West Seattle, Washington
25 Monday
Sent by Kathy:
I want to report the theft of a 2018 Radwagon Electric Cargo Bike that was stolen from a storage area in my 6-foot fenced-in and locked backyard area on the alley between California and 42 Ave SW, between Dawson and Brandon. The only real distinguishing aspect to the bike is that it has has 2 hand-made saddle bags attached. We would appreciate any help in getting the bike back. Thank you!
Here’s what it looks like. The SPD case number is 22-904528.
Three reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
(Added: WSB photo)
ATM THEFT ATTEMPT: Thanks to Bolo for the tip. The US Bank drive-up ATM in The Junction – stolen in an early-morning heist five years ago – was again the target of would-be thieves early Monday. We say “would-be” because they failed, according to the police-report narrative we obtained today. It says that US Bank corporate security reported the theft attempt was caught on video just before 3:30 am Monday. Two people drove up in a “small to midsize silver DUV with a gray/black bottom”, pried open a “plastic base plat” on the ATM, attached a cable from the truck, tried to pull the ATM off its base, but failed and left.
ROAD-RAGE GUNFIRE: This was reported just after noon on Saturday, according to this police summary made available today:
(The) reporting party (RP) reported a shooting that occurred at SW Avalon Way and SW Spokane St. This incident started as a road-rage disturbance at the large intersection of Delridge Way SW and SW Spokane St. The RP was driving eastbound on SW Spokane when the suspect’s vehicle was driving “aggressively” past multiple vehicles. The RP indicated the suspect vehicle nearly struck or may have slightly struck his vehicle after a merge in which the suspect cut him off. This enraged the RP, who merged in behind the suspect’s vehicle and began following him after honking and a mutual exchange of middle fingers (between himself and the suspect). At the intersection of 11th Ave SW and SW Spokane St, the suspect leaned out the driver-side window and fired approximately 4 times at the RP’s car. The suspect then quickly drove away, continuing eastbound on SW Spokane St up and onto the West Seattle Bridge, toward 1st Ave S/ 4th Ave S/ S Columbian Way and the I-5 North/South Interstate on ramps. The suspect’s vehicle was described only as a 4-door newer Lexus Sedan, black in color, with no other distinguishable or unique markings. The RP’s vehicle had what appeared to be new damage, consistent with bullet damage.
STOLEN VAN: West Seattle resident DMD says this happened near the airport, but is hoping neighbors here will be on the lookout for it too:
Flew out of Seattle for vacation. Van was stolen from the Seattle Airport Marriott parking lot between Feb 11-20 2022. It’s a 1998 Ford E-350 lifted four-wheel drive van. It is burgundy red with a large black winch bumper on the front. A case was opened with the police so any tips to me, them, or both are appreciated!
Call 911 if you see it – then let DMD know by texting 206-240-8993. (3/2 UPDATE: It’s been found, in north Seattle.)
One Crime Watch reader report so far today, from Laurie:
I just wanted to reach out so other people are aware in my area; sometime between 9 pm last night and 10 am this morning someone broke into our vehicle and stole my fiancé’s cleaning supplies. Luckily it was only that. I live near the PCC Market on California. They used something to get the door unlocked through the keyhole but didn’t damage it.
Thanks to John for the tip. Emerald Water Anglers (4502 42nd SW; WSB sponsor) was hit by grab-and-run thieves this morning, and it’s at least the second theft of that kind in The Junction in recent days. Matt at EWA tells WSB that it happened around 11:40 am today; two thieves stole $2,700 worth of Patagonia outerwear. He says one “had been in previously and looked at prices of items closest to the door.” As for descriptive information, he says “both male, one about 5’10” and the other about 6′; (they) ran to a running red Dodge 2500 truck without plates left running on the corner outside the shop.” If you have any tips, the SPD case number is 22-043860. This happened three days after what a reader told us was also a grab-and-run theft at West Seattle Optix (4555 California SW) on Thursday; no other details but the case number for that one was 22-041148.
Two reports tonight:
EARLY-MORNING CARJACKING: From a Seattle Police preliminary summary: Around 6:40 am, near Delridge/Barton, a person “was driving and saw a male standing in the roadway. The victim stopped to see if the male needed assistance. The contact turned into a fight.” Police say the person who was standing in the road then pulled out a gun and robbed the victim. Another person described only as female then “jumped into the victim’s car and drove away,” while the robber jumped into his own car and followed her. Police spotted those two cars in the Roxbury Safeway parking lot; the robber’s car, a Mercedes, left, while the carjacking victim’s vehicle was left behind, unoccupied. Shortly afterward, another officer saw the Mercedes on 35th SW; he followed it a ways and saw a man and woman dropped off. They were taken into custody. Eventually the woman was arrested and booked into jail; the man was released, after it was determined that the person who dropped them off was the person they were looking for. He was still at large at last report and may be linked to other robberies.
CAR PROWLER: Reader report – “Last night around 11:30 pm we had a prowler trying car doors on 41st Ave SW, just south of Jefferson Square. He was walking a small white dog, I’m guessing taking the dog for walkies was to avoid suspicion. After the street prowl, it looked like he then walked down the SW Hudson steps and prowled the alley between 40th SW and 41st SW. Trying doors, etc. He was wearing what looked like an outdoor coat (sleeves may be a secondary color) and the dog was small, maybe a Pekingese or small Spaniel mix, mostly white fur with fluffy tail and what looked like brown areas on the face.”
Two reader reports:
STOLEN VEHICLE: Just in from Bryan:
Someone just stole my car at the Home Depot on Delridge. It’s a ’98 4Runner, brown, with license plate number BZN5686. Please call police if you see it! Turned out to be a pretty expensive doorknob I had to buy :)
If you see it, call 911.
DUMPED BICYCLE: From Michael:
We found this kids’ bicycle in front of our house several days ago. It’s not in great shape and may have been abandoned earlier before being left in front of our house. If it’s yours, it’s on 42nd Ave SW between Barton and Donovan, next to the large blue dumpster.
Twp reader reports:
STOLEN GEAR: Amanda reports a car break-in Sunday night/early Monday:
My 2015 Subaru Forester was broken into on the 2800 block of SW Adams. The hood release latch was ripped out and stolen, and my rock-climbing gear (shoes, harness, chalk) and tire chains were taken.
PACKAGE-THEFT AFTERMATH: From Greg:
I found a couple of Amazon deliveries on the side of SW Charlestown St that had been evidently “porch pirated.” There were actually 2 different packages – one addressed to someone on the 3800 block of 51st Ave SW (shipped on 2/13 based on the label) and the other addressed to someone in the 3000 block of 60th Ave SW (shipped on 2/12 based on the label). Both of the boxes were opened and empty and stuffed into the plastic Amazon delivery envelope. I have pictures of the 2 labels with names and exact addresses, but since the contents were emptied, through the envelope in the trash and the boxes in the recycle bin.
If you’re in that area and missing a package, contact us and we’ll connect you.
When we reported last week on the arrest of 26-year-old Joseph Depaco after a police search in the West Duwamish Greenbelt, we noted that court records revealed he had just been sentenced in another case. Tonight we have word of a charge filed in last week’s incident, plus an explanation of why he hadn’t begun serving the alternative sentence he got for the other case. (At left is a photo of Depaco we obtained from the state Corrections Department.)
The new charge filed by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is possession of a stolen vehicle, a felony. The vehicle in which police say they found Depaco in the greenbelt was a stolen Toyota Tacoma pickup. A passerby reported it as suspicious, and responding officers say that after they found Depaco asleep in the vehicle, he woke up and bolted, which led to a ground and air search that resulted in his arrest. (He is not charged in connection with the under-construction gun found in the vehicle.)
We had asked the KCPAO for more background on why Depaco wasn’t already in the residential drug-treatment program to which he was sentenced as part of a three-case plea bargain February 4th. He was supposed to enter the program within a few days, they explain, but after the sentencing, the treatment provider canceled the original date and said it would not have a bed available until today. Depaco had been out of jail since January 7th, which the KCPAO says was his original sentencing date, and that’s why the new charge was filed today with an “aggravating factor” of “rapid recidivism.” That could lengthen the sentence if he’s convicted. Tonight Depaco – who already has seven felony convictions – remains in jail in lieu of $50,000 bail and is due next for arraignment on the new charge February 28th.
Thanks to the reader who tipped us that Toshi’s Teriyaki in Westwood Village had been broken into on Saturday morning. We obtained the report narrative from police today. According to the report, an alarm at the restaurant led to a police dispatch at 5:43 am. They found the glass shattered in the left entry door. When the store manager arrived, they looked at security video, which showed two people approaching the door just after 4:30 am, and one throwing a large rock through it. They left in a vehicle, and moments later another vehicle returned; two people got out of it and entered the restaurant, but weren’t inside for long before turning and leaving without taking anything. The report has only clothing descriptions for the people involved; the rock-thrower was described as “wearing a gray beanie, black jacket, gray sweats, and white sneakers”; the two who went into the restaurant are described as one “wearing a black jacket, dark-colored cap, dark pants, and black shoes or boots, carrying a black plastic bag in his right hand” and the other “wearing all-dark clothing with black and white tennis shoes.” If you have any information, the case number is 22-036584.
Two reader reports:
VAN STOLEN OVERNIGHT: From Chris:
My white 2007 Ford E350 passenger van was stolen off the street in the 9200 block of 36th Ave SW, sometime between 11 pm last night and 8 am this morning. License number is WA-B34733L. SPD incident report is 22-37516.
Call 911 if you find it.
DUMPED-AND-LIKELY-STOLEN ITEMS: The photo and report are from Ray:
while walking my dog, I saw this pile of belongings at the corner of 17th and Elmgrove in Highland Park. Seems to be some camping supplies in the backpack. The belongings were moved to the side.
SATURDAY: Maybe you’ll find Scott‘s pickup truck, stolen overnight:
My white 1997 Ford F-250 pickup truck was stolen off the street in the 1900 block of Sunset Ave SW in North Admiral sometime between the night of February 10 and the afternoon of February 11. The license number is WA-B39751V. The police incident report is 22-036712.
Call 911 if you see it.
MONDAY UPDATE: Thanks to the reader who commented below, Scott has the truck back.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports:
7-11 ROBBERY: For the third time in two weeks, a West Seattle 7-11 has been robbed. The latest was just after 5 am today, at the 7-11 in the 9000 block of Delridge Way SW. The preliminary police summary says the robber walked in, “waited for customers to leave … then approached the counter (and) acted like he was going to buy an item.” When the clerk opened the cash drawer, police say, the robber “pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the victim,” then grabbed the till and left. A K-9 search ensued but the robber wasn’t found. No description in the summary. The two other recent 7-11 robberies were January 28th at 35th/Avalon and January 30th at 35th/Barton.
BURGLARS STEAL CAR: A tracking system led to the recovery of a car stolen in the 8000 block of 18th SW. We heard radio traffic on some of this as it happened last night around 8 pm; the victim called 911 to say someone was in their garage trying to steal their car. The ensuing police summary says officers “learned the suspect entered through the front door of the residence, walked past the occupants inside, grabbed a set of car keys, went into the garage, and stole their vehicle.” It had a tracking system and police finally caught up with it in South Seattle, where two people got out and ran as officers approached. One was arrested and booked into King County Jail; the other wasn’t found.
One day after a man was arrested in the West Duwamish Greenbelt after allegedly bolting from a stolen vehicle driven into the forest (WSB coverage here), his bail was set at $50,000. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office had asked for $75,000, but says District Court Judge Gregg Hirakawa went for a lower amount. We’ve been looking at the record of the suspect, 26-year-old Joseph Depaco, who we’re identifying as he is charged/convicted in other cases. He was just sentenced less than a week ago in a plea bargain involving gun possession, domestic violence, and burglary cases, all outside West Seattle. The sentence given to him on February 4th was credit for four months he’d spent in jail plus up to six months of residential drug treatment as a DOSA (Drug Offender Sentencing Alternative). Court documents from the plea bargain show Depaco’s conviction history – three 2017 felony convictions related to stolen cars, and three 2018 felony convictions including stolen property, a stolen vehicle, and drugs. The documents from last week’s sentencing do not indicate when he was supposed to report for the treatment. Tonight, he remains in jail while the KCPAO awaits additional police information so a charging decision can be made in the Highland Park case. Depaco’s last known address is listed on police reports as in South Park.
4:31 PM: Thanks to everyone who asked about the helicopter search in Highland Park. Guardian One was assisting Seattle Police with a search. We don’t know yet what incident it’s linked to, but we do know they just took someone into custody in the greenbelt over Highland Park Way/Riverview Playfield. More details when we get them.
5:09 PM: No official info from police yet, and we couldn’t find officers on the ground, but scanner traffic and another reader tip indicates it was related to a stolen car.
6:05 PM: Guardian One confirms via Twitter that the search was for a driver who fled a stolen car.
7:54 PM: Even more details, and a photo, from SPD:
Just after 3:00 p.m., a parkgoer reported a man asleep in a red pickup truck parked on a foot path in the greenbelt area of Riverview Park. When responding officers contacted the man, he fled on foot into the woods. Police quickly discovered the truck had been registered stolen earlier this week in North Seattle, and spotted a rifle in the back seat.
With the help of King County Sheriff’s Office helicopter Guardian One, SPD officers on the ground found the suspect hiding in the greenbelt and arrested him.
Police transported the 26-year-old man to King County Jail to book him for possession of a stolen car and unlawful possession of a firearm. It appears part of the rifle was still being constructed. Nevertheless, the suspect is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms. However, during the booking process at KCJ, the suspect deliberately punched a concrete pillar, causing injuries which required treatment at Harborview Medical Center. Officers plan to book the man into jail when he is medically cleared at the hospital.
Thanks for the tip. The Domino’s Pizza in Morgan Junction was held up shortly after noon today. Police say the robber walked into the business, showed a gun, demanded all the cash in the tills, got money, told the employees to lie down, then walked out. Police didn’t find him. No description in the preliminary summary but from archived police-radio audio, we have one: white, male, 5’10”, medium build, black beanie, brown shoulder-length hair, dark blue shirt “with holes in it.” If you have any information, the police incident # is 22-034059.
Tomorrow (Wednesday, February 9th) at 9:30 am, the City Council’s Economic Development, Technology, and City Light Committee, chaired by new Councilmember Sara Nelson, will devote its meeting to a roundtable of business owners and neighborhood leaders. The topic: Public-safety concerns and recommendations. Announced participants (as shown on the agenda) include two with businesses in West Seattle – Kamala Saxton of Marination and Dan Austin of Peel & Press – but the committee invites comment from others too. From the announcement circulated by business groups including the West Seattle Junction Association:
Councilmember Nelson has requested that business owners across the City take part in the public comment process to share their experiences as well. This is important as it has been far too long since a Councilmember has specifically asked to hear from businesses.
Provide public comment at the Wednesday, February 9th Meeting at 9:30 AM
Registration opens two hours prior to the meeting at 7:30 AM. Plan to go to the council website exactly two hours before the meeting to register online.
Send an Email:
Take a moment now and send an email to City Council and the Mayor.
Whether you are a business owner, property owner or an employee, it is more important than ever to share an experience you’ve had that articulates the need for an increased emphasis and new strategies to keep our city safe.
Contact your Councilmembers by emailing council@seattle.gov
Contact Mayor Bruce Harrell by emailing bruce.harrell@seattle.gov
Other members of the committee holding tomorrow’s roundtable include West Seattle/South Park Councilmember Lisa Herbold. Like all council meetings, this one will be streamed live via Seattle Channel, and available for viewing later.
ORIGINAL MONDAY NIGHT REPORT: Thanks for the tips. Police confirm Canna West Seattle (WSB sponsor) was robbed tonight. Detectives at the scene confirmed the holdup but wouldn’t discuss details, so that’s all we know so far; store employees weren’t commenting either. We found police at the store after multiple tips about a notable SPD response there. This is less than a month after a holdup at West Seattle’s other cannabis store, Origins; more recently, we’ve heard dispatches been a series of robberies at other shops elsewhere in and outside the city.
ADDED 11:08 AM TUESDAY: A bit more info from police today – two robbers, armed, who got away with cash.
In addition to the burglary covered here in a reader report Sunday, we noted two other “residential occupied burglary” calls logged over the weekend, so we requested the reports today. Both turned out to be attempted break-ins. Here’s what the report narratives said:
MARINE VIEW DRIVE: Just after 3:30 am Saturday, a 911 call came in from a house in the 10600 block of Marine View Drive SW. They reported someone trying their doors and opening their screen door. One of the residents confronted the would-be intruder, who said, “You know me,” though that was not the case. The man then went into the back yard and sat in the patio furniture for 10 minutes before leaving. While officers viewed security video and otherwise investigated at the house, a sergeant in the area spotted the suspect two blocks away. He gave police conflicting stories – that he thought it was his house, that he thought it was his daughter’s house, that he was trying to get help for his wife who was possibly overdosing in a car nearby. Police found a crashed car nearby, described as “stuck on a rock,” but no one was inside. They arrested the man, who ended up being taken to Harborview Medical Center for an unspecified problem rather than immediately to jail.
38TH SW: On Sunday morning, a 911 call came in from a residence in the 4800 block of 38th SW. The resident reported a man pounding on the windows and door, and grabbing the door handle. She believed he was trying to break in; she screamed at him to go away. All she could tell them regarding a description was that he was wearing a dark hat. He was gone before officers arrived, and they didn’t find anyone in the area, but they did find a duffel bag outside her house and took it as evidence.
The report is from Bismark, who lives near 30th/Charlestown:
On February 5 [Saturday] at around 3:30 am, our house was the target of a home invasion burglary.
My roommate and I were sleeping upstairs at that time and was alerted by my dog that someone was inside the house. We quickly assessed the situation and took appropriate action in equipping ourselves with our personal defense and called 911. The subjects ended up getting away with valuable assets and around 6 am we received a call from Kirkland PD that the 4 people responsible were arrested along with the stolen car they had at the time. They are currently in custody … and I am asking the West Seattle community if they have been a target of recent burglary or have footage of suspects entering homes to please contact Seattle and Kirkland PD with your findings.
We hope to bring justice and peace of mind that we don’t tolerate this criminal activity in our neighborhood.
We are also aware that our situation could have been a terrible outcome and luckily nobody got hurt or worse.
The SPD incident number is 22-030289. We don’t have the Kirkland PD incident number yet but will be following up.
One month after taking office, Mayor Bruce Harrell, his deputy mayors, and public-safety chiefs went before the media at midmorning today to promise action on violent crime that’s at its “highest level in 24 years.” You can watch the video above. For starters, Mayor Harrell said, he’s told Police Chief Adrian Diaz to “focus on those places where crime is concentrated, and on the relatively few individuals causing the most harm.” (He wouldn’t say exactly where “those places” are, at one point suggesting that locations could be deduced if you “read the blogs.”) He also acknowledged “inherit(ing) a depleted and demoralized police force,” now down 350 officers, and promised the remaining police he would support them providing they “perform (their) duties with honor and excellence.”
“We need more police,” declared Chief Diaz, also identifying gun violence as a particular problem. The mayor’s list of statistics included a 40 percent increase in shootings, with or without injuries. Chief Diaz said officers recovered 3,200+ shell casings recovered last year, in 600+ incidents.
That category of crime is affecting how firefighters do their work too, said Fire Chief Harold Scoggins. His department responded to more than 400 “scenes of violence” (weapon-involved injuries, not only guns) calls last year, up a third from 2020. They’ve had to change their policy on weapons incidents – now wearing “ballistic vests and helmets,” and staging 4 blocks away until assured the scene is secure. He also talked about the increase in SFD responses to encampments – this month averaging five fire responses and 33 medical responses a day. That’s in the context of an increased number of all service calls – 94,000+ last year, up from 80,000+ in 2020.
Public safety isn’t just about SPD and SFD, cautioned Senior Deputy Mayor Monisha Harrell, promising a “holistic” approach. She was followed by Tiffany Washington, Deputy Mayor for homelessness/housing issues, who also made the point that “the issues of homelessness and public safety are not one and the same.”
So what exactly are they doing? “We are building systems right now,” said Mayor Harrell, who said he and his team are working “feverishly” toward solutions. He promised more specifics to come. West Seattle/South Park City Councilmember Lisa Herbold, who chairs the Public Safety Committee, issued a statement of support afterward; you can see it here. In it, she also spotlights some of the public-safety alternatives the city is funding, which she detailed to the District 1 Community Network this week, as reported here.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes so far today:
ATTEMPTED LURING: The report is from Lynn:
I’ve been alerted that while my son was at the Whale Tail playground near Alki yesterday afternoon, a strange man beckoned to him and a three-year-old to “come over here”. My son ignored him and walked away toward his group of school friends and informed his teacher about it. I just want other parents to be on alert about this.
Lynn didn’t have a description, yet.
MYSTERY STABBING: From a preliminary police summary – a 911 call at 1 am today reported “a man in the road with red marks on his back” in the 3000 block of SW Avalon Way, but police didn’t find anyone. Half an hour later, the man called the AMR ambulance service to say he’d been stabbed. Officers went back and found him at the 35th/Avalon 7-11. The summary continues:
The victim shared no specific details that could assist in the investigation, location of scene, or suspect description. (He) had several small puncture wounds on his back.
SFD was called; they took him to the hospital for evaluation.
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
UNUSUAL DUMPED/LIKELY STOLEN ITEM: HA emailed to say they “found an industrial heater/fan just off Delridge, south of SW Hudson. Based on the model number, it retails for about a thousand dollars. Rather than leave it where abandoned, I brought it home.” If you’ve had that type of item stolen (or otherwise lost), email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com and we’ll connect you with the finder.
MAIL THEFT TARGETING CREDIT CARDS: From MR:
I wanted to report repeated mail theft that strikes me as a bit odd and thought that perhaps others are experiencing the same. (I have filed police reports for both of the following incidents.)
My Capital One credit card was expiring, so they mailed me a new card. It never got to me, but I received notification from Capital One that someone was attempting to use it at a Shell gas station and also on the Square payment app in late January. I cancelled the card and Capital One sent me a replacement card.
I had not received the card, but this morning I was notified that someone was attempting to use the replacement card to make a very large purchase at a grocery store in White Center.
The thieves apparently were not able to activate the card in any of the cases and I was able to reject the charges and cancel the cards without them being able to use the cards.
What is odd is that I have a keyed mailbox which doesn’t show any indication that it’s been forced open or tampered with. Also, I signed up for the USPS Informed Delivery service after the original theft, and the Capital One envelope showed up on the scan on 2/1, but it was apparently stolen before it made it to my mailbox.
Another stolen pickup truck to watch for – this one belongs to Miles, who sent the photo and report:
My truck was stolen this weekend parked on the corner of 42nd Ave SW and SW Andover St. The license-plate number is C28337Y (The old plates from the previous owner were in the cab, those plates had the number C56269K.) Gray 1999 GMC Sierra.
Call 911 if you see it.
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