Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

TANK THEFT: From Jill:

Alki area 11:30 pm (Tuesday night). Car drove into condo carport and parked. Walked to bbq and stole propane tank. We yelled at them out the window and they said come down and get it from them.

CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFT? From Mindy:

(Wednesday) morning between 5:30 and 5:40 (not sure exact time) heard a car door and voices outside. When a grinding noise started, looked out the door to see a car stopped (3800 block of 17th Ave SW, near W Marginal Way SW) with passenger door open next to a car in front of the house downhill from ours (couldn’t see which car they were working on and don’t know the owners of neighborhood cars).

I yelled “What’s that noise” or something, yelled some more hoping to scare them off. My husband also came out and yelled. They paused but started up again. I yelled about calling the police and headed down from our upstairs unit toward the street. A man in a gray hoodie with a flashlight got into the passenger door of the stopped vehicle — a dark sedan, I think, but I couldn’t see the license plate — and the vehicle backed down the street toward W Marginal Way SW.

A “dark sedan” has been described in some recent catalytic-converter thefts in the area.

The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has filed two felony charges against the suspect in last Thursday morning’s shooting near 26th/Andover. 38-year-old Justin A. Weiland is charged with second-degree assault, with a firearm enhancement, and unlawful gun possession. The charging documents note that his criminal record goes back 25 years; in that time, prosecutors say, he’s been the subject of 50 warrants. As reported here last week, he was arrested hours after the shooting, leaving the Junction apartment of a woman who was reported to be with him when it happened. Prosecutors now say she factored indirectly into the shooting – though the victim is reported to have told police he didn’t know who shot him, the woman told police the victim is her former boyfriend, and that he and Weiland had been “feuding.” The entire incident was recorded by a security camera at the nearby West Seattle Health Club, and that’s how police identified Weiland as the suspect; an officer wrote that he and a partner “patrol the area of that encampment regularly and make a habit of getting to know the subjects that frequent that area. Justin Weiland is extremely recognizable to us as we have spoken to him on many occasions. Furthermore Justin Weiland’s signature look is a black jacket, blue jeans, a flat billed ball cap worn forward, and almost always fancy tennis shoes.” The 41-year-old victim suffered a gunshot wound to his calf. Weiland remains in the King County Jail, bail set at $300,000. (We obtained his photo from the state Department of Corrections, the only area agency that releases photos on request, provided the person has been in their system.)

Two reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

ANOTHER CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFT: After this week’s earlier reports of a catalytic-converter thief in a “dark sedan,” another reader sent this:

We just received the police report number for a catalytic converter theft that occurred in our garage in the Avalon Way area over this past weekend. It occurred just past midnight Sunday morning. We don’t have images of the theft, but the cameras in the area leave no doubt that this person was responsible. Police report T22008061.

Black or dark blue Infiniti sedan, off-color left front quarter panel, no license plate. He tailgated a resident through the security gate. (The targeted car) was a Toyota Prius and it took him about 10 minutes.

CURSIVE TAGGER: This is part of the tag scrawled on Kim’s car near Cove Park in Fauntleroy, more like cursive handwriting than a typical tag:

She reports the same tag on a sign at Lincoln Park as well as two garages and a van in the area.

Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

ANOTHER CATALYTIC-CONVERTER THEFT: The three reports we received over the weekend all involved Hondas, but in this one, the thief/thieves hit a 2010 Lexus 350 SUV, near the Fauntleroy ferry dock. It happened just after 3 am Sunday. The reader reports, “Same black sedan. Driver remained in car. Two others removed the converter.”

BROKEN WINDOWS: The photo shows one of two houses where windows were broken:

Two homes on SW Yancy St. had their windows broken by stones (broken concrete) thrown at them last night and today. Are there any other reports in the neighborhood?

BROKEN WINDSHIELD: Noah reports that the hammer-wielding man in this video has been “terrorizing” the 5200 block of Delridge Way SW.

Neighbors saw the man slash Noah’s tire on Friday and break the windshield of his girlfriend’s car early Sunday.

Two Three Four reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

STOLEN WORK VAN: The report and photo are from Brenda:

Our housecleaner and her husband had their work van with all of their tools was stolen last Saturday night/Sunday morning (March 19/20th). The white Ford van, license plate C56039L, was parked near 27th and Roxbury and had an alarm system.

The family had a difficult time during the early days of COVID and built an outdoor window washing, power washing, and landscaping business to earn income during the time when service people couldn’t enter homes. Sadly, this work van had all of the tools inside to do their work — construction tools, ladders, power washer, lawnmower, weed whacker, etc.

Spring is their busiest time of year and now they don’t have the tools to run their business and make this income for their family. Please keep your eyes out for the van and ladders with the name “Obed” clearly marked on them. If you have any information on this incident or see these items, the police report number is 22-069329.

CATALYTIC-CONVERTER THEFT: From Christina: “Last night at 130 am, we were woken up by the sound of someone stealing our catalytic converter. We saw a black sedan drive off. We called the police and they said they would drive the neighborhood looking. We live in the Admiral District near West Seattle High School.”

(added 1:05 pm) AND ANOTHER: Just received email from Liz, who says, “I saw the post this morning about a catalytic converter theft near West Seattle High School and mine was stolen last night as well just a few blocks north of WSHS. I parked my car around 8 pm and came back to it at 11:30 this morning and it was gone. I assume the people stealing converters must have hit a few cars as well last night – I wonder if more were stolen.”
.. .
ADDED 7:48 PM: The comment discussion below includes other recent victims of catalytic-converter theft. Meantime, we asked Christina and Liz about the types of cars hit last night. Both were early-2000s Hondas (CR-V and Civic).

ADDED 9:11 PM: One more reader report, emailed anonymously: “Our 2003 Honda CR-V was hit at 2:15 am (Mar 27). Heard extremely loud grinding noise and noticed a vehicle stopped in the street alongside the car. It was a large black SUV that took off after we yelled out. Neighbor’s camera caught the activity – took 1 min, 20 sec. Unable to see suspect (s) or license plate. We are east several blocks from WSHS. Online police report filed.”

11:02 AM: Another stolen vehicle to watch for:

The green Honda Civic LX belongs to Angie‘s nephew. She reports via email that it was stolen Friday in Highland Park, near 9th and Roxbury.

4:32 PM: Angie just reported the car’s been found.

We start this West Seattle Crime Watch roundup with a followup:

ANDOVER SHOOTING SUSPECT IN COURT: As noted this morning, police arrested a 38-year-old man hours after Thursday’s early-am shooting near 26th/Andover. They identified him through security video. He had a bail/probable-cause hearing this afternoon, and the documents from that hearing have more details on what police say happened. First, the document says the suspect shot the victim after a “verbal altercation.” The security video showed a woman was with the suspect at the time; 10 hours later, after 1 pm Thursday, police were called to a “domestic disturbance” heard by other tenants in the woman’s Junction apartment building. Police watched security video showing the same two people, wearing the same clothes as in the shooting-scene video, arriving in the suspect’s vehicle. Officers were waiting in the hallway when the suspect left the woman’s apartment, and arrested him. Along with the shooting, he is also under investigation for domestic-violence allegations including threatening to kill the woman, and for unlawful gun possession, as he has “multiple felony convictions.” Prosecutors asked for $500,000 bail; a judge set it at $300,000, and he remains in jail

BUS ASSAULT: Harold was on the C line headed downtown with his wife and children when, he reports, a woman “suddenly reached out and smacked me over the head with a long, plastic object she quickly tucked away in her bag. She screamed that I should get away from her or she would do it again.” He was not seriously hurt but is troubled that the bus driver “said he couldn’t and wouldn’t do anything about it, or even report it to Metro police because they have other things to deal with. He said just stay away from her. He said he would only do something if I wanted him to pull the bus over so I could call the police and wait until the woman is arrested. I chose not to do that. The driver declined to talk to her or ask her to leave.” Harold did end up calling transit police directly because he “just wanted to make sure she didn’t stay on the bus and assault other passengers. They had the bus driver stay put downtown and would send someone to ask her to get off the bus.” This sort of situation was not addressed in this recent announcement about a Metro safety initiative; we’ll be following up Monday about what the protocol calls for, as well as drivers’ ongoing safety concerns.

CAR BREAK-IN: Andy‘s car was broken into after midnight last night on 37th SW near Providence Mount St. Vincent. The thief/thieves stole two longboards and a laptop in its bag. If you’ve seen any such items dumped, let us know and we’ll connect you. Andy’s also reported the theft to police.

4:53 PM: From Janna:

Someone shot my 11-year-old with an airsoft gun as he rode his bike home from school today. Hit him in the ear. It was a little after 3:00 around 42nd/Manning. The shots came from a dark gray Honda Element or Kia Soul – one of those boxy cars. He thinks there were four people in the car and that one of them had a beard.

If anyone has a clue who this could be or has experienced something similar, please contact me at janna@lka-legal.com

No police report # yet. Janna says her son is doing OK.

5:51 PM: Adding Haley‘s car-prowl report that just came in via email since Crime Watch is still atop our main page:

On March 23rd around 10 pm, my car was broken into in my driveway on Southwest Hill and California Avenue in the North Admiral area. They took everything from my car and stole my garage key. I just wanted to share for others in the area.

Two reports in West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:

CAR THEFT/BURGLARY FOLLOWUP: Last year, we reported on what happened to Amy – first, her car was stolen, then, hours later, her house was broken into while she and her daughter were asleep. Security video and a reader tip led to the identification of a suspect, who was subsequently caught hundreds of miles away. We reported in December that Nevada authorities had worked out a plea bargain with 28-year-old Jordan J. Edmonds. Amy emailed today with this followup:

Jordan Edmonds was sentenced today in NV for the following crimes there: felon with a firearm and eluding police. He fled WA state three weeks after our home invasion in November, and was caught after taking officers on a 100-mile car chase at 120 miles/hour in the NV desert. He has been in jail since the end of November and was sentenced today in Mineral County, NV for the NV charges.

His sentence is a minimum of 29 months and a maximum of 72 months. He will be extradited to WA after serving time in NV, and then he will be tried for our invasion + three other crimes he was wanted on.

Jordan apologized to me and my daughter in court, and I told him I forgave him as a human.

It was the community at the WS blog that got him identified and ultimately led to his capture. Thank you, Tracy and the WS community!

The photo is from the Department of Corrections, taken while Edmonds was in DOC custody in 2018. As we reported in December, the other cases in which he was charged before Amy’s break-in involved residential burglary and unlawful gun possession.

KNOW WHO LOST THIS WHEEL COVER? It was left behind in the hit-run Sandra emailed to report:

I am reaching out to report a hit and run that occurred at the intersection of Fauntleroy and Oregon on Wednesday evening (the 23rd of March) at 8:15 PM. My sister was turning left onto Fauntleroy from Oregon on a green light when a silver Toyota sedan, possibly an early 2000’s model, driving south on Fauntleroy, ran the red light and crashed into her, causing severe damage to the front passenger side of her car. The driver did not stop. The driver was a white male with a long beard, wearing what looked like a work shirt or jacket. His Toyota likely has extensive damage along the passenger side, and is missing one of the wheel covers. If anyone in the area happened to witness the incident or has any information about the other driver involved, please contact SPD and reference incident number 22-072678.

THURSDAY MORNING: A 41-year-old man is in stable condition after being shot at 26th/Andover early this morning. Here’s what SPD just published about the incident:

Around 3:20 (am), officers were called to the 2600 block of SW Andover for a report of a shooting. The victim was reportedly shot in the leg from behind, and sought help from a person in an RV near the scene.

Officers found the victim and applied a tourniquet to his wound. Seattle Fire Department medics then transported the man to Harborview Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.

If you have any information about this incident, please call the SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000.

ADDED THURSDAY AFTERNOON: One additional detail from SPD – the victim was described as being “on a bike” when shot. Whether moving or stationary, police did not say.

ADDED FRIDAY, 11:39 AM: A suspect is in jail in connection with the shooting. Police say they got surveillance video “from a nearby business” and “recognized the suspect and his female companion who was known to them.” At 1:18 pm Thursday, they were called to a residence in the Jefferson Square area “which happened to be the address for the same female companion.” They saw the suspect’s vehicle in the parking garage, went into the building, and arrested the suspect when he walked out of the apartment. Police add, “Two handguns were located and submitted as evidence.” The suspect should have a probable cause/bail hearing later today, so we hope to have more information after that.

WEDNESDAY: The truck-theft trend continues. This report and photo are from Finlay:

This morning, sometime between 6:30 and 9:00, our black 1997 Nissan King Cab pickup was stolen from the street in front of our house. This happened in North Delridge, on 26th Ave SW between Delridge Playfield and the golf course. License # B73872W.

THURSDAY UPDATE: Finlay reports the truck was found blocks away.

Two reports in West Seattle Crime Watch this morning:

WATER TAXI DOCK THEFT: Thanks to commenter RodgerM for the tip on this. Metro confirms that thieves hit the West Seattle Water Taxi dock at Seacrest overnight. Spokesperson Al Sanders tells WSB, “Several weights were reportedly stolen. They were located underneath the passenger boarding ramp at Seacrest Dock and are used as counterbalance. The Water Taxi’s engineering team installed a temporary system to replace the weights early this morning with no disruption to service.” We have followup questions out, including how much the stolen weights are worth.

GUN SEIZED AT 7-11: This photo tweeted by SPD this morning is related to a West Seattle incident last night:

According to the report narrative we just obtained from police, the call to 911 around 9 pm was that someone was inside the 35th/Barton 7-11 with a gun. Officers arrived and quickly took a 45-year-old man into custody. The clerk told them he saw the suspect “concealing merchandise in his coat,” the report says, and confronted him, at which time the suspect threatened to kill the clerk (which turned the case from shoplift to robbery). But then the suspect allowed the clerk to check his pockets, in which the clerk found the gun (as well as merchandise) and took it away. The suspect reportedly said he would leave if he got his gun back, and the clerk told him no, he had to wait for police. The report says the gun “had a purchase history from 1978” that was traced to a deceased person. Officers also found “six unfired .22 caliber rounds of ammunition” (as shown in the photo). The suspect, who has a felony record so shouldn’t have been in possession of a gun, was booked into King County Jail. (Wednesday evening update: He remains in jail tonight, with bail set at $30,000.)

What seems to be a trend of work-truck theft continues. We have two in tonight’s three Crime Watch items;

TRUCK THEFT #1: Details on this are few so we’re waiting on the answers to some followup questions, but if you see a truck branded for Northwest Mechanical, it may be the one stolen around 1:45 pm today in the 4000 block of 41st Avenue SW.

TRUCK THEFT #2: From Grayson:

My truck was stolen this morning from in front of my house behind Roxbury Lanes on 97th St. and 34th. License plate C59364S. It’s a white GMC Sonoma with black wheels. They also look like a Chevy S10. It doesn’t have a rack or canopy. It’s my work truck so it’s really thrown my life up. It looks similar to this (mine has the extended cab).

BUSINESS BURGLARY: After a tip about this over the weekend, we were finally able to get the report today. Jones Barbecue at 4417 Fauntleroy Way SW was burglarized early Sunday. Someone called police and reported a broken window. Police arrived just after 8:30 am and discovered the glass in the front entry door had been broken; they found a “large rock” that likely was what was used. A member of the owner’s family responded and confirmed that some items and equipment were missing.

10:10 AM: Two categories of stolen vehicles that we are hearing more about lately are work trucks and classic vans. In the latter, April sent the photos and report this morning:

Our friend Thomas parked his van outside our home in Highland Park last night, 3/21, to carpool to work, and it was stolen.

It’s a 1984 Wofsburg edition Vanagon with lots of character (stickers on the windows, etc.) and her name is Elsa.

1:58 PM: Thanks to the readers who spotted it (see comments below)! April confirms Thomas has it back.

Cheryl hopes you can help find her stolen pickup truck:

Our white 2004 Ford Super Duty pickup truck with a rack on it was stolen from in front of our house today between 4 PM and 4:30 PM. We filed a police report. We are on 4th Ave. SW. close to the dead end below Westcrest Park, in the 9000 block. We just got it back last week after it was in the shop because the catalytic converter was stolen a couple of months ago. The license plate number is C66307J.

The pickup looks like the one in this stock photo.

Two notes in West Seattle Crime Watch today:

ATTACKER FOUND GUILTY: Thanks to those who let us know that a case on which we reported in 2020 has gone to trial. Almost two years ago, Abdikadir A. Khalif, then 27, was arrested for sexually assaulting, beating, and robbing a 49-year-old woman in her car in High Point. He was charged with first-degree robbery, second-degree assault, and attempted indecent liberties. He chose to go to trial in the case, and at the end of last week, a jury found him guilty on all charges, after deliberating for less than a day and a half. As we reported in 2020, Khalif’s criminal history went back 13 yeqrs, with more than 20 convictions. He’s been in jail since days after the attack, arrested after he was identified through security video recorded when he used one of the victim’s cards at a local store. King County Superior Court Judge Janet Helson, who presided over the trial, is scheduled to sentence Khalif on April 29th.

WEEKEND GUNFIRE: SPD summaries from the weekend include one local incident:

On (Saturday at 2:09 am), officers responded to the 2200 block of Alki Ave. SW to a report of shots fired. Upon arrival, officers spoke to the complainants, who reported that they were on foot in the area when a dark blue sedan drove by. As the car passed, unknown passenger fired 2 shots into the air. The car drove off and was not located.

Pat sent the report:

An Amazon truck and a police car showed up this morning at 51st and Pritchard to recover a stolen delivery van. The stolen van was found empty. Late Saturday afternoon two white delivery vans drove into the residential neighborhood just northwest of Admiral. Delivery boxes were transferred from one to the other. One van was abandoned; the second van left with the stolen packages and the two drivers. The recovery driver said the Amazon delivery van was stolen from Alki when the driver was making a delivery.

We don’t have an incident number for the original theft but the recovery is logged as 22-0069340. We reported last week on another delivery-vehicle theft, with that one resulting in an arrest and felony charge; the suspect in that case remains in jail.

1:52 PM: Reported to us via text, another stolen vehicle to watch for:

Stolen van. Last seen 3/17/22 on 34th Ave SW and Cloverdale. License 710XSG. Contact 206-714-4543.

4:53 PM: Update – it’s been found, thanks to a WSB reader.

11:30 PM THURSDAY: Just sent by Joellyn:

My sister’s car was stolen sometime between 5:30 pm and 7:30 pm tonight.

Parked on California Ave in front of California Nail Salon and across the street from Soundview Apartments at the south end of the Junction.

Red 2017 Lincoln MKZ
License Plate: BWU 9390

Police Report 22-067080

FRIDAY MORNING UPDATE: Car’s been found.

Four notes in West Seattle Crime Watch so far today:

VAN STOLEN: A reader found the last “distinctive” van reported here – maybe you’ll be the one to spot Cindy‘s van (above). She emailed to report: “My ’94 Dodge Ram van has disappeared from the street behind my house. It was parked on 46th (near Erskine Way SW close to the Alaska Junction). It’s turquoise and VERY distinctive. License CCM1046.” 3/22 UPDATE: Found in SeaTac.

GUNFIRE ON THE ROAD, #1: Around 4 am, police say, someone fired a shot from “a silver-colored vehicle (that) was westbound” in the 2200 block of SW Thistle. No injuries or property damage but police report finding “evidence” (presumably at least one shell casing).

GUNFIRE ON THE ROAD, #2: This didn’t happen in West Seattle, but the targets were on their way here – the crew of Seattle Fire Department Ladder 4. From the SPD summary and our followup from SFD, here’s what happened: Around 2:15 am, the truck was headed to West Seattle from Belltown to backfill at a fire station while both WS-based ladder trucks were out on the Beach Drive house fire. While Ladder 4 was exiting the southbound Highway 99 tunnel, the police summary says, “the rear driver of the ladder truck heard 4 shots and whizzing noises going past the truck. A gray BMW sedan (no plate) then fled at a high rate of speed.” The truck was not hit, but police later found “evidence of a shooting” in the area.

WINDOW-SMASHING ATTACK: We mentioned this last night and promised to request the report narrative from SPD today. Here’s what it says: Police were called to Bellevue Rare Coins at California/Oregon at 3:18 pm Wednesday. The initial dispatch was that someone was “threatening employees with a gun” though none was seen, and “hitting windows.” Police were told the suspect had been in the store less than an hour earlier to sell some jewelry for about $300. He returned about 40 minutes later and angrily accused an employee of mistreating him because his bank allegedly refused the check. He allegedly spat in the employee’s face, then left the store, got a crowbar (not a bat as reported by a witness) from the van in which he had arrived, and smashed windows in the front and on the side of the shop. He then left in the van; someone got the plate, but the police summary says “it came back as a stolen vehicle.”

Two West Seattle Crime Watch/police notes:

BUSINESS VANDALISM: Multiple readers have reported window-smashing at Bellevue Rare Coins (California/Oregon) in The Junction this afternoon. One reported seeing it done by someone with a “baseball bat” who ran to a “tan van” that quickly sped away. We won’t have access to the report on this until tomorrow but will follow up.

CARS PROWLED: Via text:

Reporting our cars being broken into. Both on the driveway, both cars were unlocked. They took coins and a couple of designer sunglasses. Property was not damaged. 45th/Findlay.

THE SHOTGUN SHELL THAT WASN’T: If you follow SPD’s automated Tweets by Beat – automated tweets of call types/times/vicinities that are aggregated on our Crime Watch page and in several unrelated apps – you might have noticed some changes in call classifications. That led to a question sent to us this morning about a call labeled as “Found gun/shell casings” last night in the 4000 block of SW Alaska. We asked SPD about it; the reply: “This call came in as a report of a loose shotgun shell. Upon further investigation they determined the item was not, in fact, a shotgun shell and did not require police action.”

3:27 PM: Lots of good work by WSB readers lately getting stolen stuff back to their owners, so here’s something else to look for – a stolen motorcycle. The report and photo are from Rebecca, who says this happened last night in Highland Park:

My husband’s black Harley Davidson motorcycle was stolen from the driveway in the alley between SW Kenyon and Portland St (near 11th SW). The license plate is 0F0048 and the police report case number is 22-64607.

9:43 PM: Rebecca found out from neighbors that a red Jeep towing a trailer took the motorcycle away.

118 people responsible for more than 2,400 criminal cases in Seattle in the past five years. That’s who the City Attorney’s Office says it’s targeting for starters, as it launches the newest attempt to address frequent offenders, called the High Utilizer Initiative. The announcement from City Attorney Ann Davison says this program will “identify individuals responsible for repeat criminal activity across the City of Seattle and aims to dramatically reduce their public safety impacts” by prioritizing their cases to “ensure they have access to critical social safety programs.” The 118 initially identified people, according to Davison’s office, were charged with “theft (1,019 charges), trespassing (589 charges), assault (409 charges), or weapons violations (101 charges).” The program won’t involve domestic violence or DUI offenders, which the announcement says “are already the subject of additional attention.” Davison is quoted as promising to “advocate for both accountability and behavioral health and substance use interventions to help stop the cycle of addiction, crime, and human suffering we are seeing on our streets.” No specifics on which “interventions,” though. The list of High Utilizers will be kept by the City Attorney’s Office, but coordination is promised with SPD, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, King County Jail, and “service providers.” This isn’t the first time the city has talked about dealing with repeat offenders, though – today’s announcement ends with the note, “The High Utilizer Initiative follows in part some similar recommendations made by the 2019 High Barrier Individuals Working Group, organized by Seattle and King County.” (More about that here.) As for whether West Seattle offenders are on the list, we’ve asked the City Attorney’s Office if any geographic information is available.