Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:

SUSPECTED SKIMMING: From Michael:

I’d like to get the word out that my debit card information was likely skimmed when I used it at the ATM inside QFC on 42nd & Alaska, then was used by the thief at the ATM inside the Safeway in Jefferson Square, a few days later.

The worst part of the scam was a battery of emails, text messages, and phone calls pretending to be from my bank, alerting me to the fraud. These messages were mixed into the real fraud alerts from my bank. The fake ones were hard to distinguish from the real ones. These messages were designed to trick me into giving bank account authentication information to the thief (or thieves), and perhaps for identity theft as well.

My bank assures me that I’ll be able to dispute the fraudulent withdrawal after it is posted to my account. If the thief had succeeded at taking over my account, I might not have been able to dispute it, and they might have been able to empty the account using the payments service.

I reported this to the police, via the website, giving them the time that the fraudulent ATM withdrawal was made, and where. Hopefully that can help identify a suspect.

The card skimmer is likely gone already, but I figure a public service announcement would be useful for the community.

DUMPED-LIKELY-STOLEN: From Greta:

I found a milk crate full of a dog harness, leashes, and some keys, maybe a house key, in our alley behind our house. Also someone dumped a Yakima car topper.

If any of that might be yours, contact us and we’ll connect you.

(WSB photos)

10:45 PM: Just before 9 pm, a 911 caller told police the Northwest Wine Academy on the north side of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus had just been broken into. We got a tip shortly thereafter and went over. Police said it was NOT a crash-grab – the burglar(s) broke the door glass some other way to get in.

Listening to the archived audio on this one, police described the burglar(s)’ vehicle as a silver Honda sedan and said it sounded similar to a “Subway burglary” also under investigation; checking the call log, we note a break-in reported a bit earlier in the evening in the 6700 block of West Marginal Way SW, where there is indeed a Subway. Meantime, no word on what might have been taken from the Wine Academy – we’ll follow up with SSC tomorrow.

9:40 AM: Here’s what we found out from SSC spokesperson Ty Swenson. The burglar was inside for about four minutes and “did not appear to have left with anything of value” – aside from possibly a few bottles of wine. The NWWA will be open today as is usual on Fridays, 1-6 pm (also note there’s an added day this week, 1-6 pm Sunday during the West Seattle Garden Tour).

Last month we reported on the arrest of Johny Mixayboua, suspected in a variety of mail-theft-related crimes including stealing two USPS trucks in West Seattle. Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced a 9-count federal indictment:

The suspect in a series of mail vehicle and mail key thefts was indicted today by a federal grand jury for nine federal felonies, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Johny Mixayboua, 27, was arrested on a criminal complaint last month and is now charged with three counts of theft of government property, unlawful possession of a postal key, mail theft, possession of stolen mail, illegal transactions with a credit or debit card, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition.

According to records in the case, on December 28, 2022, a U.S. Postal Service vehicle was stolen from the 6300 block of South Bangor Street in Seattle. In the vehicle was a postal key that is used to access the cluster mailbox units in the 98178 zip code. The key allows the postal worker to open the back of the cluster box to deliver mail to multiple households. Since the theft of the vehicle and postal key, there have been numerous reports of cluster boxes in zip code 98178 being opened and mail stolen.

Working with neighbors, the Postal Inspection Service was able to get door camera footage showing the person accessing the postal boxes. Neighbors reported credit cards being stolen and attempts being made to use them. Inspectors were able to review images from when the credit card attempts occurred and ultimately identified Mixayboua as the person stealing the mail and attempting to use the stolen credit cards.

Additionally, local law enforcement determined that vehicles used in a number of the mail theft incidents were reported stolen.

On January 17, 2023, two more Postal Service vehicles were stolen. One in the 3000 block of Beach Drive SW and a second one in the 3600 block of 57th SW. Both are in zip code 98116. Using doorbell camera footage from the block where one of the vehicles was recovered, investigators allegedly saw Mixayboua removing mail and parcels from the stolen postal vehicle and putting them in another vehicle. Again, law enforcement traced credit cards stolen from the mail and obtained surveillance footage that appears to show Mixayboua attempting to make purchases with the credit cards.

On January 30, 2023, a fourth postal vehicle was stolen – this time from the 2000 block of S. Columbian Way in Seattle. On March 28, 2023, a fifth postal vehicle was stolen from the 5700 block of S. 129th Ave. One of the people associated with the theft matches a description of Mixayboua. In late January and February, the mail theft incidents continued — this time in the Snoqualmie, Washington area. The cluster boxes were opened with either a counterfeit or authentic postal key. Again, credit cards were stolen, and one was linked to images of Mixayboua making purchases at Target.

Throughout April, mail thefts continued from as far north as Lake Forest Park and as far south as southeast Seattle.

The postal service halted deliveries in zip code 98118 for about a week while investigators worked to track down and arrest Mixayboua.

Mixaboua apparently was living in a vehicle near a relative’s home. When he was arrested, law enforcement found a firearm that he threw into the bushes while attempting to run away and ammunition in the vehicle, resulting in the last two counts in the indictment. Mixayboua is prohibitied from possessing firearms due to multiple felony convictions in King County for auto theft, possession of stolen property, and bail jumping.

Mail theft and possession of stolen mail are punishable by up to five years in prison. Theft of government property and unlawful possession of postal keys are punishable by up to ten years in prison. Illegal transactions on an access device, possession of ammunition, and being a felon in possession of a firearm are punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Mixayboua remains in jail at the SeaTac Federal Detention Center.

Both of these reports are from Ty in North Delridge, whose truck was stolen:

My truck was stolen sometime on 6/16/23. It is a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 4×4, license plate C78292T. There are cracks on the rear fender on the passenger side. Police report # 23-168808

Shortly after that report, Ty sent this:

I ran across this truck down from my block. It’s a F350 FX4. There aren’t any plates and it’s been vandalized. It’s just south of Juneau and 26th Ave SW across from the Seattle City Light substation.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Ty says the Silverado’s been found, in Lakewood.

10:14 AM: Melissa says this happened early today in Highland Park:

My car was stolen from our driveway on 6/20/2023 @ 12:54 am. It is a 2016 red Hyundai Elantra with license plate number AWH5605. Police report # 23-171492.

Melissa says video shows 3 people getting into the car by breaking the back passenger-side window (we’ll add the clip if/when available).

2:15 PM: Here are two images from the video – one showing the other car associated with the thieves, one with the thieves:

WEDNESDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Melissa says her car was found just blocks away – where commenter Jkm reported it.

3:02 PM: From John, who lives in Highland Park and (corrected) works at the KAVU store in South Delridge:

Our KAVU Company truck was stolen from outside an employee’s house last night in Burien. It is a 2013 Ford F-150 Pickup. License plate: KAVU

We’ll add the report number – which will be a KCSO/Burien PD case – when we get it.

5:42 PM: John says the truck’s been found – in Federal Way.

(WSB photos)

Thanks for the tips. The latest West Seattle business hit by crash-and-grab burglars is Tulip’s Nail Salon in Jefferson Square. According to archived police-radio audio, it happened just after 4 am, with the burglars using two vehicles to back into the storefront – a black SUV and tan pickup, last seen headed south on 42nd SW.

When we went over this morning after readers told us about seeing the damage, we found a police officer back for a followup, though store owner/staffers weren’t there. The officer said they’d been told the burglars stole “a small statue of Buddha” (its former spot is in our second photo) and a “small amount of cash.” If you have any information, the SPD case # is 23-167367.

Two notes in West Seattle Crime Watch:

ROBBER SEARCH: If you’re in the Westwood Village area and wondering about the police response, officers are looking for a robber right now. We don’t have full details but a female victim told police she was robbed at gunpoint by the dumpsters between McDonald’s and the future Five Guys. The robber may have gotten away on foot southbound on 26th SW. A K9 was called in to help search. The robber is described as an Asian man in his early 20s, 5’6″ thin, beanie, black sweatshirt and pants, armed with a “small compact semi-automatic handgun.”

ARRAIGNMENT POSTPONED: We reported last week on the charges filed against 36-year-old Delfino Lopez-Morales in the West Seattle Bridge crash that killed Khalea Thoeuk and Riley Danard, both 18, in March. He was due in court for arraignment today to answer the charges, but the hearing was postponed until June 26th, with the explanation that he is still in a hospital but expected to be discharged by then. A warrant remains in effect and police have said he would be booked into jail upon release from the hospital.

3:59 PM: Seattle Police published this statement this afternoon:

Late yesterday afternoon, SPD received an order from a US District Court judge that enjoined, in full, enforcement of SMC 12A.080.020 – the City’s misdemeanor property destruction law. This means that until further order of the Court, SPD cannot take action on damage to property under this law. This is not a matter within SPD or City discretion; we are bound by the court order as it is written.

We understand and share the concerns that are being relayed to us by our community, businesses and residents alike. We know, as evidenced by the thousands of calls for service we receive each year reporting acts of vandalism and other forms of property damage that property damage is, in fact, a crime that is of significance to community members. SPD is working closely with the Mayor’s Office and City Attorney’s Office to assess next steps with the Court.

We hadn’t heard about this case before. It challenges graffiti-vandalism arrests under a city law that specifically targets graffiti vandalism, but does NOT mention other forms of “property destruction::

A.A person is guilty of property destruction if he or she:
1.Intentionally damages the property of another; or
2.Writes, paints, or draws any inscription, figure, or mark of any type on any public or private building or other structure or any real or personal property owned by any other person.

The order by federal Judge Marsha Pechman is a preliminary injunction – meaning it could be temporary. Here it is, as linked in a news release from City Attorney Ann Davison‘s office. In the ruling, Judge Pechman writes in part that the law:

“… targets speech (and) poses a real and substantial threat of censorship. … On its face, the Ordinance sweeps so broadly that it criminalizes innocuous drawings (from a child’s drawing of a mermaid to pro-police messages written by the Seattle Police Foundation … The Court agrees with Defendants that the public benefits from preventing property damage and visual blight. But the criminalization of free speech significantly harms the public interest in far greater measure than the public might benefit from criminalizing property damage.”

Meantime, the City Attorney’s Office said that today it would ‘file a motion asking Judge Pechman for expedited reconsideration of the order. The Criminal Division of the Seattle City Attorney’s Office will not be filing property destruction charges under this law for the time being.”

6:34 PM: The City Attorney’s Office has since sent this statement clarifying that the injunction only sought to target graffiti vandalism, not other kinds of property damage:

At the direction of the Court, counsel for the City and the plaintiffs conferred this afternoon to determine whether they agreed that the Preliminary Injunction should enjoin enforcement of both SMC 12A.08.020(A)(1) and (A)(2) or just SMC 12A.03.020(A)(2). After conferring, the parties submitted a stipulated notice to the Court stating their agreement that the Preliminary Injunction enjoins only SMC 12A.08.020(A)(2). We anticipate the Court will issue an order confirming the stipulation and narrowed scope of the Preliminary Injunction Order. The effect of this change is significant because it permits the City to continue enforcing violations involving property damage, a gross misdemeanor, under SMC 12.08.020(A)(1). Subsection (A)(2) of the ordinance remains enjoined, pending further order of the Court.

The aforementioned “stipulated notice” can be read here.

Two robberies in West Seattle Crime Watch this morning:

SUSPECT ARRESTED: If you noticed a police response in the Jefferson Square area this past hour, police were called after a reported robbery, and arrested a suspect. We’re still working to get specifics on what happened beyond “robbery at knifepoint” with the robber demanding the victim’s (corrected) wallet and phone; the suspect was arrested near the north side of the shopping center and some items were found in a subsequent search with a K-9. Thursday update: Police say the circumstances were as follows: “An employee was outside on his phone when a guy approached him and told him to hand over his phone and wallet. When the employee refused, the suspect pulled out a knife and repeated his demands.” The 35-year-old suspect is likely to have a bail/probable-cause hearing this afternoon.

STORE HOLDUP: Thanks for the tip on this – someone driving by the 35th/Barton 7-11 around 6 am noticed police cars and crime tape. According to archived dispatch audio, a store staffer called 911 around 4 am to report a robbery at gunpoint about half an hour earlier. The robbers were described as white, male, masked, about 18 years old, and in a black 4-door car. Police were working to get access to security video.

Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports:

WOULD-BE BURGLARS ON VIDEO: Aaron emailed to report;

I live in West Seattle over by Thriftway on California, and Sunday morning at 3:30 am two guys tried to break-in my house with a crowbar. Luckily the deadbolt held and they couldn’t get it open and left.

My camera was able to get good footage of them and their attempt.

Here’s a framegrab of the other person involved:

Aaron says his home might have been targeted because of personal items stolen in a car prowl recently. If you have any information, the SPD report # is 23-909805.

ASSAULT ARREST: SPD reports an arrest in the heart of The Junction late Sunday night. Just before midnight, officers “responded to the area of California Avenue SW and SW Alaska Street for an altercation.” They arrested a 32-year-old woman who they say “had accosted two men and threatened one of them with a knife.” She remains in King County Jail, held for investigation of assault and harassment, pending a probable-cause hearing later today.

10:58 AM: Thanks for the tips. That was the scene at Shorewood Grocery, just south of West Seattle at 26th/106th, around 7:30 this morning, six hours after crash-and-grab burglars heavily damaged the store while stealing its ATM. King County Sheriff’s Office will only confirm that deputies found “the side of the building … smashed in and the ATM taken” when they arrived after getting word of a burglary alarm going off at 1:25 am. This KING report shows store-security video of the thieves using a pickup truck, which they quote “a friend of the store owner” as saying was stolen and has been found. A store employee who was there when we went over said they weren’t sure whether they’d be able to reopen today; we’ll be going back at midday to check.

2:42 PM: We went back early this afternoon and they’re open for business.

Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

YARD THIEF: This report and security-camera image are from Andi:

Last night, June 10th, 2023, from 11:29 pm to 11:41 pm, there was a person in our yard who stole our bird feeder (most of it as he couldn’t get the post out of the ground). He also stole our potted tree but it was found across the street the next morning hidden under a tree.

Lastly, he moved our bird bath outside of our fence. He might have been coming back for the tree and the bird bath with transportation as they are both heavy. He was in our yard for a long time and appeared to be tracking our movements in the house and also tried looking in our windows. We are in the Morgan Junction south of Thriftway. We are waiting on a case number from SPD.

UPDATE: 23-909750.

CAR PROWL: Not far from there, Christian reports a car prowl early today:

4:30 am car prowlers in the Gatewood area near the elementary school. Got into my neighbor’s car that was unlocked. They were driving a black Jaguar SUV that police mentioned may be stolen.

STORE THEFT: From Christine:

My husband and I are West Seattle locals and frequent patrons of the Super Deli Mart (Barton + 35th). Recently there have been a group of 3+ teenagers who have been stealing from the store on multiple occasions (specifically handfuls of vape cartridges that cost $20 apiece). They seem to have an adult, or two, lurking half a block away (a man and a middle-aged blonde woman, one of which appeared to board the C bus concurrently to evade questioning), and we are concerned that this group may be stealing from other local businesses.

Christine says they also are reported to have harassed the store owner and customers. On behalf of the store owner, she sent this video of one theft incident.

(We’ll add police-report #’s for these incidents when we get them. Update: Added the # for the first one Monday.)

Reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

STOLEN COMPUTER: From Gershon:

I am just grasping at straws on how to get my computer back. It was my work computer with over 2 years of data that I am not able to replace. This hits me pretty hard. My vehicle was broken into in the parking lot behind the Skylark last night. My gray Dakine backpack was snatched, which had my computer and some other personal items in it. Send me a message if you see it ditched somewhere or have an idea on best way to retrieve it (buy it back) or something. The computer inside was a Samsung Galaxy book2, midnight blue.

Police report # is 23-909691. If you’ve found the computer and/or backpack, we can relay a message to Gershon (westseattleblog@gmail.com).

PRIDE FLAG STOLEN AGAIN: The Community School of West Seattle‘s Pride flag was stolen for the second time in less than two weeks. You’ll recall it was taken on May 27th, and replaced courtesy of White Center Pride. Then this past Thursday morning, it was taken, and the flagpole damaged, again:

Police report # is 23-909576. Whitney at CSWS says, “WC Pride is going to stock us up on poles and flags so that the thieves won’t win.”

CAR VANDALIZED: The reader who emailed us is hoping to find witness(es) to this:

It happened on Dawson, between California and 42nd SW, Friday between 5:30 am and 2:30 pm. The victim says, “Maybe someone has info or maybe saw something or has any surveillance cam footage.” It’s been reported to police, though we don’t have a report # yet.

(SDOT camera image from shortly after crash)

Two and a half months after two 18-year-olds died when a wrong-way driver hit them on the West Seattle Bridge, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has filed charges. 36-year-old West Seattle resident Delfino Lopez-Morales is charged with two counts of vehicular homicide and one count of reckless driving. We have been watching court files closely ever since the crash, and just found the charging documents. In them, investigators say he had a blood-alcohol level of .14, almost twice the legal limit, three hours after the crash, and a THC level suggesting he had used cannabis within a few hours of the crash. Court documents add that an empty beer bottle was found in the truck he was driving. The two victims, Khalea Thoeuk and Riley Danard, both from Snohomish County and on their way to Alki to celebrate Riley’s birthday, were killed instantly. The charging documents say Lopez-Morales, driving a friend’s truck, was going 100 mph when he hit them. He was seriously injured and has been under medical care since the crash, at Harborview Medical Center until sometime in the first half of May, when he moved to rehab. Here’s the investigator’s narrative from the charging documents:

Read More

Two thefts in West Seattle Crime Watch:

STOLEN BLACK ELANTRA: From Ryan:

Reporting stolen 2012 black Hyundai Elantra. License plate AKU4990. Police report # 23-158866. Stolen from (3400 block of) 40th Ave SW between 2:12 am and 3:12 am this morning, Thursday 6/8.

FRIDAY UPDATE: Via text, we’ve just been told the car was found in Toppenish (near Yakima).

STOLEN PRIDE FLAG: From Travis: “I wanted to report to you this that someone stole our Pride flag this morning from off our front porch. It happened a few minutes before I get up for work. We live near Delridge Way and Thistle.” This security video shows the thief walking up and pulling down the flag (it’s not embeddable/downloadable but you can see it if you click the link). It’s been reported to police; we’ll add the number when available.

Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports today – both the results of multiple tips (thank you!):

EARLY-MORNING GUNFIRE: In the 3 am hour today, multiple 911 callers reported hearing gunfire, from Westwood to north Arbor Heights. In one case, police were able to confirm gunfire, by finding shell casings. Officers reported finding six 9mm casings at 34th and Trenton. No injuries or property damage reported, so far. Neighbors reported hearing vehicles speeding off, but police were still looking for any home security video that might have caught one or more associated vehicles on camera.

STOLEN BOAT RECOVERED: This started out mysteriously – a boat on the rocks at Don Armeni Boat Ramp on Tuesday, as the tide went out. Readers sent photos starting with this one from Jeff:

Police were having trouble finding information for us, though it was clear from one photo from Stewart L. that officers had responded at some point:

SPD spokesperson Officer Shawn Weismiller found the report today, and tells WSB: “Boat was stolen out of a marina in Lake Washington. Officers responded to an abandoned boat at the ramp, but the tide was out, so they had to wait for high tide to recover the boat. While waiting to recover the boat, officers learned someone was in the boat. Officers responded and arrested a 58-year-old-male for possession of stolen property. The boat was recovered,”

From Conrad:

My Ride1Up 700 Series ebike was stolen next to Morgan Junction Park around 7am today. Police report number is 23-156523. The medium-set white male in a pink shirt rode south on California Ave SW before turning right. This has also been reported to the local Bike Index.

Here’s a stock photo of what Conrad’s bike looks like.