Two days after we reported on an attempted burglary in which the suspect was shown on security video holding a large knife in one hand while trying a door with the other, a charge has just been filed. 39-year-old Gabriel C. Putnam is charged with attempted residential burglary. The charging document clarifies that the break-in attempt happened in the 4800 block of Beach Drive SW (the police report and Twitter log had conflicting block numbers). It also says:

The Defendant attempted to enter the victim’s home through their front shortly after 4:30 in the morning. His actions were caught on the victim’s Ring doorbell camera, footage which also shows the Defendant trying the door handle of the residence, armed with a large kitchen style knife. Upon realizing the home was locked, the Defendant is seen walking away from the house.

According to the Defendant’s PR interview prior to his first appearance. The Defendant came to Washington three weeks ago after saying with his family in Idaho for 6-8 months, and prior to this he had been homeless. The Defendant admitted to not having a fixed or permanent residence – indicating that he attempts to sleep in the Lake Washington area. The Defendant lacks significant ties to the Seattle and greater King County communities. The Defendant has no Washington State convictions, nor does he have any out of state convictions.

The probable-cause document lists his last-known permanent address as in Huntsville, Alabama. That document also recaps that after the residents of the first house called 911, police found Putnam outside a house in the 6000 block of Beach Drive “inside a pool building which appeared to be part of the home.” After arresting him, police asked him where the knife was; he said it was in the pool building, and that’s where they found it. When filing charges today, prosecutors asked that his bail be doubled to $20,000, and the judge agreed.

(Seattle Police photo)

Checking on recent cases, we discovered that the man arrested in The Junction with the sawed-off shotgun shown above (as reported last week) is now charged. The charge against 48-year-old Michael J. Mullen was filed just two days after he was released from jail on personal recognizance. He is charged with one count of “unlawful possession of a short-barreled shotgun.” The charging documents say it was “heavily altered” and “loaded with what appeared to be a live 12-gauge shell” – and had three more rounds taped to its barrel – when Mullen allegedly brandished it at people in the alley behind the west side of the 4700 block of California SW. The documents also say his criminal history consists of two convictions 20 years ago, DUI and disorderly conduct, and that he lives with relatives west of The Junction. A $15,000 arrest warrant was issued at the time the charge was filed.

3:51 PM: Thanks to the readers who messaged us about this publicly posted security-video clip showing a man trying a door with one hand, sizable knife in the other. Following up, we’ve matched it to an arrest made on Beach Drive early Saturday. The police report says:

I responded to a 911 call for an attempted burglary at 4xxx Beach Drive SW. The Victims … observed via a ring camera, an unknown male suspect, wearing a green jacket with a hood, with light pants, short brown hair and holding a large silver kitchen style knife in his hand. On the camera, the suspect … is seen walking up to the residence, looking into the window at the front door, then trying to open the door. After realizing the door was locked, (he) then walks away on foot in an unknown direction. The residents/victims said they did not recognize (him) and reported no one should have been coming over to their house at that time. Officers contacted (him) several blocks south of the original location. (him) was observed walking down and into another property. Officers found (him) inside of another private building located at 6xxx Beach Drive SW. (He) matched the description and had the knife in his possession. He was taken into custody. … (The suspect) had in his possession, black gloves and a black flashlight.

The 39-year-old suspect is still in the King County Jail. We’re checking with prosecutors to see if he had a bail hearing this afternoon.

7:17 PM: His bail was set at $10,000. No record, so far as we can find.

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: The suspect, Gabriel C. Putnam, is now charged with attempted burglary. Separate update to come.

From Jennifer:

Just wanted to reach out regarding a sign that was stolen off my parents’ house just this last week. Its a large, handmade Seattle Mariners S that my dad made over 25 years ago. Was hanging from front of house next to the front door and was swiped. Our family is heartbroken and we would love to see it returned with no consequence.

No photo but if you’ve seen a large Mariners “S” suddenly appear somewhere … could be it. This has been reported to police, (update) incident number 2019-907323.

Seattle Police included that photo with this report today about a weekend weapons arrest in The Junction:

Police arrested a man after he displayed a sawed-off shotgun behind an Alaska Junction business late Friday night.

Officers were dispatched to the 4700 block of California Avenue SW at 11 PM Friday for a report of a man with a gun.

Officers spoke with the manager of a business who said he exited out the rear of his business and spotted the 48-year-old suspect speaking incoherently about people shooting at him. At one point the suspect mentioned that he had a sandwich, reached into his bag and pulled out a sawed-off shotgun. The manager told the suspect to leave, which he did, then called 911.

Police officers began searching the area and found the suspect a block away. They searched the man and recovered the loaded shotgun. Officers arrested and booked the suspect into King County Jail for unlawful use of a weapon.

We checked the King County Jail Register; the suspect was booked early Saturday and is still there.

For at least the second time in a week, someone has broken a window at a West Seattle Junction business by throwing something through it in the early morning hours. Above, the aftermath on the SW Alaska side of KeyBank. Below, a photo from Aaron, taken shortly after it happened in the 3 am hour:

The branch manager told us nothing was taken, and police confirm that there “is no indication that anyone entered,” adding, “It appears that a piece of metal was thrown through the window … The metal piece was collected for evidence.” Four days ago, as reported here, the John L. Scott Real Estate office about a block and a half north was damaged by an early-morning rock thrower.

From the “dumped and likely stolen” file – Mark found that bicycle abandoned in an alley off SW Henderson. He plans to turn it in but in the meantime sent us a photo in case the owner is a reader. Yours? Contact us and we’ll connect you.

(Photo of similar Celica added. Courtesy Toyota)

Just out of the WSB inbox, from Susan:

Our car was stolen tonight 6/6/19 between 4:30 and 7:30 from our driveway on 21st Ave SW.

It is a red 1986 Toyota Celica hatchback with collector plate 81703CV.

Call 911 if you see it.

Two cases of vandalism in West Seattle Crime Watch:

ROCK THROWN INTO BUSINESS: The photos above and below are from Tyler McKenzie at John L. Scott Real Estate in The Junction:

Sometime last night a rock was thrown through our front door double paned, tempered glass window with such force the rock actually traversed the entire length of the building before landing under a desk by the back door.

Unfortunately, our cameras didn’t reveal the bad actor/s.

A police report has been filed; the preliminary number from the online system is T19001702.

CARS VANDALIZED: The report and photo are from Lexi:

This is the second time in two months someone has keyed my car in my neighborhood.

My roommate has also been impacted. The events keep occurring late at night, and there’s no evidence of who is doing it. I’m curious if other neighbors have been impacted, or are seeing an increase in damaged vehicles parked on city streets. I live off 61st Ave SW in the Alki neighborhood.

A reader report, from the dumped-and-likely-stolen file:

My neighbor watched a woman ride this bike onto our street, then leave it, approximately (three) days ago. We have moved the bike to a safe storage place and hope to return it to its owner.

We’d like to make sure it does not go to some random person claiming to own the bike so are hoping the owner will have the key to the U lock which is on the bike (but was not used to lock up the bike).

I can be reached via email, l_c_turner@hotmail.com.

If we don’t hear from anyone by the middle of next week, we’ll turn the bike in to the police.

Three West Seattle Crime Watch reports:

DRIVER ARRESTED: We briefly mentioned a crash that shut down a block of Delridge late Wednesday/early Thursday. SPD sent out Traffic Collision Investigation Squad detectives and we’ve finally found out why. Police tell us a driver hit an 18-year-old woman who was crossing Delridge at/near 21st. The 35-year-old man who hit her was arrested on suspicion of “impairment” and is in the King County Jail for investigation of vehicular assault. SFD tells us the victim was in “stable condition” when taken to the hospital.

STOLEN BED: This may have been an honest mistake but somebody stole Tina’s bed frame from outside her home in west Admiral (near 47th/Admiral) and it was NOT left outside as a freebie. How it wound up outside is a long story but Tina’s husband made the frame 20 years ago and it has sentimental value. She’s looking for a photo so we can add, but in the meantime, if you happened to pick it up or know of somebody who is excited they found a free bed frame … please return it.

SHOPKEEPER’S WARNING: Alair proprietor Shandon Graybeal wants to warn other store owners about a group of teenagers who harassed her late in the day Thursday and tampered with her security camera – which was, ironically enough, recorded on video:

She says two of the teenagers cornered her so she couldn’t move while another looked in the back room and cased the register, in addition to tampering with the camera. She says they were scared off when a customer emerged from an out-of-sight corner of the store. A police report has been filed – # 19-195886.

A miniature steam-powered train locomotive from a Whatcom County amusement park, stolen in West Seattle, hasn’t been found yet. After readers pointed out TV reports about it, we tracked down the surveillance video and police report and contacted the locomotive’s owner at Miniature World Family Fun Center in Birch Bay:

(Photo via Miniature World Facebook page)

The half-ton locomotive was in a Morgan Junction garage, brought here because its boiler needed repairs, to be provided by a local expert. Then came the break-in early Saturday, recorded by security cameras, this one in the garage:

And this view from the alley outside:

The second stolen item is a generator; the cart was left behind. If you have any information, the SPD incident # is 2019-189418.