Notice an abandoned bicycle? Might be the one stolen late last night. Or – missing some items? A WSB’er found some. Both are ahead in the latest West Seattle Crime Watch reports:Read More
Keep watch for Corina‘s car. She writes, “My black Nissan Pathfinder 1992 with a yellow ‘I’m a circa regular” sticker was just stolen from my house” a little more than an hour ago. 5300 block of 18th SW; call 911 if you see it.
E-mail just in from the Toledo family says they’ve recovered the puppy reported stolen during a burglary at a Delridge home belonging to a relative of King County Council candidate Diana Toledo, “dropped off at a local shelter this morning” by a couple who saw a TV news report about the theft. Their note thanks all the local media outlets who ran stories about the missing dog (here’s ours from last weekend).
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports with means of transportation to watch for – stolen car and stolen bike (the latter, part of what was taken in a garage break-in) – read on:Read More
Four brief West Seattle Crime Watch reports to share tonight – a package taken from a porch, and three car break-ins, including one that might have had a witness, since it was in a busy parking lot:Read More
In King County Superior Court Judge Joan DuBuque‘s courtroom, the third of the three men found guilty of murdering Steve Bushaw in West Seattle in early 2009 has just been sentenced: One of the two triggermen who pleaded guilty, John Sylve, was given a sentence of 20 years total.
His sentencing originally was to be on the same day as that of the other triggerman, Danny O’Neal (here’s our Sept. 30th report), but Sylve’s family was a no-show in court on that date and all parties agreed to a postponement, including the victim’s family.
As the hearing began, the 26-year-old victim’s mother Meg Bushaw spoke:
ORIGINAL 3:17 AM REPORT: Two things this morning – one that’s happening right now: We’re working to find out more about a search that’s under way in the neighborhood east of California SW, between the Alaska and Morgan Junctions. Officers, including a K-9 team, are out searching for somebody. As soon as we find out what led to this, we’ll update. (Thanks to those who have reported this via e-mail, Facebook, and Twitter.)
9:40 AM UPDATE: Got the details from SPD: This started as a report of a “suspicious male” in the alley behind the 5400 block of 45th SW, with a running vehicle. Police arrived, saw three “unknown race males in dark clothing … 5’6 to 5’8″, slim build” who took off running eastbound upon seeing officers. They had been standing around a car that was up on blocks with three wheels/tires off. A search ensued; the K-9 team lost the scent around the 5400 block of 42nd, which likely means, police say, someone picked them up there. The car turned out to be stolen but hadn’t been reported yet; police are analyzing some items from its interior for possible prints.
(back to original report) Meantime, we have a report about a car prowl during the daytime on Wednesday – read on:Read More
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports received so far today – one involving purses stolen at a local church, and a request to be on the lookout for them; the other, one household whose cars have been targeted twice in two weeks. Details ahead:Read More
Two reports for West Seattle Crime Watch – a vandalized van used by a coach for special-needs kids, and a hit-run victim looking for witnesses – read on:Read More
My business was just robbed and I’m hoping to advise other businesses (especially along 35th) to keep an eye out.
I own Cafe Osita in the Sunrise Heights area of WSea (7349 35th Ave SW). White male, approx 18 – 25 yrs old, dirty blonde hair cut short (part on right side) wearing baggy jeans and oversized sweatshirt with graffiti graphics. Also has a black eye on right side and carrying a backpack. Came into shop asking for change, then hot water and then ice water. He managed to take a full tip jar off the counter while my back was turned. The police have been notified.
A man in a blue track suit just went down our block (7500 block of 46th Ave SW) testing car door handles. About 5’ 7-8”, medium complexion, w/short dark hair. 911 has been contacted.
I live down on 26th & Trenton St. (behind Westwood Village) and noticed that my blue 2006 Yamaha Vino scooter had been stolen. It was parked on 26th Ave just north of the 26th & Trenton intersection. License plate 910305. Probably stolen sometime between 1 pm Wednesday and noon today (Thursday). The only modification is it has a windshield. Looks exactly like this (plus a windshield).
Eco Beauty, an Aveda salon/spa north of Morgan Junction, is opening late today – but not because they wanted to. They had to wait for police to come investigate a crime; the broken glass above is part of the evidence. Salon manager Phillip Todd, who posted an alert about the burglary on the WSB Facebook page, says that broken window shows how the burglar/s got in; they got away with some money. We talked to them around noontime and noticed that police were there about half an hour ago, so they should be open before long.
ORIGINAL TUESDAY NIGHT REPORT: Two suspected serial bank robbers are in custody tonight, and we’re working to find out if they are the suspects from last week’s Washington Federal Savings holdup in Morgan Junction. The arrests were announced tonight by King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. John Urquhart, who said KCSO detectives arrested the two men, 64 and 65 years old, late today in the Mukilteo area. Sgt. Urquhart’s announcement says the two are wanted for five robberies since July, three in Shoreline and two in Seattle. In two of the three Shoreline stickups, the robbers were described as wearing masks – “Halloween masks” in one, a “Bill Clinton mask” in the other. You might recall that police told us last week that the Washington Federal robbers wore “Halloween masks,” at least one of which was described as the likeness of another former president, George W. Bush. We had just asked the FBI late today if any surveillance photos from that holdup would be made available, and a spokesperson told us they didn’t anticipate doing so; now, comes word of these arrests. Sgt. Urquhart replied to our followup inquiry by saying he doesn’t have specifics of the Seattle cases – but confirmed one of them was in West Seattle. (If we can’t get further confirmation tonight, we certainly will tomorrow.)
9:20 AM WEDNESDAY UPDATE: Det. Mark Jamieson with Seattle Police’s media unit confirms the two suspects are indeed believed to be the robbers who hit Washington Federal last Thursday. They’re both in the King County Jail. (Thursday photo above left, by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
Two loud booms rattled people in the heart of The Junction around 1 am, including WSB contributor Katie Meyer, who checked it out. According to what she learned at the scene and what we heard via scanner – somebody set off fireworks in the portable restroom by the bus shelter on the south side of SW Alaska, just west of California. Police and fire checked it out; the latter reported, there was certainly smoke, but no real fire and no significant damage.
The man charged last spring in a string of burglaries, with victims including residents at the Arrowhead Gardens retirement complex in southeastern West Seattle, pleaded guilty today to 16 charges. We reported in April on the case of 41-year-old John Novotny, who stole a variety of items all the way down to Christmas ornaments. In addition to burglary charges, he pleaded guilty to forgery, identity theft, and “taking a motor vehicle.” The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is seeking an “exceptional” 10-year sentence for Novotny when he is sentenced on December 9th (that’s almost double the low end of the “standard range”).
(Added 12:53 pm: Video of some of the seized drugs, guns)
Our partner site White Center Now had first word yesterday of the big raids focused on two WC sites described as “hubs” for crime – and contributor Deanie Schwarz is covering the new information today, with federal, state, county, and other authorities briefing the media at Steve Cox Memorial Park.
(Photo by Courtney Blethen Riffkin, SEATTLE TIMES/Republished with permission) Here’s the latest, with word of dozens of people arrested, dozens of guns seized, and confiscated drugs. We’ll be adding more details there throughout the afternoon.
The man suspected of exposing himself to children in several spots around the city including Alki is now charged, and his bail has been raised. The update from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office:
A 29-year-old man arrested for exposing himself to children in Seattle was charged this afternoon with one count of Child Molestation Second Degree and five counts of Indecent Exposure. Jesse K. Drugger is scheduled for arraignment on the charges on November 3 at 8:30 a.m. at the King County Courthouse, courtroom 1201. Prosecutors requested and the court approved a bail increase to $250,000 from $100,000. The defendant remains in jail.
We have just received the charging documents and will add any additional information they yield.
(Photos by Christopher Boffoli for WSB) ORIGINAL 2:25 PM REPORT: Police have rushed to the Washington Federal branch at California/Fauntleroy in Morgan Junction after a robbery report. According to what we are hearing on the scanner, the suspects are described as two men, apparently wearing Halloween masks. There are two reports that the getaway car might be black – a witness near the kitty-corner Thriftway saw men carrying at least one pillowcase jump into a car there and take off. Police are on the lookout all over West Seattle and the city, and also reportedly trying to determine if it’s part of a recent series (we haven’t had any here in WS lately).
2:44 PM UPDATE: Added a photo from WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli, who’s at the scene, and says Seattle Police have given him a few other details – the robbers were white, male, and wearing hoodies, as well as the aforementioned “Halloween masks.” Police confirm they are looking for a black getaway car. Scanner traffic says the robbers were believed to be armed with a shotgun and a handgun.
3:32 PM UPDATE: No word of any arrests so far. A few more details from Christopher at the scene: “The bank manager confirms the branch is closed for the rest of the day and as patrons have been showing up, they’ve been directed to use other branches. SPD detectives are on scene and are reviewing camera footage. They’re also taking pictures in the alley north of the bank location.” We asked him if they had been told what the robbers’ reported “Halloween masks” looked like. One description so far: Possibly a George W. Bush mask.
E-mail just in from the Toledo family says they’ve recovered the puppy reported stolen during a burglary at a Delridge home belonging to a relative of King County Council candidate Diana Toledo, “dropped off at a local shelter this morning” by a couple who saw a TV news report about the theft. Their note thanks all the local media outlets who ran stories about the missing dog (
In King County Superior Court Judge Joan DuBuque‘s courtroom, the third of the three men found guilty of 
ORIGINAL 3:17 AM REPORT: Two things this morning – one that’s happening right now: We’re working to find out more about a search that’s under way in the neighborhood east of California SW, between the Alaska and Morgan Junctions. Officers, including a K-9 team, are out searching for somebody. As soon as we find out what led to this, we’ll update. (Thanks to those who have reported this 
You might recall that police told us last week that the Washington Federal robbers wore “Halloween masks,” at least one of which was described as the likeness of another former president, George W. Bush. We had just asked the FBI late today if any surveillance photos from that holdup would be made available, and a spokesperson told us they didn’t anticipate doing so; now, comes word of these arrests. Sgt. Urquhart replied to our followup inquiry by saying he doesn’t have specifics of the Seattle cases – but confirmed one of them was in West Seattle. (If we can’t get further confirmation tonight, we certainly will tomorrow.)
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