West Seattle, Washington
19 Monday
Three more reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
ANOTHER BUSINESS BURGLARY: Dani at Meeples Games (3727 California SW) sends word that they too were burglarized early Sunday:
Early Sunday (3/12) around 7:20 am, Meeples Games was broken into. We hate that this has happened again, and we are asking the community for help! If you recognize the person in this photo, please contact us (206.535.7896).
If you are looking for a way to support Meeples Games during this time, please stop in and hang out at our cafe, play some games, join one of our events, or shop for a new board game.
The SPD incident # is 23-68017.
STOLEN BLACK SUBURBAN: Sandy‘s vehicle was stolen this morning:
Please be on the watch out for our older-model black GMC Suburban, with a white Rocket Box on top. It was stolen from
SW Findlay, 1/2 a block east of 35th Ave SW, just this morning, Monday 3/13, between 9 and 10:30 am. SPD incident # 23-69053.
POSSIBLY ABANDONED STOLEN ELANTRA: Linda sent the photo and report:
Spotted this car on my way to work this morning. Appears to be stolen and abandoned. Black Hyundai, flat tire, broken window and license applying attempted to be removed. It’s sitting on Fauntleroy Place and Charlestown.
It’s been reported, but Linda sent the report to us too in case its owner sees this. (UPDATE: As suggested by commenters, that was indeed Lauren‘s stolen car.)
Three reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
STOLEN PICKUP: From Dennis:
My truck was stolen from in front of my house last night between 10:00 pm and 6:00 this morning—3600 block of SW Othello St. Maroon over silver Ford F-250 Pickup with an extended cab. License # C42605D. An important note is that it is a DIESEL engine. It is very loud!
5:34 PM: Dennis sent this update:
My truck was recovered in the 7700 Block of 34 AVE SW. Punched out the ignition switch, content inside pilfered but nothing missing.
I would also like to thank the 911 call center which took the report. And the responding police officer who came to my house, within 1 hour after reporting the theft. The police officers who helped me recover my truck. Most of all I give a BIG THANKS to the lady who found it. With all the talk of “Defund the police” “Police don’t do anything” and “West Seattle is a bad place to live” I say BOLOGNA!
(back to original roundup) Meantime, two more reports from the past few days:
GUNFIRE INVESTIGATION: From the SPD report summaries made available this morning, word of confirmed gunfire early Friday. A report of suspected gunfire brought officers to 30th/Barton around 12:30 am Friday. Callers said the shots were fired from a vehicle. Officers found shell casings but no victims or property damage.
PACKAGE THEFT: Reader report from Stefan in Fauntleroy:
3/12/23 around 9:00 am on SW Director St., a porch pirate stole an Amazon package off our porch. It appeared they were following the delivery truck. They carried up an empty iPhone box and dropped it off while they picked up our delivery (a voltmeter/electrical tester device). I think this was to appear they were doing a delivery.
Our doorbell camera captured some images of the thief.
Green/gray hooded jacket with the lower half in dark blue, purple shirt, and yellow shoes with white soles. Zipped off in a mid-2000s dark-colored Nissan Altima with a small spoiler on the trunk.
Keep your eyes out & stay safe.
(Reader photo, sent by Molly)
1:41 PM: The Game Stop store at Westwood Village was held up at gunpoint around 12:30 pm today. The robber reportedly was armed with a handgun and stole cash before running out of the store and toward Roxhill Park across SW Barton. That’s where police detained two people minutes later but determined those weren’t the people they’re looking for, so their search resumed. We’re going back through archived audio and will add any description information we find. No injuries reported at the store.
2:07 PM: The descriptions broadcast on police report were of two Black men, possibly in their early 20s, one 6’1″ and light-skinned, the other 5’9″ and darker-skinned, with black clothing, white shoes, and light-colored masks, one with a silver handgun. Police also talked with a person who saw two possible suspects hopping into a vehicle (no description of that) on 31st SW and heading south “at a high rate of speed.” If you have any information, the SPD incident # is 23-68210.
2:47 PM: SPD has just posted about this, with one added detail – the robbers also got away with a customer’s wallet.
10:56 AM: That photo is from Pecos Pit (35th/Fauntleroy; WSB sponsor), which was burglarized overnight. The restaurant is closed for lunch while it assesses the damage; we’ll be checking back to see when they reopen. If you have any information, the SPD incident # is 23-067996.
12:17 PM: We just stopped by Pecos Pit to follow up. They don’t expect to be able to open today; the burglar(s) did serious damage to the point-of-sale system, so that has to be repaired. Some food was also stolen. They’re hoping to be able to open tomorrow – regular hours would be 11 am-9 pm.
6:13 PM: Thanks for the tip about gunfire early this morning at Westwood Village. SPD usually publishes report summaries for confirmed gunfire incidents but hasn’t so far today, so we didn’t hear about this 5 am incident until a tip a short time ago. According to the archived police-radio audio, employees in the Westwood Starbucks store reported seeing a woman with a gun who appeared to be firing it into a car outside. Police arrived and found the car, detained two people, and reported finding shell casings. No injuries reported so far as we’re hearing – and the absence of any SFD “scenes of violence” dispatch would seem to verify that – but we’re following up with SPD and SFD about that as well as whether either or both of the detained people were subsequently arrested.
8:52 PM: SPD tells us this was apparently domestic-violence-related and one person was arrested.
ADDED MONDAY MORNING: SPD has just released this report summary of the incident:
At 0515 hours, the victim was at her job at Westwood Village located at 2600 SW Barton St. While she was in her car, her boyfriend (suspect) showed up and accused her of cheating. During the argument, the suspect got angry and pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the victim. The victim stated that she was in fear, and the suspect said that he will pop her while pressing the firearm into her chest. The victim was armed with her own firearm. The victim stated that the suspect grabbed her by the throat and began choking her. The victim stated that the suspect went to retrieve her gun from his pocket, and she shot two rounds in the air to stop him. The victim stated that a few minutes later the police showed up and the suspect gave her back the gun. Officers arrived and detained both while investigating the incident. After investigating the incident, the suspect was placed in custody for DV/Assault 2 and DV Felony Harassment. Two firearms and two fired cartridge casings were photographed and recovered from the incident.
Car thieves continue targeting Hyundais. (If you own one, see the latest SW Precinct crime-prevention bulletin.) Just in, from Lauren:
My car was stolen at some point between 8:00 PM last night and 11:00 AM today from the alley behind 9215 35th Ave SW. Cross street is SW Barton.
2018 Hyundai Elantra – Black
License Plate: BGA1023
SPD incident # 23-064300.
MONDAY UPDATE: Found.
9:52 PM: Just got word of this vehicle theft, which happened about an hour ago: A 2004 tan GMC Sierra extended-cab pickup, taken between 8:45 and 9:15 pm in North Admiral. License B79890V. We’ll add the SPD incident # as soon as the victims get it from police.
10:05 PM: Adding a photo, and the incident # – 23-63797.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes:
HIGH POINT SEARCH WARRANT: Thanks for the tips/questions. Multiple law-enforcement agencies – including Seattle Police, King County Sheriff’s Office, and ATF – are at a residence near 32nd/Holly. (The photo above shows some of their vehicles staged nearby.) All they’ll say so far is that it’s a warrant service, and that includes a warrant to search the residence. In the meantime, SW Holly is blocked in the immediate vicinity. We’ll be following up.
STOLEN CAR FOUND AT SCHOOL: A reader emailed around 7:30 this morning to report that at Pathfinder K-8 on Pigeon Point, “There are belongings scattered all over the school parking lot, and a car has crashed through the fence right where the downed tree was.” By the time we got over to look around 8:45 am, the scene was clear, but we got a bit of followup information – the car found there was a Hyundai stolen in Pierce County. No arrests reported; the car was unoccupied when police arrived.
(WSB photo, January 2022)
More than a year after a man was arrested following a six-hour standoff at the Westwood Village Target store, his trial is beginning today. According to court documents, 32-year-old Timothy A. Clemans has chosen to defend himself in King County Superior Court, where he is on trial for one count of attempted first-degree kidnapping, with a deadly-weapon enhancement. Clemans is alleged to have gone into the store on January 21st, 2022, armed himself with a knife from the kitchen-merchandise section, and started telling people he was going to hold them hostage. He was finally subdued and arrested by SWAT team members and has been in jail ever since. As noted in our followup last year, Clemans is accused of having done this one week after getting out of jail on an assault case, and five days after calling 911 to say he was going to take hostages at a Target store; he allegedly made a similar call just before this incident, saying he would take hostages at a store unless he got the mental-health services he needed. Court documents say his trial, over which Superior Court Judge Marshall Ferguson is presiding, is expected to last about two weeks. 18 people are on the witness list, including 11 police officers.
Two items in West Seattle Crime Watch:
STOLEN PICKUP: That’s Seth‘s F-250, stolen overnight from 26th/Nevada in North Delridge. It has California plates # 7T16389. Police report # is 23-60733.
DUMPED-LIKELY-STOLEN BIKE: We’ve received multiple reports about this bicycle abandoned in High Point. This is from Alex:
On the Bataan / Graham stairs (between Bataan park and 26th) there is an all white, full suspension bike abandoned in the blackberries next to the stairs (as of 8:30-9 am 3/3). Didn’t see a name/brand on the bike but looks to be an adult bike in good shape. It’s about halfway down the stairs.
Four items in this West Seattle Crime Watch roundup:
GUNFIRE? A couple was out walking their dogs near Highland Park Elementary last night when they saw someone in a car firing a gun out the window – at who or what, they couldn’t tell. They tell us the car was a red Honda. No injuries were reported. It’s not known if this was related to a report of suspected gunfire heard on Puget Ridge around 5 pm. We checked with police this morning, and while officers were dispatched to check after both reports, they did not find “evidence of a shooting” (casings, property damage, and/or injured people) in either case.
BURGLARIES: The West Seattle Junction Association reports two more business burglaries and one burglary attempt this week in the area, just days after break-ins were among the topics at the West Seattle Chamber‘s public-safety panel discussion. We’re requesting reports.
Two court followups:
TEEN DRIVER IN DELRIDGE CRASH: Juvenile Court works differently from adult court; the 15-year-old arrested after a stolen-car crash in Delridge last week pleaded guilty Tuesday, one day after he was charged with attempting to elude and reckless endangerment. We’ve obtained the court documents since our first brief mention of the charges. They confirm police were pursuing the stolen Toyota Corolla – reported taken in a carjacking outside West Seattle the previous day – before it crashed down a rock wall alongside an apartment building. This photo is in the charging papers:
Investigators wrote that the defendant was trapped in the driver’s seat by the seatbelt; officers gave him scissors and he cut himself loose We are not publishing the defendant’s name, as he is charged as a juvenile. A judge ordered him to remain in detention at the Youth Services Center.
LA FITNESS SUSPECTS ARRAIGNED: The two 18-year-olds charged with harassment and machine-gun possession for last month’s LA Fitness incident have both pleaded not guilty. Javier Garcia remains out of jail on $5,000 bond; Peter M. Rodrigue remains in jail in lieu of $105,000 bail, most of that amount in connection with a previous robbery case.
And finally, theft-prevention advice for owners of cars that have been targeted lately:
HYUNDAI/KIA THEFT PREVENTION: Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner just sent out a bulletin for owners of the cars that have become targets lately thanks to information about vulnerabilities, spread via social media. See it here.
The report and photo are from Katherine:
My car was stolen from (the 3800 block of) Beach Drive SW and I’ve reported it to the police. It is a 2018 Hyundai Elantra – Color white – rear window smashed – stolen between 6:15 pm-8:17 pm Wednesday. Thinking it will most likely be dumped somewhere. License plate BRX-1834. Police report # 23-58043.
(WSB photo, August 24, 2020)
Two and a half years after the Delridge hit-run death of 34-year-old Derrick Lacomb, his accused killer has pleaded guilty to reduced charges. 40-year-old Steven J. Abrahamson was originally charged with second-degree murder for hitting and killing Lacomb in the 6500 block of 25th SW, near Longfellow Creek, on August 24, 2020. Prosecutors said the two knew each other and that Abrahamson hit Lacomb with his Crown Victoria after some kind of argument. Abrahamson’s car was found in Highland Park three days after Lacomb was killed; Abrahamson wasn’t arrested until November 2020, more than a month after he was charged, and has been in jail ever since. We’ve been checking on the case periodically and just discovered tonight that Abrahamson was in court last Thursday, pleading guilty to reduced charges of first-degree manslaughter and felony hit-and-run. Prosecutors are recommending a sentence of 9 1/2 years, which is the top of the “standard range,” when Abrahamson is sentenced by Superior Court Judge Nicole Gaines Phelps on March 31st.
The report and photo are from JP:
My 1995 Jeep Wrangler was stolen from the carport of my apartment building at 4301 SW Mills St. early Friday morning around 3 AM. It is painted with black truck-bed-lining enamel so it is not shiny. License CCN9198. SPD incident # 2023-52484.
Four items in this West Seattle Crime Watch update:
CAR STOLEN FROM BUSINESS: From Todd at Swedish Automotive (35th/Kenyon; WSB sponsor) – a car belonging to the business has been stolen:
We had a customer bring the car back and put the keys in our after-hours drop box, but didn’t make sure they went into the secure slot, only back into the bin with the envelopes, and an unknown person with a mask, driving a dark gray Mitsubishi, drove in, snooped around and found the keys. Even though we captured it all on our Ring cameras, we can’t make out the plate number on the Mitsubishi. A short time later they returned on foot, walked up to the car and drove off in it. It is a blue Subaru Outback Lic # BWV1040 (it can be seen in the photos and video). Police case # 23-55795 if anyone has any info or recognizes the Mitsubishi or sees our Subaru.
Next, two followups:
DELRIDGE INTRUDER: The man arrested for allegedly unlawfully entering a Delridge home pleaded not guilty today to misdemeanor charges of criminal trespass and attempted criminal trespass. The second charge is because he is accused of trying the door at another residence nearby. Bail is set at $2,000 for 45-year-old Bruce S. Prather, who also is scheduled for a competency hearing next week. Also of note, though the victim said police later told him they found a gun on the suspect, there is no mention in the police report or charging documents of any weapon. The documents do say the defendant was found with a driver license, debit card, and unopened packages that did not belong to him.
STOLEN-CAR CRASH: The 15-year-old arrested after a police pursuit ended near Delridge/Willow has been held in the Youth Services Center, after a judge found probable cause for investigation of possession of a stolen car. A decision on charges is expected shortly. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office says he has a conviction on his record, for Felony Rendering Criminal Assistance in the First Degree, but regarding sentencing, his lawyer had “made a motion for deferred disposition, which was granted Feb. 8 by the court on multiple conditions – including no new probable cause offenses of law violations.” We’ll update if we get charging information tonight. (8:44 PM UPDATE: The documents aren’t accessible yet but the court files show he is charged with attempting to elude a police vehicle and reckless endangerment.)
And a “stolen-likely-dumped” report:
MISSING YOUR WHEELS? From Eric:
4 tires/wheels were left in the middle of our alley (Saturday night/Sunday morning).
These are very new, aftermarket wheels with like new Bridgestone tires.
Very likely stolen but not sure how they ended up here (near Morgan Junction).
I have them in my yard now; hopefully the rightful owner can get them back.
If they might be yours, contact us and we’ll connect you.
7:35 PM SUNDAY: For the second time in eight nights, a business has been robbed in the strip mall on the northeast corner of 35th and Roxbury. Police are at A Pizza Mart, which reported being held up about half an hour ago. The lone robber is described so far as a white man in his early 20s, tall and thin, wearing a “white track suit,” armed with a gun, He is reported to have gotten away in a black Toyota Prius, last seen headed northbound on 35th SW. No other details yet, according to the sergeant with whom we spoke at the scene. The previous robbery happened at neighboring Global Smoke & Vape last weekend. If you have any information on tonight’s robbery, the SPD incident # is 23-054944.
ADDED MONDAY AFTERNOON: From the police-report summary: “At 1856 hours, an employee was working at the counter of a carryout food establishment when he observed the suspect enter the store. The employee believed the suspect was a customer and began speaking to him. The suspect produced a handgun, pointed it at the employee, and demanded money from the register. The employee complied. The suspect exited the store and fled the scene. Another employee followed the suspect and observed him entering the passenger side of a vehicle before it left the area.”
12:53 PM: From Drew:
Our powder blue 2013 Hyundai Elantra was stolen off the street in front of our house yesterday around 5:15 pm in daylight. We live near 36th SW and Raymond. The car sped away southbound on 36th being followed by a black sedan. Police report incident # 23-053981.
We’ll add the plate number when we get it. (Update: ATT2589.) (Monday update: Found.)
2:07 PM: Another stolen car report – this one from Cameron:
2019 white Kia Sportage, WA CDH9042, was stolen from in front of our house last night (2/25 or 2/26) sometime between 7 pm Saturday night and 4 am Sunday morning. Tillman and 37th
SPD incident # is 23-054407.
More stolen items to watch for – reported by BJ:
My truck window was smashed in last night, 48th SW and Lander St. Stolen was a black and white Dynamic Disc paratrooper bag (picture attached). Bag was full of discs. Name and number on most of them.
BJ filed a police report but is still awaiting the incident #. If you find the bag and/or discs, let us know and we’ll connect you.
4:47 PM SATURDAY: The photo and report are from Jessica:
I’m the manager at Loretta’s in South Park. We are a bar which happens to have a great burger. We had a signature vintage airstream in the back of the bar for years, and had moved it off premises to another location, still in South Park. Last night 2/24 it was stolen from us … we deeply loved her and want her back. She can be recognized by the many stickers she has on her door.
The SPD incident number is 23-053690.
12:42 PM SUNDAY: We heard a brief police-radio mention about a found stolen Airstream, and confirmed with Jessica that this one has been found.
Two more reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
BURGLARY SUSPECT ARRESTED: A 45-year-old man is in the King County Jail right now, accused of unlawfully entering a North Delridge home last night. The victim sent a report and security video:
I live (in the 4300 block of) 26th SW. A homeless man rang the Nest doorbell to my house, then when nobody answered, walked into the home with his belongings. I was asleep but woke up to see the Ring footage of him entering, thinking he was here to see my roommate (as I just saw him enter, I didn’t get a great look at him before he entered).
As we weren’t expecting anyone, I put some clothes on to make sure everything was okay and checked my 2nd-floor camera to see him walking around by himself. I got suspicious and pulled out my 9mm and loaded it and put it in my back pocket just in case. When I opened the door, however, I could hear him on the stairs to the fourth floor which is definitely not something my roommate would do as she lives on the first floor. I cocked the gun and pointed it at the guy, who I could clearly see was homeless. He was wearing a massive coat and was mumbling something about thinking this was his house. I told him he needed to get the f— out immediately. and he said okay. I followed him with the gun pointed at his back down three flights of stairs, made sure he exited the building and walked off. I then proceeded to wake up my roommate, who was sleeping with earplugs in so she was completely unaware of what transpired. We called the police; they found him by Youngstown apartments on 26th, arrested him and took him to jail.
A police officer came by this morning returning a stolen package from my front porch, said they found a bunch more taken from people’s porches, and that it was lucky I had my 9mm as he also was carrying a gun.
According to online records, the suspect – who is not yet charged, as that will be up to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office after they get SPD documents – has robbery and theft convictions from 2006 and a malicious-mischief conviction from 2021.
STOLEN PICKUP: Texted by Linda:
My husband’s beloved truck was stolen from our driveway near 16th and Myrtle. It’s a 2004 silver birch Chevy Silverado short-box single-cab. He heard it being stolen at about 3 am. WA plate B99375U. Incident # 23-051510.
Callers to 911 reported hearing gunfire and a speeding-away vehicle around 18th/Dawson on Puget Ridge just after 5 pm last night. Police were gone before we could get there but we finally have confirmation today that responding officers did find “evidence of a shooting” (in other words, casings) but did not find property damage or injured people, The police-report summary says one witness saw “shots being fired into the air from a moving vehicle (and a) second vehicle was also seen following the first and believed to be related.” The summary, however, does not include a description of either vehicle.
9:14 PM: Avoid Delridge between Myrtle and Graham – police are blocking it off after a crash involving a suspected stolen car. According to police-radio communication we’d been monitoring, the car matched the description of one taken in an armed carjacking elsewhere in the city, It came to police attention in West Seattle tonight when someone reported suspicious behavior involving its occupants outside a convenience store on 35th SW. (Officers told dispatch the store clerk locked the doors so the people who seemed suspicious couldn’t get inside.)
9:31 PM: Commenter Kathryn confirms the car crashed into a building – the dispatch address indicates it’s an apartment building near Delridge/Willow.
9:50 PM: Kathryn sent that photo taken by neighbor Aimee, who she says reports that “the car is wedged between the apartments and the rock ledge.” Police have detained the three people who were inside the car when it crashed. They’re all “juvenile males,” according to what officers just told dispatch.
9:56 PM: Delridge is reopening.
11:47 PM: Thanks to the texter who sent that photo of the wrecked car being pulled out. Radio communication suggests at least one of the teenagers was arrested; we’ll update this story with whatever followup info we get from police later.
ADDED 3:21 PM THURSDAY: SPD has finally provided that followup info, and posted to SPD Blotter. First, confirmation that the crash followed a pursuit:
… SPD officers later located the vehicle, which had previously been stolen at gunpoint during a carjacking and attempted to detain it but the suspect drove away. After receiving authorization to pursue, police followed the suspect vehicle briefly until it collided with a fence, which caused it to fall down an embankment, and strike an exterior wall of an apartment building.
Here’s the SPD photo of how it got wedged:
Meantime, police also say the registered owner of the car told them he was carjacked by an “armed man” Tuesday night on Beacon Hill, They don’t know if the three people involved in that – the carjacker and two people who joined him in driving away the 2010 Toyota Corolla – were the same three found after the Delridge crash. But police say they recovered a “realistic-looking BB gun in the car” after the crash. Here’s their photo:
The 15-year-old driver was arrested and booked into the Youth Services Center; the other two found in the car last night, 13- and 14-year-old boys, were released to their families.
The report and photo are from Lindsey:
2001 Toyota Tundra. Plate B12114G. Stolen Sunday night from 44th Ave SW between Dakota and Genesee – I would love help getting it back! I saw them drive it away and it was really aggravating. I have had it over 20 years and I earned those 245K miles on it. If you see it, let me know. lindsandsasquatch (at) gmail (dot) com
SPD incident # is 23-048590.
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