West Seattle Crime Watch: Package-theft suspects arrested

| Crime | Helicopter | Sunrise Heights | West Seattle news | Westwood

(WSB photo)
(WSB photos)

2:15 PM: If you saw the big Seattle Police response in Sunrise Heights/Westwood – with a brief appearance by the Guardian One helicopter – here’s what we’ve found out: Someone saw a package theft in progress, called 911, and gave police a description of the alleged thieves’ vehicle. Police arrived, spotted the car, stopped it in an alley east of 35th and Thistle, and took two people into custody. (Thanks to @MetPatrick22 for the tweet about the search, which was first we’d heard of this.)

2:30 PM: Since this happened such a short time ago, SPD media relations doesn’t have details yet, but they were able to tell us that the original theft report was near 35th/Trenton, not too far from the arrest scene.

SuperDeliDude November 22, 2016 (2:18 pm)

Wow, hope the package content was worth it. When people steal stuff off my front porch they usually just get AA batteries and socks.

dsa November 22, 2016 (3:57 pm)

I had not thought about that. Let’s hope it was a high ticket item especially since this appears to be such a good nab.
Ryan November 24, 2016 (4:34 pm)

$20 gaming mat and some dog treats…. maybe worth it to some. Unfortunately one package was never recovered. Probably stolen by someone else.

Chuck November 22, 2016 (2:25 pm)

Oh hell yeah!!! Great job, SPD. Now just hopeful the legal system can hold up their end of this very expensive (chopper!!) collar. Love getting this scum off the streets, even if just an evening.

Mike November 22, 2016 (9:31 pm)

don’t hold your breath, a Seattle jury is very likely to let them off with a mild slap on the wrist. A buddy was on jury duty for a drunk driver, only he and on other jury member said the guy deserved to be punished for his actions, the other members said he was a good person with a hard life and deserved another chance, he’d racked up a record since he was a teen. So ya, we can hope but I don’t hold out much hope around here.

Sunrise Man November 22, 2016 (2:52 pm)

Our neighborhood seems to get hit hard by package thieves. Kudos to the alert neighbor.

Alki Resident November 22, 2016 (3:15 pm)

I hope someday these thieves encounter a victious dog while in someones yard.

swkiew November 22, 2016 (4:02 pm)

Someone just stole a package off my front porch today between 1:30-3:30pm. Fortunately, nothing was in there but packing paper. I had put it outside yesterday to see if someone would take it since it became clear that 3 packages had been stolen last week while I was away. Sadly, even though I was home, I did not see the person responsible. Installing a camera right away.

aRF November 22, 2016 (5:51 pm)

Alternatively, include a self help book instead of packing paper, like one on how to find a job. Or maybe a book on karma.
- swkiew November 22, 2016 (6:05 pm)
  
  Ha! Noted for next time.

JeffK November 22, 2016 (4:52 pm)

Great work SPD!

clinker November 22, 2016 (5:14 pm)

@SWKIEW: That’s great! This is exactly what everyone with the wherewithal should do. There wouldn’t be too many package thieves left if we were all constantly taking pictures of them and comparing notes.

swkiew November 22, 2016 (6:06 pm)

Thanks! :D

WHEAT November 22, 2016 (6:51 pm)

Actually it was the officer who saw the suspects stealing the package (s). There wasn’t a citizen tip or call to 911….

WSB November 22, 2016 (7:40 pm)

That’s what we reported because that’s what the sergeant at the scene told Patrick. Only access we get to reports is via media relations and they told me to try again in the morning, which I’ll be doing. – TR

Gerald November 23, 2016 (6:57 am)

Hope they caught the person who stole my mail just before:

https://www.facebook.com/gtrevor.phillips/videos/10153858068591008/?l=4371880960939028656

WSB November 23, 2016 (9:17 am)

Hi – your video doesn’t show for me, probably a privacy setting.

Kittyno November 23, 2016 (8:03 am)

Number 4 in their supposed tenets:

4. Historic Areas
a. In Seattle’s Historic districts, do not increase development capacity, even if it means these areas
do not contribute to housing affordability through MHA.
b. In other areas of historic or cultural significance, do not increase development capacity, even if it
means these areas do not contribute to affordability through MHA.

It would seem Historic Areas don’t include small neighborhood historic areas like Alaska, Admiral, and parts of Morgan junction. I hate to get personal, but I’d love to see the neighborhoods of the people who proposed this. Maybe a similar style map…now that would be an interesting overlay.

The request for comments is just lipservice–if anyone knows of an instance where it made a remarkable difference, please post link, I need some optimism with my coffee.

Kittyno November 23, 2016 (8:04 am)

whoops, this was supposed to go under the proposed housing changes. Sorry!!!

Lauren November 23, 2016 (8:46 am)

Is there a description of the vehicle? We had a package stolen from our porch yesterday as well, and our cameras caught a picture of the thief and car. Just wondering if it is the same, as our house is just a little bit south from where the thief was caught.

WestCake November 23, 2016 (10:34 am)

I just saw someone make off with my tax dollars using a helicopter to arrest someone that will result in a few hundred dollars worth of fines. What are the requirements to use the helicopter? In previous cities I’ve lived, they mostly use them for shootings. A better allocation of funds for the use of such expensive equipment seems prudent in an age of cost costing.

WSB November 23, 2016 (11:05 am)

The helicopter was fleetingly in use in this case and while I didn’t hear the scanner traffic, generally this kind of lower-level thing happens if the helicopter happens to be in the area anyway.

Meantime, the report I just got from SPD indeed bears out Wheat’s account, that the incident was first spotted by an officer, not reported by a citizen, and that will be reflected in the upcoming followup, along with info on the two people who were arrested – I still have to research the background of the second one. – TR
Chaff November 23, 2016 (9:38 pm)

KCPD absorbs the cost of Guardian One….Seattle PD and other agencies are not charged for its use….You can sleep better now knowing your taxes are allocated appropriately

The Package Guard November 23, 2016 (11:10 am)

Package theft sucks. So glad these thieves were caught. Way to go SPD and neighbor!

Norma November 23, 2016 (10:19 pm)

Thanks SPD!

swkiew November 26, 2016 (12:36 pm)

Have there been any updates? I filed a police report for the packages that were stolen last weekend, installed a camera and have put another fake package on my front porch. I’m hoping to help in any way that I can.

Sorry, comment time is over.