West Seattle Crime Watch: Swinery smash-grab theft
Thanks to Brenda and to John Moore of Northwest Insurance Group (WSB sponsor) for sending in the tip after seeing the broken glass – Someone smashed The Swinery‘s front window overnight and made off with its cash register. We talked to The Swinery’s Garrett Doherty, who said there appeared to be a scattered trail of small change leading southbound. We’ve also checked with Southwest Precinct Lt. Norm James, who says the thief/thieves didn’t actually go into the shop – they managed to grab the register through the broken window. Though sometimes commercial burglaries come in waves, he says there hasn’t been an unusual number lately. (Last night he told the Alki Community Council that crime overall has been quieter in West Seattle lately; our report on the ACC meeting’s coming up later.) No arrest in this, yet.
West Seattle Crime Watch: That midday search, and more
After several notes scattered over the course of the afternoon/evening, we finally have information on the big police presence that several people noticed in Highland Park and south White Center at midday today: Southwest Precinct Lt. Ron Smith tells us tonight that it started with a report of a “domestic-violence disturbance” in the parking lot of Walgreens at 15th/16th/Roxbury. The suspect, a man in his late 20s, ran; he eventually was found hiding in bushes two blocks away, but matters were complicated by the fact the victim was uncooperative, says Lt. Smith, and tried to keep officers from finding the suspect. Once he was found, he was booked into King County Jail in connection with an outstanding warrant. Also tonight, two reader reports – a stolen car, and a car prowl – read on:Read More
West Seattle Crime Watch: The latest reader reports
While we’re devoting much of the day to West Seattle Summer Fest coverage, the other news will go on. We’ll keep this story ongoing for any non-breaking Crime Watch reports that need to be added during the day. First one comes from Mary in Seaview, who sent the photo at left, explaining, “I just want to report that our car was vandalized, probably last night. We saw some orange paint that had been sprayed on a white fence on 49th last night as we walked home from Morgan Junction, then discovered that our car and a neighbor’s car had also been sprayed with a line of orange paint. I did report it to police.” Morgan Junction also is the location of another report from an incident Wednesday night – read on (also added, possible casing on Puget Ridge):Read More
West Seattle Crime Watch update: ‘Bones’ is back
This was first noted in a comment at 3:45 this morning, and we just got confirmation from the theft victims – Someone returned “Bones,” the drummer in a popular Delridge driveway-side art installation, overnight, five days after he was stolen (as originally reported in the WSB Forums). The theft victims’ note was addressed to us but we believe it’s meant for all of WSB-land:
We just wanted to thank you one last time and let you know that to our immense delight Bones was returned last night. He’ll be going back into surgery (we’re beginning to worry he may have an addiction) and was missing his shoes, but otherwise we’re hopeful he’ll return to his drum kit soon. Thanks again for helping to restore our faith in the world!
If you, like us, hadn’t seen the band when they were all “together,” go here to see a photo shared by Brian Zenk.
West Seattle Crime Watch: Drumming up support to find ‘Bones’
That’s a photo of “Bones” – a North Delridge neighborhood fixture before somebody “kidnapped” him from his driveway-side “stage” a few days ago, according to a creative, plaintive post published to the WSB Forums. In a subsequent e-mail conversation, his owners told us:
On July 2 someone stole (“Bones”) just after we’d spent a great deal of time and money repairing him from weather damage, and we’d really like to have him returned since he has great sentimental value as well as being a significant time and financial investment.
They don’t want to make their contact info public at this point – they just hope that publicizing the theft will inspire someone who knows something to find a way to get “Bones” back to his rightful place as part of their garden-art display.
West Seattle Crime Watch: ‘Night Out’ exactly one month away
(2009 WSB photo from Night Out party in Fauntleroy)
Signed up for a “Night Out” crime-preventing/neighborhood-strengthening party on your block yet? This year’s event is coming up August 3rd. And Seattle Police have changed a few things this time around, as noted here. For one – there’s a quicker way to sign up online – you can do it right here, right now. For two – they’ve set up a Seattle Night Out Facebook page (you can “like” it here). If your neighborhood does decide to have a Night Out block party, and you wouldn’t mind us stopping by for a photo, please let us know – SPD generally doesn’t share lists/maps of registered parties, so we’ve made this request to you the past two years, and have met some great folks as a result.
West Seattle Crime Watch: Highland Park beating case status
With more than a month passing since the beating of a teenager in Highland Park came to light in startling TV-news stories, with claims of a racist motive, and no news of any arrests, people have continued to ask about the case’s status – we got another note just this morning. We’ve been checking with police periodically, and just talked again with Det. Mark Jamieson in the Seattle Police media unit. The short answer: It’s still an “active and ongoing investigation.” Longer answer: The DNA evidence is still being processed; the case files, Det. Jamieson told us, show that the detective who’s handling it has received an update that the lab is working on the analysis this week. He also says that the victim and his “custodial parent” – not the one who’s done media interviews along the way – have been getting updates from police, as is their primary responsibility as the investigation proceeds. Det. Jamieson says SPD understands community frustration and fears that there are dangerous people on the loose who might attack someone else, but all they can say for the record is that it’s “an ongoing investigation until it’s resolved.”
West Seattle Crime Watch: 4 cases from the inbox
In West Seattle Crime Watch this morning, a few new reports from the inbox – for starters, first catalytic-converter theft we’ve heard about in a while. The victim says it was cut off their 2000 Toyota 4Runner on Avalon Way yesterday in the Luna Park business district “in broad daylight” and is upset that no one apparently called police while it was happening. Next, a car prowl, a burglary, and a bike theft (latter one added at 11:40 am) – read on:Read More
West Seattle Crime Watch: School lockdown over; 1 arrest
We’re piecing together an incident that led to a brief lockdown at Madison Middle School within the past hour – the Madison office confirms that it’s over now and only lasted 15 minutes or so. They say West Seattle High School may also have been in lockdown. What happened, according to Det. Mark Jamieson at the Seattle Police unit, is still being sorted out, but he says a call about 12:38 pm reported “a young male with an ax or hatchet near a bus stop” in the area. No injuries reported but a “juvenile male” was taken into custody at 48th/Spokane. That’s all we know so far. Will add to this if/when we learn anything else. (Thanks to those who called and tweeted with the lockdown news.)
Why a police officer might turn up at your door, with questions
In the Seattle Police Southwest and North Precincts, a “pilot program” is under way to talk one-on-one with residents about crime and safety issues in their neighborhoods – by sending police officers door-to-door with a survey of sorts. We learned about this from a West Seattleite who messaged us about it via Facebook after an officer showed up at her door to ask some questions. Our request to precinct staff for more information drew a callback from Capt. Joe Kessler, who explained:Read More
West Seattle Crime Prevention Council: Car prowls down, & more
We’re at the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, where Sgt. Jeff Durden has just presented the crime-trends update. So far this month – car prowls are down dramatically – 30 in the first 13 days of June, compared to 123 for all of last month, and 126 the month before that. Sgt. Durden wondered if that might be in part thanks to a June 1st arrest that was reported here three days later – that of now-20-year-old Ronald Thompson, charged initially with 4 car thefts (we are checking to see if any more charges have been added in the case). We’ve also just heard more details about two cases we reported here briefly last night – the robbery at the South Seattle Market at 35th/Morgan, and a burglary arrest elsewhere in West Seattle yesterday. ADDED 11:49 PM: Click ahead for details (including, added at 1:35 am, toplines from City Attorney Pete Holmes’ guest appearance):Read More
Seen on the hill: SW Charlestown’s ‘annual’ graffiti vandalism
Out of the WSB inbox, from Kent:
Just reporting that the annual “school is out” graffiti has begun on Charlestown hill (and 47th). This year’s tasteless art includes a blue Swastika as well as obnoxiously large white lettering and it doesn’t end there. I really wish there was a way to thwart this! Maybe putting out the word that while we are proud of our graduates, maybe they might consider that we have to look at this graffiti in front of our homes every day now for the next few years (until it wears off). The city refuses to remove or cover it and it just invites other vandals.
We’re checking with SDOT regarding the latter contention.
ADDED 5:44 PM: From Rick Sheridan at SDOT:
SDOT does remove graffiti on streets, and takes hate, sexist, and racist graffiti seriously. Our goal is to respond to offensive graffiti on public property as soon as possible, usually within 24 hours. SDOT will work to remove the swastika from the roadway on Wednesday, June 16.
We will also assess at that time whether the other painted elements need to be addressed. SDOT recognizes that this is a standing tradition for students, one that is not typically the subject of complaints.
West Seattle Crime Watch: Arrests in robbery, burglary today
We received a few notes earlier about police activity near the 35th/Morgan market (map) and a few blocks north near the High Point library branch. Southwest Precinct Lt. Ron Rasmussen tells WSB that both scenes “were related to a robbery at the (market). Three juveniles were arrested by our officers in the area of the library. No suspects outstanding.” He also says that in another incident this afternoon, police arrested a juvenile burglary suspect “who entered a woman’s house in the 9200 Block of 26th SW [map] while she was at home.” (Another reminder that if you’ve got questions/concerns about crime, precinct leadership will be at tomorrow night’s monthly meeting of the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council as usual, 7 pm; also scheduled to be there, City Attorney Pete Holmes.)
A week ago, we
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