Two car crimes in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:

HIT-AND-RUN DRIVER SOUGHT: From Patrick in The Junction:

Our Dodge Charger was totaled by a hit-run vehicle at 12:04 am on Oct 12th on SW Oregon between 42nd SW and California SW.

The vehicle slammed into the driver-side rear bumper, riding up onto the vehicle with the Jeep at an approx. 25-degree angle before backing off our vehicle and sideswiping it before leaving the area quickly, turning south on 42nd SW and finding our rear quarter panel at the intersection of 42nd SW and SW Edmunds.

We have obtained video of the crash but cannot make out the license #. This is now the second hit and run we’ve had to suffer in less than a year; my GF and I are pissed. We want desperately to find this driver and or vehicle responsible and ask if you can possibly put this out there for folks to keep an eye out.

If you have any information, the SPD incident # is 21-270330.

CATALYTIC-CONVERTER THEFT: From Diane:

Our catalytic converter was stolen on 10/12/2021 at 7:46 am. It was captured by camera, see attached photo.

There was one driver, and a passenger who got out and quickly stole the converter. This happened in Fauntleroy just south of Lincoln Park. A police report was filed.

The SPD incident # IS 21-918668.

We start West Seattle Crime Watch tonight with two vehicle thefts – if you see either of these, call 911:

STOLEN PICKUP TRUCK: In the Lowman Beach area on Sunday night, a thief or thieves stole this pickup truck belonging to the proprietor of Harold’s Fitness (WSB sponsor) in north Morgan Junction:

It’s a 1997 Nissan Hardbody with an extended cab and automatic transmission. Plate is WA C28238G. The truck had a magnetic Harold’s Fitness sign on it. (FRIDAY UPDATE: The pickup was found, near 2nd/Michigan.)

STOLEN CAR: Margaret‘s 2004 Mitsubishi Eclipse was stolen last night from Alaska House in The Junction (4545 42nd SW).

(Added) License plate number ALL 9704; police incident number 21-271029

CAR PROWL: Just before 3 pm in the 4800 block of Fauntleroy Way SW, Rich saw two people who appeared to be breaking into a car – saying they “punched through the plastic-wrapped window to unlock the car and go through the contents before heading south.” He called police.

6:59 PM: The nonprofit, volunteer-powered West Seattle Tool Library, on the northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in North Delridge, has been hit by burglary. They think it happened between 3:30 and 4:30 this morning. They were still going through the inventory when we talked to them earlier today, but were missing a lot of small tools for starters; they think the burglar(s) filled up a yard-waste bin with what they could grab. Whqt you see on the door in our photo above is true – they have video surveillance – but didn’t get a clear image of the burglar. If you have any information, the incident number is 21-269299.

ADDED EARLY TUESDAY: We now have an update from Micheal at the WSTL:

All in all, we got off pretty light. As it stands, it appears the following was taken: a laptop computer, ~$60 cash, a 1/2″ impact driver, a floor nailer, circular saw, plunge router, trim router, jigsaw, a long-handled cordless hedge trimmer, two 18ga brad nailers, two coil nailers, three framing nailers, and a pneumatic stapler. The biggest pain for us is the damage to the doors– both doors need new hasps, and as you saw, the damage to the workshop door is extensive. We’re not sure yet if the doors will need to be replaced.

Library operations should be relatively unaffected, and we plan to be open (Tuesday) for our usual hours– though nail guns will be slim pickings for a while until we can get some new ones in.

Tuesday hours are 5 pm-8 pm.

Two reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

STOLEN BICYCLES: Received tonight from Patrick:

Last night between 10:00 and 5:30 this morning (Saturday) my girlfriend’s and my bikes were stolen from outside our apartment at Lighthouse Apartments (7901 Delridge Way SW). My bike is a red Trek 7.2 FX with a Purdue University bike registry sticker on the down tube of the frame, though that may have been removed. My girlfriend’s bike is a Cannondale with blue sidewall tires. We would appreciate if anyone has seen these reporting to SPD or me (317-443-1844).

ROBBERY INVESTIGATION: From a preliminary police report: Just after 10 am Friday, someone walked into the mini-mart at California/Andover and tried to walk behind the counter. A store employee blocked her; she “grabbed lighters (and then) left the store and got inside her vehicle.” The employee followed the thief “to the gas pumps, (where the thief) backed up her vehicle, and intentionally pulled forward toward the victim, (then) clipped the victim with her vehicle, knocking him to the ground. The victim had abrasions on the right side of his body.” With the violence, this became a robbery; police responded but were unable to find the robber.

Jennifer hopes you can help find her stolen car:

It’s a 2009 ford Crown Victoria, matte black Police Interceptor, spotlights each side, crack on window, spider effect across window, “very loud” because its catalytic converter is missing. Plate BZR7825. Taken Thursday morning from 17th/Henderson. If you see it, call 911.

UPDATE: Found “near Highland Park.”

For the second time in a week, there’s been confirmed gunfire near 47th/Charlestown. We reported on the previous incident last week, shortly after it happened the night of September 30th; police say two residences and one car were hit by bullets that night. Neighbors called 911 again last night and this morning about suspected gunfire, but police have only confirmed gunfire in last night’s incident: They got that call around 7 pm last night (Thursday, October 7th). Two casings were found. Neighbors’ reports varied, according to the police narrative – one person saw people running out of an apartment after the shots; another person saw a silver SUV speeding away; another person saw a motorcycle speeding away. No property damage or injuries reported.

This morning’s call was in the 6:30-7 am vicinity. The police-report narrative says callers reported hearing one loud noise followed by “possible rapid fire.” One caller said they saw smoke in front of an apartment building. The officer who was dispatched found a “suspicious” car with no plates and noted “a strong odor of burnt black powder consistent with fireworks …” plus, along and beneath the car, “cardboard wadding consistent with fireworks that had been exploded.” Neither the car – whose VIN traced to an owner in Tukwila – nor anything else was damaged.

Thanks for the tips about a police response in the 1200 block of Alki Avenue SW early this morning. We’ve obtained the police-report narrative, and here’s what the investigating officer(s) who wrote it say happened: A monitoring service first reported that a video-alarm system showed a break-in at the site around 3:20 am, someone “using a grinder to cut through the front-gate lock, forcing entry.” The company “sounded the alarm and the suspect left.” Less than an hour later, two people showed up at the site, and one went in. Police arrived five minutes later, saw a pickup truck driving away, and pulled it over. Construction equipment was visible in the pickup’s open bed, the report says. After the two suspects were advised of their rights, police say, one admitted to the burglary and the other admitted to being the getaway driver. A construction-company rep identified a nail gun and work lights in the pickup as belonging to the job site. The suspects – both men, ages 44 and 52 – were booked into the King County Jail.

Charges are now filed in two West Seattle cases on which we’ve reported in the past week:

(WSB photo, last Friday)

SWAT STANDOFF CASE: Last Friday, we reported on an 8-hour standoff in the 9400 block of 36th SW between SWAT officers and a man accused of pointing weapons at neighbors and then officers. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged 69-year-old David D. Brown with one count of felony harassment. From the charging documents:

The defendant was reported by witnesses to have been wandering the neighborhood with what appeared to be a rifle, yelling for his neighbors to come outside and confront him. He then went inside and obtained what appeared to be a handgun. Upon the arrival of law enforcement, the defendant proceeded to point the perceived handgun at three Seattle Police Officers while yelling obscenities. The defendant proceeded to re-enter his yard and it took additional SWAT officers several hours to detain the defendant. During this time the defendant fired a pellet rifle at the officers and their vehicles and swung a hammer and part of a metal cane at them.

The documents note that “At least 48 SPD personnel ultimately ended up responding to this call.” Also noted: Brown has no criminal history, and the two “guns” found in the residence turned out to be a Daisy BB rifle and “what appeared to be a vintage double-barrel handgun that was brown and black in color (with) writing on its top that read something to the effect of
replicas by parris’ (made of) wood and what appeared to be metal.” Brown’s bail was set at $100,000, and he remains in jail tonight.

STOLEN-CAR-RAMMING CASE: On Saturday, police arrested a man they say stole a delivery driver’s car on Capitol Hill and drove it to southeast West Seattle, ramming it into the cars of officers who tried to stop him, as well as damaging a gas-station/mini-mart building in the 7800 block of Detroit SW. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged 22-year-old Benjamin I. Triplett with motor-vehicle theft, attempting to elude police, second-degree malicious mischief, and violating a domestic-violence court order. The order resulted from his recent conviction for assaulting the woman found in the car with him at the time of Saturday’s incident. Triplett also remains in jail, bail set at $35,000.

From Diane:

My beloved Kia Soul was stolen early Sunday morning from the Seaview area. We reported it to the police. When he got there, he said it was the 7th, yes 7th, call that morning for stolen vehicles. Please keep an eye out for it. It was my most favorite car. It is a 2-plus. It is the weird green of a Kia Soul, but more silver. It had all the bells and whistles. The outside package had a lot of black trimming and “vents” on the front side in front of the doors. It’s the only one I saw with mud guards on the wheel wells. The license plate is BUB2436.

As with all known stolen vehicles, call 911 if you see it.

Two West Seattle Crime Watch items:

RESIDENCE HIT BY GUNFIRE: Seattle Police report that this happened around 7:15 pm Monday in the 7100 block of 34th SW. Someone “fired at least one round from an area near a city park. That round struck a home, narrowly missing the resident. It is believed the suspect was firing at a vehicle nearby and the house was not the target.” The brief report doesn’t say which park, but the location is less than a block south of Walt Hundley Playfield. That’s the second time in a week that gunfire has hit a West Seattle residence; the other happened last Thursday night near 49th and Charlestown.

HIT-AND-RUN: This happened more than two weeks ago; we received the report and photo today from Cyrus:

My car was totaled by a hit and run driver at 3 am on September 18th. Parked just south of Harbor West condo, 3717 Beach Drive. Car was pushed into the street and police had it towed to a Shoreline impoundment lot as my phone was off so they couldn’t contact me. Given that it was parked facing south, the driver crossed the center line and struck it head on. I’m guessing it was street racers or a drunk. High rate of speed as frame and engine were bent. No witnesses or evidence.

If you have any information, the SPD incident number is 21-246508.

That is an almost-stolen catalytic converter and the tool the would-be thieves had to leave behind when Edgar chased them off late last night:

Heard a clatter outside our house on the corner of 42nd and SW Brandon and found two young men taking liberties with my Lexus catalytic converter. Not my best moment but I ran out, swore at them and proceeded to kick the guy that was underneath my car and they took off in a sedan with Oregon plates. They threw their beverage at me on the way by.

A call to police ensued. SPD incident # is 21-261915.

First we heard from Lisa, who sent these photos after seeing a man kicking cars in the Jefferson Square parking lot today:

Lisa says the man went into Bartell Drugs – where she had been shopping – “and was escorted out by an employee.” She called 911.

One of the damaged cars belonged to John, who emailed us later in the afternoon – not the first time he has sent a report for Crime Watch recently, as he noted:

Two weeks ago I sent you a note about my stolen catalytic converter.

Today Sunday Oct 3 2021, 12:30pm at the Safeway store in Jefferson Square. When I parked in the busy parking lot, I noticed a deranged man waving and yelling idiotic non-legible rants. I went in the store, shopped and when I returned to my car (a 2007 Honda Element), I noticed a huge dent in my driver’s side door, and a couple smaller dents on that side of the car.

He says witnesses told him what had happened. We don’t know if police caught up with the man; the incident number is 21-261445.

From Libby:

In case someone is missing 2 pairs of vintage water skis on good condition, we found them stashed in the bushes of Holy Rosary church (Saturday). Guessing they were stolen?

To claim them, email me at parishoffice@holyrosaryseattle.org with a brief description.

(Side note: If you find something that’s more likely truly lost than stolen, our Community Forums have a board for that.)

From Jennifer:

2001 Chevy Silverado. Stolen from 17th Ave. SW between Trenton and Cloverdale at 2 am 10/2/21 (today). License plate B36240L. Democrat bumper stickers on the back.

Call 911 if you see it.

The report is from Anthony:

I’d like to make the community aware of an assault that occurred on the Lafayette Elementary playground this morning around 10:45 AM.

I was there with my kid and asked a man walking two off-leash dogs to check and make sure they didn’t poop in the bushes on the west side of the playground when they were out of his sight. He immediately asked if I wanted to fight, and came from across the playground (he was heading towards the north exit) and immediately got in my face. We argued for a few minutes, he insisted on fighting me, in front of my kid and another person, even as I tried to walk away. Ultimately he lost it and hit me in my right shoulder, promptly leaving when I got my phone out to call 911.

He left the playground heading south on 44th Ave and went west on SW Stevens. He was a white male, about 6’3″ , 220 pounds, had on a dark blue hoodie (University of California shirt, I believe), blue sweatpants, flip-flops and a hat. He had two labradoodles/poodles with short hair, golden/white in color, about 40 pounds each. Thank you to the other parent who intervened and removed my kid from the situation. Such a strong reaction in front of children on a playground is very disturbing.

If you have any information, the police report number is 21-260407.