Three reports in West Seattle Crime Watch so far today:

CAR THIEF HITS VICTIM: This appeared in Tweets By Beat as a “carjacking” but here’s what police say they found out happened, according to the police-report narrative we’ve obtained. They were called to California/Walker around 4:15 am for a report of a stolen white pickup truck. The officer looked around the area for the stolen vehicle and then went to the original scene, discovering someone “lying on the concrete in a parking lot, bleeding from the back of his head.” The victim’s son said he and his father were out searching for the pickup (stolen “earlier in the evening”) after tracking it via an Apple Air tag. They found it and opened a door to confront the thief, who, the report says, “immediately put the vehicle in reverse to flee the area.” The victim was “hit by the open driver-side door as the vehicle sped in reverse. (The victim) was slammed to the concrete and one of his shoes flew off his foot. The vehicle fled northbound through the alleyway.” The thief, now also wanted for hit-run, was described as a Black man, early 30s, 6′ tall, heavy build, wearing a blue sweatshirt. If you have any information on this case, the SPD # is 22-246364.

GUNFIRE INVESTIGATION: Last night before 10 pm, people called 911 to report hearing gunshots near 18th SW and SW Roxbury. Officers found “evidence of a shooting in the roadway,” according to the summary, and also found that an “occupied residence” had been hit by gunfire. No injuries were reported. The gunshots might have come from a vehicle, as, police were told, “A vehicle was seen speeding away SB on 18th SW but was unidentifiable.”

STOLEN WAGON: Reader report from David: “Last evening our beloved Veer Cruiser Wagon was stolen from our front porch off Spokane and 44th.” David is filing a police report; we’ll add the number when it’s available. (Added) Here’s what the wagon looks like.

5:37 PM UPDATE: David says he went looking for the stolen wagon and got it back: “Just took a little drive on Avalon, near the encampments cause I thought it was worth a shot. Saw a guy pushing a Veer Cruiser Wagon across the street. Confronted him and he gave it back to me. Sometimes the good guys do win. There were also some confidential financial documents in there that were probably stolen from a car at some point. I have them and will return them to [the person named in them].” We asked where exactly on Avalon; he said where it meets Spokane, under the bridge.

Tbe report and photo are from Sara:

Our green and white Ford F-250 was stolen this morning at 4am from 36th ave sw and sw Dawson. License plate C84937U. Call Sara at 206-909-4595 if you see it. Thanks!

The report and photo are from Eric:

Last night our truck was stolen from the Gatewood neighborhood.
The truck was parked at SW Austin Street and 41st Ave SW.
The truck is white and a 2003 Ford F250 Super Duty with a Pennsylvania license plate.
Police incident number 2022-244409.
The truck was stolen at 2:22 am on 09/13/2022 and we saw it stolen on our camera when we woke up this morning.
Please contact the police if you see this truck.

In West Seattle Crime Watch:

ATTEMPTED SHOPLIFT-TURNED-ROBBERY: Thanks for the tip. This happened at Junction True Value about an hour and a half ago. We talked to a witness who just spoke with police. She said a man and woman had armloads of merchandise and tried to leave without paying. Staff and customers intervened and got the items back; she said some scuffling was ensued, which is what turned it from shoplifting to robbery. The witness said the would-be robbers ran out to a waiting getaway car with a third person driving. She described the two as a Hispanic man, 5’7″, in sunglasses and a ball cap, who limped as he crossed the street to the getaway car, and a Hispanic woman, 5’3″, very long hair. She described the car as a silver Honda type car, with CD and 91 in the plate. If you have any information, the SPD incident number is 22-242742.

ADDED MONDAY: A few other details in the SPD summary:

… When confronted by employees one suspect lifted the bottom of her shirt so the employee could see she had a silver handgun in her waistband. Suspects left the store but dropped all the items. Witness supplied a license plate for the suspect vehicle; however, when officers went to the address of the registered owner, they discovered the license plate had been stolen previous to the attempted robbery.

STOLEN BICYCLE: From Chris:

My wife’s 2013 Giant road bike was stolen from our garage yesterday between 7 am and 7 pm. I have filed police report T22022820.

We’re waiting to hear back regarding where this happened.

DUMPED SCOOTER: Another Chris sent this photo and report:

Found this abandoned scooter, probably stolen and left in pieces. Corner of 39th Ave sw and SW 98th St in Arbor Heights.

PACKAGE TAKEN: From Trevor:

Package theft that occurred (Saturday) at 6:30 am. 36th Ave Sw & SW Edmunds St near Providence Mount St. Vincent. Luckily is wasn’t anything super valuable but wanted to spread the word so people can be on the lookout for this person and truck. The truck looks to be a older model Ford Ranger.

10:49 PM: Police have been searching a stretch of Harbor Avenue after a report of gunfire near Don Armeni Boat Ramp about half an hour ago – someone said they saw a man get out of a car, shoot at another man, and drive off. The target apparently was not hit. But police have been looking for evidence and just told dispatch they found shell casings “in the street” near the intersection with SW Maryland [map].

10:55 PM: So far officers report finding two 9mm casings and two .45cal casings in the street.

Four notes in West Seattle Crime Watch:

STOLEN MAZDA: Lynda sent the photo and report of her father’s stolen car:

Date taken: 9/7/22 before 4 pm
Location: 35th Ave SW and SW Graham
Red 2007 Mazda CX7
License #: BAL5763
Identifying feature: Black and yellow striped sticker on bumper
Case number: 22-238861

FLOWER-BASKET THIEF: A hanging flower basket was stolen from outside the Senior Center of West Seattle, whose executive director Amy Lee Derenthal sent the security video, wondering if anyone recognizes the thief:

On Sunday morning at 5:45 a.m. a person drove up to the Senior Center, brought a box to stand o,n and stole our hanging flower basket from outside the front door of the Senior Center. We pay for these flower baskets and the seniors love them. I’m so bummed someone purposefully chose to steal it.

BURGLARY ARREST: Just after 6 am today, police were called to Westwood Village for a report that someone had broken into a store (we haven’t confirmed which one) and was tampering with a cash register. Police arrived and made a quick arrest. They confirm the suspect was booked into jail.

WINDOW-SMASHING SUSPECT RE-ARRESTED: Last week we reported on the arrest of 48-year-old Gerald Hochstadt after a window-smashing rampage August 29th at the Morgan Junction Starbucks. He was released after two days in jail because the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said police hadn’t received all the evidence they needed – specifically, a damage estimate – to send them what they needed to file charges. One day later, last Thursday, that information came in, and Hochstadt was charged with first-degree malicious mischief. We’ve been checking the jail roster, and discovered he was arrested on Monday and has been in jail since then.

Three West Seattle Crime Watch notes:

DAYTIME CAR PROWL: From Galen, who says this happened around 11:15 this morning:

38th Ave SW and SW Olga St. (Admiral) – Dark gray Toyota Sienna 2010/2016 (3rd generation). I was on my front porch and saw this man pull up and park. Didn’t think anything of it and went into the backyard. My neighbor then watched them because they began acting odd (opened the back of his car and shuffled things around all the while NOT looking at what he was doing but instead looking around the street). Walked over to my minivan and proceeded to look inside rather intently (tinted windows makes it hard to see in) before driving off.

The suspect’s vehicle has Oregon plates starting with 477; Galen described him as, “White male, late 20s, dark hair.”

CATALYTIC-CONVERTER THEFTS: Michelle forwarded this alert from her condo board, saying they’d heard reports of catalytic-converter thefts around Alki, including one Monday night at the Lighthouse Point building. (UPDATE: We also got a texted report today of a cc theft in the 1700 block of Alki SW.)

WEEKEND ROBBERY: Among the SPD report summaries from the long holiday weekend was this one we should note for the record: Just after midnight Sunday morning, a man summoned police to Alki and told them he’d been robbed at gunpoint outside the Harbor Avenue 7-11 about 15 minutes earlier. He said he was approached by two people who asked for a light; one then pointed a handgun at him and demanded his jewelry before they ran away. The report describes the suspects only as “two males,”

Thanks to everyone who has helped find stolen cars, sometimes abandoned close to where they were taken. Here are two more reader reports:

WHITE SUBARU IMPREZA: The report is from Lindsay on behalf of a neighbor:

“A white Subaru was stolen last night on 47th and Alaska. The car was used in a construction robbery and was last seen around the Alki area. if you see this car, please call the police. 1999 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport, WA BZR4836.

RED HONDA CR-V: This report is from Grant on behalf of his sister:

Red 2007 Honda CR-V
Stolen on 36th Ave SW between Hudson and Dawson between 4:24 and 5:24 am
License#: BQL5587
Case number: 22-236545

One more West Seattle Crime Watch reader report tonight, followed by charges filed in two cases:

BUSINESS-BURGLARY ATTEMPT: From Peel & Press proprietor Dan Austin:

Someone pried the lock off my back door last night at Peel & Press. They were unable to gain entry to the building. Yet another expense that won’t be covered by insurance…

After that initial report, he sent this security-video image of a suspect and vehicle in the lot behind his restaurant:

Peel & Press has been hit by burglars before.

ASSAULT CHARGE FILED: We’ve heard a lot about trouble in Junction Plaza Park. One recent incident has resulted in a felony charge. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged 53-year-old Chet M. Bilderback with second-degree assault for allegedly hitting another man in the head with a board in the park last Sunday. When they arrived at the park, they talked with Bilderback and found the bloody board but couldn’t find the victim, so the suspect wasn’t arrested. They finally heard from the victim the next day, after he had sought medical attention. That gave them probable cause to arrest Bilderback, who they found near Junction Plaza Park one day later (Tuesday); he’s been in jail since then, in lieu of $7,500 bail. Court documents say he does not have any prior felony convictions.

CAR THEFT CHARGE FILED: The KCPAO has charged 46-year-old Malcom C. Marx with possession of a stolen vehicle after police found him in a stolen Chevy Silverado. Charging documents say they were familiar with Marx’s criminal history, including auto-theft-related convictions, and spotted this vehicle, missing its front plate, in his South Park driveway on August 25th. After subsequently seeing him driving it in Highland Park, they caught up with him on West Marginal Way. They verified the vehicle was stolen and noted it was “running without anything in the ignition.” They also found shaved keys, black checks, and a stolen e-bike in the car. They arrested Marx and took him to jail. The next day, over prosecutors’ objections, a judge released him on personal recognizance. Four days later – last Tuesday – the KCPAO filed this charge. Marx is still out of custody.

Two notes in West Seattle Crime Watch:

MUSIC MURALS VANDALIZED; Thanks for the tips. We’re not showing the vandalism, but at least three music murals in West Seattle have been vandalized – the Chris Cornell and Mother Love Bone murals on the south side of Easy Street Records in The Junction, and the Chris Cornell signal-box mural near 35th/Alaska. That’s sadly far from the first Hansen signal box to be defaced. He painted the Chris Cornell box four and a half years ago. The Easy Street mural was painted by Son Duong.

HIGHLAND PARK PROWLER: April reports a prowler Saturday afternoon in their yard on 14th SW between Thistle and Elmgrove, She says he “entered our side yard via a latched gate, closed it behind him, and proceeded into our backyard … carrying a small tool bag. When we confronted him, he said he was trying to get away from the cars on the road and asked to cross the yard and exit through the alley. We allowed him to do that, and told him to never enter our property again.” She sent this thumbnail-size photo.

Two West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports:

STOLEN BICYCLES, SCOOTER: From Greg:

I live at the top of 29th Ave SW as you go up the hill from Brandon (by the south side of the golf course). My house is past a “Road End” sign, so a person would not be in my driveway by accident. You cannot see my garage from the road. (In other words I feel that my house has been cased and watched)

Overnight on Sunday/Monday (August 29th) a person, or persons, came into my garage and stole a Motobecane HAL mountain bike, a Cannondale CAAD 9 road bike and a Segway Ninebot F40 scooter. All of this most have been done very quietly as my dogs usually go crazy if they hear noises.

Almost nobody around here has a Motobecane HAL Boost 27 Plus

VAN BREAK-IN: Terry reports that this happened last night at 64th and Admiral. Items taken included tools and a camp fridge.

(Reader-contributed image, Monday morning)

As noted briefly here earlier, the man accused of a window-sashing rampage at Morgan Junction Starbucks early Monday is now charged. But 48-year-old Gerald R. Hochstadt isn’t in jail right now, because he had to be released last night, after the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office didn’t get the information they needed in time to rush-file charges. That information in turn has to come from SPD, which was able to obtain it today. Hochstadt is charged with one count of first-degree malicious mischief, a felony. The KCPAO and SPD had been trying to get a damage estimate from Starbucks; today’s charging documents indicate that estimate was in excess of $10,000 for the four double-pane windows – double the minimum amount to qualify for the charge that was filed. Along with using metal furniture to break the windows, Hochstadt allegedly removed plants from pots outside the store and used them to hit the door, locked by Starbucks staffers after they had managed to get him outside. A $15,000 arrest warrant was issued when the charge was filed; that’s the amount of bail requested by the KCPAO, and it’s what Hochstadt will be held on if/when arrested. We’d mentioned in earlier coverage that he had a criminal trespass conviction for which he spent more than three months in jail earlier this year; the charging documents also list a second such conviction plus one for third-degree malicious mischief.

Andy emailed us after seeing that a WSB reader helped find the stolen bicycle reported here Wednesday:

In a very similar incident, my son Jack had his bike stolen from the bike rack at West Seattle High School on Tuesday afternoon while he was at football practice. The cable lock was seemingly cut with bolt cutters in broad daylight. The bike was a Cannondale Catalyst 3, 27.5″, charcoal gray, and had “JACK” written in red paint-pen on the down tube about 6-8″ above the pedals. Any help that you can provide would be wonderful. If anyone has any info, you can please share it with us by texting 206-529-7970 or 206-637-1935.

(WSB photo, Monday morning)

The 48-year-old man arrested Monday morning after a window-smashing rampage at the Morgan Junction Starbucks got out of jail tonight. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office told WSB they had hoped to receive enough information for a charging decision today – but a key piece of evidence was missing: Seattle Police detectives needed a damage estimate from Starbucks, and couldn’t get it. KCPAO spokesperson Casey McNerthney says that’s “a required element to prove that the damage was a felony crime. Even though that seems obvious, the court needs that information under the law.” He says the KCPAO “also tried to loop in contacts from victim business (at the corporate level) to get that necessary information by the 2 p.m. deadline.” But they didn’t have any luck either. Without charges being filed, the suspect had to be released. But McNerthney adds that “SPD is still working on the case right now. We appreciate their great work, and we’re hopeful to have that required damage estimate and case referred this week. We know it can be difficult for businesses to get that required info within 72 hours too – those are frustrating constraints in the law and court system. King County prosecutors will act on this case immediately when we get the case referral from police.”

The document from a probable-cause hearing in the case on Tuesday summarizes what a Morgan Starbucks representative wrote in a comment on our original story, that the man came into the store and became agitated. They offered him water; he refused. He “then began to yell and escalated into an aggressive behavior. Employees of the store were able to usher the suspect out of the door successfully and locked the doors … to deny access to the suspect. The suspect tried to regain access to Starbucks by pulling the main doors multiple times. The suspect noticed that the doors were locked, and this caused him to escalate his behavior even further. The suspect infuriated grabbed a metal table that was located outside and property of Starbucks. The suspect then used the table to break 4 double-paned 8×8 windows.” It was recorded on video; this frame grab was sent to us anonymously:

No injuries were reported. The suspect has one King County conviction, a criminal-trespass case in Auburn, for which he served more than three months in jail earlier this year.

THURSDAY 2:41 PM UPDATE: A felony charge has just been filed, one count of malicious mischief, against the suspect, Gerald R. Hochstadt. He remains out of custody, released just after 6 pm last night, but now there’s a $15,000 arrest warrant. Separate story to come.

From Jon:

My son just had his bike stolen in front of LA Fitness today (8/31) around 4 or 4:30 pm. It was locked along with another bike and the bike thieves cut the lock and took both bikes. It’s a 2012 Dark Green Diamondback Mission that was custom built with specific parts. It is also a custom frame with the nickname “Jonny Diamond” laser-etched on the top tube above the upper shock mount. This is a unique bike that should not be hard to spot. If you see anything please contact me at (206) 399-0585. Thanks.

THURSDAY UPDATE: Found – see comment.