WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH UPDATE: Police arrest package-theft suspect

(UPDATED Monday evening with arrest, Tuesday morning with status)

4:11 PM: Just got this from Megan – and if you compare the photos to the person shown in the video in this package-theft story, there’s a definite resemblance (assuming he doesn’t have an identical twin) – and she’s reporting a theft from this afternoon:

This individual has now stolen 3 of my packages since January. All have been reported to SPD. Since I caught it real time today, they said they were going to look for him. I know he must be hitting all the houses nearby as well. Just wanted to share in case anyone else has been having packages go missing, or has a better picture of this guy to share with police.

I live off Fauntleroy Way, near Morgan Junction. This happened around 2:30 pm.

We don’t have Megan’s incident/report number yet, but the one in the case from the reader report published here Saturday is 2017-902386.

7:30 PM: As discussed in comments, there’s an active search under way, thanks to people’s tips, so if you see/hear anything/anyone suspicious, please call 911. Also, we have the incident/report number for Megan’s case – 2017-98442.

8:46 PM: As noted in comments, just got word from SPD that they have made an arrest. This followed an intensive search, K-9 team included, following tips called in to 911. We photographed police in the Seaview/North Morgan Junction area, where they had been searching:

We’ll of course follow the case through the system.

7:51 AM: The suspect, 35, was booked into King County Jail late last night. His bail currently is $1,000, as he’s being held for investigation of theft, a misdemeanor. He’s scheduled for a hearing today and we’ll have a followup after that.

59 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH UPDATE: Police arrest package-theft suspect"

  • Steve March 20, 2017 (4:22 pm)

    Would love to make a citizen’s arrest of this scumbag.  Between that nose and the mole he should be easy to identify.

  • Alki Resident March 20, 2017 (4:47 pm)

    Megan

    Two things…Make print outs of his face and give them to the businesses in the Morgan junction.

    Also, if he’s targeted you three times now, my gut is screaming that he’s within eye view of your place residing. This can’t be a coincidence. Great great camera you have though. 

  • Sarah March 20, 2017 (5:09 pm)

    This is the same person I see milling about our neighborhood, he’s most likely the same person that stole packages from two of my neighbors. I would love to help catch this guy. I also live on Fauntleroy near Morgan. 

  • Al March 20, 2017 (5:16 pm)

    Megan,.did you. notice if he has a white patch or spot on his jacket upper on his back.

  • KD March 20, 2017 (5:21 pm)

    That is THE BEST image ever! Me and all reading this will want to know what system/cameras brand you have. Awesome.

  • LP March 20, 2017 (6:04 pm)

    great picture catpure!

  • Called in a tip March 20, 2017 (6:44 pm)

    I got his license plate and called in a tip.  Hopefully they get him. 

    • Megan March 20, 2017 (6:46 pm)

      Awesome! THANK YOU!

    • WSB March 20, 2017 (6:52 pm)

      Everybody – Please do NOT try to post an address (or even approximate address) here – or name. Any info you have, including sightings of suspect or vehicle (see linked Saturday story for vehicle), please get directly to police.

  • Megan March 20, 2017 (6:45 pm)

    Al- didn’t notice a white patch. 

    I have Arlo (Netgear) wireless security cameras. They are great as you can put them anywhere! The batteries have been going strong for 3 months now. Ordered them from Amazon.

    Thank you again WSB for getting the word out. Hope they catch this guy soon!

  • Jim March 20, 2017 (6:50 pm)

    Can you please rerun the other story on this guy?  It had great pictures of his fairly distinctive white truck with shell.  If we have a license plate number, please include that if you can.  Let’s catch this guy.

  • Mose March 20, 2017 (7:02 pm)

    Also! I’ve lost packages off my front door. 

  • Called in a tip March 20, 2017 (7:11 pm)

    Good news friend of a friend lives close to this guy cops are trying to get him.  But he ran when approached 

    • WSB March 20, 2017 (7:17 pm)

      Which is why if anyone sees anything, please call 911 immediately.

      • Alki Resident March 20, 2017 (7:28 pm)

        This is why we’re such a great community. Great team work everyone. 

      • M R Chapa March 20, 2017 (7:42 pm)

        Is the search on SW Raymond?

  • delengan March 20, 2017 (8:44 pm)

    The guy has been apprehended!! I live just down the block and watched the whole thing unfold. The police presence was quite impressive! Great job SPD!!

  • WSB March 20, 2017 (8:44 pm)

    Just got word from police that they have arrested the suspect. I don’t know the circumstances or his status but will update above, and will certainly follow up tomorrow. – TR

    • Nancy Swanson March 21, 2017 (3:51 pm)

      Was thrilled to read the package thief was caught by police finally. Great work by all the Morgan/Fauntleroy neighbors.

  • Alki Resident March 20, 2017 (8:58 pm)

    Hopefully everyone can get their things back now. GREAT job SPD

  • kitty karma March 20, 2017 (9:01 pm)

    because i believe in karma, i’d love to know if anyone who believes they’ve had packages stolen from this suspect has left him some nicely packaged kitty roca.

    what goes in must come out and what goes around comes around.  

    seems like a fitting reward for stealing other people’s hard earned, honestly purchased items not once but multiple times.  

    not trying to make light of what is a community headache and obviously a personal frustration for many readers here, but i’d love to know that not everything he got was worth the risk he took.

    • Dawn March 21, 2017 (4:18 pm)

      Lol! Kitty rocca.

  • Megan March 20, 2017 (9:13 pm)

    Such great news. SPD also just contacted me and said they recovered my package. Hope they find everyone else’s too!

    Thank you WSB, tip callers and SPD! It truly was a team effort.

    • bpmetzelaar March 21, 2017 (4:36 pm)

      This shows the value of cameras to me.  We had cameras focused on Lincoln Park parking lots where there are repeated “smash and grabs” continuing to this day.   Citizens screamed “invasion of privacy!” and the cameras were removed from the parking lots.  Meanwhile, crime increases exponentially in our area;  broken glass from car windows can be seen there routinely now.  Good for SMILE FOR THE CAMERA for installing cameras catching this low-life thief.

    • Cynthia April 1, 2017 (9:04 am)

      Great updates everyone, and good advice on the cameras. Nice job “Catching a Thief.” 

  • WS Small business owner March 20, 2017 (9:25 pm)

    You never have packages stolen when you shop local. Just saying.

    • WSNeighbor March 21, 2017 (8:28 am)

      Exactly!! And you support your local community, and have a lower carbon footprint, and support paying people making living wages, etc..

      • Areyoucertain March 21, 2017 (12:08 pm)

        Hiw do I lower my cabin footprint by driving all over town looking for my hard to find item- as opposed to having it delivered by a company also delivering other packages in order of location? And isn’t my time worth anything?

        Your logic is flawed at best…

    • sam-c March 21, 2017 (12:50 pm)

      Do you sell diapers and wipes in bulk for a good price? (That’s about the only thing I’ve had delivered to the house. They’ve never been stolen, but it might be funny to see the thief’s reaction upon opening the package) oh, and gifts, like the other commenter mentioned- relatives send packages every once and while. Mostly, we do shop locally.

    • JB March 21, 2017 (3:01 pm)

      Amazon is local.  Ask the 100’s of West Seattle neighbors that work there.

      • AT March 21, 2017 (5:04 pm)

        Yes!  (Though little that I buy on Amazon is shipped from a local warehouse, they still contribute a lot to our local economy.)  Also, for small companies without a brick-and-mortar store, mailing or shipping locally is one more way to reach customers.  I ship locally – $8 in postage is totally worth not having to drive 90 minutes or more to Kirkland and back.

        Glad they caught this guy, and so impressed with West Seattle neighbors looking out for each other!

  • Dave March 20, 2017 (9:25 pm)

    Hopefully getting arrested will wake this guy up. Hopefully he won’t be back on the street to do this tomorrow. We have a really high rate of property crimes here. I know people are sick of having their packages stolen and their belongings stolen from their homes and vehicles. Plus the deductible cost.

    • Andy March 21, 2017 (3:52 pm)

      Dave, he won’t be out tomorrow. The day after tomorrow is more likely.

      • WSB March 21, 2017 (4:30 pm)

        No, actually, more likely tonight. He was granted personal recognizance at today’s hearing. Still assembling some of the details, separate followup to come this evening.

  • Jenesa March 20, 2017 (10:36 pm)

    @West Seattle Business Owner: plenty of us shop local and still need things that aren’t provided locally. Additionally my last two stolen packages have been gifts sent to me by someone else, so perhaps you should be careful way up there on that snarky high horse. 

    • sam-c March 21, 2017 (8:07 am)

      (also might be more inclined to shop local if places stayed open past 6pm.  seems like the only places open the junction open past 6ish are the bars and restaurants.  At least Easy Street and NW art and frame stay open later)

      • WSNeighbor March 21, 2017 (8:30 am)

        (add Meeples Games to your list of awesome local places open late)

        • Areyoucertain March 21, 2017 (12:00 pm)

          We buy most of our household items locally , from Meeples Games. 

  • Smile for the camera! March 20, 2017 (10:43 pm)

    I also got Arlo cams, but at Costco- 2 cams and the wireless base station in a kit.   I’ll vouch for it,too.  You can add more cams and use an app to get real time alerts for motion.  Works great!  Completely wireless – mine has lithium batteries that came with it.  We are at 3 months old and batteries are 90% – the app tells you.  Super easy set up too.  They  may still have them.

    • Westgirl March 21, 2017 (1:14 am)

      Can you tell me how much the deal was at Costco? 

      • Alan March 21, 2017 (5:38 pm)

        It is currently listed online for $250. I don’t think I paid that much, so there must have been a markdown at the time, as it was an impulse buy for me. I agree that they work well. I moved mine a few times before I found what I thought was a good angle. It will not pick up much that is 15 feet or more away. I had one camera mounted so high that nothing triggered it. I had another that picked up trucks going by. It just took a while to fine-tune the location.

        https://www.costco.com/Arlo-Smart-Home-HD-Wireless-IP-Security-Camera-2-Pack.product.100293681.html

        • Westgirl March 21, 2017 (11:41 pm)

          Thanks!

  • KD March 20, 2017 (11:32 pm)

    Megan, you should contact Arlo/Netgear and give testimony on how effective their product was in the possible capture of said thief! Again Folks, as I’ve stated many times, I always have my packages sent to Alki Mail & Dispatch in Admiral. It is more than worth the $2-4.00 to safely hold a package till I pick it up. Just wish someone would open a similar place in South WSea. or White Center. I really miss Pony Express when they were open. Peace of mind, I don’t mind paying the little price.

  • dsa March 20, 2017 (11:39 pm)

    Thank you WSBLOG, without you this nab would not have taken place tonight.

  • WSB March 21, 2017 (7:56 am)

    Added a bit to the story, pending a followup later today.

  • West Seattle Hipster March 21, 2017 (9:08 am)

    That picture looks like Chris Elliott in the classic film “There’s Something About Mary”.

    Nice work WSB and SPD!

  • eve March 21, 2017 (9:10 am)

    Wow this guy has been stealing from the people of WS for months at the very least. He reminded me of a guy in a video I saw on here months ago, it stood out because he slipped on the steps before he got the pkg and took off. Sure enough someone else must have remembered like I did and the posted a link to the month’s old video in the comments section of the previous story WSB linked above. Definitely looks like the same guy 

    i wonder if they can charge him for that incident too?

    anyway glad they caught him! 

    We also have the Arlo Pro cameras and are very happy with them

  • Lola March 21, 2017 (11:07 am)

    Yay SPD,

    Thank you for catching him, I hate people like this who think they can just go up and take what they want off anybody’s porch.  My neighbors and I text each other when we see that one or the other has packages.

    The truck that this guy was driving is the exact make model and canopy that my husband has.  Thank god my husband is not bald. 

    Good job on everyone who provided video for this POS.  Throw the book at him.

  • James Guest March 21, 2017 (11:56 am)

    What street was this arrest made at?

  • Z March 21, 2017 (1:40 pm)

    This guy lives across the street from me. I saw the K9 units near our house last night and instantly knew it was for him. We have suspected something for quite a while. I’m positive that this has been going on for longer than a couple months. I’ve had more than a few packages stolen off my porch over the last couple years (as have all of my neighbors). I no longer deliver anything to the house.

  • Mark March 21, 2017 (4:21 pm)

    Good job SPD, now we need the court system to convict!

  • seaspades March 22, 2017 (9:48 am)

    $1,000 bail and misdemeanor for chronic theft seems a tad light.  Really beginning to think this isn’t an SPD problem….

    • WSB March 22, 2017 (9:54 am)

      The charge was related to the one specific incident for which they were seeking him that day. So it wasn’t “$1,000 bail and misdemeanor for chronic theft.” He has no record of note in state/local records. Other charges might be filed later – but this was what he was arrested for, for starters.

      • James Guest March 23, 2017 (8:14 am)

        Was there other packages found inside his home?  If so could he be charged for that?  What needs to change legislation-wise so the punishment would be escalated?

  • Kimberly Lowery March 23, 2017 (12:28 pm)

    I, too, have had packages stolen from my porch (5 packages since January).  Filed two police reports on the stolen property.  I subsequently purchased an Arlo camera through Home Depot and had it delivered to the store as I could just see the package thief stealing my camera…”To Catch a Thief.”  Gary Grant, he does not look like.

     I’m glad the guy was caught, but have a feeling I won’t be getting my stuff back.

     

    • Robert of west seattle March 26, 2017 (9:45 am)

      If you bought items with a credit card, some cc companies guarantee certain purchases. Also, if you point out suspect to cc company, they can pursue if they want to recover.

  • drahcir March 23, 2017 (3:18 pm)

    I can also attest to the Arlo Netgear wireless cameras & base unit.  Very easy to install & you can add more cameras when you want.  Their newer cameras now come with rechargeable batteries. 

    Also, the system automatically records when it detects motion & saves the video for 10 days (no extra charge!), plenty of time to download if you have something you want to keep.  The best feature is the automatic notices on my cellphone when a camera detects motion.  I have five cameras on my property on Fairmount. 

    Trust me, I’ll see the intruder long before he/she knows they’re even being recorded.

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