West Seattle, Washington
03 Wednesday
King County Sheriff’s Office deputies say their investigation remains open and active regarding a West Seattle man’s report of an armed robbery aboard a Metro bus. We heard a little about it the night it happened, then learned the victim had reported it on a neighborhood mailing list. We asked if he would share that story with WSB, and he agreed:
At around 12:10 a.m. Friday, August 29, 2025, I boarded the King County Metro C Line at 3rd Ave. and Pike St. in downtown Seattle and sat down in an empty elevated seat near the middle set of double-doors.
After a few minutes, a twenty-something black male in a blue hoodie sweatshirt moved to a seat directly across the aisle from me. He was carrying a skateboard, and had been in the seat behind me. He began engaging me in conversation with questions like, “Where are you headed?” and “What have you been up to tonight?”
It seemed a little strange, but I carried on the conversation in order to be polite. He said that he liked skating because it kept him out of trouble. I think he said that he had been skating at Cal Anderson park on Capitol Hill.
Another man, this one a twenty-something white male who was in the seat in front of the black male, joined in the conversation as well.
After ten to fifteen minutes of occasional chit chat, and as the bus was driving up Avalon Way, the black man moved into my seat and said in a calm, low voice “this is a gun.”
I could see that his hand was in the front pocket of his hoodie and the outline of what appeared, in fact, to be a handgun. He pushed what felt like the barrel up against my side. He told me to hand over my wallet or else he was going to shoot me. “I need it,” he said.
Unsure of whether I should comply or not, I didn’t respond for at least a few seconds before he reached into my right front pocket and removed my wallet. Somehow he knew exactly where it was. He said, “I need it,” again and moved out of my seat and walked up the aisle to stop in front of the first set of doors. I could see now that he was about 6’1″ in height, of slim to medium build.
I began yelling to the driver that I had just been robbed at gunpoint and not to open the doors at the next stop so that the perpetrator couldn’t escape. I pointed at the man who robbed me while yelling to the driver.
The perpetrator shrugged and said, “What?” frowning as if he hadn’t done anything.
I stepped into the aisle and the white man who had been part of the conversation stepped in front of me with his back to me, intentionally blocking my way. I realized at that moment that they were co-conspirators. I tried to get by him, but he was too large and heavy. In the scuffle, I punched him and kicked him in the side. The bus turned the corner onto 35th Ave. SW, reaching its next stop. I continued yelling at the driver but he opened the doors anyway and the perpetrators exited the bus. The black man appeared to head north on 35th. I didn’t see which direction the white man went. I called 911 from inside the bus. Later when I checked, I discovered that it was 12:30 a.m. when I made
the call. I described what had happened to the dispatcher. In the course of the conversation, I discovered that the underside of my right forearm was bruised and bleeding from a long cut. I surmised that I acquired it during my scuffle with the white man. The dispatcher communicated my injury to the Fire Department and relayed my call to the King County Sheriffs, who arrived on scene and took my statement.
His report # is C25026195; we asked KCSO – which has jurisdiction in crimes aboard Metro buses – about it, and they say they sent out a K9 team but no one was found, and they have no further information, though the investigation remains open and active.
Here’s what we’ve found out regarding two incidents readers have asked about:
EARLY MORNING RIVERVIEW SEARCH: Here’s what led to a police search in Riverview around 3 am today: A car turned up in the playfield lot that was linked to a crash-and-grab burglary that the South Precinct police had been investigating a short time earlier. Here’s the narrative for that:
At 2:07 a.m., officers received reports of a vehicle backing into a store in the 5900 block of Corson Avenue South. Police arrived and found severe damage to the front door of the store and tire tracks leading up to the building from the parking lot. A building search was conducted, and no suspects were found inside. The employee of the store arrived and stated thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise was stolen from the establishment.
The police investigation revealed that a silver-colored sedan backed into the store and damaged the front entry. Two suspects entered the store wearing dark clothing and masks. The suspects exited the store with stolen items and fled the scene in the vehicle. There may have been a third suspect driver.
There was no narrative for the Riverview search itself but archived audio shows a K9 search – which is why neighbors heard “short bursts of sirens” – followed the discovery of the car, a silver Hyundai sedan stolen from Burien, and that police reported seeing a gun magazine in it. The burglary suspects however, were not found, at last report.
JUNCTION RESPONSE ON MONDAY: Several readers asked about a big police response at 41st/Alaska early Monday afternoon. This turned out to have been the arrest of the suspect in an assault a short time earlier at Admiral Safeway; the 22-year-old man remains in jail today. According to the police narrative, it started just before noon with reports of a man “throwing merchandise at staff and punch(ing) a customer” inside the store, then leaving southbound on California. Police circulated photos of the man – described as a “chronic shoplifter” who had allegedly stolen a six-pack of beer from the store three hours earlier and was back for a repeat of that. When a store employee called 911, police say, the suspect threw “a 6-pack of full glass bottles” at the employee “from about 10 feet away,” then threw a “four-pound bag of oranges” at someone else. The employee escaped being hit by the bottles but the other person was hit by the oranges; three other customers were assaulted before the suspect left, according to the narrative, including a 76-year-old disabled woman who thought she was hit by a pumpkin. A short time later, police found the suspect in The Junction (the report says 42nd/Alaska though readers reported it was the Bank of America parking lot at 41st/Alaska), at which time officers say he threw “a glass jar of salsa” at an one of them, and missed, though it broke and splashed both the officer and their patrol car. The narrative continues:
(The suspect) was escorted to the ground where he continued not listening to officers’ commands to put his hands behind his back and continuously tried biting officers. (He) was eventually handcuffed and transported to KCJ without incident.
The jail roster shows the suspect is facing misdemeanor theft and assault charges for starters, with bail set at $2,000.
Thanks to the reader who texted that photo. According to a sign on the Westwood Village Post Office drive-up/ride-up/walk-up mailbox, it’s been broken into. That leaves West Seattle without this type of mailbox again, as the West Seattle Junction Post Office mailbox still hasn’t been replaced, two years after it as stolen (though a reader recently told us the Post Office staff there told them replacement was finally imminent). The Westwood box was absent for three weeks last year for unspecified “repairs.” We’ll be checking with USPS regarding the plan for this one.
Maybe you can help find this distinctive ebike:
My bike was stolen just outside of the Benbow Room on California and Admiral in West Seattle at 1:04 pm today, September 1st. Distinguishable features include large trunk on back, has light-up pedals, an underglow that can be turned on, as well as an LED sign that lights up on top of the trunk. I have also included photos of the new tires put on recently … This is my daily commuter and use this to get to and from work. Any help is very much appreciated and I am very grateful.
We’ll add the police-report # when we get it. (UPDATE: It’s 25-253565.)
Police are investigating confirmed gunfire in the Alki area. After 911 calls, they went to look for gunfire evidence, and found casings at 59th/Alki a short time ago. No reports of injuries or property damage so far.
Thanks for the tips. Here’s what the big police response that blocked 35th at Andover for a while about half an hour ago was about, according to emergency-radio archives: A car stolen somewhere in the East Precinct’s C sector area, possibly in a carjacking, was tracked to the westbound West Seattle Bridge and then to West Seattle. Southwest Precinct police found it and initially didn’t know if anyone was inside, so they approached with guns drawn. They eventually confirmed the car, described as a silver Hyundai Accent, had no one inside. No description(s) of whoever left it there but the car was last seen at the original crime scene being driven away by a “white male with a short buzz cut.”
Police are on the scene of another confirmed West Seattle gunfire incident, second one in less than four hours. This time they’ve found casings in the 6900 block of Delridge Way SW [vicinity map], after responding to a call from someone who said they saw a man firing a gun into the air while walking alongside a car. The man was described as an “unknown-race male, white mask, ball cap, dark clothing” and the car was described as a “black Lincoln, unknown model, with dark-tinted windows.’ No injuries or property damage reported so far.
11:03 PM: 911 has dealt with two waves of calls about suspected gunfire this past hour or so. The first, in the Alki area, was determined by police to be fireworks. But the most recent, in Admiral, was just confirmed as gunfire. Police report finding at least two shell casings in the 2700 block of 44th SW [vicinity map], which is just south of Lafayette Elementary. No injuries or property damage reported so far.
12:54 AM: No further info on this. As always, we’ll be following up with police later today and will add any additional information we obtain.
FRIDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: We have the police-report narrative:
At 2251 hours I was dispatched to a report of a shooting in the vicinity of [3000 BLK] 45 Ave SW. The following information was provided by dispatch.
“J/O, 6 SHOTS FROM THE EAST”
There were additional 911 calls reporting additional shots being heard as well as racing vehicles. The reports consistently placed the shots/vehicles moving to the east toward the West Seattle Bridge.
No one was reporting having seen any suspects or vehicles and no one was reporting any injury or property damage.
I checked the surrounding are with other Officers. Other Officers located [MULTIPLE] XXXX fired cartridge casings in the 2700 block of 44 Ave SW. The casings were in the middle of the street. No damage or injured persons were located in the vicinity. Some neighbors stepped out and advised they had not seen the shooting. Their cameras did not record.
The report concludes with the officer writing that they photographed the scene and collected the casings to submit into evidence.
(Added: Reader photo)
11:13 PM: Police are investigating Alki gunfire that was reported this past half-hour. One report even came from an officer in the area who told dispatch he had heard a possible shot, and dispatch told him they had just started getting calls. One of those calls was from a resident who said their apartment window near 63rd and Alki had bullet damage. No injuries. So far all police know about who might have done this is a report of a “dark SUV.” If you have any information, contact 911 and reference incident 25-246138.
ADDED 2:38 PM TUESDAY: We obtained the report narrative from SPD – most redactions (names and addresses) are theirs:
At 2253 hours I was in the area of the 2700 block of 64 Ave SW checking the area on another call, 2025-246087 when I heard a single gunshot coming from the vicinity of the 3000 block of Alki Ave SW.
Dispatch advised they were receiving several 911 calls regarding shots fired and provided the following information.
‘’ 1O GUNSHOTS TO THE NORTHEAST, NOTHING ELSE’’
I checked the immediate area around Alki Beach and I did not locate a scene. There were several pedestrians and beachgoers in the area but no one flagged me down.
Dispatch then advised that XXXX was calling from (address), advising that someone had shot through her bedroom window.
I relocated to XXXX address and contacted her and her husband XXXX. They told me the following, XXXX had been asleep in their bed on the 3rd floor. XXXX had gone upstairs and was sitting in bed next to XXXX looking through her phone. She heard 6-10 shots coming from the vicinity of Alki. While debating whether to call 911 she heard another gunshot from outside her residence and felt a pressure in the bedroom. This woke up XXXX reported hearing a crackling sound. XXXX went downstairs and checked outside. When he returned to the bedroom and turned on the light he and XXXX saw a bullet had pierced their bedroom window and into the ceiling.
The bullet entered the bedroom about 10 feet from where XXXX and XXXX were on the bed. I was unable to recover the projectile. I took photos of the damage via AXON Capture and XXXX and XXXX provided an audio statement. I provided them a business card.
Officer XXXX recovered a 9mm fired cartridge casing from in front of the residence. I submitted this casing into evidence.
XXXX and XXXX approached and advised they had heard several shots from the vicinity of Alki before seeing a dark smaller SUV turn into the alley … They then heard a single shot.
XXXX was able to show Officers a video he took on his phone. In it I observed small red SUV turn into the alley and immediately afterword the single gunshot was heard. … I was also able to speak with XXXX. He advised he had been in his residence (address) when he heard the initial volley of gunfire coming from Alki Ave SW. He then heard the single gunshot come from the alley. He did not have any suspect description.
XXXX and XXXX advised that their cameras and their neighbors’ cameras did not record anything. The surrounding area was checked by several Officers but no additional scene or victims were located.
The container-ship captain arrested for alleged boating under the influence is now charged. We reported Saturday about the arrest of the captain after his ship, MSC Jubilee IX, docked at Terminal 5 in West Seattle; he had been reported by a pilot on board to navigate the ship through Puget Sound. The Coast Guard’s weekend news release said the case had been referred to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, so we inquired this morning about the status, and got word the captain was charged this morning. 48-year-old Oleh V. Danylin is charged with Operating a Vessel While Under the Influence, which is a gross misdemeanor. The charging documents say a breathalyzer test the morning of his arrest last Wednesday put his blood-alcohol level at .25. One of the investigators who wrote the documents noted, “The odor of intoxicants emitting from his person was so strong, it filled the room,” even though a fan was running. Investigators also wrote that Danylin denied having had any alcohol and claimed he’d used Listerine moments earlier. According to the King County Jail docket, he was booked into KCJ Wednesday night and released Thursday afternoon; the KCPAO says he was freed on personal recognizance but had to surrender his passport – the charging documents identify him as a citizen of Ukraine – and has another hearing coming up this Wednesday.
P.S. Jurisdictional note from KCPAO spokesperson Casey McNerthney: “Most DUI cases in King County are handled by the cities in which they occur. However, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has jurisdictions on state roads, unincorporated King County, and some cases on the water, such as this one.”
Thanks to the reader who sent this photo and report after happening onto this at Admiral Safeway around 7:30 am:
When I arrived … there were a few empty packages in the parking lot. Amazon person is at machine …. reporting.
The sender says a store employee told them it’s happened before. We don’t know if it has been reported to police – there’s no obviously correlatory incident on the SPD map.
Unusual news release came in this afternoon from the U.S. Coast Guard in Seattle – reporting the arrest of a cargo-ship captain this week at West Seattle’s Terminal 5:
The Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) arrested the captain of the motor vessel MSC Jubilee IX for suspicion of operating the vessel while intoxicated following a boarding at Terminal 5 in Seattle, Aug 20, 2025.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound were notified by a Puget Sound Pilot aboard the MSC Jubilee IX, who reported the vessel’s captain was exhibiting signs of intoxication. The pilot and first mate operated the vessel during the transit from an anchorage near Everett, Wash., to Terminal 5 at the Port of Seattle without incident.
Upon mooring at Terminal 5, a Coast Guard boarding team and CGIS agents initiated a boarding and port state control examination. Crews administered a field sobriety and breathalyzer test to the captain, which found that he was impaired more than six times the legal limit for commercial mariners.
The captain was arrested and transported by CGIS to the King County Jail, where charges were referred to the King County Prosecutor for boating under the influence.
The vessel was detained by the Coast Guard until a relief captain was identified and confirmed. The vessel has since been cleared to resume operations.
“The Coast Guard is proud to ensure the safety and security of the maritime transportation system,” said Paul Shultz, Special Agent in Charge, CGIS Northwest Field Office. “The Pilot’s immediate intervention mitigated significant risks and ensured the safe passage of the vessel”.
The MSC Jubilee IX is a 333 meter container ship operating under the Liberian flag.
The incident remains under investigation.
So far as we’ve been able to find via research, the legal blood-alcohol limit for commercial boating is .04. We’re following up to find out the captain’s status. According to VesselFinder, the ship left Seattle early Friday and is heading to Prince Rupert, B.C.
MONDAY UPDATE: From the King County PAO, “This morning, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged that boat captain, Oleh Danylin, with Operation of a Vessel While Under the Influence.” Separate story to come.
For the second consecutive day, we have a report of a stolen vehicle in the Westwood Village area, this time from a residential driveway across the street from the center:
Stolen black 1995 Dodge Ram 1500 Truck
2 Wheel Drive, Cab High Canopy, Fiberglass step below doors
Stolen Tuesday night (Aug 19th-20th) 2500block SW Barton St.
License # B48372V – if seen call Don, 206-661-4856
Incident has been reported to Seattle Police. # 25-239499
MONDAY NOTE: It’s been found, near 13th/Roxbury.
Another stolen vehicle to keep watch for. The report was sent by Tricia:
Stolen Silver Gray 1991 Jeep Cherokee on 8/19/2025 – approximately 5:45 pm Westwood Village (by Target)
Plate CLX-6750
If spotted in Seattle, SPD says call 911 and give the Police Report number: 25-239625
The report was sent by Kate:
Yesterday at approximately 2:45 PM [near 22nd/Trenton], we heard a commotion in our backyard. When my husband looked outside, he saw two teenage boys throwing rocks at our windows. He ran out to confront them, but they had already fled.
We decided to drive around the area to see if we could find anything and soon encountered a neighbor who reported that the same individuals had thrown an object and shattered the rear windshield of her car.
As we continued driving, we spoke with several other neighbors who shared similar experiences. Based on what we gathered, the incidents appear to have started around 2:20 PM near SW Thistle and the alley between 22nd Ave SW and 24th Ave SW. The teenagers then moved southbound down the alley, throwing rocks, soda bottles, and other objects at homes and vehicles, eventually ending their path at SW Henderson Street.
A police report has been filed (Incident # 25-238883). If anyone has video footage or additional information and would like to share, please feel free to add it to the incident report.
The image is a cropped screengrab from security video.
(WSB photo, earlier today)
Behind those doors, the Menashe and Sons Jewelers owners and staff were working today to get ready to reopen tomorrow for the first time since Thursday’s high-noon smash-and-grab robbery, shown on security video the family-owned shop has released:
They were working today on inventory, continuing to catalog what had been stolen so police would have photos to circulate. The shop stressed in a statement on Friday that no jewelry or watches left by customers for service had been taken. They plan to be open 10:30 am to 5 pm tomorrow.
Meantime, we asked SPD if they had any updates on the investigation – short answer, no; longer answer, they say they’ll “release information when/if arrests are made.” If you have tip(s), the hotline is 206-233-5000 and the incident # is 25-233180.
5:10 PM: According to emergency radio, King County Sheriff’s Office deputies are or were pursuing a stolen silver Hyundai Elantra, plate starting with BDR, and Guardian One is assisting them. The last location reported on Seattle Police radio as an FYI was 16th/107th in White Center, but the helicopter is further north, currently.
5:15 PM: And the helicopter’s south again.
12:43 AM: Police and fire are responding to what’s reported to be a stabbing at or near Westwood Village. The victim is at a bus stop in the area. The attacker is described as a white man, blond hair, dressed all in black, 5’9″, heavy build, last seen running westbound on SW Barton, or possibly into Roxhill Park.
12:47 AM: The victim is reported to have a stab wound to the abdomen. Police are calling in a K9 team to help with the search.
1:11 AM: Based on what the K9 team is finding, the search has expanded southward. No word on the victim’s condition, meantime.
1:50 AM: The track grew cold so the K9 search – with a team borrowed from King County SO, since SPD had none available – has ended.
9:04 AM: SFD says the victim is a ~30-year-old man who was in stable condition when taken to the hospital.
NOON: SPD says the victim – who had “several severe lacerations to his hands, upper chest, and left leg” – told officers he was asleep when the attacker stabbed him. If you have any information, call the SPD tip line at 206-233-5000 and refer to case 25-237023.
(WSB photo, Thursday)
One day after the noontime smash-and-grab robbery that police say netted $2 million in merchandise in 90 seconds, Menashe and Sons Jewelers in The Junction asked us to publish this new statement with a revised reopening date:
To our valued customers and community,
We want to assure you that all customer jewelry and watches are safe and were not among the items taken during the recent robbery at our store.
Your trust means everything to us, and we are grateful to share this important news with you.
As we work to assess, regroup, and repair the damage done, Menashe & Sons will be closed on Friday, Saturday, and Monday.
We will reopen on Tuesday, August 19th, ready to serve you with the same care and dedication you’ve come to expect.
We are deeply thankful for the outpouring of support from the West Seattle community and from all those who have reached out with kind words and encouragement.
Your support means the world to us during this difficult time.
Thank you for being so understanding and continued trust.
We look forward to welcoming you back soon — stronger than ever.
Warm regards,
The Menashe & Sons Family
The robbery carried out by four masked robbers armed with hammers followed two crash-and-grab attacks on two other Junction businesses in the previous week (August 7 and August 8). The Menashes’ store was hit in the same way on Christmas Eve 2022. So far, no updates from police on the investigation of Thursday’s robbery; 206-233-5000 is the SPD tipline, and 25-233180 is the incident number.
10:54 PM: First police got a report of gunfire heard on Alki – then a report of someone shot. They’re with a victim who is reported to have five gunshot wounds, said to be stopped with two other people in a car at 51st and Admiral [map].
(Added: Response at 51st/Admiral – reader photo)
They’re not sure yet where the shooting happened aside from “on Alki Beach somewhere.” Meanwhile, the response is blocking eastbound Admiral near 51st.
11 PM: Police just told dispatch that so far the people in the car say they were just driving on Alki “and someone opened fire on them.” … They also were told the gunfire might have come from a “black sedan.” Meantime, the victim has been described on emergency radio as a woman in her early 20s.
11:12 PM: Officers report finding a shell casing at 60th/Alki. They’ll be blocking Alki Avenue in the area while they search for more. The victim, meantime, has been taken to Harborview Medical Center.
11:19 PM: New update from officers to dispatch: “This is going to be a DV [domestic violence] incident.”
11:14 AM FRIDAY: Summary from SPD:
Seattle police officers are investigating after they found a 22-year-old woman with multiple gunshot wounds in West Seattle last night.
On Aug. 14 at about 10:50 p.m., patrol officers responded to reports of a shooting near Southwest Admiral Way and 51st Avenue Southwest. There, officers found a truck with three women inside, ages 20, 22, and 25, including the victim.
The victim sustained gunshot wounds to her lower extremities. According to the police report, she suffered “multiple gunshot wounds to her left inner thigh, her pelvis and her right buttocks.” The other women did not get shot.
Police and the Seattle Fire Department provided medical aid to the victim. SFD transported her to Harborview Medical Center in serious condition. Medics also transported one of the women to HMC for evaluation.
The suspect fled the area before police arrived. Officers could not locate the actual shooting scene. The 911 call initially came out as a random shooting; however, police uncovered evidence to suggest that the shooting may be domestic violence-related.
The circumstances leading up to the shooting are under investigation. If anyone has information, they are asked to call the SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000. Incident Number: 2025-233847
12:18 PM: Police are in The Junction after a robbery reported at Menashe and Sons Jewelers. The robbers are reported to have gotten away in a silver Subaru but that’s already been reported apparently dumped somewhere bear 35th/Fauntleroy, with its occupants possibly getting into a white Camry and heading eastbound on the bridge. The robbers were reported to have been armed with “hammers and bear spray.” More to come.
12:29 PM: We’ve added a photo above sent by Clarence Higuera, who was in the area right after this happened, He also just put us on the phone with a witness who was in the store and says the robbers – masked – smashed their way in and were in and out very quickly. Clarence’s photo shows broken glass in front of the store as well as police. Menashe and Sons has long had a locked door, and other security measures since a crash-and-grab burglary on Christmas Eve 2022.
12:52 PM: We’ve also just received those photos of the damage inside the shop. Police are canvassing nearby businesses for video cameras that might have caught something. If you have any tips or video that might help the investigation, the incident number is 25-233180. The first 911 call came in at noon.
1:14 PM: The Junction Association has long had supplemental security; WSJA tells us the regular hours are in the evening and overnight. Tonight they’ll be “stationed in The Junction at Menashe’s” starting in the early evening and continuing until tomorrow morning. Also of note: WSJA tells us Police Chief Shon Barnes has shown up at the robbery scene. He was already scheduled to be in West Seattle tonight for the city’s Council District 1 version of the Community Safety Forum (6 pm, Delridge Community Center, 4458 Delridge Way SW).
1:47 PM: Another note: The same block saw a daylight smash-and-grab robbery three and a half years ago, in April 2022, at what was at the time Bellevue Rare Coins on the ground floor of what was at the time the Senior Center of West Seattle (the space that now holds Snapdragon). Meantime, we’re not sure if police have recovered the getaway car, as an officer who has seen video just broadcast that it was a silver/blue Subaru Outback with a dealership placard on the back, nothing on the front, some damage near the right rear wheel. That officer also said there were four robbers; the only descriptions broadcast were clothing, including three in gray hoodies, one in a red hoodie.
1:59 PM: CSI detectives have just told dispatch they’re on scene too.
4 PM: Police say the robbers “stole an estimated $1 million dollars’ worth of jewelry” if not more. They also verify that no related vehicle(s) have been recovered yet. Meantime, we have a crew back in The Junction to follow up and they report the shop is installing a temporary door.
4:19 PM: Shop management asked us “to let our customers know that we will be closed until Monday.”
4:46 PM: Anne Higuera spoke with Menashe family members at the shop for WSB. Jack Menashe said, “We’re thankful that no one was hurt … we’ll get through this.” In addition to the police chief coming to the scene, they said they’d also received a call from the mayor.
ADDED 9:43 PM: Here’s the updated summary from police, who say the estimated value of what was taken has doubled:
Seattle police officers are investigating an estimated two million dollar smash and grab robbery of a jewelry store in West Seattle this afternoon.
On Aug. 14, at 12:00 p.m., patrol officers responded to reports of a robbery at a jewelry store in the 4500 block of California Avenue Southwest. There, officers determined that four masked suspects used hammers to smash the locked front glass door. Once inside, they smashed six glass display cases and stole an estimated two million dollars’ worth of jewelry, diamonds, and luxury watches.
According to the police report, “one of the glass jewelry displays contained 700-800k in Rolex watches, another contained an emerald necklace valued at $125k and a platinum diamond. Two other display cases contained a large amount of gold jewelry.”
During the 90-second heist, one of the suspects pointed bear spray and a taser at employees while the others robbed the store. Neither the victims or witnesses reported any injuries to police. When finished, the suspects fled the scene in a getaway car before officers arrived. Police searched the area, yet they did not locate the suspects.
The Robbery Unit, Crime Scene Investigations Unit, and the Photo and Video Units responded to process the scene. Anyone with information is asked to call the SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000. Anonymous tips are accepted.
5:33 PM: For those wondering why the Guardian One helicopter is over Arbor Heights – they’re helping SPD in an attempt to recover a stolen vehicle. The helicopter isn’t routinely summoned for this kind of call but the vehicle in question was reported to have been stolen in a carjacking, so that ups the case to robbery; we don’t know where or when that happened – no carjackings recently in WS. The car is described as a gray 2021 Dodge Challenger with a “small rear window broken out,” license starting with CMT; call 911 if you see it.
5:46 PM: With some indications the car might be headed north, or might even gotten onto the ferry, the helicopter has moved out of the Arbor Heights area.
Readers found the previous stolen vehicle published here. Maybe you’ll find this one, reported by Christina:
On the early morning of August 11, my 2006 GMC Yukon was stolen from in front of my home on 37th Ave SW near Morgan junction. It was my much-loved and invested-in work truck. If anyone has its whereabouts, please let me know!
Plate: CHT7802
Please call police line at 911
W/Incident report 25-229344
And also leave a message on here as well
SATURDAY UPDATE: Per comment, it’s been found.
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