West Seattle, Washington
18 Thursday
The report and security-camera images were sent by Admiral Pub proprietor Alex Garcia:
It was bound to happen eventually. We had a break-in (today) around 5 am. We really have nothing worth stealing, it was more the 6k in damages that hurts the most. They stole alcohol, cash, and broke both the front doors and back door.
Luckily we have a temporary fix for both the front and back… but it will cost us 3k plus install for new front doors and the back door also is going to require a new door, frame + install etc.
Luckily we were still able to be open and will continue to be open.
As bar owners, we do our best to plan for these days, but they always come when you least expect them. If you would like to support us here are 2 ways you can support us: You can donate to our gofundme. Or you can come out next week to Wednesday Trivia (7 pm) or Thursday Music Bingo (7 pm). We will have drink specials and it will be a fundraiser for the new doors and lost liquor (that was stolen). Any kind of support would be greatly appreciated. We love you all!
We’ll add the SPD report number when we get it.
Sent by Johanna:
I found these parts of a Kuat bike rack behind my fence in the alley between 26th SW and 28th SW, 9400 block. They are quite expensive parts and I’m assuming taken off a stolen vehicle and dumped or some other nefarious circumstance. I’m hoping maybe their owner may see them on the blog so I can give them back even though they are just parts now.
If this might have been your bike rack, let us know and we’ll connect you.
That’s Rose‘s black 1999 Honda CR-V, plate CKU4036, stolen from 34th SW near West Seattle Elementary in High Point today. Police report number is 24-057258 – if you see this car, refer to that report when you call 911.
9:27 AM: The report and photo are from Stan:
Sometime overnight my 1998 Ford E-250 van was stolen from in front of my home near corner of 48th and SW Stevens. Van is white, with a raised roof cap, and would be hard to miss, with signage from its previous life as a coffee van consisting of the word Coffee in front, and other coffee-related signage (all on the roof cap). Signage seen on van body has since been removed. WA license CDV0613.
If you see it, call 911. We’ll add the police-report number when we get it. (UPDATE: It’s 24-55953.)
12:06 PM: As Stan commented below, a reader tip has reunited him with his van.
Miscellaneous West Seattle Crime Watch notes:
BUSINESS BURGLARY: We got a tip about this on Friday but police didn’t provide information until today. Burglars hit the Admiral Safeway gas station (42nd/Admiral) just before 3:30 am Friday. According to the SPD summary, “The (burglars) utilized crowbars and a U-Haul box truck with a tow rope to break into the fuel station kiosk. (They) stole cigarettes/merchandise and tried to remove the safe before driving away. Officers spotted the van a short distance away and began to coordinate a stop. The van driver began to drive recklessly, and officers disengaged, losing sight.” If you have any information, the SPD incident # is 24-051042.
UNHINGED: We’ve received multiple questions about, and photos of, the detached door at 4719 California SW:
Yes, police are aware of it – we’ve heard multiple calls in the past week or so, and there was another one this morning in the 6 am hour (SPD incident # 24-054044). It’s been reattached at least once that we’ve seen. Regardless of how it was opened, it’s ultimately the property owner’s responsibility to keep vacant spaces secured.
STOLEN AND/OR ABANDONED? Grant sent this photo of a possibly stolen and/or abandoned Kia this morning, seen at 37th/Elmgrove in Gatewood:
We walked through the area in early afternoon and didn’t see it. But Grant noted that it was parked the wrong way and practically protruding into the intersection. While you can call any suspected stolen car in to 911, if one is parked illegally, you can also simply report it to Parking Enforcement, which might be able to respond quicker – that direct number is 206-386-9012.
Three weeks ago, thanks to tips, we reported that the Delridge Playfield lights were out again because of wire thieves. Last week, one of our original tipsters, John – who had photographed the exact spot hit by the thieves – told us that crews were on scene to fix the system. We subsequently inquired with Parks, who responded today that the lights are working again. Security was improved, too, according to John’s observation: “Installation of steel conduit instead of PVC previously used, therefore making hard to steal the cables.”
Thanks for the tip – we went over to Patrick’s Café and Bakery at 15th/100th in White Center after a report of gunfire at the intersection.
Speaking to us and other media at the scene, proprietor Patrick Choy said he and others in the cafe heard the gunfire around 10:40 am but didn’t see it – he speculates it was someone in a vehicle shooting at someone in another vehicle.
Some of the bullets hit his building – no injuries but a very close call for a woman in the café, whose boot was hit by a bullet. Patrick said deputies found shell casings in the street, too. We checked with the King County Sheriff’s Office, which tells us they have no description information so far: “The suspects are unknown at this time.” Meantime, Patrick’s remains open for business as usual.
Two incidents in West Seattle Crime Watch:
SEARCH FOR SUSPECT: This is happening right now in Delridge. Police were at the Salish Landing complex in the 6900 block of Delridge Way SW looking for a domestic-violence suspect. They made forced entry into an apartment and found the suspect used sheets and blankets to escape down the exterior of the building, and was last seen running “into the woods.” Officers gave this description to dispatch – Hispanic man, 20s, bald, 5’7″, slim, green checkered pants, white or gray tank top. They’ll be using a K9 to search so if you’re in the area you may hear sirens and loudspeaker announcements. 7:29 PM UPDATE: Police told dispatch they have found the suspect.
HIT-RUN WITH STOLEN CAR: Thanks for the texted tip and photos.
Above is a stolen Hyundai Sonata that someone crashed into parked cars southeast of Westwood Village late last night, after 11 pm. At least two were damaged:
After the crash, witnesses told police they saw three people in dark clothing – believed to be teenage boys – get out and head toward Westwood Village. No injuries reported. If you have any information, the SPD incident # in this case is 24-052892.
911 callers on and near Alki Point reported hearing what sounded like gunfire – and police are finding what appears to be evidence of it. So far, “one live round” in the 3400 block of Beach Drive SW.
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
LITTLE FREE LIBRARY ARSON: Diane sent the report and photo:
This morning at 5:25 am we woke up to the smell of fire and noticed someone had taken all the books out of our little free library and lit them on fire. Fire department responded quickly. Earlier this week someone had taken all the books out and left them all on the ground, but last night the same thing happened and they were all lit on fire. There was also other personal products, lotions, ceramic figurines, etc. that were on fire. We are at the 7200 block of 39th Ave SW.
Diane has reported this to police; we’ll add the number when we get it.
CAR BREAK-IN: This report is from M:
Just wanted to share a reminder to not store car registration or title in your car. (You can use a digital copy of your registration.)
My car was prowled this morning at 3:38 am (near 39th and 100th SW). They broke a window and stole the vehicle registration (in a lock box that they probably thought would contain something much more exciting), along with a binder of car repair records.
(WSB photos)
The memorial outside Southwest Teen Life Center/Pool lingers, one month after the January 23 shooting death of 15-year-old Mobarak Adam inside the center. Steps away from the memorial, a crew worked on the outside of the building today:
We believe, but have not yet confirmed, they were working on the new camera system promised for the center. Last night, Seattle Parks’ chief deputy superintendent Christopher Williams told the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners that the new cameras would be in place within “a couple of weeks.” City records show an electrical permit was granted this week for installation of what the application described as “a CCTV system with 16 camera locations.” (The city website shows a similar permit was granted to a different contractor last June; we’ll be following up on why the cameras apparently weren’t installed then.)
Meantime, no new information from police; we had filed a public-records request four weeks ago for the initial report on the incident, and received a notice today that the request has been denied, with the explanation that “the records requested are associated with a case that is under active investigation and non-disclosure is essential to effective law enforcement.” (The reply invited us to try again in about six weeks.) But during Williams’ briefing at the Parks Board meeting last night, he said the city and Seattle Public Schools planned to participate in an upcoming meeting organized by the Chief Sealth International High School PTSA focusing on safety at the adjoining Chief Sealth and Denny International Middle School campuses as well as the center, pool, and stadium facilities across the street. He mentioned a tentative date in mid-March; we have checked with the Sealth PTSA and they say a date isn’t finalized yet.
From our daily check of the police-call logs, one incident of note early today: An armed robbery at the Fauntleroy/Alaska gas-station mini-mart. Archived police-radio audio had limited details on this, so we asked SPD for the report narrative. At 4:51 am, “an officer was arriving at the 4500 block of Fauntleroy Way SW for an unrelated theft call. The victim met the officer outside the business and stated that an armed robbery had just occurred.” The officer was told three people – two male, one female – went into the store, with one “going behind the counter and pointing a silver/gray semi-automatic handgun at the victim and demanding the register be opened.” Between the three robbers, they took money from the register, vape products and cigarettes, and food/drink items, then got away in a vehicle parked behind nearby. According to the radio recording, it was a “blue minivan” and one robber was described in slightly more detail – a white man 45 to 50 years old, tall, medium build. When last seen, police say, the van was southbound on 35th SW from SW Alaska. If you have any information, the SPD incident # is 24-050006.
That’s one of seven windows at Hope Lutheran School‘s future north campus – the former Seattle Lutheran HS – broken by a vandal early this morning. The report and photos are from Hope’s Sally Heit, who says it happened at 1:50 am. “Repairs are underway, but needless to say it is very frustrating.”
She also sent this image of the vandal, who she says matches a photo of a person shown on social media “panhandling at the Jefferson Square Safeway with what is reported to be an aggressive dog (which you can see in the photo; he’s on the guy’s back).”
Police report # for the vandalism is 24-047421.
TUESDAY UPDATE: Here’s security video of the vandal as he threw the rock, twice.
After a reader tip, we went over to Super Deli Mart (35th/Barton) to check on a report they’d been broken into overnight. Indeed, the telltale broken window told the story. Part of it, anyway – staff told us that the vaping-related items stolen were worth far less than it will cost to replace the window. According to recorded dispatch audio, their security company got an alarm notification around 2:40 am. If you have any information, the SPD incident number is 24-046976.
Thanks for the tips and photo. That’s the aftermath of yet another crash-and-grab burglary (or attempt) at Global Smoke and Vape (35th/Roxbury), hit repeatedly in recent months. According to police audio, it happened just before 3:30 am; the 911 caller reported seeing two people get out of the vehicle that was used, and into a second one to get away. The vehicle left behind was radioed in as a 2015 Kia Optima that officers believed to have been an “unreported stolen” registered to someone in Auburn. We don’t know if burglars made it into the store to take anything or not. P.S. The Twitter/X call log shows police were also called to the strip mall around the same time Thursday for a suspected burglary, but we don’t have information on how that turned out.
10:23 PM FRIDAY: Reported by Kellie via email:
Stolen 1988 Chevrolet white 1/2-ton van – not running, so it was pulled away by someone. It is covered in vinyl stickers – one says National Green Log Society with a picture of a green log and on the back doors in 10-inch purple lettering it says “hang up and drive.” Stolen from Arbor Heights area this morning.
We’re still awaiting the license plate and police report numbers, plus we’ve asked if a photo is available, but the description sounded vivid enough that you’d probably recognize this if you see it, so we’re publishing this for starters. ADDED: Plate is S019694. … SECOND ADDITION: Police report # is 24-044805.
2:13 PM SATURDAY: As noted in comments, found in Fauntleroy. Owners are aware and handling.
Someone has stolen one of the art banners that’s been beautifying the fence around the fire-shuttered Highland Park Improvement Club. HPIC trustee Kay Kirkpatrick sent the report and images:
(HPIC fence pre-theft – the banner on the right is the one taken)
HPIC trustees are sad to alert folks that someone has stolen one of the current Art Banner pieces from our fence along SW Holden St. This happened on February 13th at some unknown time (a Valentine’s Day gift?). The artwork was part of a series that we have been displaying in collaboration with Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery featuring themes of community and resilience, titled ART FOR BRIGHTER DAYS.
HPIC and Nepantla installed the three vibrant 5′ x 8′ banners displaying the art of three local artists: Raquel Garcia, Jake Prendez, and Rolando Avila. The art was curated by Nepantla and was installed on the construction fences facing Holden, and scheduled to remain in place indefinitely, or until the building demolition occurs.
If you happen to have seen anything, or have seen the missing panel ~ which is the piece on the right (images at bottom of poster) by Rolando Avila, please contact HPIC1919@gmail.com
The video and report are from Peter, who says this happened on 23rd SW at midday Tuesday:
He stole the package within a few minutes of delivery around 12:15. (His car looked) like a red Subaru outback with gray plastic trim.
We asked what the item left behind turned out to be; Peter said it “looked like a cover from a car headrest” and seemed new.
Police are searching the area around Admiral Safeway and Hiawatha after a shoplift-turned-robbery at the store. According to the dispatch, a man brandished a 2 1/2-inch folding knife at store staff while making off with an 18 pack of Modelo beer. He was last seen headed south toward Hiawatha. He’s described as Black, 19 to 20 years old, 5’6″, medium build, blue sweatshirt, tan pants. A K-9 team is joining the search.
Four reports in West Seattle Crime Watch, starting with two business burglaries:
CRASH-AND-GRAB BURGLARY: Just after 3 am, police responding to what was called in as a crash found out it was actually a crash-and-grab burglary, at the Morgan Junction Domino’s. No major damage, though. The safe was taken, according to staff. (Added: According to dispatch audio, the burglar[s] were in a white SUV.)
ANOTHER PIZZA BURGLARY: We don’t know what time this happened, but police were called to A Pizza Mart at 35th and Roxbury in the 8 am hour today because of the damaged door. This too turned out to be a burglary. (Thanks for the tip on this one.)
FOUND SAFE: Whether this is the Domino’s safe, we don’t know, but a reader emailed this photo and report about a dumped safe seen this afternoon south of The Junction:
They saw it “in the alley between California and 42nd, south of Edmunds.”
CAR PROWLER INTERRUPTED: Peter reported this just before 5 am – he “scared off a car prowler in a white truck in North Admiral/Schmitz Park area (55th and Charlestown). I could see them going down the street with their lights off stopping at cars and checking handles. Then they stopped at a neighbor’s truck and were checking it out before I came out and scared them off.”
Sent by a reader who signed “distressed resident of West Seattle”:
My partner’s car window was parked on Fauntleroy Way in front of the Maris Apartments last night. We woke up this morning to find the back right window smashed and a few dog walkers mentioned they had seen 3-4 other car windows smashed along the way as they were passing us.
Nothing is believed to have been stolen, which angers us even more because it feels whoever is responsible for this did this just because. We also found an interesting looking tool that may have been used to cause the break as it was sitting in the middle of the glass on the ground. It happened sometime between 10 pm and 10 am. We have filed a police report and inquired in our apartment building for potential footage.
ORIGINAL SATURDAY REPORT: The photo and report are from TT via email:
My 2000 Chevy Astro van was stolen between 2/8 after 7 pm and 2/9 9 am. It was parked at the Lighthouse townhomes on Delridge. She is bright pink, fuzzy pink dice hanging (if still there), pink cowboy hat on dash (again, if still there). Her name is Pinky. PLEASE HELP ME FIND HER. SPD incident #24-037546.
Call 911 if you see TT’s van.
MONDAY UPDATE: The owner has commented below that her van has been found.
9:38 PM: Police checking out multiple reports of suspected gunfire have just told dispatchers they’ve confirmed it – finding an SUV that was hit. It’s reported to be on 31st SW near SW Morgan. No report of any injuries.
9:51 PM: Officers also have reported finding “casings east of the intersection.”
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