West Seattle Crime Watch: Burglary suspects nabbed on Sanislo roof
A question came in last night about a police/fire sighting at Sanislo Elementary on New Year’s Day. Nothing on the logs when we looked – but now the answer is in, via SPD Blotter:
On 01-01-2012, just shortly before 3:00 p.m., officers responded with school security, to an alarm at a school in the 1800 block of SW Myrtle St. Officers set up containment and used Seattle Fire Department ladders to gain access to the rooftop, where the 2 suspects (men 27 and 19 years-old) were hiding. The suspects were taking into custody without incident. The suspects had two packs filled with items stolen from the school. They also had burglary tools. Both suspects were booked into King County Jail for Investigation of Burglary.
That wasn’t the only time local police called on SFD to help with an investigation this past week – we covered a ladder-to-the-roof effort early December 29th in The Junction.
West Seattle Crime Watch: Mail theft didn’t end with Christmas
We heard a lot about mail theft and package theft before Christmas. Here’s the first report we’ve had since then, from a West Seattleite who didn’t want her name published:
Between 6:45 pm on Dec. 31st and 10 am on Jan. 1st, mail from our house on 35th Ave SW just south of SW Alaska [map], was stolen! We have two mailboxes, and both were cleared out, along with a small package for our neighbor. Just a warning for people in the area, this may have been random, but it is something to think about when leaving mail on a front porch on a busy street! This was reported to the police but we haven’t heard anything from them regarding the incident.
The USPS has its own investigators to deal with mail theft, and you can file a report with them by going here. P.S. – After taking December off, the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council resumes monthly meetings in two weeks, on Tuesday, January 17th, 7 pm, Southwest Precinct meeting room; if you have neighborhood crime concerns, that’s one place to bring them to police attention, face to face. The West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network is scheduled to meet again toward month’s end; keep an eye on their site.
Reader reports: Triangle car theft; Arbor Heights suspicions
Two reader reports to share tonight – first, a stolen car resembling the one in the photo sent by Rob, who hopes his car will be found:
Stolen from my driveway near 37th and Alaska on Tuesday (12/27/2011) between 7:30 PM and 9:30 PM.
The car is a 1998 Subaru Legacy GT Sedan (not the ubiquitous wagon). It is a lovely dark-green color with some minor dents in the right-rear corner. It has Washington truck plates (so the license# begins with an “A” and ends with an “F”). It has a distinctive hood vent and a tasteful rear spoiler, as you can almost see in (the) photo. I have filed a report with the police.
Second, A shares the story of a car whose driver was taking an odd path early today:
Approximately 0530 Wednesday morning, my partner noticed a white Nissan with license plate number 200-Z(xx) pulling in and out of driveways along 35th avenue SW before the turn onto Marine View Drive SW. After being noticed, the car then drove back up 35th to 106th and made a right heading towards White Center. Police were notified, please be on the lookout and report further suspicious behavior.
Seattle officers help search for suspect in White Center shooting
12:47 AM: We’ve been covering a post-midnight shooting on partner site White Center Now, but we’re also hearing that Seattle Police are helping search, since the suspect was last seen headed this way, so we wanted to make sure you knew that ongoing coverage is here.
2:21 AM: We’ve updated the WCN story with video of King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West confirming the victim was killed, and that it apparently happened during a robbery at Seattle Roll Bakery. No arrest so far, but there were witnesses, so Sgt. West is hopeful there will be a description to share later this morning.
5:30 AM: Once that new information is out, we’ll have updates here and on WCN. TV crews are live in WC for the morning newscasts, but the reports we’ve seen so far haven’t had anything more than what we all learned from Sgt. West three-plus hours ago.
West Seattle Crime Watch followup: Stolen decorations found
Several WSB’ers reported decoration thefts this holiday season, but the one reported a week ago by Cyndi and Steve was an especially tough tale, as they’re in mourning and only put decorations out for the neighbors. Earlier this evening, they sent a happier postscript:
I just wanted to let everybody know that our Christmas decorations were returned to us this afternoon. They were found in a hedge in the Alki area and Bridget returned them to us after reading the blog. Once again the wonderful people of West Seattle came through to help their neighbors.
Update: High Point shooting ‘accidental,’ police now say
6:40 PM: Police and fire are responding to 32nd and Juneau in High Point, where a female victim – possibly a teenager – has reportedly been shot in the leg, possibly from a passing car, according to initial scanner traffic. More as we get it.
6:52 PM UPDATE: Police on the scene confirm to WSB that the victim is a girl “in her mid-teens” with a leg wound. They are still trying to sort out the circumstances. Meantime, scanner traffic from the medic unit crew describe the victim as 15 years old and quote her as saying “she only heard one shot.”
7:06 PM UPDATE: From the scanner – police are talking with some people and trying to find out if they were involved. Our crew at the scene is close to where this questioning is happening, about a block from the shooting scene. WSB archives show this is the first shooting investigated in West Seattle in 2 months, since the Admiral murder-suicide shootings.
7:53 PM UPDATE: Our crew says police have now handcuffed the male who was being questioned (caveat, that does not ALWAYS mean an official arrest, we will be working to confirm with police). Police also are impounding/towing a car in which a source tells us the victim and possible suspects all may have been (photo to come when our crew is back at HQ). We aren’t likely to get an official update on the victim’s condition, but the medic-unit radio exchange earlier indicated that her vital signs were good.
9:36 PM UPDATE: New information from Southwest Precinct Lt. Ron Smith, who says that two “young males” found near the shooting victim and claiming to be “bystanders” were “investigated further and revealed that it was an accidental discharge inside the car. The bullet was recovered from the floor of the car. Shooter and gun are outstanding. A possible second female victim, who was not located, had reportedly been grazed by the single shot also. It appears a group of young individuals were smoking drugs in the car handling the gun when it was discharged, striking 2 of the females.”
West Seattle Crime Watch: Holiday hit-and-run investigation
This year’s latest proof that “crime takes no holiday”: Burcu e-mailed late last night with word of a Christmas Eve crash (photos added 2:02 pm):
There was a hit and run late 12/24 (in the 4400 block of) 45th Ave SW. Two cars were hit by a Ford truck which we could see from the remains. We didn’t leave the house all day (Christmas) until 9 pm. There were 2 Priuses parked back to back … the left side of the back one was badly damaged and the back side of the car parked at the front was badly damaged. … Ford truck remains on the floor is all we have. There wasn’t any note left on any of the cars. The police is here writing reports now but if anyone has heard/seen please notify us at btunca@gmail.com. This is extremely rude, heartless and I can’t find words to describe how I exactly feel. What a gift on Christmas!
Update: Stella, stolen by Christmas Eve burglars, now home
(UPDATED with Stella back home – see below)
ORIGINAL 1:50 AM REPORT: The dog on the left is Stella – and her people are without her this Christmas morning, after burglar/s stole her (and more) on Christmas Eve. Chris sent this report late Saturday night:
My in-laws in West Seattle, on 31st Avenue and SW Holden St, [map] in the High Point neighborhood were robbed tonight. Their names are Mark and Jodi … and they are some of the kindest people I know. They were gone for most of the afternoon and evening delivering presents to their family around the Puget Sound area.
The thieves took all their Christmas gifts, family heirloom Christmas decorations, their electronics (TV, computer, etc).
But the BIGGEST loss, is their dog. Stella, a 3 year old female spayed Boxer (usually with a pink rope-style collar) was stolen by these heartless thieves. If you can help us to find her, it would mean the world to us all. I attached a photo of Stella, she’s on the left in the picture.
Gifts and electronics can be replaced, and heirlooms are only to remind us of the memories we already have. Their wonderful, kind, dog however is not replaceable. We’re all completely heartbroken that she was taken; my in-laws loved her like a child, and my own puppy (on the right in the photo) loved her so much.
Chris says they hope getting the word out might bring Stella home. We’ve added her to the WSB Pets page, too.
10:22 AM UPDATE: Good news! Just in from Chris:
Just to update: apparently Stella came home this morning. Not sure if she was just accidentally released by the burglars or if they let her go. Still traumatic to have the robbery have occurred, but with the only items missing being Christmas presents, I know we’ll have a much better Christmas. I’m seeing her return as the best present we could have gotten, under the circumstances. Family and friends (including the 4-footed variety) is what the holidays are really about.
Apparently she just showed up at the door – not hurt, Chris says, but “very scared.”
Update: Police say ‘burglary’ wasn’t what it seemed to be
5:15 PM: Thanks to everyone who has texted about this – we heard the sirens from a mile south. There’s a major police search in the Seaview area. We have a crew there, and we’re still working to confirm details.
5:33 PM UPDATE: Police at the scene, which is near 45th/Findlay (map), tell us this was called in as a burglary in progress – possibly with people in the house when it happened. They’re searching the area, with K-9 help, for two suspects. We also learned from a nearby resident that police had been called earlier in the afternoon about people who appeared to be trying doors in the area.
As reported in recent WSB Crime Watch updates, police have been making progress in catching suspects in what until recently had been an rash of break-ins; just yesterday, according to Southwest Precinct Capt. Steve Paulsen, they arrested a suspect after a burglary in Fauntleroy.
7:45 PM UPDATE: Neighbor Kristina provides more information in a comment, from which this is excerpted:
This happened next door to my house. My neighbor’s wife had just left in the car to run errands with their two small children, and my neighbor had just come out of the shower and was getting dressed when a man came up behind him and started strangling him. He was able to get away, came to my house, and we called 911. Terrifying for all of us, but everyone was safe in the end (fortunately my neighbor is a strong man). The burglar had kicked in a back door to get in. One theory is that the burglar had watched the wife and kids leave, and thought that the house was empty, but didn’t know that the husband was home.
8:27 PM UPDATE: And more new information, from Capt. Paulsen: “(On) further investigation of the occupied burglary (it) was determined to be a family matter. We are following up on the deceptive reporting given the amount of resources used/responded.”
West Seattle Crime Watch: More package thefts
From a theft victim who signed this report “West Seattle taxpayer who wants justice”:
Happened at 2:30 (Wednesday), 46th & Genesee, dog barked and possibly chased off the crooks but the packages are gone. UPS showed up at 2:35, FedEx at 2:45, crook stole the packages at around 3. From what I understand the crooks are following the trucks; I recommend that you send packages to your work or have them held at FedEx or UPS.
Even if you are not expecting any deliveries yourself – if you see someone suspicious in the vicinity of a delivery truck (or anywhere else!) don’t hesitate to call 911 – someone’s tip might just catch serial thieves with a trunkload of other people’s holiday presents.
West Seattle Crime Watch: Warning from robbery victim
During his Tuesday “tweetalong” (explained here), SPD Southwest Precinct Officer Scott Luckie tweeted about helping search for two people who “robbed somebody at gunpoint.” Tonight we have more information on the robbery – from the victim, who says it happened in his own neighborhood:
I was walking up Croft Place from Delridge [map] and Juneau when two younger Americans of African descent started following me up the hill. As I got towards the top of the hill and was in that patch where the streetlights are sparse by the small children’s play area, they approached and politely asked if they could use my phone to call their parents. I handed over my phone, an HTC 4g 3D that was in a black Otter case but the phone itself is red with a two lens camera. He acted like he was dialing home and stepped a couple steps away. That is when he pulled out a gun and pointed it at my head and informed me he was taking my phone and advised me to just walk up the hill and if I didn’t turn around, he wouldn’t shoot me.
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Seen these bikes? Three stolen from West Seattle family’s porch
Lilith e-mailed WSB, wondering if you’ve seen any or all of the bicycles stolen from her porch.
Last Friday night someone stole three bikes off our front porch. We live between Genesee Hill and Alaska Junction. No, they weren’t locked. (Though some of the ones that weren’t stolen were locked–yes, we have a lot bikes.)
We actually heard the noises on the porch about 3:00 am, but initially thought it was our nephew getting his bike to go to work. They made a big crashing noise when they took the second and third ones, though, and didn’t come back for more since we came running out. They must have ridden them away, because we didn’t hear a car or footsteps.
These bikes really have no resale value, so I can’t imagine they were stealing them to sell. They are probably in someone’s alley or at a park. We have looked, but are hoping that someone else may have seen them.
Photos and more information ahead:Read More
West Seattle Crime Watch: 3 in custody after burglary attempt – plus news of other arrests
3:47 PM: Thanks to everybody who called/e-mailed about a major police response in Highland Park, in the 16th/Trenton vicinity. It started with an attempted burglary, according to officers at the scene – including today’s tweetalong-ing Officer Scott Luckie, who hadn’t even gotten a chance to put the news on Twitter yet. Three people in custody, and one vehicle under investigation (in photo above). If/when we get more details, we’ll add them here. (added – one of Officer Luckie’s later tweets, with a photo)
Also via Twitter, the officer says two of the suspects were found in that vehicle, one “hiding in the bushes” at the targeted house.
ADDED 4:15 PM: Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Paulsen tells WSB the suspects in this case are “2 males, 1 female,” and are indeed suspects of which police were “aware.” Moments before we asked him about this case, he had sent this update on the overall burglary situation in West Seattle:
As I have stated previously, since Thanksgiving, the West Seattle community had experienced a significant increase in residential burglaries. The men and women of the Southwest Precinct have made apprehending the suspects in these crimes their major priority. Each time a suspicious circumstance call is dispatched, multiple officers have been dropping what they had been doing and rushing to the area.
In the past 3 weeks, we have identified 20 individuals as well as many vehicles. A number of these individuals have been committing burglaries in other Puget Sound communities. We have been collaborating with a number of police agencies who have experienced similar trends and suspects. Most if not all of the suspects are not from the West Seattle community. To date, we have arrested 8 in the past couple of weeks. Our residential burglaries have been reduced by half just within the past week. We will continue to locate and develop probable cause for the outstanding suspects.
Again, I would like to thank our West Seattle community for their assistance in reporting suspicious activity in their neighborhoods…Their observations and 911 reporting have had a tremendous impact in helping us apprehend these individuals which in return have made their neighborhoods safer.
West Seattle Crime Watch: Another doorstep package theft
This West Seattle Crime Watch reader report carries a warning that sadly needs to be repeated this time of year. From Kaela:
Just want to let people know that a package was stolen from my doorstep this afternoon, so be careful sending/receiving gifts and keep an eye out for your neighbors. I live in a townhouse on California just south of Morgan Junction. While I was at work, my neighbor saw a car with three women in it following a UPS truck. After the UPS driver dropped off my package, my neighbor saw a woman get out of the car, grab the package, and drive off, so called the police. The police found the car, which was apparently stolen, just down the street at the Subway across the street from Thriftway.
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West Seattle Crime Watch: Crash search; two break-ins
Happening as of a short time ago in the Admiral District – police are looking for a suspected hit-run driver who apparently took off after hitting a parked car at California/Hill (the red one in our photo) and then a utility pole. We’ll check with police later to see if they ever found the hit-run driver (no description at this point). No serious injuries reported.
Meantime, also in West Seattle Crime Watch this morning, two reader reports about recent burglaries – read on:Read More
West Seattle Crime Watch: Decoration thefts; stolen mail found
‘Tis the season for holiday crime as well as holiday joy, holiday giving, holiday celebrations … We have two reports of decoration theft in this West Seattle Crime Watch roundup. Linda e-mailed to say that “outside Christmas lights and lighted candy canes (were) stolen from the 4800 block on 49th Ave SW.” Molly (35th/Trenton/Henderson) reported a similar theft in this WSB Forums post, with another member adding a mention of a Fauntlee Hills theft later in the thread.
On a non-holiday note, from Carolyn:
I just wanted to let people in the Highland Park area know that this morning we found mail that belonged to a house about 2 block away in the road. There was an envelope with pictures that had been opened and an offer from a credit card company also opened, but the mail containing bills were left unopened. The mail was found at the corner of 8th Ave SW and SW Elmgrove St. We took the mail to the house it belonged to, but nobody answered, so we left the mail on the door step. Just a reminder for people to be extra vigilant during the holiday season. We will continue to keep a close eye out for any other suspicious activity.
Seasonal crime-prevention advice is in the latest SPD crime-prevention newsletter, by the way.
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