West Seattle, Washington
26 Saturday
Even if you’re not going anywhere these days, check on your car from time to time, as criminals are still at work. Two Three reader reports:
STOLEN WHEELS: From Patrick:
Sometime between Wednesday late evening and Thursday morning, someone(s) decided they wanted the tires AND wheels off my car. It was parked on 38th SW between Findlay and Juneau. Police report sent in online. A real pain, as they made off with two of my wheels and left my car on blocks. Times are tough but…
CAR PROWL: A resident in Hansen View (just south of Providence Mount St. Vincent) reports her car was prowled early Friday: “Nothing was taken or damaged”; this too has been reported to police.
ADDED 3:18 PM – DIAPER THEFT: From Christine:
We live on a busy street near Westwood Village and had a box of Pampers Diapers size 4 stolen less than 20 minutes after it was delivered. It was even behind our locked gate, but still close to the sidewalk. Filed a police report and will now have to go to the store (what I was trying to avoid!) and get more diapers. I just hope whoever stole it needed the diapers for their own child more than I did.
Got a report for Crime Watch? Once it’s been reported to police, let us know so we can alert your West Seattle neighbors. We don’t publish full names or addresses. we*************@***il.com – thank you!
Three days after a police search in High Point resulted in the arrest of a suspect in an attack/robbery, he is charged, and his bail has been tripled. The 27-year-old suspect, Abdikadir A. Khalif, is charged with first-degree robbery, second-degree assault, and attempted indecent liberties. The latter charge is an aspect of the attack that wasn’t previously revealed – that the victim was sexually assaulted as well as beaten and robbed. The charging document says Khalif has a criminal history going back 13 years, with more than 20 convictions. At the time of the April 16th attack, the Department of Corrections had his status listed as “escaped” from community-custody supervision. Other new details in the charging documents allege Khalif tried to strangle the victim in addition to hitting her while she struggled to get away, and that he left a gun magazine behind at the scene. The documents also reveal how he was identified – through security video at the 16th/Holden 7-11, where he allegedly used one of the victim’s cards. Police sent the photo around and heard from a corrections officer who recognized the man in the photo as Khalif. As noted in our report on the arrest, patrol officers spotted him Monday, not far from where the attack had happened, and arrested him with K-9 assistance. Because of his history and the additional violent details of the attack, his bail was increased today, from $100.000 to $350,000. The King County Jail Register says he’s still there.
9:45 PM: If you’re noticing the law-enforcement helicopter Guardian One over the Highland Park Way hill, here’s what’s going on: Police are searching for a “felony warrant suspect” last seen near HP Way and West Marginal Way SW, and asked if the helicopter could help. We don’t know the suspect’s name, description, or warrant details.
10:04 PM: Suspect in custody. We’ll follow up tomorrow to see if we can find out who he is and what the warrant’s for. (added) Officers just told the helicopter crew it was a warrant for robbery.
11:39 PM: Guardian One has published video of the search and arrest:
Medics were called for the suspect after he was in custody, and the video appears to show why.
ADDED FRIDAY: The suspect is 41 years old and wanted in Kansas.
6:05 PM:A West Seattle 18-year-old was booked into jail this afternoon, five days after being charged with second-degree rape in what prosecutors call a “tragic sexual assault.” Jackson U. Sullivan is accused of raping a 16-year-old girl “who was intoxicated to the point of loss of motor functions … (during) what should have been an enjoyable high school party” last November. Both were West Seattle High School students at the time, according to the charging documents, but did not have more than a passing acquaintance.
The party was at another student’s house. Prosecutors wrote, “The victim’s last memory at the party was playing beer pong with the defendant and two of (his) friends,” before he “escorted (her) out of the party” and to his nearby van. That’s where her friends later found the victim – partially clothed and unable to talk – with the suspect. The day after the incident, after telling a parent about it, the victim was taken to a hospital, and police were called. She told detectives that she had two drinks at the party before Sullivan gave her a drink that led to her “blacking out.” The charging documents are dated last Friday and say Sullivan was arrested April 9th, but the King County Jail Register says he was booked less than two hours ago. His bail is set at $350,000; prosecutors asked for that amount, noting that other allegations of sexual assault came to light during the investigation “that will likely result in future charges.”
(This charge was first reported by KIRO TV; thanks to the many readers who pointed this out to us so we could follow up and obtain the documents.)
LATE-NIGHT UPDATE: As noted in comments, Sullivan posted bond and left jail four hours after being booked, according to the KCJ Register.
(Emailed photo, Monday evening)
As promised, we followed up this morning on the search that led to an arrest in High Point Monday evening. Turns out the 27-year-old suspect was arrested in connection with an incident we reported a week and a half ago, in which a woman was beaten and robbed in her car – here’s our April 17th report. SPD spokesperson Det. Mark Jamieson tells WSB that investigators subsequently identified the suspect and put out a bulletin for officers to watch for him. Two patrol officers spotted him yesterday; he took off, and that’s what led to the search and arrest. He is now in the King County Jail, held for investigation of robbery and assault. Court records show the suspect’s criminal history includes convictions for theft, burglary, and assault.
(Texted photo)
5:53 PM: A police search is under way in High Point, centered at 32nd and Juneau but stretching for blocks around. We don’t know yet what led to the search but they’re seeking a suspect who might be armed. More as we get it.
5:56 PM: Cross-referencing a case number heard in police-radio communication, the suspect they’re seeking might be linked to a robbery in the area a week and a half ago.
(Emailed photo)
6:17 PM: According to radio communication, the suspect is in custody. Police are calling SFD for medical assistance for a dog bite.
Two reader reports for Crime Watch:
CAR BREAK-INS: From Block Watch captain Karen in Hansen View (south of The Mount):
This afternoon (Sunday, 4/26), our neighbor next door told us that her car was prowled last night.
“My car was broken into last night. They opened every compartment, threw stuff everywhere and made a total mess.. I don’t keep anything of value in my car and it was locked. My window is not broken, but they must have used some different tool to get in that bypassed my alarm. Creepy and not cool.”
A few days earlier (Thursday 4/23), another neighbor in the next block reported the following:
“Around 3 am today, one of my neighbors (not part of our block watch) had the window broken in his vehicle and had stuff not of high value stolen. They used an under $5 spring loaded punch available on Amazon and elsewhere that shatters the window with one click. Blow out the window, reach in to avoid opening the door and setting off the car alarm.”
Because the people involved in the Thursday incident were caught on camera, we now know that they spent about an hour prowling our neighborhood. Our neighbor wrote that they “seemed well aware that they were on camera and not the least bit concerned.”
PACKAGE THEFT: The video and report are from Andrew in North Delridge:
We were victims of a package thief. Happened Wednesday afternoon off of 25th Ave SW and Genesee. Unfortunately a common occurrence especially with more people working from home and ordering things online. Not much we can do but thought I’d report it. Took seconds and he was probably scoping the whole neighborhood.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch notes:
TOOL THEFT: Via text:
This guy stole tools from my work van on SW Orchard St. [in Gatewood] at 9:30 AM. Be on the look out. We did call the SPD and have sent these pictures. Our tools are a large jack hammer in black case and Milwaukee cordless rotohammer with cordless rotohammer Vacuum separate cases. Husky socket set and two Milwaukee parts boxes with miscellaneous parts. All tools and cases have green paint on them. I’d like to thank Jon G, a neighbor, for the pictures.
SPD incident number is 20-136459.
ABANDONED BIKE #1: Scott spotted this next to the future park at 48th/Charlestown:
ABANDONED BIKE #2: No photo, but John spotted a men’s Raleigh bike in the 4700 block of 25th SW.
2:58 PM: Good thing automotive businesses are considered “essential.” One here just helped police catch a crime suspect. SPD Blotter just posted the story:
Police recovered three stolen vehicles on Monday after a suspected car thief tried to buy new tires with a forged check.
A West Seattle tire store contacted police after a 41-year-old man brought in a Mercedes and asked to replace some of its tires. He later returned and tried to pay with a clearly forged check, and then asked to apply for a line of credit even though he was unable to provide ID.
Employees at the tire shop became suspicious and contacted police and officers arrested the man Monday after he arrived at the shop to pick up the Mercedes. When officers took him into custody, he was carrying a license plate from another vehicle, which had apparently been stolen hours earlier but not yet been reported to police. At the time of the arrest, he was also wearing a jacket for a valet company, which had reported the Mercedes stolen.
During the investigation, police recovered several key fobs for other expensive cars, stolen checks taken in a recent burglary at a business, and ID cards belonging to other people, as well as modified keys typically used by auto thieves.
Police booked the 41-year-old man into the King County Jail for investigation of auto theft and are requesting charges related to the stolen license plate, possession of auto theft tools and providing a fake name to police. Major Crimes Unit detectives continue to investigate.
We’re following up to find out which shop, as well as the suspect’s status.
4:58 PM: The store was Les Schwab in The Triangle, according to the probable-cause document we have obtained. The suspect’s bail was set at $20,000 this afternoon. We’ll add more notes a bit later.
6:20 PM: The probable-cause document says the suspect “dropped off a blue 2020 Mercedes” at the shop last Thursday. He “returned several times over the course of the weekend and attempted to pay for services rendered to the vehicle using checks that either did not belong to him or were falsified (the business refused to accept these checks).” He “finally attempted to establish a line of credit through the business on 04/20/2020 but was unable to do so. At that time, the management at Les Schwab began to feel (he) was being suspicious and contacted SPD. In the process of reporting the incident to Dispatch, it was discovered that the Mercedes was a unverified stolen vehicle out of Seattle. At that time SPD officers responded to Les Schwab and management contacted (the suspect) to return to the store to pick up the vehicle.” He did, and was arrested. The report continues: “Inside the vehicle and upon search we located several shaved keys that are commonly used to steal vehicles.” The suspect gave various aliases, police say, but finally was identified; he has an extensive out-of-state record and was charged earlier this last year in another Seattle car-theft case – also involving a blue Mercedes.
From M:
Just thought I’d let you know that my car was broken into last night in the Seaview neighborhood, on 48th Ave SW between Juneau and Findlay. It was parked in my driveway with a bright motion light. I don’t keep anything in there really, so the only thing stolen was a portable charger. Oddly, they left the change and dollar bills that were in the same compartment as the charger. The glove box and center compartment were emptied out and contents strewn on the floor and seat. They opened a letter from my bank, but left it.
Back in January, we reported on charges filed against 41-year-old David Vasquez, accused of drug dealing after a long investigation that involved undercover buys in West Seattle and eventually netted drugs, guns, and cash. As charging documents noted, police found out about Vasquez while investigating the death of a 3-month-old baby in Southeast Seattle, blamed on fentanyl she apparently ingested through her mother’s milk. No charges were filed at the time – but that has just changed.
A reader pointed us to this Seattle Times report about charges against the baby’s parents, 36-year-old Samantha De Leo and 44-year-old Christopher Keadle. We subsequently found the charging documents in King County Superior Court online files. Each was charged this past week with first-degree felony manslaughter. The charging documents say:
While Ms. DeLeo was obviously the conduit for directly exposing the baby to the drugs that killed her, Mr. Keadle was most often the person who procured the drugs for Ms. DeLeo and without question aided in creating the environment and conditions under which the baby died. Both defendants are responsible for the death of their baby.
Police say cell phone records show more than 2,000 phone contacts between the couple and the accused dealer over an eight-month period before and after the baby’s death last year. They are out on bond and scheduled for arraignment April 27th. Vasquez, meantime, was briefly out on bond for a few days in January but then rebooked for what the jail register says was a failure to appear. He has twice asked for his $250,000 bail to be reduced, and again last week, a judge said no.
Someone stole Danielle‘s fiance’s truck:
It is a 2000 black Dodge Dakota. Is has a gray canopy and a lumber rack on top, along with some sun spots on the roof. License plate number is B20979D. We live on SW Mills St by Gatewood Elementary, where it was taken from. It had all his work tools and supplies. He has been working up in the Northgate area every day through all of this COVID-19 stuff and it was his dad’s truck, who is no longer with us, so this is difficult for him.
If you see it, call 911.
Be on the lookout for Megan‘s stolen car: A 2005 silver 4-door Nissan Altima, California plates 6BFE480, taken from the 6000 block of 42nd Avenue SW. It has a small VR (in yellow auto chalk) on the driver’s-side door. Call 911 if you see it.
A woman was robbed and assaulted in her car in High Point late last night. Thanks to the person who tipped us about this incident; we found the SPD incident number and requested the report. Police found the victim, 49, in a parking lot in the 3200 block of SW Graham after a report of a woman screaming for help and honking a car horn. She had blood on her face and told police she had parked there to visit her mother in the 6000 block of Lanham. As she finished parking, a man opened her door, grabbed her around the neck, pushed her further into the car, and threatened to kill her if she fought back. She began screaming and honking the car horn, and he hit her in the face multiple times before grabbing her purse and fleeing. Police searched with K9 units but didn’t find her attacker, described only as male, black, slender, with braided hair, wearing a Tommy Hilfiger-type striped sweatshirt. The victim was treated by SFD medics.
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As noted in last night’s roundup, auto theft is up 24 percent citywide in the past month. The Southwest Precinct is launching an emphasis on it, says crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Danner, who sent this tipsheet:
You can also read it here in PDF.
From Blake in The Admiral District:
This suspect broke into my car and stole a sub-woofer speaker, a Benro tripod, and other miscellaneous items. It happened last night … I just wanted to get the word out there in case someone else sees the man lurking around their property.
No police-report # yet but we’ll add it later when it’s available.
(WSB photo, Friday night)
Back on Friday night, we covered what started as gunfire at 35th/Morgan and continued as a search after suspects ran from a car near Avalon/Genesee. One adult suspect remains in jail, an 18-year-old Auburn man for whom bail was set over the weekend at $75,000. Probable-cause documents in his case say witnesses on Friday night heard gunfire in the alley north of Walgreens – where we photographed the shell-casing markers shown above – just before they saw three people get into a red car that then left the scene. An officer on his way to the gunfire scene spotted the car less than four minutes later; three passengers ran from the car. Two were eventually caught, the 18-year-old suspect and a 17-year-old; the 24-year-old woman who was driving was questioned and released. Documents say the two guns found in the car were.38 caliber and .22 caliber, and the latter matched the caliber of the 19 shell casings found at the original scene. During questioning, police were told this was all preceded by a confrontation at the Delridge ARCO/AM/PM with a man in a black Mercedes who allegedly pointed an “AK-type rifle” at the suspects’ car. The passengers apparently spotted that car at 35th/Morgan and that’s what led to the gunfire there. Though there was one report of someone being hit by gunfiire, to date no evidence of that has been found. We don’t know the status of the 17-year-old suspect, who was booked into juvenile detention, but he’s described in the probable-cause document as a convicted felon. The suspect who was not caught is 18.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes this afternoon:
STOLEN CAR AND KAYAK: John‘s silver 1993 Subaru Legacy was stolen last night in the 4800 block of 48th SW, orange-and-white kayak and all. (We’ll add the plate # when we get it.) If you see it, please call 911. (update – found!)
DUMPED BIKE WITH CART: From Rick:
Someone left this bike with tow cart in the 6700 block of 14th Ave SW (near Myrtle and green belt), last night/early morning. Possibly stolen.
That’s the plate on Tamara‘s niece’s car. She just arrived in West Seattle – and on her first night, her car was stolen. It has a UW sticker on it. Some stolen cars are abandoned miles away, but some are dumped near where they were taken, so we publish these reports in hopes you can be on the lookout too. If you see it, call 911.
Three notes this afternoon:
STOLEN BICYCLE: From Sophia:
Unfortunately i’m writing this hoping anyone can help find my stolen bike ? I took it out around 8 and around 10 it was gone. I live in a gated complex [near California/Brandon], so i’m still unsure how this happened … the police report is 20-121584 and it’s a women’s Giant.
FOUND BICYCLE: Dominic reports, “Missing a new green women’s cruiser bicycle? It was throw over a fence in a residence in the 90xx block of 17th Ave SW at 4:35 pm (Friday) afternoon.”
DUMPED: Aaron reports, “I woke this morning to find a seemingly brand-new cooler and tent that appears to have been thrown down the hill from Marine View Dr. – we are near 100th. We are going to try to locate the owner for the next day or so. Seattle police were down our street at about 1030 last night and it must be related because we are on a dead end. We already reported to the non emergency line.”
(Photo tweeted by @ReganConley)
5:37 PM: If you’re seeing a big police response near 35th/Avalon, here’s what it’s about: Police were responding to a report of gunfire near 35th/Morgan, and then caught up with a possibly related vehicle near 35th/Avalon. People ran from the car; police just radioed that they have two guns and the driver in custody. They’re still looking for three others, at least some of whom may have headed east. At least one suspect is barefoot, having left his shoes behind. One part of the scene is reported to be near 30th/Genesee.
5:45 PM: The Guardian One law-enforcement helicopter is joining the search. The only descriptions available are that the people they’re searching for are all men in their mid-20s, one white, two black.
5:57 PM: The search continues, with multiple K9 teams involved too.
6 PM: Potential suspect reported in custody at 30th/Dakota. That means two suspects are in custody, two still being sought.
6:16 PM: The 2 still being sought are described as “white, no shirt, no shoes” and black, dressed in dark clothing. Meantime, we are checking out the original scene – many casing markers in the alley north of Walgreens.
(WSB photo)
(WSB photo)
6:32 PM: Suspect vehicle is about to be towed from Avalon.
(WSB photo)
6:54 PM: One more suspect reported to be in custody.
(Photo sent by John F)
The first person detained, the driver, is female. Meantime, we just came up Avalon again; most of the police vehicles are gone.
7 PM: The original scene off 35th has cleared too.
7:51 PM: Commenters report one more arrest. We’re adding more photos. Additional followup info isn’t likely to be available before Monday, unless this incident turns up on SPD Blotter.
8:32 PM: And it just has. The post says one suspect is still at large:
Police arrested three people and are still searching for one more after shots were fired in West Seattle early Friday evening.
Police were dispatched to the 3500 block of SW Morgan Street after witnesses reported shots fired around 5:45 pm.
Officers flooded the area and spotted four people attempting to flee the area in a car. The suspects stopped their vehicle near SW Avalon and Genesee Street and continued to flee on foot.
Officers from the Southwest and South precincts pursued the suspects and with the help of a K9 unit and King County Guardian One helicopter captured three of the four.
Police continue to scour the area for the remaining suspect.
Officers have not received any reports of a victim at this time.
Gang Unit detectives will continue investigating and are asking anyone with information to please call the tip line at 206-233-5000.
From Kate:
Our truck was broken into last night at 40th Ave SW and SW Dakota street. They stole a large and very heavy green and brown Duluth Trading Company bag that is filled with straps and chains…I’m thinking it was likely ditched as it has no monetary value and is SO heavy! We also are on the lookout for a construction hard had with attached head lamp and a safety vest. We have filed a police report.
If you spot either item, let us know and we’ll connect you.
Four reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
STOLEN CAR: The most-recent citywide crime overview shows auto theft is up 32% this year, and here’s the latest: Lindsey‘s maroon 1998 Subaru Legacy was stolen overnight, near 39th/Thistle. Plate: AWA3157. If you see it, please call 911.
The next three reports all involve vandalism:
ARBOR HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY: Jim, who lives near the school, reports damage to the parking lot:
First – last week a car and perhaps a motorcycle did burnouts in the parking lot. So much so…that it totally ruined the look of the new black-topped parking lot. Secondly, within the last few days …..someone dumped a 1-gallon bucket of white paint all over the parking. Totally ruining the parking and defacing the beautiful brand-new school. Paint bucket was left in the lot and is still there. … No school leaves time for mischief unfortunately….and it is sad to see a brand new school get defaced.
ALSO IN ARBOR HEIGHTS: Egging vandalism, reported by Jay, who wonders if anyone else was hit:
Around 10:30 pm Tuesday, I heard noises on my windows. When I went outside to check, it appears someone had thrown eggs at the apartment building and they were falling/oozing down the windows. This was near 35th and Barton.
‘
SCHMITZ PARK: Ali sent photos (which we’re not showing, no time right now to stop down and blur) of trees in Schmitz Preserve Park defaced by spray paint. At least one looks like an anti-COVID-19 message – great sentiment but NOT on trees (might we suggest, chalk art).
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