment were left open.
a. One car was a loaner car from a dealer, hence nothing of value inside. Two windows broken.
b. The other car had the glove compartment gone thru, with items (old CD’s, etc.) thrown on the drivers seat.General:
1. Leave nothing of value in the glove compartment.
2. Pay attention to glass breaking noise at night.Other:
I awoke during the night 4ish and remember a car with its lights on on the other side of the car that was broken into. I thought, that is unusual, but was I going to go out, just barely awake?, and check if anything was happening. In retrospect, that might have yielded an answer.
Much of what Jay wrote dovetails with car-prowl-related advice from Southwest/South Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Solomon, in the form of his newest newsletter, received today. In case you didn’t get it – here’s the heart of it:
Recently many of our neighborhoods have experienced a high degree of car prowls. This is a concern from Arbor Heights to Mount Baker, Rainier Beach to Alki, and all points in between. Car prowl is a regional problem, not just a neighborhood problem or a City of Seattle problem.
It’s frustrating in so many ways.
We reported here Monday on a big police response and search on the south side of Southwest Athletic Complex. Our information trail ended with police searching for a gun after discovering one of the suspects had bullets. Today, SPD Blotter picks up the trail, explaining that “Boomer” the bomb-detecting K-9 found the gun – which turned out to have been stolen in a burglary two weeks ago. The report says three suspects were caught; the two oldest ones, both 16, were booked into juvenile detention.
That’s a photo of Chris‘s missing car – be on the lookout:
My vehicle was stolen from my work in the Admiral District between approx. 12- 5 pm on Monday, May 13th. … License plate 003 YAL. 1991 Honda Prelude 2.0 si.
As advised by the SPD tweet, call 911 if you see it.
UNUSUAL BURGLARY LOOT: A request from Southwest Precinct Det. Shane St. John: As part of an ongoing investigation of burglaries, police have recovered “a large amount of foreign-coin currency.” They suspect it’s loot but don’t have a record of anyone reporting the theft of such currency. If you know who might have had such currency stolen (or if it might be yours), contact him: 206-233-7871.
SEARCH AT SWAC: If you were on Trenton between the Southwest Athletic Complex and Westwood Village around noontime, you might have seen this sizable police response:
SPD media-relations Det. Renée Witt said it had started with a report of several people allegedly drinking and using drugs on the north side of the sports complex. While officers investigated, she said, it somehow became somewhat chaotic – one suspect took off running, and somewhere along the line, officers found bullets, leading them to think a gun might have been in the vicinity, and a K-9 team was being brought in to look. That’s where our information trail ends; we have a followup question out and will add anything else we find out. (Added Tuesday afternoon – SPD Blotter now has details on this case.)
SATURDAY CAR PROWL: A neighbor at 21st/Roxbury reports catching an apparent car prowler in the act on Saturday morning, spotting his neighbor’s car door slightly open and someone ducking down. The watchful neighbor says the victims later reported that police found the suspect with items including stolen property.
ANOTHER CAR PROWL: John says someone went through his car, parked in his driveway at 39th and Dakota, last Thursday night: “The only thing they seemed to have stolen was a really old MP3 player (worth about $5 at most), but must have been in a hurry since they missed other things that I would have though they would have taken.” He suspects he might have left his door unlocked.
HIT-RUN NEAR THE PARK: Another reader named John is looking for anyone who might have seen the hit-run that damaged his car at his home near Ercolini Park between 11 am and noon Sunday:
My neighbor heard the noise, and looked out to see a white larger late model pickup truck backing away from our car and continuing on its way.
I was hoping you might be willing to post this note in case any other people at the park witnessed the event and might have more information on who damaged our car.
If you saw it, contact police.
Just in from Justin, word of a burglary this afternoon just west of The Junction:
My neighbors’ house was just broken into at about 3:15 pm today. Several officers responded but didn’t find the guy. He also broke into a lady’s house a few blocks north.
My neighbor has a security camera so got a good description. The police would like help spotting the guy; he can’t be far.
Black male, both large and tall, wearing baggy pants, white tennis shoes, grayish hoodie, was wearing a black knit cap, had a “very overstuffed” backpack.
This happened on the 4700 block of 46th Ave SW. Thank you, let’s get this guy!
Call 911 with tips.
Thursday’s West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports, starting with one we just received from Preston:
We were driving home tonight and passed in front of Caffe Ladro on SW California at 9:45. The passenger rear window exploded as someone threw a fist sized rock at us.
Three witnesses at Caffe Ladro said a man on a dark maroon bicycle wearing a long-sleeved shirt with white on it was standing on the side of the cafe drinking beer. He was in and out and came in through the back of the cafe. He then stood in the breezeway between the adjacent buildings. We stopped at the end of the block and he got on his bike and rode north down California. Police were called and they are sweeping the area. The dark maroon bike has a flashing light on the back and the suspect was wearing a blue shirt with white and a backpack.
If anyone has any clue as to who this may be – someone that would be at Caffe Ladro at 9:45 at night drinking beer and on a bicycle – please call the police.
(The coffee shop, it should be noted, does not serve alcohol.)
A home on Charlestown Hill was burglarized this morning – while somebody was at home. Marty reports:
My ex-husband’s house was broken into around 6:30 this morning. The back door was kicked in and our dog was found by a neighbor around 7 a.m. Our 17 year old daughter was in the house alone (dad had already gone to work), sleeping downstairs in the basement as this was happening. A neighbor found the dog, called my number which is on her tag. I live in Queen Anne, so called my daughter and woke her up to go get the dog. She heard a lot of noise upstairs and in her sleepy state, assumed it was her dad still at home. As she approached the stairway and called out for him, the person upstairs left out the front door. The only items taken were about 40 CDs from the living room. A very scary situation, which could have ended badly but fortunately did not.
Burglary, by the way, is the topic announced for the next West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting – Seattle Police burglary detective Jill Vanskike “will go over some of the factors that attract burglars to specific homes, common points and methods of entry, target hardening and the protective devices most effective at preventing burglaries. Also, tips on measures you can take to aid in the recovery of stolen property …” The meeting is at 7 pm Tuesday, May 21st, at the Southwest Precinct.
Back to Crime Watch – Gretchen reports an overnight theft:
We had one of our wine-barrel planters stolen off our berm (Wednesday) night. Took either one very strong person to tip the dirt out or two people. Those suckers are heavy! Happened between 10 pm and 4:30 am. We live near 17th and Thistle.
And a reader who doesn’t want to be identified found what looks like discarded crime loot in the Fairmount Springs area:
A duffel bag full of a boy’s baseball equipment turned up in our alley this morning, with some of the contents strewn about our yard. There is no name or phone # anywhere in the bag. I would like to get it back to the owner–looks like a lot of valuable equipment.
You can e-mail the finder at dgmob@outlook.com.
12:43 PM: Two people told police they were robbed at gunpoint on Fauntleroy Way last night, north of Lincoln Park. We’ve just obtained the police report. They told police they were walking northbound on Fauntleroy just before 10 pm after walking in Lincoln Park when “they were accosted by several males, one of whom brandished a black handgun, who demanded their money and belongings.” (The report mentions that police were dispatched to the 6600 block of Fauntleroy, but that is some distance from the park, so it’s not clear whether it happened there or whether they kept walking afterward.)
After taking a wallet, phone, iPod, and keys, the report says, the robbers jumped into a white minivan that had pulled up to get them and then sped off northbound on Fauntleroy. The van is described in the report as older, possibly 1980s, Chevy Astro type of van with stripes on the side and damage on the driver’s side appearing as if the vehicle had scraped against something, with scratches and dents resulting all along that side of the van. The robbers were described as about 17 years old, all males around 5’7″ to 5’8″. They didn’t get good descriptions of all of them but did describe the one with the gun as “black, slender, with a shaved head, red sweatshirt, and baggy blue jeans” and another one as “Hispanic or Latino, stockier build, wearing a dark tank top and light-colored pants.” The victims told police they believe they had seen the robbers in the park earlier and believe they might have been followed. If you have any information that could help find the robbers, please call police.
4:47 PM UPDATE: One of the victims has posted a comment, confirming it was indeed near Fauntleroy/Holly, and mentioning some of the items to be on the lookout for.
With reader reports about bikes found as well as bikes taken, West Seattle Crime Watch has featured more bicycle-theft reports than usual lately (with one even caught on camera). And Southwest Precinct‘s Sgt. Joe Bauer confirms to WSB that it’s a heightened concern. How to thwart these thieves? For one, he warns that bicycle owners need “to secure their bicycles in the underground parking garages. We are getting a lot of stolen bike reports that seem to be mainly on Avalon and in the North Admiral and Alki areas. We have had some on Fauntleroy too. I’d like to remind folks that the bikes are not secure just because they are in the garage. Lock them up or, better yet, keep them in another location in the building if possible. If the bike won’t fit in the condo or apartment, folks can always take the seat and front wheel off to make the bike a little less appealing to the thief.”
Checking overnight reports, we see another report from overnight – 1700 block of Alki SW. But not everyone files police reports (checking the report map, we see fewer bike-theft icons than we’d expect, given what we hear about); Sgt. Bauer reiterates the importance of filing a report, and has one more reminder: “Please put identifying information on the bike that can make it easier for us to return it and make it harder for the bad guys to sell the bike.”
First of 2 West Seattle Crime Watch notes: If you’ve had a bicycle stolen lately, in addition to checking with police, keep checking our WSCW reports, because more keep coming in. We mentioned a few in this WSCW report over the weekend; then this morning, Anne e-mailed to say that TWO mountain bikes have turned up on her out-of-the-way street (steep slope of SW Lander), likely left by thieves. She says both are “men’s mountain bikes. One is a medium blue and one is red.” She has reported them to police but would like to get them back to their owners.
(added) If you’re missing a bike that might be one of those two – e-mail Anne at phastphood@hotmail.com.
Second, Chris says a hit-run crash on Saturday left these marks on his car:
My car was backed into (Saturday) morning in the West Seattle Trader Joe’s parking lot. I was parked next to the spot that’s not a spy on the north side of the parking lot. An older model navy blue SUV was parked in that spot and I believe it was this car that backed into me. I am looking for whoever did this or anyone who might have seen something. A photo of my back quarter panel with the offending back bumper mark across it is attached.
Third, just received as we were about to publish this, Annlee reports a car prowl at Lincoln Park:
I was enjoying a beautiful sunny day at Lincoln Park (Sunday) with my sister and kids. We got back to my car and noticed the doors were unlocked. I had only left my window opened a crack but it was enough for the thief to use someone’s broken-off antenna to hook and unlock my doors. My purse and my sister’s purse were stolen out of the trunk with everything inside them. Even my daughter’s sleeping bag was stolen and she was absolutely devastated. Please keep an eye out while visiting Lincoln Park. If you happen to see any gray purses or black wallets with IDs in them, please turn them in. If you happen to see anyone suspicious wandering around the parking lot with a pink princess sleeping bag, please call the police!
This West Seattle Crime Watch roundup begins with a vandalism spree in Gatewood – two people have contacted us to report more than half a dozen cars’ tires were slashed sometime overnight near the California/Webster intersection.
In North Delridge, Angela found what seemed to be dumped loot:
She says it wasn’t even all from West Seattle (she’s already spoken with one victim who says her car was broken into yesterday at the Arboretum!):
This morning I found a pile of stuff on the side of the road that appeared to be dumped after a theft. Possibly multiple thefts, as my very minimal poking around turned up at least four different possible owners based on business cards (multiple of the same card), insurance card, registration, and other papers. I didn’t dig very deep; only looked at what was visible & on top when I found it.
About an hour after she reported it to police, who she says “indicated that they’d pick it up and place it into evidence,” it was gone.
Also found: this bicycle. Scott from Seattle Parks sent the photo:
He says, “This bike was found hidden in the shrubs at Hiawatha Playfield. We have it stored at SW Parks District Shop at Lincoln Park; hopefully the owner can get this expensive bike back. Our office phone is 684-7457.”
In case you are missing a bike and haven’t seen two notices posted within the past few days in the WSB Forums – here’s one for a yellow 10-speed, and another one for a blue girls’ bike.
Last but not least, James reports a double theft of 2-wheelers: his “2007 CRF450 motorcycle and Specialized Allez bicycle. These were stolen from my garage on (56th & Dakota) earlier this week.” His report came in via the WSB Facebook page – check out the “posts by others” section there for his photos.
Topping this West Seattle Crime Watch roundup: We’ve just confirmed another case of athletic-field wire theft. A tipster just e-mailed to say that a wiring theft took out the outfield lights at the Southwest Athletic Complex baseball field, which affected the start of last night’s Seattle Lutheran High School game. SWAC is owned by Seattle Public Schools; spokesperson Teresa Wippel confirms the theft, telling WSB, “we did receive a report of additional wire theft from 10 light poles … (4 softball infield and 6 baseball outfield poles). I’m told ‘a come-along’ was used to extract the wires from the poles and some of the wiring was also pulled out of the ground.” No arrests yet in last month’s Delridge Playfield case, by the way.
Also in Crime Watch: A stolen car was found relatively quickly this morning – just after 6 am, Ridge sent a note that his green Honda Civic had been stolen near 35th and 100th in Arbor Heights. Before we even got a chance to publish an alert, a note came in from a resident near 32nd and 108th reporting that someone abandoned a car in her neighborhood – a green Honda Civic. Car and owner have since been reunited.
And a reunion of sorts is what Julie is hoping for, regarding keepsakes stolen in a Puget Ridge burglary on Wednesday:
The only things stolen were a blue cardboard box of irreplaceable old pictures and a decorative tin box full of a lifetime of memorabilia, like concert ticket stubs, postcards and political buttons, etc. I’m hoping they’ll dump it somewhere and maybe it will be found. I live in the 65XX block of 18th Ave SW. They smashed my sliding glass door in the back to gain entry.
Notify police if you find any of those items – or anything else that might have been stolen from someone (the non-emergency number is 206-625-5011).
We start tonight’s West Seattle Crime Watch with a found bicycle that seems to have been abandoned in much the way previously stolen bicycles have been:
Tim says the red Schwinn BMX bike turned up in their West Seattle yard last Sunday (April 21), adding, “These are some things (markings, etc.) on the bike that we can ask any respondents to help make sure it really is theirs.” Call 206-218-7886.
Meantime, another bike has just been stolen – from an Arbor Heights resident who doesn’t want to be identified, but found a purse, possibly left by the thief/thieves:
Arbor Heights, 10600 block of 32nd Ave SW: Sad to say, after a neighbor’s car was stolen from their driveway Thursday night, yesterday/night our bicycle was stolen from our (fenced/gated) carport. The bike couldn’t be seen from the yard or the street, and the person(s) would have had to walk up the driveway to the chest-high chain-link fence gate (complete with privacy slats) and open the gate to find the bike, so clearly someone had been scoping out the area. Icky. They even closed the gate upon leaving, likely so as not to be looked for right away. Yes, the police were notified. The officer even took the little purse that appeared when the bike was stolen. Possibly a coincidence, but since nobody here has a purse, nor do the neighbors (it was left between our two houses), one would think that it was perhaps left behind when the bike was leaving.
The bike is a 2013 black (“black/white” according to the manufacturer) Specialized RockHopper Comp, with 29″ wheels and a 19″ frame. Yeah, for a long-legged person! I’m hoping that, since this is not an average size, someone will spot it on craigslist or such, and it can come home. There is a lock on its crossbar.
Did they take the bike with a flat tire or the rickety lawnmower? Nooooo, they took the nifty, new, specialty bike. Turkeys, go save up for years and get your own bike like we did!
Here is a pic of the purse; officer looked in it, but it was empty:
If you’re missing one like this, please contact the Southwest Precinct– the officer has put the purse into evidence. Sigh, it seems like the turkeys are starting to win.
P.S.: Next crime-prevention meeting in our area is in White Center, but city residents might find the information helpful too – guests include King County Sheriff John Urquhart. The North Highline Unincorporated Area Council is presenting it as one in a series of public-safety forums – 7 pm Thursday, May 2nd, at North Highline Fire District HQ, 1243 SW 112th (flyer here).
Two major updates and a new case have come in since our earlier West Seattle Crime Watch roundup, so we’re starting a new one.
First, Lonjina‘s stolen truck is back, and might offer clues for other crime victims:
Was found by a friend of ours at 122nd and Ambaum in the Forest View Apt Complex parking lot. Full of possibly stolen gardening tools. We believe they were not done with the truck! Let readers know if they had their garage or gardening tools missing last night to contact the Burien Police Dept.
Updating the other incident in our earlier roundup – from Al’s wife Christine:
On Friday 4/26 at approximately 4:30 PM a suspicious vehicle was witnessed stopped in front of a home at 10XXX 37th Avenue in Arbor Heights. He was witnessed taking photos of the same car burglarized at the same location on Wednesday 4/24 between 11 PM and 6:45 AM. He sped off toward 102nd when confronted by a neighbor. The prowler’s vehicle was later spotted in the Arbor Heights area.
Vehicle Description: Mid 90s, Dark Green, Chevy S-10 pickup truck
As of Friday this vehicle was making a very loud rumbling engine sound as though it was out of oil.
Suspect Description: White man with an odd long face. Between the ages of 20 and 30. He is believed to be tall due to how he sat in the cab of the truck.
We have overwhelming evidence leading us to believe that this man is prowling the neighborhood with a radio frequency scanning device that allows him to “hack” into smart cars.
Be vigilant and watch out for this truck or suspects pointing tech devices (phones, laptops, etc.) toward cars and houses. Call the Seattle Police Department if you see the truck.
And Carolyn in Fauntleroy reports car vandalism, possibly a prowling attempt:
Just wanted to let you know that the passenger door window in my car was bashed overnight. The person didn’t hit the driver’s side, which was closest to the alley, but had to walked around my car and stand between the fence and my car to take out the window. My car was loaded for a community event but nothing was taken. In the past, someone has rifled through my car but not taken anything on the few occasions that I’ve forgotten to lock it. I’m in 8600 block of Fauntleroy Way SW.
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