West Seattle, Washington
26 Tuesday
Here’s a distinctively painted stolen car to look for. The report and photo are from Yvette:
ORIGINAL REPORT: Our car was stolen. We discovered it missing today, Tuesday, February 9, from the parking lot of the apartment building we live in in North Delridge. We have reason to believe it was stolen overnight. It is a 1991 Honda Civic 3-door. The original color is red, but the roof has been painted gray, as has the front, and there are multi-colored squares stenciled onto the hood and the sides. License plate is: 756-ZOQ.
If you see it, call 911.
ADDED WEDNESDAY NIGHT: A WSB reader found it on Puget Ridge.
12:05 PM: Lisa emailed to alert West Seattle neighbors that catalytic-converter theft is still a problem – sometime last night, someone stole the catalytic converter from her Honda Element. This happened near the intersection of 35th and Andover. The thefts have been going on for a long time; this Crime Watch report from last fall included some advice on protecting your vehicle.
1:16 PM: Amy mentioned this in a comment and then emailed:
I caught 3 men trying to steal mine off my Honda Element this morning around 4:30 am in the Sylvan Heights neighborhood. Here is a picture of the suspects’ vehicle, no plates.
The driver did threaten me as they drove off …
SIDE NOTE: As JT points out in a comment below, the New York Times reports today that catalytic-converter theft is a nationwide problem.
Police were dispatched to North Delridge after multiple reports of gunfire a short time ago. No victims have turned up, and no damage has been reported so far, but officers just told dispatch that they have found “multiple shell casings” near 26th and Brandon.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports:
STOLEN-CAR-ON-SIDE CRASH: The crash happened in the construction zone at 22nd/Delridge just before noon. According to SPD, the Subaru was stolen from the Arco station qt Delridge/Orchard and the thief “fled northbound on Delridge Way SW at a high rate of speed. The suspect lost control of the vehicle in an active construction zone.” He then fled on foot; officers pursued and arrested him. Police add, “Thankfully no construction workers were hit or injured.” Some were on scene doing Saturday work, as the photos show.
The suspect was taken to jail.
CAR PROWL LOOT TO LOOK FOR: Katie says this happened at 37th/Ida in Gatewood:
I left our car unlocked last night and my son’s backpack was taken. It’s pretty bright, so easy to spot. [stock photo] It also had his favorite hat, a black and white Vans beanie with a pom pom, and a blue fleece blanket with snowflakes. Also, bright blue fingerless gloves. If you see any of this, please let me know! Nothing is worth much, I’d just like to recover anything that was dumped!
If you find any of the above, contact us – westseattleblog@gmail.com – and we’ll connect you.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports:
CAR STOLEN: Posted in the WSB Community Forums – a black 2013 Ford C-Max stolen this morning from 9th/Barton, plates BWN5798. Call 911 if you see it.
BICYCLES STOLEN FROM GARAGE: The photos and report are from Paul:
We live in Seaview on 49th and had two black Marin Fairfax SC bikes, sizes M and L, stolen out of our garage between 4 am and 5 am [early Thursday]. The thief also took Ortlieb panniers, and other small things. One of the bikes has a follow-me-tandem attachment on it. We have security video of the thief but for some reason our motion sensor did not trigger the alarm. Our son had left the door open, unfortunately.
The bikes also both have rear racks (not shown in the photo). Police report 2021-902137
Three items in West Seattle Crime Watch:
RAPE CHARGE FILED: The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announced today that it has charged a 27-year-old man with second-degree rape in an attack at a Junction bus stop early Monday. Mahdi M. Hussein is accused of approaching and assaulting the 21-year-old victim on a bench at the California/Alaska transit hub. The victim pushed him away and fled, the court documents say, but Hussein followed, and assaulted the victim again before 911 was called around 3 am. Court documents say Hussein has one past conviction, for theft, nine years ago. He remains in King County Jail, bail set at $75,000. (added) KCPAO notes in its announcement, “Through yesterday (Feb. 3), this case is the 20th rape case filed this year by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. In 2020, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed 187 rape cases (through Dec. 10). In 2019, we filed 117 cases.”
Also, two items from Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner:
PARK PATROLS: We’ve reported multiple times recently on car break-ins at Westcrest Park. Here’s an update from the precinct:
The Seattle Parks Department and SPD have been made aware of ongoing concerns at Westcrest Park, near the dog park, in the parking lot. Community members in the area have noted suspicious activity and an increase in car prowls in the area. We are working with the Parks Department to put up additional signage to remind folks to remove valuables from their vehicles, and we are working on additional patrols. We would like to encourage community members to be extra aware, and to call 911 immediately to report noticeable suspicious activity.
SPEAKING OF CALLING 911: A recent citywide trend has led to this reminder:
Two weeks ago, we reported on vandalism defacing this mural on the West Seattle Junction Post Office – someone splashing beige paint over the depictions of a woman and two children of color, just to the right side of the parade-float royalty in the scene. Volunteers removed some of the paint, but couldn’t get it all. The West Seattle Junction Association announced today that donations will cover the cost of restoration:
Through the generosity of community donors, a $500 donation from the Alki Art Fair, and a significant donation from Mashiko, we can move forward restoring the mural and applying a critical graffiti coating to the entire surface.
WSJA executive director Lora Radford tells WSB that muralist Bob Henry, who has restored other historic West Seattle murals, will do the work when it gets a little warmer and drier. P.S. The mural-restoration crowdfunding campaign is still ongoing, here.
In West Seattle Crime Watch today:
THEFT CHARGE IN 4-DIGIT SHOPLIFT: A 32-year-old man accused of walking out of the California SW Rite Aid store with a shopping cart full of items is charged with felony second-degree theft – while awaiting trial on other similar charges. The charging documents say Nicholas A. Meinig was arrested last Tuesday evening. A clerk spotted Meinig heading toward the exit and asked, “A whole cart?” The documents say Meinig responded, “Hell yeah!” The store manager tried to follow him and called 911. Police stopped Meinig near California/Edmunds and say he confessed to stealing the items, described as “a variety of printer cartridges, health-care products, and beauty-care products.” The store totaled the items’ value at $3,111; he was also found in possession of a knife and several items that police believe were stolen elsewhere. In the case documents, police describe Meinig as “very active and prolific in committing multiple high-dollar thefts from several victim businesses in the Seattle area over the last few years,” with 29 arrests on his record and a felony-theft conviction. He’s also awaiting trial on two other felony-theft charges from other areas of Seattle – one from a November shoplifting incident involving $1,245 in items taken from a Safeway store, and the other from an April incident involving $1,154 in items taken from a PCC store. Though court documents seldom have photos, the one from that April case included these:
Meinig has been in jail since his arrest last Tuesday, with bail set at $5,000.
APARTMENT BURGLARY: A texter sent this video after a storage-area break-in at a building in the 7000 block of California SW early Sunday:
The intruders are believed to have cased the area at midnight and then returned around 4 am. The SPD report # is 21-025694.
EARLY MORNING BURGLARY: Erin says this happened just before 5:30 am today:
Two people attempted to break into our home again today. This time we were home. We hid in our 5-year=old son’s room and called the police. It only took 7 mins for the police to arrive.
It was terrifying. They attempted to enter in the same way as before by climbing up the drain pipe and scaling access the facade. They also tried to break the glass on our front door.
We are in the new Steel Building on Delridge, between Puget and Brandon. Behind the old cafe. A kind, local unhoused person yelled at them before the police arrived and assisted the police with a description.
2 GUNFIRE REPORTS: We don’t have full details on either incident, but a texter sent this video from the first one, before 9 pm at 32nd SW and SW Andover:
Incident # is 21-024607. The second one was reported very early this morning in the 7100 block of 18th SW; we heard some police-radio discussion of the response to multiple 911 calls from people who thought they heard gunfire, but no evidence of it until the call turned up as classified “drive-by shooting,” incident # 21-024757. No reported injuries in either incident.
Three days after a robbery rampage on the east side of The Junction, 35-year-old Lloyd C. Hill, Jr., is charged with three felonies – two counts of robbery, one count of hate crime. All three crimes happened outside The Whittaker at Fauntleroy/Alaska last Tuesday night, starting just before 8 pm, according to the charging documents, which say that first he held up two people leaving the building, then four people sitting in their car eating, and then waved his gun at a man using the ATM inside the BECU lobby. When a woman waiting in a car for that man got out, she told police, Hill said to her, “Go back to your country – I’m going to kill your husband.” She stepped back; he eventually walked away. By that time the first victims had called 911, and police found Hill by the Bank of America a block to the west.
As noted in our coverage, he was found with a “realistic”-looking airsoft pistol; charging documents also say he had about $48 in cash, close to the sum of what the first two victims handed over at gunpoint. Hill had just gotten out of jail three weeks earlier, after one week behind bars for a case in which he was charged with stabbing a man who tried to interrupt Hill’s assault on a woman outside a Kirkland bar. In that case, he got out after posting bond on $50,000 bail; in the West Seattle case, his bail is now set at %250,000. His record shows two threat cases – one for threatening to kill his girlfriend during an argument, the other for threatening to kill a police officer who was directing traffic downtown – both in 2013.
Two reader reports today in West Seattle Crime Watch, about recurring problems:
CONDO BREAK-INS: From Larry:
City Lights on Harbor Condominiums, at 2349 Harbor Ave SW, has experienced multiple burglaries, which include 4 garage break-ins, and 3 instances of car prowls/break-ins. Property was ransacked and stolen. These happened over multiple days and evenings within the past two weeks. The case number is 2021-020761.
PARK CAR PROWLS: From Sue:
People have been getting their car windows smashed out for several months now at Westcrest in both the north and south parking lots. There was a suspect caught in the act (Wednesday) but was able to get away. The car the suspect was in is a Mercedes silver sedan, plate number BUZ6—. If you are parked at Westcrest and see this car, please call 911.
Around this time yesterday, we were reporting on a ground and air search in Highland Park for what was eventually described as a domestic-violence assault suspect – later revealed to have gotten out of jail two days after an arrest for attacking the same victim. The suspect, 25-year-old Ulises Chaires-Batalla, was charged today with four felonies. He was first booked into jail early Monday for attacking the victim in their Highland Park apartment. Court documents say his bail was set at $50,000 and he got out of jail Wednesday morning. Hours later, he was charged with assault and harassment for Monday’s attack. But by then, he had returned to the apartment, prosecutors say, pushing his way in, knocking over a baby swing holding their 3-month-old daughter, choking the victim in view of their 3-year-old and 5-year-old sons, then pulling her into a bedroom and raping her while threatening her with a box-cutter. Prosecutors wrote, “Perhaps the only thing that saved the victim was that she happened to be on the phone with a friend” when Chaires-Batalla showed up. Aware of the previous attack, the friend called 911.
During Wednesday’s attack, the court documents say, the little boys yelled at their father to “stop killing Mommy.” He fled when he heard the sirens of the police cars responding to the 911 call from the victim’s friend. In Monday’s attack, he also had choked her, and threatened to shoot her, according to those charging papers – again, in view/earshot of at least one of their young children. She waited for him to fall asleep before fleeing to a friend’s apartment in the same building and calling police. Their response included SWAT team members because she told them he had a gun; they were able to enter the apartment and arrest him. Chaires-Batalla’s bail is now set at half a million dollars.
If you are a victim of domestic violence – here are hotlines with people you can talk to now. If and when you are being attacked, you can text 911 instead of calling, if that’s safer.
Two notes about scams today. First, an alert for restaurants:
RESTAURANT SCAM: Arthur’s in Admiral says that person hit their restaurant and at least one other nearby to defraud them out of free food. Proprietor Rebecca explains:
This person called Sunday identifying an order from Saturday that (he said) had a hair in one of the entrees. We found the order and made sure he was directly referencing something that was ordered. Check and check. He requested that we rectify the situation by remaking two of the entrees, which struck weird with me because he asserted that only one was compromised. I tried to steer him to accept a gift card that would more than compensate the original issue, but he then demanded we put together two entrees for pickup. No understanding or compromise was possible — I wanted to appease the customer and said his food would be ready in 10. I have screenshots of our camera footage — he would not step beyond the entryway and when I asked him to converse with me about the mistake he refused to talk and only would wait for food (comped and nonpayment).
They contacted the person who had placed the order on Saturday and they claimed no knowledge of the person who demanded the make-good. If you have any information, the police report # is 21-022481.
PREVENTION ADVICE: Coincidentally, the Southwest Precinct‘s monthly crime-prevention newsletter, sent today, focuses on scams and other types of fraud, particularly the type seen at tax time, which is fast approaching:
If you can’t read it in the format above, here it is in PDF.
3:03 PM: Thanks for the tips. The Guardian One helicopter is assisting police in a search for a suspect. We’re still trying to get details but police confirm it’s related to an assault. It happened near 6th and Kenyon. A victim is being taken to the hospital. More details as we get them.
3:16 PM: As noted in comments, K-9 is helping search too. They’re also extending the search east to West Marginal Way in case the attacker fled through the greenbelt.
3:31 PM: A little more info from police – who describe this as a “domestic-violence assault.” We don’t have a description but are going back through archived audio to see if one was put out over the air earlier.
4:13 PM: They’re still searching. Here’s the description from archived audio: Hispanic man, 20s, 6′, medium build, “full tattoo sleeve” on one arm, blue crew-neck shirt, tan shorts.
4:25 PM: Just in case you’re wondering – Guardian One is leaving, but the suspect remains at large.
7:20 PM: We’re covering the HPAC meeting, where Southwest Precinct Lt. Chris Johnson just said they know who the suspect is, and “there’s a whole lot of people looking for him.” The suspect, he said, had been arrested for a crime against the same victim, got out of jail, and attacked the same victim again.
9:13 AM: We learned this morning from Southwwst Precinct commander Capt. Kevin Grossman that the suspect is now in custody. (We are following up further on the case and the reported previous arrest.)
8:02 PM: Police are converging on The Junction after a report of an armed robbery outside The Whittaker. They’ve detained a possible suspect near the Bank of America just west of there, and officers told dispatchers they found a “very realistic looking air pistol” in the man’s possession. No other details so far, such as where the robbery happened – it was first dispatched as Whole Foods, then MOD Pizza, then a specific victim who had left the area.
8:37 PM: The suspect was arrested. Police have been talking to witnesses. We’ll add additional details when the report’s available.
9:32 AM: Here’s the initial SPD summary, obtained this morning, including a photo of the gun:
Officers with Community Response Group and Southwest Patrol responded to the area of Fauntleroy Way SW and SW Alaska St. Multiple callers and victims around the Whole Foods at SW Alaska St and Fauntleroy Way SW were calling 911 to report a series of in-progress incidents. The calls began when the suspect robbed at gunpoint two pedestrians on foot and threatened to kill them if they called 911. He then walked to a car parked nearby and pointed the gun at occupants of the vehicle and proceeded to demand money from 2 of the 4 occupants. The suspect then continues to a victim at a nearby BECU ATM and points the gun at the victim’s head demanding money. The victims wife sees this happening and the suspect addresses her, telling her to “go back to your country, I’m going to kill your husband.” SW CRG was first on scene, located the suspect and immediately addressed this extremely dangerous armed suspect and took him into custody safely. The gun was recovered from the suspect’s pocket during the arrest.
The suspect was booked into KCJ for Felony Harassment and Investigation of Robbery x2.
The CRG is explained here.
When shoplifting turns violent, it legally becomes robbery – and police say that’s what happened this morning at Admiral Safeway. Here’s their initial summary:
At approximately 0730, the suspect was inside the Safeway with a basket full of store items. The suspect walked past all points of sale. A store employee confronted the suspect by the front doors, and the suspect brandished a bladed instrument (box cutter) from an unknown pocket to threaten him. The suspect swung the box cutter at the victim twice, and he backed off for his safety and fear of being cut. The suspect left the area in a Honda Accord.
No further description, and no arrest reported so far.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reports:
HOME DEPOT ROBBERY ARREST: Police report that they got a call just after 4:30 pm about a robbery at the Delridge Home Depot. Police arrested a suspect about a block away and recovered the unspecified stolen items. They also found “narcotics on the suspect’s person.” He was booked into jail for investigation of robbery and VUCSA (Violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act).
BURGLARY ARRESTS: Also this afternoon, we got a couple questions about a big police response on Ferry SW in North Admiral. It was clear when we finally got to the area but we now have the SPD summary. This happened just after 2 pm:
Officers responded to a burglary-in-progress call in the 2100 block of Ferry Ave SW. The caller reported his cameras on site were being activated by a male suspect crawling into a busted-out window of the residence. Upon arrival, officers located a female outside who later told officers she was the lookout. Officers also located the male as he was exiting the front door of the residence and attempted to flee. The female asked officers if they would retrieve her jacket from a vehicle that was parked in front of the residence. Upon further investigation, officers determined the vehicle was stolen. Both suspects were booked into KCJ for Investigation of Burglary and Possession of Stolen Property. The vehicle was recovered and returned to the registered owner. The male suspect was also booked on a Felony Warrant for Possession of Stolen Vehicle and Attempting to Elude a pursuing Police Vehicle.
ADMIRAL BUSINESS BREAK-INS: Thanks to Bill for sending a photo of a flyer taped to some Admiral business windows, saying there had been multiple break-ins/attempts. We subsequently confirmed that over the weekend, multiple Admiral businesses were hit – Mission Cantina (WSB sponsor) says someone tried to break in through their door, a door at Yen Wor Village was broken, and a burglar got into Pizzeria 22. There’s no clear image but Mission says this person spent 9 minutes in their entryway. If you have any informqtion, refer to police report #21-019592.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports tonight:
RIVERVIEW ROBBERY: Thanks for the tips about a sizable police response in Riverview just after 8 pm. It followed a report of an armed street robbery near 12th and Myrtle, one victim and two robbers. No other details except that no arrests are reported so far; we’ll follow up further tomorrow. (Added Monday): Here’s the SPD summary:
On 01-24-2021 at 2005 hours, two suspects known to a male victim contacted him because suspect 1 owed the victim $7.00. The victim told the suspects that he was driving to his girlfriend’s house. As they pulled up, the suspects were waiting in a vehicle. The suspects stepped out of the vehicle and spoke with the victim. Suspect 1 put a pistol to his head and stole the victim’s wallet. Both suspects then ran NB. The victim originally said that there wasn’t a vehicle before changing his story.
GOLD AK-47 FOUND IN CAR: A report of suspected gunfire this afternoon in North Delridge led police to seize a gun described as a “gold AK-47.” Someone called 911 around 1:30 pm to report hearing a shot in the 4800 block of 25th SW and seeing a black two-door car leaving the area northbound. Near 26th and Genesee, officers pulled over a vehicle fitting that description. They didn’t have probable cause to arrest the driver but did get his name before he walked away, leaving the car parked where police had pulled it over. Taking a closer look at the car, police spotted what the summary of the incident says “appeared to be a loaded rifle-type magazine.” That led them to have the vehicle impounded, and a search warrant obtained. Inside the car, they found – again quoting the summary – “a gold AK-47 (on) the backseat floorboard of the vehicle along with 7 rounds of AK-47 ammo and a pair of brass knuckles.” We’ll be following up on whether they tracked down the driver again after that.
ADDED MONDAY MORNING: Here are police-provided photos of the two weapons mentioned above:
Two vehicle-theft reports received so far today:
That’s Indy‘s red 2001 Subaru Impreza hatchback. The plate in the photo is NOT the current plate – the car now has license # BUZ7132. Indy says it was “last seen in West Seattle 1/22/21.” Next, Jesse‘s stolen Toyota:
Jesse reports, “My truck was just stolen around 1:15 pm today in broad daylight in the 30th Ave SW alley behind Luna Park Café. They apparently took something out of my neighbor’s truck, and cut through the club on my steering wheel. They might not get far though, the engine surges when at an idle stop…” The plate, shown in the photo, is BTZ1825.
If you see either of these – or any other known stolen vehicle – call 911.
Two more store robberies last night, we’ve learned this morning, and the suspect in one was arrested. Here’s the SPD summary on that one, which happened just after 10:30 pm:
A suspect smashed one of the front-facing windows of the 7/11 at 35th Ave. SW/SW Avalon Way. The suspect entered the store, threatened to kill the clerk and a customer, went behind the clerk’s counter and stole merchandise while holding a blunt-object weapon. The suspect had just fled from across the street where he had committed a burglary by breaking into a building by smashing out a front-facing window. Patrol officers responding to the burglary chased the suspect on foot as he fled the robbery. The suspect was captured four blocks away. The suspect was booked into KCJ for Investigation of Robbery and Investigation of Burglary.
(The burglary was at the 3295 SW Avalon building – added beliw, the boarded-up door:)
The other robbery was the third Walgreens robbery this week in West Seattle, second one at the 15th/Roxbury store. Few details except that one person robbed the store by implying they had a gun, making off with about $250. No suspect description provided but police do not believe last night’s two robberies were related.
Reader report from Gregorio, who says it happened in the 4400 block of 35th SW:
I had a vehicle outside my apartment rummaged through last night after potentially leaving it unlocked. There’s been a lot of suspicious activity in the area, including a white van that’s constantly parked near the Rotary Viewpoint park. I know my neighbor also had their car windows smashed in a few weeks ago.
It’s been reported to police. Even if nothing is taken, you can report a car prowl online – go here.
11:24 PM: A police search is under way in Admiral after a reported robbery at the 7-11 a short time ago. No details yet but a K-9 unit is being called in to join the search.
11:30 PM: Here’s the description officers have just given to dispatch: 4 Black men, 25-30, all about 6′, all dressed in black, with white-lettered hoodies (except for one wearing a yellow hoodie), one armed with what looked like a 9mm gun with a white stripe, all last seen on foot heading west on Admiral Way.
FRIDAY 10:37 AM: No arrests. We obtained the police report this morning, and it has a few additional details: The store employee who was robbed at gunpoint told police that the first robber – the one in the yellow hoodie – came into the store and appeared to be shopping. He walked to the back of the store and then the other three came in; one of them pulled out a gun and aimed it at the employee, while the man in the yellow hoodie walked behind the counter and began yelling. They ordered the employee to take money out of the register and put it in one of the store’s gray money pouches. In the meantime, the clerk was able to activate a silent alarm; the report continues, “The store is equipped with a live 24-hour video surveillance system with a PA (public address) speaker system installed. It appeared that the suspects were able to hear the PA and within seconds, they left with what they were able to take from the register and a box of Swisher Sweet cigars.”
ORIGINAL REPORT: That’s Alex‘s stolen pickup truck. He sent the photo and report:
My 2006 Ford F-350 Super Duty Power Stroke was stolen from 44th and Edmunds on 1/20/21 between 12 am-6 am. $2000 reward for any information that leads to recovery of the truck. It has new tires and the front fender flares aren’t missing as seen on pic, and it has a dent on rear tailgate. Any info helps
Vin Number: (ends in) 5103
Plate Number: B70219X
Case Number: 2021-016504
If you see it, call 911.
UPDATE, EARLY FRIDAY: It’s been found.
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