WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Police search by Fauntleroy Park

(WSB photos)

4:20 PM: Thanks for the texts – we’re on our way to check out a police response near Fauntleroy Park. Checking with Seattle Police media relations in the meantime, this apparently started as a report of a possible burglary at a home on the north side of the park, along Barton. More to come.

4:27 PM: Police are outside a house on the south side of Barton at Director.

They think a burglar might be inside, so they are using a bullhorn to tell anyone inside to come out before they send a K-9 in to search.

4:41 PM: The K-9 has gone in and come out.

4:47 PM: The house is empty but police found a hole in the fence. Now the Guardian One helicopter is flying around the area looking for any signs of a possible burglar at large.

5:40 PM: The helicopter has long since departed after doing what it could; no word of an arrest yet but last we heard, police in the Fauntleroy area were still on the lookout.

8:18 PM: We checked with SW Precinct Operations Lt. Ron Smith at tonight’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting; no arrest. The K-9 tried tracking from the hole in the fence that might have been used for entry/exit but couldn’t pick up a trail.

24 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Police search by Fauntleroy Park"

  • SW October 17, 2017 (4:44 pm)

    They’re at Roxbury and 37th as well and having been blipping their siren for two or three hours.

  • JC October 17, 2017 (4:48 pm)

    I am on Forest Court SW, where Fauntleroy Park comes out. SPD is at the bottom entrance  We see Guardian One up circling around looking.

    • WSB October 17, 2017 (4:52 pm)

      Yup, we’ve been right beneath them and mentioned it in the story. Since the house appears to have checked clear, they’re looking around the area.

      • JC October 17, 2017 (4:56 pm)

        I did go out and looked in the car tent, my shed etc to check.  Talk about nerve racking………

    • Eric October 17, 2017 (4:55 pm)

      Im at California and Director and a purple dodge challenger/charger just flew by the wrong way on the one-way here (west bound) in case it matters. Right under the copter now about to drop kiddo off at ballet class, or NOT!

  • AH Folks October 17, 2017 (5:02 pm)

    Seattle police car also parked with lights flashing at the T intersection of Roxbury and 37th, where I understand there is a path to a wooded homeless encampment, a block west of the charter school.

    • WSB October 17, 2017 (5:08 pm)

      That would be typical containment, regardless of what is or isn’t nearby. Usually when there’s an active search, police are stationed at spots for blocks around.

    • AH Lady October 18, 2017 (10:21 pm)

      Are you saying there is a homeless encampment in Fauntleroy Park?

      This is alarming as the park is surrounded by homes.

  • Mary Ballou October 17, 2017 (5:03 pm)

    Has there been a description of the person released? 

    • WSB October 17, 2017 (5:06 pm)

      No, sorry, we don’t have a description.

  • JC October 17, 2017 (5:16 pm)

    Now Guardian One is gone.  Did they find the suspect???

    • WSB October 17, 2017 (5:17 pm)

      Not so far. The helicopter moved on after doing everything it could do. We are no longer in the area ourselves (though not far! and monitoring via scanner) but I believe police are still in the area on the ground.

  • Mary Ballou October 17, 2017 (5:20 pm)

    I just talked the police they have one but didn’t give it to me of course so maybe if someone can talk to the right person tbey can get a description

  • Bonnie October 17, 2017 (5:45 pm)

    I haven’t heard anything for awhile.  Is it safe to go out for a walk?

  • jacquelyn vail October 17, 2017 (5:50 pm)

    Boy, I hope that the constant incredibly loud circling noise of the helicopter was necessary and that it lead to a capture of the perp

  • Gene October 17, 2017 (7:42 pm)

    Wow- sure sorry that G1 bothered you.

  • Amanda October 17, 2017 (7:50 pm)

    Really wish there was a description. I left my house around 4:40p at 39/100 and saw a suspicious guy walking quickly down 100th, headed east toward 35th. Jeans, jacket, hoodie over head, kept looking over his shoulder. Just seemed out of place, though my husband joked that maybe he was really cold. I saw this post later and thought hmmm…

  • flimflam October 17, 2017 (8:23 pm)

    so the police are after someone without any description or any sort of hint regarding what we should be looking for?

  • Dog Gone It October 17, 2017 (8:49 pm)

    Interesting to me that the K-9 entered the house and then wasn’t taken into the woods? This time of year with leaves still on trees flying over with guardian one seemed pointless if you weren’t planning on entering the woods to flush them out. 

    • WSB October 17, 2017 (9:11 pm)

      Yes, the dog was sent through the hole in the fence to check the woods. No trail. I added that information above last hour. As for leafed trees, Guardian One doesn’t just rely on line of sight – they have other equipment to use.

      • Dog Gone It October 17, 2017 (9:52 pm)

        Thank You. Hadn’t seen the latest update. As for this particular house it has been the unfortunate victim to multiple burglaries since I’ve lived here (1979) and each time it was a hole in the fence. I know at one time many of the homes on Barton that back to the woods had alarms. If they have a description I’d be curious to hear it. As for guardian one and it’s equipment I guess I just assume burglaries are so frequent now that the suspects may be pros and know that a emergency blanket blocks the infrared capability of the overhead chopper. Thanks for keeping us updated 

  • Housesitter October 18, 2017 (8:28 am)

     WOW.  Sure are a lot of Armchair Police Officers…  I am thankful they were all over this, and will not criticize things I don’t know everything about.

  • jacquelyn vail October 18, 2017 (5:56 pm)

    I too wandered why the woods/park weren’t blocked off at first with the streets

    I’m no expert but it would seem to make sense to do that

      Another disturbing thought is that the perp lives in one of the houses on the periphery of the woods/park

    And strange for the house to be burglarized so many times

    • WSB October 18, 2017 (6:13 pm)

      Police have a prescribed “containment” strategy for active searches. As for blocking off an entire park – I know there were officers on the south side of the park, from texts people sent – don’t know where else – but there aren’t enough police in the entire SPD force to ring an entire sprawling park. That’s where the helicopter helps.

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