West Seattle, Washington
24 Sunday
First, two stolen vehicles to watch for:
STOLEN DODGE VAN: Reported by Denise: “My dark blue Dodge Grand Caravan was stolen last night near 34th and Roxbury. Distinct paint oxidation on hood.” We’re awaiting the plate and police-report numbers.
STOLEN KIA: Reported by a texter: “I’m currently renting a home (near 32nd/Kenyon( and woke up to shattered glass and no car. It was a 2013 silver Kia Rio with Oregon plates 057GXF.”
Next, two “found,” possibly stolen, Kias – we got these reports this morning, so their location/status might have changed since then:
‘FOUND’ KIA #1: Reported by Rachel:
We found a stolen probable Kia on our walk. It’s missing the back inside windows and the steering column. I have also reported it to the city is a stolen and dumped vehicle. It’s on Thistle as it approaches 16th. If it’s yours, I’m really sorry. We had a car stolen last year and dumped and ditched as well and it stinks.
The plate on it is CFP3006.
‘FOUND’ KIA #2: Reported by Cindy:
This car has a smashed back passenger window, though there is no glass on the ground so it seems that part happened somewhere else. The car has been sitting on 44th near the corner of Graham (southwest part of the street) for a couple of weeks now. Wondering if the car has been dumped.
Three business burglaries to report this morning – two early today, one a day earlier:
THIRD-TIME CRASH-AND-GRAB: Global Smoke and Vape at 35th/Roxbury has been hit with its third crash-and-grab burglary in less than three weeks:
This was reported just after 2 am, when remotely monitored video showed a “silver sedan” backing into the store. We went over for this photo and they hadn’t yet tallied what was taken – they were just busy cleaning up. The other crash-and-grabs were August 26th and September 6th. SPD incident # for this one is 23-265197.
CANNA WEST CULTURE SHOP: Thanks for the tip on this. Also hit by crash-and-grab burglars early today, Canna West Culture Shop (5435 California SW):
Staff told us they believe the burglars crashed into the store between 4 and 5 am (added: archived police-radio audio indicates the car, a red Hyundai Elantra, was still in the store when police arrived – the burglars may have gotten away in a “black sedan.”) This is NOT the cannabis shop – that’s Canna West Seattle (WSB sponsor) across the street.
Here too, they are still focused on cleanup and taking stock of what was taken, so the Culture Shop will be closed today. Police incident # for this burglary is 23-265255.
KIZUKI RAMEN: This break-in happened early Tuesday; the shop emailed us about it early today:
(Early Tuesday) at approximately 12:45 am, Kizuki Ramen at 42nd and Alaska was burglarized. A white/fair complexion male, 5’10”-6′ with a slight build, was able to enter a secured hallway to my business through an open loading dock bay. He proceeded to shatter a safety window in our fire exit door. He was able to steal our safe, cash register drawer as well as all of our third-party to-go order tablets. (Doordash, Uber Eats, GrubHub etc). Upon reviewing camera footage from Junction 47 management, we were able to determine that this individual had at least one to two “lookouts.” One heavy-set white male in all white, including shoes and baseball cap and a taller male wearing the same clothes.
After entering my business, he proceeded to go back and forth between Kizuki and The Lodge for nearly 6 hours! The register drawer they took was full of maybe $20 in loose coin change and the tablets are now worthless thanks to our awesome IT department. I’d say that’s instant Karma!
We’ll add the police report # when we get it. (Added: 23-264528.)
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reports – first, two robberies that happened days ago, but we’re publishing this so they’ll be on the record:
EARLY SUNDAY: This one first came to light when a victim’s parent wrote about it in the comment thread following our report on Sunday morning’s ATM holdup in Morgan Junction, saying, “My daughter and her friends were waiting for an Uber on top of Gatewood Hill area on California Ave [earlier Sunday] at 2:00 AM and two cars pulled over and robbed them at gunpoint.” In subsequent correspondence, we learned the robbery hadn’t been reported to police at the time, but a report was filed Monday. A camera in the area caught one car – a Kia Soul – and one person getting into it:
If you have any information, this incident # is 23-263491.
EARLY FRIDAY: This one came to light in an SPD summary published today. Just after quarter till four on Friday morning, a woman called 911 to say her purse had been snatched at/near the 35th/Avalon 7-11. Two people were involved and got away in a gray SUV with no plates, headed toward the bridge. We listened to archived audio for additional details. According to officers and dispatch, the victim said the robbers tried to sell her drugs, and when she said no, they knocked her down and took her purse. The recorded audio, however, did not yield any description of the robbers, nor any further description of the vehicle. If you have any information, this incident # is 23-259842.
‘PACKAGE DUMP’: That’s how the sender described this:
Neighbors found an array of stolen packages dumped in the vacant lot at 26th Ave SW and SW Juneau. They piled the boxes and items up in a neat pile. If people are missing items, they might be here. I’m not brave enough to go through all the packages.
6:04 PM: 1 hour and 13 minutes into that video, you’ll see the discussion that ended with the City Council’s Public Safety and Human Services Committee approving a much-amended version of the public-drug-use law. The vote was 4-1; the yes votes were Councilmembers Lisa Herbold and Andrew Lewis, the two sponsors of the proposal, and Councilmembers Sara Nelson and Alex Pedersen; the lone no vote was Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda. Final approval will be up to the full Council, likely at its meeting on September 26th. The basic intent of the bill was to bring city code into line with the new state law making public drug use a gross misdemeanor, but with qualifiers, primarily a declaration that Seattle’s preferred outcome is diversion to treatment and services, in some cases without arrest. One of the approved amendments, sponsored by Herbold and Mosqueda, spotlighted the need for continued funding for the diversion program LEAD to make that possible, though no actual funding was attached – that has to come in the budgeting process this fall. Another amendment that passed, sponsored by Pedersen, called for collecting data on the results of the new law between 2025 and 2030, and ensuring that the council would get updates. (You can see the various documents from the meeting by going here.)
9:54 PM: We asked City Attorney Ann Davison for comment at tonight’s Admiral Neighborhood Association gathering (full meeting report tomorrow). She didn’t have much to say other than she’s glad something is getting done.
Thanks for the tips about police and crime tape at the Admiral Way 7-11. An armed robbery is under investigation. An officer there told us it happened around 5:30 am and that $250 was taken by three robbers. Archived police-radio audio yields a few more details: It was reported about half an hour after it happened. The robbers are described as male, two Black, one white, all in pulled-up gray hoodies, with masks and blue gloves, one in gray sweat pants, two in black sweat pants, one with a silver semi-automatic handgun. Security video showed they got away in a gray four-door Hyundai sedan.
P.S. If you’re interested in asking local police about this or other recent crimes, they’re expected at tonight’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting (7 pm at Admiral Church, 4320 SW Hill).
From Les via email:
Sometime last night, my white 2005 Chevy Silverado truck was stolen from in front of my house on SW Canada Drive. The truck plate # is C30524C. The truck is white in color with a regular cab and an 8-foot bed The truck bed contains some demolished white kitchen cabinets. Police report #23-263411.
THURSDAY UPDATE: Les’s truck was found in Gatewood, at 39th/Willow.
Seattle Fire crews sometimes have to call for police help. This morning at Delridge and Cambridge, it was because a fire engine was hit by theft. According to emergency-radio traffic, a chain saw was taken from Engine 37. The thief was described as driving a red or maroon GMC Yukon with chrome wheels. We’re following up with SFD to see if there’s any additional information. Earlier this summer, regional media reported on other theft incidents elsewhere in the city.
(Reader photo)
Police have converged on another stolen Hyundai, crashed/dumped this past hour at 25th/Cloverdale.
(WSB photo)
Its occupants reportedly bolted and got into a white Kia that had been traveling with it, according to an earlier sighting on which police had been following up, a reported car prowl near 35th/Monroe in Gatewood. The white Kia was reported to be a different type from the white Kia in which Sunday’s Morgan Junction ATM robbers were traveling. No other descriptive details so far but be extra-watchful for suspicious activity, particularly involving those types of currently much-stolen cars.
Thanks to the reader who sent these photos – police are on the scene at 37th/Myrtle in Gatewood where a suspected stolen Kia crashed into three parked cars before its two occupants, both appearing to be Black male teenagers, got out and ran, as seen below.
According to ongoing police-radio exchanges, the vehicle hadn’t been reported stolen but police were going to contact its registered owner – in The Junction – and see if they were aware of its whereabouts.
1:13 PM: Thanks for the tips. Police are investigating an armed robbery at the Morgan Junction BECU standalone ATM today. It was reported just before 10:30 am. According to archived SPD audio, the robbers were described as three “unknown race males,” late teens or early 20s, wearing masks, in what turned out to be a stolen white Kia Soul, taken from the 3600 block of Beach Drive earlier this morning. One of the robbers had a gun. We’ll add anything more we find out.
2:31 PM: The robbery victim emailed us. Here’s how she says it happened: “Three young folk, all masked. Bright daylight, other people around. Only took maybe 30 seconds for them to get out of the car, take my wallet (and keys, ugh), get back in the car and drive off. Police confirmed the car was stolen, and that my description and those of other bystanders matched with other reports they’ve gotten from other recent incidents.” Meantime, a commenter below says their friend owns the stolen getaway car and that it was taken at about 2:30 am.
Sent by Nick:
Hi, just reporting a basic package theft, with clear images/videos – with a silver lining at the end!
A package thief stole from our front porch, moments after the FedEx delivery. This occurred at 5:02 pm on Thursday Sept. 7 at 35th & Andover. A police report has been filed, #2023-915431.
The woman appears to be white, mid-50s, 200 lbs, black tank shirt and white capri pants. Oddly, she left a note on the front porch scrawled on a paper towel, “Trying to tell you that U had a pkg.” A neighbor commenter on Ring says that her vehicle appears to be a black 2000-2006 Hyundai Elantra GT Hatchback – not a common vehicle.
I know my kid’s soccer cleats will never be recovered, but maybe somebody recognizes the woman in the picture and can provide additional information.
After posting the photos and videos on Ring, a generous neighbor offered a pair of second-hand cleats as a replacement. My kid can play soccer this weekend after all! Thank you, West Seattle – such a great community!
Sent by Sarah:
Our 1999 GMC Suburban, gold/champagne, was stolen from in front of our West Seattle home between 12:00 am and 2:30 am 9/8/2023.
We’ll add the plate and report numbers when we get them.
ADDED: Plate # 038SBU – Incident # 23-259803.
SATURDAY UPDATE: Sarah reports the vehicle was found – in a driveway in Wallingford.
That’s the stub where a cord should be connected to the base of one of the city-owned EV-charging stations on 39th SW in The Junction. We went over after tips this morning and saw the cords missing on both of the chargers. We subsequently asked Seattle City Light spokesperson Jenn Strang about the plan for repair; she indicated the situation was news to them, but said somebody would be dispatched to investigate. The chargers were installed three years ago, and we’ve covered multiple vandalism/theft incidents before.
Two notes in West Seattle Crime Watch this morning:
BUSINESS BURGLARIZED 2X IN 2 WEEKS: The front of Global Smoke & Vape at 35th/Roxbury was still boarded up from the break-in on August 26th when crash-and-grab burglar(s) hit it early today. We went over to check after a reader tip. The store proprietor confirmed the burglary and said a vehicle had been used to break down the temporary door. The SPD call log shows an alarm response there just after 4 am. The store is open today, even as they clean up, again.
DUMPED IN DRIVEWAY CRASH: Even earlier this morning, a rude awakening at Jon‘s house near 20th/Holden:
Car thieves dumped that stolen Kia Soul in his driveway, after crashing it into his car around 1:15 am, still running (as is often the case). More than four hours later, Jon reported, “Police just left with the tow truck. The car owner didn’t even know it had been stolen yet. A great way to start the day.”
P.S. Today’s already seen at least one other stolen/dumped Kia, according to police-radio communication – another one left at Westcrest Park, also damaged and running.
Thanks for the tips. Here’s what we’ve found out about why the Guardian One helicopter was circling The Junction for a while this past hour: A robbery at Sound Credit Union (4730 California SW), which is temporarily closed as a result.
The robber was described as a white man in his 30s, 5’8″, heavy build, black baseball cap and maroon shirt “over a long-sleeved shirt,” glasses, jeans, yellow shoes; a second person possibly acting as a lookout was described as a white man in his 30s with a white bucket or captain’s hat, red or pink face mask, gray shirt with a Playboy logo, jeans, black shoes. They were last seen in the alley behind the west-side businesses on California between Alaska and Edmunds. The dispatcher was told the robber didn’t show a weapon but presented a note threatening harm. (added) This is at least the third time this branch has been held up this year; our archives show previous robberies in February and in April.
(WSB photo)
After two reader tips, we just went over to the Walgreens in South Delridge and confirmed it’s closed, with the front entrance boarded up. Its website also describes the store as currently “temporarily closed.” Archived police-radio audio explains why: Around 5:45 am, a 911 call came in from a security firm monitoring live video of the store and seeing a vehicle crash into the entrance. Police arriving in the area saw a white pickup truck speeding away, though the audio isn’t clear on whether that was definitely the vehicle involved. We don’t know what if anything was taken from the Walgreens, since the store is closed and we won’t be able to request the police-report narrative until after the weekend.
First one appears to be a definite candidate for the dumped-likely-stolen file:
Abandoned burgundy KIA found on 27th and Kenyon. Obvious signs of being stolen (broken windows, ignition, etc.) and signals of drug use. This has been reported to police and assume it will be towed soon. Also footage from camera shows multiple people and cars involved during the dump.
The second one is a little more of a mystery. The reader report came in Saturday; we looked about an hour ago, and the truck is still there, so we’re publishing this:
Appears to be abandoned at 41st and Ida. Half in parking strip. Side work door attempted to be pried open.
It’s also parked facing the wrong way. The person who emailed said they’ve reported to police. Also of note – that’s the same Gatewood intersection where a stolen Hyundai was dumped earlier this week.
Two people contacted us about what happened in Arbor Heights tonight, including photos of the heavily tagged, crashed car (we’ve blocked out the tags):
My brother and sister-in-law live in Arbor Heights near Westside School. They witnessed a car, presumably stolen, drive wildly around the neighborhood, crash into the Westside School sign and then crash into the hill. The driver abandoned it there. They said there was a car following them and filming it all. They called 911 … The car was left running.
The other person we heard from said this car and the other one, described only as black, were earlier “racing on the streets near Arbor Heights Pool, around a corner (tires squealing) where children were playing … an adult walking a dog was able to move further onto the shoulder of the road and avoid being hit.” Police arrived just after we received the first note and identified the car to dispatch as a stolen Kia Forte, as they called for a tow truck.
P.S. We’ll mention it for the second time today – the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster) has another steering-wheel-lock giveaway, meant for people with Kias and Hyundais, Saturday (September 2nd), 9:30 am-11:30 am.
We asked SPD for information on this early-morning case after commenter Montanapup mentioned it. The info’s just in via this SPD Blotter post:
Seattle Police officers arrested one adult and three juvenile males after they were found fleeing from a stolen vehicle Wednesday morning.
Shortly after 5:00 a.m., officers responded to a reported theft near the intersection of 42nd Avenue SW and SW Dawson Street. Officers arrived and located a 27-year-old victim who told officers he was at a bus stop when five males in a black Kia approached and stole his backpack.
The victim provided officers with a description of the suspects and the vehicle. Police in the area located the vehicle and attempted to stop it, but the vehicle took off at a high rate of speed.
A short time later, officers learned the Kia was involved in a collision near 1st Avenue South and South Spokane Street.
Multiple officers responded to the scene of the collision and found the Kia engulfed in flames. All the suspects fled the scene on foot. Four of the suspects were apprehended a short distance away. A replica firearm was located at the scene.
(SPD photo)
Police contacted the registered owner of the Kia and learned the vehicle was stolen overnight.
A 63-year-old male driver of the vehicle the Kia collided with was treated by Seattle Fire Department personnel for minor injuries and transported to a nearby hospital.
The 20-year-old male suspect was booked into King County Jail for investigation of taking a motor a vehicle without permission. The three juveniles were identified and released.
10:17 AM: Two stolen-car reports:
STOLEN GRAY RABBIT: The photo and report are from Lindsay:
1979 VW Rabbit / primer gray
license: WA AZJ7174
VIN ends in 606Taken overnight (8/30) on the corner of 47th and Alaska, West Seattle
The car is primer gray with a painted light blue fender on the passenger side, and a darker blue horizontal stripe on the passenger door.Interior seats are white vinyl with a light blue VW symbol on each front seat headrest.
Please call 206-930-0471. Police report # 23-250382.
THURSDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: Lindsay says it was found, on Capitol Hill.
STOLEN AND FOUND: Tyler‘s car has been found but he wants to raise awareness:
(Monday) night my gray Kia Soul 2016 was stolen from 63rd Ave SW near Alki Beach. Sometime between 12 am and 6 am. Tthe car was recovered (in the 8100 block of) 24th Ave SW. The homeowner said it was the second Kia in 2 weeks abandoned there. The car was not drivable and they stole stuff in it. I Just want Kia owners in West Seattle to be aware.
MORE STEERING-WHEEL LOCKS: And a reminder for those with theft-prone Kia or Hyundai vehicles – the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster) is giving out steering-wheel locks again Saturday (September 2nd), 9:30 am-11:30 am.
ADDED 10:30 AM – DUMPED-LIKELY-STOLEN CAR: Rich just sent this – another Hyundai – seen at 41st/Ida and called in to police:
Rich says the car – a Tucson – was running and plateless, with broken windows.
Two Crime Watch reports, starting with an attack that happened Monday evening:
BASEBALL-BAT ATTACK: That photo was sent by a West Seattle woman who says a man smashed her car’s windshield with a baseball bat, twice, while she was in the driver’s seat: “It was absolutely terrifying.” This happened near Fauntleroy/Alaska around 6 pm – the victim says she was trying to pull out of the Trader Joe’s parking lot when the attacker got out of his car “to fight someone” and instead attacked her. Police-radio exchanges included a partial description of the attacker as a Black man, mid-20s, thin build, in a car that had varying descriptions, but the last one broadcast by police was “dark gray Prius with blacked-out rims.” The victim was so shaken up – with glass in her mouth – that “Someone took my phone to finish the 911 call. Thank you to that anonymous person.” We’re awaiting the SPD report narrative to see if they learned anything more from witnesses or area video cameras – in the meantime, the victim is hoping more witnesses will come forward – the case # to refer to is 23-248790. SPD’s violent-crimes tip line is 206-233-5000.
Also in Crime Watch, this reader report of a stolen pickup:
TEAL F-250 TAKEN: Via email from Renee:
Sometime between11:00 PM 8/28 and 7:30 AM 8/29, my brother’s 1996 teal (green) Ford F-250 pickup truck with a long bed (8 foot) and a black rack, license B98508V, was taken from the front of our house in the 5400 block of 18th Ave SW. Report no. 23-249273. If you see this truck, call the police and Mark at 206-423-1650.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Found in Shoreline.
2:08 AM: The first “heard gunfire” report this time came from a police officer who was in the High Point vicinity. Then in short order, dispatch started reporting multiple 911 callers who heard it too, including one who saw “muzzle flashes” in the Walt Hundley Playfield vicinity. Officers have subsequently found shell casings “about 30 yards into the park.” 13 “pistol casings” found so far, as well as “rifle casings,” as officers described their findings to dispatch.
2:18 AM: So far no reports of injuries or property damage. One officer gave dispatch a more-specific location, in the park west of the 6900 block of 31st SW.
ADDED THURSDAY: The police summary of the incident describes the recovered casings as “twenty-two 9mm … and six .556.”
Swedish Automotive (WSB sponsor) has been hit by another smash-and-grab burglary, similar to one back in February. Swedish proprietor Todd Ainsworth sent the photo and report:
We got hit again with another broken window sometime between Thursday evening and Friday morning. Some of our awesome clients and neighbors started texting us Friday morning, saying they saw the window while they were walking or driving by.
Whoever it was grabbed a couple of easy-to-reach items from one of our techs’ toolboxes and we have filed a police report. If anyone has any information, it would be great to know.
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