(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.
A new development in the Alki home-invasion robbery we first told you about early yesterday: Seattle Police have released this image of one of the suspected robbers. They say it’s from an ATM here in West Seattle, captured as the suspect used a credit card stolen in the robbery. If you have any idea who this is, or any other information about the robbery, call the Seattle Police Robbery Unit at 206-684-5535. The SPD Blotter update on this adds: “Anonymous calls are welcome.”
The 29-year-old man suspected of exposing himself to children in the Whale Tail Park area, as well as elsewhere around the city, had a bail hearing this afternoon. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office says bail was set at $100,000, and they have until tomorrow to file charges. They also released court documents that say he has at least two aliases, and was convicted of indecent exposure in December 2005. One of the non-WS incidents in which he is suspected, court documents say, went beyond “exposing” – he allegedly got close enough to one young victim to get bodily fluids on her. In the September 29th Alki incident, reported to WSB by a parent, he allegedly stalked a group of kids for several blocks before the exposure incident.He was arrested late Monday night at his home in Kenmore.
Seattle Police confirm they are investigating a reported home-invasion robbery in Alki late last night. We checked with them after getting a call from a woman who said her neighbors in the 5600 block of SW Lander (map) were robbed by two armed men who forced their way in. Southwest Precinct Lt. Alan Williams tells WSB they did respond to that call about 10:20 pm: “Initial reports were that 2 males in their early 20’s forced their way into a home and detained the two occupants at gunpoint. The suspects took a variety of personal items, then left on foot. No one was injured. A K9 unit responded and attempted to track the suspects, but the suspects likely left in a car that was nearby.” The caller told us the robbers were reported to have taken off with loot “in pillowcases.” No descriptions at this point; we’ll check back with police later this morning.
(Photo added 3:37 pm – police off SW Alaska, block west of Delridge) 1:55 PM: Police are still in North Delridge searching for two burglary suspects – and have arrested two others. Part of the search has involved the West Seattle Golf Course. Here’s what Seattle Police Officer Renée Witt says happened: They got a call around quarter till 1 about a burglary in the 5400 block of 30th SW. Someone saw suspects described as three black males and one heavyset black female, all in their 20s, one male with gray sweatshirt and black pants. First the person who called police was out looking for them; then police arrived, saw two suspects, saw two more run onto the Golf Course from SW Brandon. Two arrests were made, but an extensive search continues for the other two. We’re awaiting more information from police to see if they have any additional descriptive information about the two they’re still seeking.
2:14 PM UPDATE: Officer Witt just shared updated information – ONE suspect in custody, two others still being sought, and there’s still an “active track inside the golf course.”
3:37 PM UPDATE: That hasn’t stopped the golfing, in case you wondered – at least not along the north side of the course (SW Genesee) when we drove by a little while ago. Meantime, police were still combing the neighborhood as of our check (photo added above). If no formal updates come within the next few hours, we’ll check at tonight’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Councilmeeting, 7 pm at the precinct (Delridge/Webster), all welcome to hear about crime trends and discuss neighborhood crime concerns.
Seattle Police report this morning that the man they’ve been seeking in connection with at least five cases of indecent exposure – including an incident in Alki’s Whale Tail Park area – is in custody. From SPD Blotter:
The man detectives believe responsible for at least 5 indecent exposure incidents was arrested at his residence in Kenmore this morning at approximately 1:00 a.m. During the course of their investigation, detectives discovered that the suspect had been at Westlake Park, participating in Occupy Wall Street. Flyers of the suspect was circulated to officers and the public at the event.
The suspect was booked into King County Jail this morning for Investigation of Indecent Exposure.
ADDED 11:16 AM: The suspect is 29 years old, according to online records. So far court records do not show anything major.
ADDED 3:49 PM: Since he is not yet charged, we are not using his name, but the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office says he is scheduled for a bail hearing tomorrow.
Sometime before 5 pm today, we had two bikes stolen from our backyard on the 4100 block of 55th Ave SW – a yellow GT Outpost “18 (S/N P7EL27002) and a silver Marin Bolinas Ridge “15 (S/N 415MGM014) mountain bikes. We’ve called the police and are waiting for them to call back to take a report. Anyone with info please email: marcy.rugland@gmail.com
Giannoni’s Pizzeria on the south side of Westwood Village WILL be open on time at 11 this morning, owner Donna says – but that’s after some cleanup work they would rather have not had to do. What you’re looking at in our photo is a hole in the wall at Giannoni’s, cut by burglars who broke in and then went through the wall to get into Taco Del Mar next door. Donna tells us the burglars made off with quarters from the pizzeria’s Pac-Man video-game machine, among other things, so they’ve alerted the nearby QFC in case anyone turns up at Coinstar with an unusual amount of quarters. We’re checking with police for more details on the break-in, but in the meantime, Donna says the burglar(s) were apparently scared off while inside TDM, and it’s believed to have happened around 2:30 am, so please contact SPD if you were in the area and saw anything suspicious.
At the King County Courthouse this morning, Gatewood resident Duane Starkenburg was arraigned on the newest charge against him – child rape, from an incident that allegedly happened about a decade ago, but wasn’t brought to police attention till last month. King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesperson Dan Donohoe says Starkenburg pleaded not guilty; his bail will remain set at half a million dollars. His next court appearance in this case is scheduled for October 25th, while he is still awaiting trial on the three charges against him in the jogger-attacks case for which he was arrested last January.
Thanks to our friends at KING 5 for the tip on this one: The United States Postal Service says this doesn’t happen very often, but it happened at the corner of Admiral and Belvidere night before last – someone made off with the big blue USPS mailbox, leaving little behind but these stubs jutting out of the sidewalk:
This, despite special measures taken more than a decade ago to make the boxes and their installations more theft-resistant, according to USPS spokesperson Ernie Swanson, who confirmed the Postal Inspection Service is investigating this as a theft. Swanson tells WSB the mailbox will be replaced. If you think you might have had mail in the box when it was taken, call 877-876-2455.
My car was stolen from my alley access driveway with bedroom windows overlooking it. I also had a club on it at Fauntleroy and Edmunds. 1995 teal Honda Civic with low profile. I’m pissed off! Please warn others to take additional measures.
One of the half-dozen-plus ongoing criminal cases on which we check periodically is that of Angelo Felice, charged with the stabbing murder last February of the Fauntleroy man best known by his vaudeville name, Hokum W. Jeebs. Felice was back in court today; a trial date was tentatively set for January 17th, provided everything is in order at the “omnibus” check-in hearing that will precede it, on December 30th. We last reported on this case in March; what’s happened since then is the fairly standard pattern of check-in hearings, postponements, and also in this case some motions and documents that are “sealed,” regarding expert witnesses for the defense. Felice has been in jail, held in lieu of $1 million bail, since last February 16th, the day after the killing, when he was picked up while walking in Highland Park, hours after being seen climbing out of a ravine near Jeebs’s home.
Two incidents handled by local police in the past few days – a burglary and a dog attack in which both a child and another dog were bitten. Read on for reports from the victims in both cases:Read More
*Cleaning up the home of her recently deceased father, a woman came across a human skull encased in glass. She told officers what she could remember about the story her father had told her: That he had found it in the wild in Alaska back in the 1980s. Though Halloween is on the way, she decided to not keep it. She turned it over to officers, who passed it on to the Medical Examiner.
*A car prowl suspect, arrested in the 9200 block of 16th SW Sunday afternoon, denied responsibility and frantically claimed that he had to get back to his residence by 6 p.m. to, “tend to the goats.”
*A white male who appeared to be 65 years or older, with whitish/gray bushy hair, wearing a white baseball hat and a blue jacket has been acting suspiciously around a home in the 9400 block of 26th Ave. SW. He was seen in the yard, taking notes twice last week, claiming to be a gutter or a roof service person. The residents had not solicited any services from anyone. Officers suspect he might be casing residences.
Tonight is the first of two major public hearings for next year’s city budget proposal – and if you have something to say, you’re urged to participate, either by going to the hearing (5:30 pm at City Hall, with signups starting at 5) or by sharing your thoughts online. One coalition didn’t want to wait for tonight’s hearing; they planned to attend a special budget meeting this morning. They are a coalition of 11 groups from neighborhoods around the city – primarily business-focused – who together have issued a letter boiling down to this sentence near the start of a letter they have sent to city leaders: “While major crime is down citywide, street disorder persists and continues to negatively impact our neighborhoods.” They want to make sure the budget provides adequate resources to fight that disorder, and they have some suggestions. Among the signatories to their letter are reps from the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce and the White Center Community Development Association (whose office is in South Delridge). Here’s some of what the letter calls for:
*Increase police foot and bike patrols and dedicated anti-crime teams.
*Implement a pilot ‘Hot Spots’ program.
*Officer Distribution [in problem areas].
* Legislative Tools for Arrest/Diversion.
All of those points are elaborated on, in the full letter – we didn’t receive it in a cut-and-paste-friendly format, so we can’t include the full text here, but you can read it as a PDF.
ORIGINAL 2:49 PM REPORT: From WSB contributor Deanie Schwarz:
The big police response in Highland Park earlier this afternoon, including the blocking-off of the area around 13th/14th/Barton, involved a search for two burglary suspects. One was arrested relatively quickly, Deanie reports, while a K-9 search was used to help find the second. Police told her both are in custody. No details of the actual incident yet – we have an inquiry out to the precinct.
ADDED 4:59 PM: Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Paulsen has more details:
Today, our officers responded to a citizen 911 call of suspicious activity in the Highland Park neighborhood. Our officers responded to the area and located an unoccupied vehicle in the area that we have been keeping an eye out for (other reports of suspicious activity the past couple of weeks – possible burglary suspects).
Officers watched the vehicle for a period of time and encountered 2 subjects (adult and juvenile). Both subjects fled the scene. Containment was quickly set up, with one being apprehended quickly and the other after a K9 was called in from home.
Great team work and communication by our officers and detectives as well as our citizens calling in the suspicious activity to 911.
We believe these two subjects are responsible for a number of burglaries in West Seattle and White Center. Our Detectives are conducting the followup investigation. Both subjects are well-known to our officers for extensive criminal histories.
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
Back after another short hiatus: From reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers:
*Though he had been evicted at the beginning of the month, a man still had the key to the front door of his former condo building in the Admiral area. He would enter, climb to the roof, and then jump to his old balcony to get inside his old unit, against the orders of the sheriff, bank, and realtor. On Tuesday he was arrested and booked into King County Jail for investigation of criminal trespass. The condo management group will be changing the lock on the front door.
*Late Saturday of last weekend, seeing a car pull out of an Admiral service station without its headlights on, an officer ran the plate and discovered that the registered owner did not have a valid driver’s license. He pulled the car over at 36th and Olga. The driver admitted he had no insurance or license and, although he wasn’t wanted on any warrants, he did have a history of burglary and firearms possession. For safety reasons, the officer had him exit the vehicle, which brought half-full bottles of whiskey, brandy and cognac, a crowbar, and a pair of black leather gloves into plain view. These were confiscated. The 16-year-old was cited for driving without a license or insurance, for not using his headlights, minor in possession, and possession of burglary tools. He was released to his brother’s custody; his car was towed.
Three reports in West Seattle Crime Watch tonight: Two reports of multiple burglaries in individual neighborhoods, and one report of vandalism along a block of businesses in Morgan Junction – read on:Read More
At the 
One of the half-dozen-plus ongoing criminal cases on which we check periodically is that of Angelo Felice, charged with the 
From reports on cases handled recently by 
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