West Seattle, Washington
18 Saturday
Out of the WSB inbox, from Andy:
Our red 1996 Subaru Impreza Outback was stolen from in front of our house [6500 block of 37th Ave SW] last night. The license plate read AJX3354. Any help getting her back home would be appreciated.
If you need a reference, Andy says it looks something like this. Meantime, as SPD advises via its @GetYourCarBack Twitter feed (where this has been posted too), if you see what you think is a stolen car, call 911 to report it.
We’re not being flip; that’s what police have reminded those attending recent community meetings including the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council this past week: The holidays mean more opportunistic car prowlers on the lookout for loot while you’re out shopping. We have received two car-prowl reports, both from incidents last night. First, a Morgan Junction incident reported by Tara:
I wanted to report a car prowl at the Starbucks location 6501 California Ave SW. Between 9 and 10 (Saturday night), my red Focus had its window smashed and a bag inside taken. Nothing of large monetary value, except for the broken window. Keep an eye out!
And this one in The Junction, reported by Barb:
My friend and I were parking our cars in the parking lot on 42nd SW between Alaska and SW Oregon (behind Windermere) at about 8:50pm
There were 4 people standing by a car with the car doors and trunk open. They told us someone had smashed a window in their car and stole a purse and an iPad. There was so much glass near by it may have also happened to another car too. I don’t know if you could see either item through a window or not.
Please remind people not to leave valuables in their cars no matter where they park. I know everyone should know this but, I was reminded not everyone remembers.
And even if nothing is taken, or nothing much, PLEASE report it to police so they have information on where the car prowlers are working – you can even file a report online (unless stolen property is valued above $500). But we hope you don’t need that link – especially if you take the advice you’ll find by following this one about car-prowl prevention.
Just back from the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting. The transit discussion – which swerved back and forth across just about every imaginable bus-related issue that’s come up recently – will be in a story all its own. So we’ll start this Crime Watch roundup with the WSCPC meeting-opening briefing on crime trends, followed by 5 reader reports we’ve received.
The briefing:
Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Paulsen said that a spike in property crimes about a month ago is over because of recent arrests – the rate had dropped back down in the past week or so. He says the year overall remains on track around 20 percent below last year’s property-crime rate – a year that in turn was about 20 percent above the long-term average.
Another “bump” may be ahead, he warned, because it’s “that crazy time of the year, the holidays,” when thieves and burglars are after items you’ve bought for gifts, maybe even before you get them into your vehicle or home: “(When shopping) you become more of a target, so be aware of your surroundings, look around,” Capt. Paulsen warned, adding that there will be more police presence at Westwood Village and The Junction – not on overtime, but by “shuffling around” resources. He also cautioned people to arrange for deliveries in ways that won’t lead to packages unattended on front doors.
Betty asked about the Fairmount Springs break-in reports that circulated one week ago (they’re in this WSB Crime Watch roundup), apparently targeting homes inhabited by women, home alone. The cases were news to Capt. Paulsen and Community Police Team Officer Jonathan Kiehn, who monitor for patterns, but said these hadn’t surfaced as one. Another attendee said she had come to ask about the incidents too, and the perception that there might be a known suspect who hadn’t yet been arrested. Police promised to check into these cases ASAP.
One attendee brought up mail theft and asked if police could “set up a sting.” Short answer: No, since it’s a federal-jurisdiction crime, but if you see it happening, do call 911, the citizen was told, since, Capt. Paulsen said, they have caught mail thieves “over the years.” He was also advised to look into a locked mailbox. Immediately after the exchange, he and Officer Kiehn started a followup conversation.
Now, Part 2 of this roundup: The latest reader reports – five in all, the first two with photos:
We’re at the Southwest Precinct, where Capt. Steve Paulsen has just presented a certificate of appreciation to Ken Wicklund. He’s the citizen who asked an officer and sergeant if they needed help when they found themselves in a struggle with a suspect one week ago tonight near the old Charlestown Café. They said yes – he jumped in to help. And tonight, the commander and his team – including Sgt. Joe Bauer and Officer Sara Mulloy (at front left in the photo below) – said thanks to Wicklund, whose family was on hand too.
We’ve been covering the case, most recently with a report on the charge filed Friday against suspect Skyler Gronholz, who remains in King County Jail, in lieu of $45,000 bail for this case and a warrant that was already out for his arrest.
Wicklund works as a captain for Argosy Cruises. He told us that this happened after he left home to pick up dinner at Spiro’s Pizza, just blocks away. He came home and saw police activity near his home – and as he got closer, he noticed officers and suspect on the ground, and that’s when he asked if they needed help. He, and Sgt. Bauer and Officer Mulloy, were all injured, but all are OK now. We have video of tonight’s ceremony and will add it here once it’s uploaded (added – here it is):
After tonight’s presentation, the Wicklund family got a guided tour of the precinct.
Karen‘s house was hit by burglars – and she is sharing not only the report, but also prevention advice from police:
Our home was broken into (Friday) afternoon around 1:30pm. We are on 31st between Elmgrove and Thistle.
Find more burglary-prevention advice from SPD by going here.
(WSB photo from Tuesday night)
One more court case to report as the week comes to an end: A charge of third-degree assault is filed against Skyler Gronholz, the 28-year-old man accused in the Tuesday night incident that left a Seattle Police sergeant and officer injured, as well as a citizen who tried to help. As we reported in followups, police say they pulled Gronholz over for running a red light at California and Charlestown; he gave the officer a false name, then tried to drive away while she was arresting him and trying to get him out of the car – that was the start of the struggle that led to injuries. According to the documents arguing to keep his bail at $30,000 (in addition to $15,000 for an arrest warrant that was out for him):
At the time of the defendant’s arrest in this case, he was on warrant status on a case in King County Superior Court Drug Court for multiple counts of burglary and trafficking in stolen property. … The defendant has had 21 warrants issued for his arrest since 2005 in King County. In addition to the defendant’s Drug Court matter, where he was found guilty of four counts of burglary in the second degree and four counts of trafficking stolen property in the first degree, the defendant has known convictions for theft in the third degree (2002, 2006) and criminal solicitation (2010).
The charging documents also include a few more details of the circumstances: The officer’s body was “inside the doorframe of the driver’s door” when Gronholz allegedly started the car. In addition to cuts and bruises on her elbows and knees, she also had a tooth knocked loose during the scuffle. The sergeant is described as having torn muscles in the chest, arm, and shoulder, with possible nerve damage. While, as we reported Wednesday, police suspected Gronholz was in possession of drugs, the assault charge is all that prosecutors filed against him. He’s still in jail at last check, and scheduled for arraignment November 29th.
Criminal mistreatment is the charge filed in relation to the case of an 86 year-old Alki man who died after being found in such bad condition, he died days later. This happened in 2010; two of his sons have just been charged this month. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office tells WSB they are due in court the day before Thanksgiving to answer charges. 57-year-old Kenneth Shaw and 54-year-old Keith Shaw are charged with second-degree criminal mistreatment because of what happened to their father Kyle Shaw Jr.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports this afternoon. David’s car was stolen in North Delridge:
Could you please put up a notice to look out for a 1990 Jeep Wrangler, white, with a black hard top? License plate 465ZLU. It’s got a 3″ lift, a winch on the front, and a rear license plate frame that’s pink and reads “I Brake For Unicorns.” It was stolen last night from 28th Ave. SW at SW Adams St., right in front of Dragonfly Park, some time between 1930 last night and 0700 this morning.
Many stolen cars are found relatively close by, so keep an eye out for David’s car. Meantime, Akemi noticed an abandoned silver Redline bike on the west side of The Junction, Oregon/Glenn – we always suggest reporting these to police so they’re not re-stolen (if stolen at all), but as an FYI, she’s seen it there for a couple days.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports to share. First two are home burglaries. From Dana, who’s in Westwood, between 32nd and 34th on Barton:
Our house was broken into (Thursday) sometime between 9:30 am-3:45 pm. In bedroom window, out the back door. I think it was typical robbery: they got laptop, jewelry, prescription (expired) meds, and Wii controllers(?). Reported it to SPD, they filed report and took some fingerprints. Officer said (reminding all of us) this is the season for break-ins (before/around Christmas).
That indeed was the reminder we heard from a Community Police Team officer at this week’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting.
Bail is set at $45,000, according to the King County Jail register, for the 28-year-old man arrested in West Seattle last night for allegedly assaulting a Seattle Police officer and sergeant and the civilian who tried to help them, when a traffic stop turned into a tussle. The suspect is a Kent resident who is now in jail for the 10th time this year; he waived the right to be present in court for his bail hearing this afternoon. As we noted in an update earlier today, most of the jail stays relate to a burglary case in which he was charged one year ago today – accused of stealing from college dorm rooms elsewhere in Seattle and pawning stolen property – allegedly for money to support a heroin habit. He is under investigation for two counts of third-degree assault, one count of fourth-degree assault, and one drug charge; prosecutors have until Friday to decide on charges. We asked SPD how the officer and sergeant are doing; Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Paulsen tells us tonight that they are “sore, but OK.” More details on the incident are included in the documents from this afternoon’s bail hearing – read on:Read More
ORIGINAL REPORT, 5:54 PM: A helicopter’s been seen over south West Seattle, and we believe it’s linked to a stabbing reported at 13th/100th in White Center. According to King County Sheriff’s Office via Twitter, the suspect is the victim’s son. Headed that way.
6:24 PM UPDATE: The 69-year-old victim has died, and her 42-year-old son is in custody, KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West says. We’re continuing to cover this on our partner site White Center Now (where our coverage includes video of Sgt. West explaining what they know so far).
5:14 PM: Thanks to everyone who has messaged us about the big police response – we saw several of the lights/siren cars heading north ourselves. We’re at the scene of an incident involving a car at 42nd and Charlestown (we’ve counted eight SPD cars so far). Someone is believed to be hurt – there’s just been a Seattle Fire Department car to come help. Still sorting out details, and will add as we find out more.
5:20 PM UPDATE: We’ve learned this started as a “help the officer” call – and it appears medics are checking out an officer. This is all unfolding just east of the old Charlestown Café. (added) Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Paulsen confirms an officer was assaulted by a suspect after a traffic stop. He says the suspect is under arrest.
6:04 PM UPDATE: New information from Capt. Paulsen – two officers were hurt; he says, “the suspect was under arrest and tried to drive off as the officer was trying to bring him out of the car. The suspect was also in possession of suspected controlled substances.” The injured officers, he says, are at Harborview Medical Center.
8:47 PM UPDATE: More details from SPD Blotter – including word that a citizen who tried to help got hurt. Read on for the narrative:
FiveSix reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch – car prowls and vandalism, package and other theft, plus a bicycle sighting – (11:18 am update) and brazen break-in attempts – read on:Read More
This didn’t happen in West Seattle, but the choosing-to-be-anonymous victim – and the person who helped her – were both headed this way:
Last night I had the unfortunate experience of being robbed while waiting for the Rapid Ride C line downtown. I was at the stop on the corner of 3rd and Pike at 9 pm after my evening class let out when a man grabbed my iPhone right out of my hands and ran away with it before I could even get a good look at him.
I was shaken and upset and I want to warn other bus riders of this danger. The stop really didn’t feel unsafe, even at that time of night because the corner is so well-lit and there were LOTS of people around. The officer that took my report said that this crime is very common in that location.
A very nice young woman stepped up to loan me her phone to call 911. She missed her bus to West Seattle in order to let me place my call. I’m trying to focus my mental images of the night on her good deed rather than the jarring experience of being a crime victim.
Two notes this morning – one a crime, one something else that police handled overnight. First, from Chessa:
Our car was stolen in front of our house in Seaview (45th AVE between Juneau and Findlay) sometime between 10 pm and 6 am last night. It is a 1995 light brown (mocha?) Subaru Legacy wagon, license plate 704 YBN, WA plates. There’s a 2008 Obama-Biden on the left upper rear window corner, with some rust spots on the roof. We did, of course, file a police report. If any of your readers see it, we’d love to know!
Police ask that you call 911 if you spot a stolen car. Second note is not about a crime, but its appearance on SPD’s “Tweets by Beat” feed led one alarmed WSB’er to ask about it. Here’s the tweet:
Beat:W1, ANIMALS – INJURED, DEAD, DANGEROUS at W SEATTLE BR / DELRIDGE WY SW reported on 11/7/2012 5:42 AM
— SeattlePD William1 (@SeattlePDW1) November 7, 2012
This actually involved a case of police rescuing a lost dog, according to e-mail we received overnight from the dog’s owner, Betsy, who said her Siberian Husky broke out very early this morning but is home now:
Apparently she had made it from our house near Mount St. Vincent all the way to the high rise of the West Seattle Bridge. We are SO thankful for the Seattle police and a dog savvy citizen who was able to corral and catch her. We got a call from Officer Graham at about 5:30am while we were out combing the streets. He and his partner said they were both dog lovers and we are very, very thankful for everyone’s help. She immediately went to sleep when she got home.
When Seattle Police overhauled their website and launched a list of unsolved murders, some wondered why it did not include the December 2010 death of Jeremy Peck, who disappeared after a visit to the Admiral Pub early Christmas Eve morning that year, eventually sparking a search that ended when his body washing up on Bainbridge Island in January 2011. We noted at the time that SPD had not classified his death as a murder; when an unsealed search warrant revealed new information in July 2011, police had reiterated that it was being investigated as a “suspicious death.” However, SPD has just added Peck’s death to their “Catch a Killer” page, making an indirect announcement with this tweet a short time ago:
Do you have information about the death of Jeremy Peck or any of Seattle’s other unsolved homicides? #Catchakiller spdblotter.seattle.gov/catch-a-killer/
— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) November 6, 2012
The July 2011 revelations included word of two men having been seen dumping something off the “low bridge” and a car testing positive for blood believed to have been Peck’s. But no arrests have been reported, and police’s addition of the case to the unsolved-murders list indicates a new bid to ask the public for tips.
Starting off this West Seattle Crime Watch report: Arbor Heights Elementary students are without several new computers because of a burglary. It was discovered early yesterday; we got a tip about it last night but weren’t able to get details until this morning. Det. Mark Jamieson with Seattle Police media relations says a school staffer discovered the burglary at 7:15 Monday morning and showed the responding officer how the burglar(s) had removed a louvered vent from the classroom door to get in – though the report says they’re not sure how the burglar(s) got into the school itself. The vent was taken as evidence in hopes it’ll yield fingerprints. The report lists the stolen items as four or five Apple computers that were new at the start of the school year (they were still taking inventory for followup paperwork when the officer filed his report); older computers in the same room were left behind.
We also checked with Seattle Public Schools, whose spokesperson Teresa Wippel says the school’s alarm was tripped at 3:53 am Sunday – “security responded immediately but didn’t find any signs of a break-in from the outside so left.” Then the staff discovered the missing computers when they arrived on Monday. SPS is still checking for us on how or whether the computers will be replaced.
Also in Crime Watch, three recent reader reports – all ahead:Read More
Just in via SPD Blotter – news of an arrest following an early-morning break-in:
The couple was asleep when they were awakened by the door alarm at about 2:45 this morning. The husband went downstairs to check the house when he saw an unknown male dressed in all black, inside the home on the first floor. The burglar apparently did not see the homeowner. The man went back upstairs and he and his wife locked themselves in an upstairs room and called 911.
Southwest Precinct officers arrived quickly and contained the house in the 9300 Block of Fauntleroy Way SW. Officers could see the suspect inside the house walking around. Officers gave the suspect verbal commands to give himself up. The suspect ran and hid inside the house. Officers entered the home and began clearing the house, and soon located the suspect hiding behind a couch in a downstairs room. He was taken into custody without incident. The suspect refused to cooperate with officers or provide any personal information. He was later booked into the King County Jail for Investigation of Burglary. Detectives will now handle the follow-up investigation.
The excerpt is from an SPD Blotter post that also reports an unrelated North Seattle burglary arrest.
Just in via SPD Blotter – two arrests early this morning:
The efforts of officers working an auto theft/car prowl emphasis patrol paid off early this morning when they responded to a report of a car prowl in progress and took into custody the two suspects.
At about 2:20 this morning radio broadcast a car prowl in progress in the 3800 Block of 45th Avenue SW. Several William Sector officers were in the area already on an assigned auto theft/car prowl emphasis patrol. Two officers located the described suspect vehicle one minute later, and stopped it at SW Spokane St. and 46th Avenue SW. The vehicle and one suspect were positively identified by a witness, and a large quantity of apparently stolen property, including at least 8 car stereos, was visible inside the car. These suspects are also likely responsible for a car prowl from earlier tonight, in which the suspects were seen leaving in a dark 2-door Honda.
Both suspects, a 26-year-old male and a 32-year-old female, were booked into the King County Jail for Car Prowl and the suspect vehicle, a green 1998 Honda Accord, was towed to the processing room, pending a warrant. Detectives will now handle the follow up investigation.
We’ll be checking to see if the helicopter reported briefly over The Junction a few hours earlier was related.
1:04 AM: Thanks for the texts and other messages – there’s an air/ground search in the Highland Park area. We’re checking on it.
1:20 AM: No info available from an official source at this point but we did hear a snippet of scanner traffic mentioning a burglary, and SPD’s Tweets by Beat – automated bits of information about police calls, delayed about an hour, sent out via Twitter – mentions a 12th/Holden burglary before midnight. (The full list of the latest “Tweets by Beat” for the West Seattle patrol sectors is available at all times, continuously updated, on our Crime Watch page.)
8:40 AM UPDATE: We now know what this was all about – talked with Det. Mark Jamieson in SPD Media Relations. He says a burglary was reported just before midnight in the 7000 block of 12th SW; while that was being investigated, another officer spotted three suspects “pushing a shopping cart full of apparently stolen property” in the 1200 block of SW Holden. When they saw police, they ran off in different directions. A K-9 team and additional officers came in to help search; the K-9 found one of them hiding under a bush at 13th and Webster. That suspect, 16 years old, was arrested and booked into the Youth Services Center. The Guardian One law-enforcement helicopter (which belongs to the King County Sheriff’s Office but is called in by other agencies as needed – SPD does NOT have its own helicopter) came in to help with the search for a while, but the other two suspects weren’t found. What officers DID find: Some stolen property, near where the arrest was made – including three large flatscreen TVs.
Following up on our Monday report about the latest arrest of 34-year-old Ryan Cox, who first made news for a wave of homophobic graffiti vandalism three years ago: The King County Prosecuting Attorney has filed two felony charges against Cox in connection with the baseball-bat attack on a man last Friday, saying the man was attacked because of Cox’s perception of the victim’s sexual orientation. That allegation led to the first charge, malicious harassment – the formal term for “hate crime” – and the second charge is third-degree assault.
The attack happened as Cox and the 31-year-old victim – a stranger to him – were leaving a Metro Route 21 bus in the Luna Park area around 2 pm Friday; police say the man reported being hit about four times, leaving him with fist-sized welts on his back, though he declined medical attention. Cox was arrested the next day after police were called about him screaming homophobic slurs at people in the Solstice Park tennis-courts vicinity, and he is reported to have then confessed to the Friday attack. The prosecution asked today that Cox’s bail remain set at $75,000, and cited a criminal record dating back to 1995, when he was still a juvenile, as well as the “dozens of additional recent property destruction and weapon charges that were dismissed for reasons related to the defendant’s mental health.” (Those are explained in our Monday story, which also noted, as did today’s charging papers, that Cox got out of jail less than two months ago after serving almost three months for violating probation related to a stalking case from last year.) He remains in King County Jail tonight and is scheduled to answer the new charges at arraignment in King County Superior Court on November 14th.
Think it’s less likely that you’ll be targeted by a car prowler if the weather is miserable? Think again. Three of the four most-recent West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports we’ve received are about car prowls on the first day of this rainy week. First, from Admiral:
My car was broken into (Monday morning) between midnight and 8am at 42nd Ave SW and Spokane. They took the entire center column that included an old Alpine stereo and the heating controls. They also took 2 iPods. According to the SPD it was a clean, professional job. They didn’t break any windows or damage the doors to get into the vehicle. Just want to left my neighbors in this area to be aware and avoid leaving valuables in their cars.
Next, two more car break-ins, both in Seaview, plus another case of mailbox tampering:Read More
In the neighborhood you might call south Morgan Junction or western Gatewood, neighbors are joining forces to take the most effective action in fighting crime – watching out for each other. They’ll be going around the neighborhood with invitations, but here’s an early alert, in case you’re in that neighborhood or know someone who is:
Our townhome complex has noticed increased suspicious behavior and crime in our neighborhood, so we are coming together to start a Block Watch. Join us for a kick-off meeting, where we can all meet each other and a Seattle Police Department Crime Prevention Coordinator will help us get organized and share crime prevention tips.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
7:00-8:30 pm
Gatewood Elementary’s Lunchroom (4320 SW Myrtle St)Being a part of the Block Watch will not require much work on your end – just a commitment to watching out for each other and reporting any suspicious activity. For more information, visit seattle.gov/police/blockwatch. Hope you can join us!
Your neighbors in the townhomes off California & Myrtle
c/o Kati Davich
Kati.Davich@gmail.com
Kati says the area they’re targeting is roughly “on California from Frontenac to Othello and on Myrtle from Fauntleroy,” but others in the vicinity are welcome too. (And to everyone who has or is forming a Block Watch – be sure to get involved with the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network, too!)
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