West Seattle Crime Watch: Viking Bank robbery photos

An FBI agent was in the area near Viking Bank on the eastern edge of The Junction (40th/Alaska) earlier today, according to WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli, continuing to search for evidence in yesterday afternoon’s robbery (WSB coverage here), and showing surveillance photos. We had sent a request to FBI’s local media unit this morning, hoping such photos would be made available; they have just arrived in the inbox.

There’s no additional descriptive information today – just From the FBI news release: “A reward of up to $1,000 is being offered to anyone with information leading to the identification and capture of these subjects. Anyone with information regarding these subjects is asked to call 1-800-222-TIPS, the 24/7 anonymous tips line of the Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound.”

By the way – unless we’ve missed something, our archives indicate this was the first West Seattle bank robbery in almost nine months, since one at Westwood Village last August. The bank hit yesterday was also robbed in June of last year. (The June 2010 Viking Bank stickup was believed to be the work of the so-called “Mrs. Doubtfire” robber, so dubbed because authorities weren’t sure whether it was a man dressing as a woman; earlier this year, 54-year-old Kristen LeClaire was arrested in connection with that robbery spree, and we just looked up her status – she remains in jail, now charged with 9 counts, with her next status hearing set for May 31st.)

23 Replies to "West Seattle Crime Watch: Viking Bank robbery photos"

  • bsmomma May 20, 2011 (5:49 pm)

    Just seeing those pictures gives me goose bumps. How scary!

  • KRM May 20, 2011 (5:50 pm)

    Thanks for posting these. Hopefully these guys will be caught soon.

  • Chuck and Sally's Van Man May 20, 2011 (6:41 pm)

    I see nothing but straight-up punks who don’t give a rip about their own lives or the lives of others. There is a reason law-abiding citizens have the right to carry a concealed weapon in this state, and you are staring it in the face in that first photo. Bullets are too good for these pukes but I have no doubt they’ll be on the receiving end of one in their short and wasted lives.

  • wsguy May 20, 2011 (7:30 pm)

    “Chuck and Sally’s Van Man”
    You took the words right out of my mouth
    Thanks, The funny thing is if someone took from them they’ed be crying like babys

  • w.s. maverick May 20, 2011 (8:01 pm)

    well what can we say its easy to rob a bank in west seattle. everyone that does it gets away with it. very slow response time for cops in west seattle

  • cjboffoli May 20, 2011 (8:32 pm)

    w.s. maverick: It might be stretching to say that everyone that does it gets away with it. In reality, a very high percentage of robbers (better than 80%) are eventually apprehended. Those Federal judges also aren’t generally known as slap-on-the-wrist types.
    .
    And the SPD response time yesterday was extremely fast. I doubt it was more than 3 minutes after the suspects ran by me that the place was crawling with officers.

  • chris May 20, 2011 (8:44 pm)

    Van Man. you really think it would have been a good outcome if someone had pulled a gun on these dudes. get serious. this ain’t the movies.

  • Dawg May 20, 2011 (9:14 pm)

    How is it bank robbers have no problem getting out of West Seattle in a hurry? Maybe we should have these guys do our traffic and infrastructure planning.

  • brn2bm May 20, 2011 (10:53 pm)

    I woulda pulled out my .44 and shot those pistolas right out of their hands…LOL. Seriously, could you imagine what it would be like if everytime the police show up, there was a gun battle between the criminals and the citizen with a sidearm? SHEESH!

  • MG May 20, 2011 (10:54 pm)

    What a shame. In my opinion Viking is the best locally owned bank in the city (one of the few left). Nice people who know your name, don’t treat you like a number, and actually seem to like what they do.

  • Chuck and Sally's Van Man May 20, 2011 (10:57 pm)

    @ Chris: First, I did not say anyone should have pulled a gun. I said it’s proof of the reason why it is legal to carry them. Self defense and for the defense of others whose lives are in danger. Look closely at pic 1. Punk has his finger ON the trigger, presumably pointed at a teller. It is just a matter of time until these thugs kill someone because they are jumpy and do not value life. Agreed–it’s no movie. It’s a little more serious than that.

  • Mike May 20, 2011 (11:06 pm)

    Some banks are going to pure electonic tellers where you talk to the teller via TV w/ speakers & mic. Makes sense, the banks that have done that have not been robbed.

  • w.s. maverick May 21, 2011 (6:50 am)

    how manyu banks in west seattle have been robbed in the last 2 years? how many of them have been caught?

  • DF May 21, 2011 (9:51 am)

    JUST LIKE THE WILD WEST!!

  • george May 21, 2011 (10:20 am)

    Was there a discription of any getaway car?

  • maplesyrup May 21, 2011 (11:08 am)

    The last thing I want is a couple of vigilante yahoos starting a shootout in a bank full of people.

  • doc May 21, 2011 (4:27 pm)

    I think whoever is complaining about the possibility of an individal with a cc license and handgun should look into the law. You can not carry in a bank, hence no crazy shootout by a legally carrying citizen.

  • I vote May 21, 2011 (9:05 pm)

    If you can find where in RCW 9.41.300 it even mentions the word bank, us cpl’ers would appreciate it.

    That said, a cpl is not a license to nor has anyone a duty to stop a bank robbery. id’ve just done what they demanded like everyone else. nobody got hurt, this time, and that at least is a good thing everyone can agree on.
    You can hold an anti-gun view but please dont assume what others are doing all around you (but you never knew it!) is criminal.

  • Chuck and Sally's Van Man May 21, 2011 (10:18 pm)

    Thanks for your post, I Vote. Doc’s comment sent me back for a quick review and I also did not see any mention of banks, either. Doc, just wishful thinking on your part?

  • w.s. maverick May 22, 2011 (1:40 pm)

    yes you can carry in a bank, the only place you can not carry is in a bar or court house and thats it

  • mc^2 May 23, 2011 (1:56 pm)

    Also cannot carry concealed weapon in a jail, mental health facility, public or private elementary or secondary school or restricted areas of airport. (RCW 9.41.280 & .300)

  • Gordy May 24, 2011 (12:30 am)

    fact #1) I own several working firearms. They are not “fun” to shoot-I target practice a few times a year to make sure I can still do it. But I don’t harbor any illusions about their ability to protect me from a sudden, unforseen attack. Remember, “C.C.’ers”, you are NOT trained law enforcement officers. Please resist the urge to play Wyatt Earp when I’m in the area, OK?

  • charlotte June 11, 2011 (6:40 pm)

    I am stunned to find Mrs. Doubtfire is my long lost Kristin. I just cannot beleive this is true but guess it is. She is not one of your “punks”. she was soooo sooo good to my son before he died. My heart hurts for her and wonder what brought her to this

Sorry, comment time is over.