TIME TO STEAL: Police are looking for this watch-buying locker-theft suspect


In West Seattle Crime Watch tonight – Southwest Precinct police are hoping you can help identify the person in the photos. They sent the photos and this explanation:

This suspect stole several valuable items from a locker at the LA Fitness at 3900 SW Alaska St on 3/15/2018 between the approximate times of noon to 1:30 pm. He subsequently went to Menashe and Sons Jewelers and used the victim’s credit card to purchase a $6,000 Rolex watch, followed by several other unauthorized transactions in the Tukwila/Southcenter area.

Any information on his identity can be directed to the SW Precinct Detective Unit at 206-233-2623.

The case numbers are #18-93279 and #18-94804. You can see two more photos here and here.

31 Replies to "TIME TO STEAL: Police are looking for this watch-buying locker-theft suspect"

  • Bob K March 29, 2018 (9:09 pm)

    How do charge 6K on a credit card and not show a picture ID?  What am I missing here?

    • WSB March 29, 2018 (9:15 pm)

      This is all the info we have, so I don’t know whether he did or didn’t, and using somebody else’s credit card without authorization is a crime either way.

    • Eric1 March 29, 2018 (11:32 pm)

      Eons ago when I worked in retail (I had to dodge dinosaurs on the way to work). We were explicitly prohibited from checking ID for credit cards.  We didn’t have Rolex watches but some stone tablets with designer hammers and chisels were 4 figure sales.  We only asked for IDs for checks (speaking of stone age).

    • Coldheart Craig March 30, 2018 (12:12 pm)

      Credit card issuers don’t require ID checks on any purchases. The only check the retailer is supposed to make is whether the signature the customer uses matches the signature on the card. Technically speaking, retailers aren’t supposed to accept ‘check id’ as a signature unless your parents were sadistic and named you “Check Id”

  • Hello LA? March 29, 2018 (9:26 pm)

    LA Fitness should know who he is since he was in the locker room. I’m not a member of LA anymore, but was in the past and all their clubs had a front desk check-in. If they don’t know who he is there is something seriously wrong with the management at that place.

    • Ms. Sparkles March 30, 2018 (11:48 am)

      Exactly what I was thinking!

  • How March 30, 2018 (12:00 am)

    How bold! First, get into the gym. (I’m sure he wasn’t working out) then, break into locker, (how do you do that quietly and unobtrusively in a locker room in the middle of day?) then, take the card straight to the jewelers to make biggest purchase possible, and keep a straight face? How does someone do this? 

  • A March 30, 2018 (12:02 am)

    Pretty bold of this guy knowing that going into a jewelry store there is going to be high def images of him. He must know about Seattle’s catch and release program so he knows that when he is caught he will serve minimal time and be back out to continue his attack on the civilized world. Check the local heroin dens, him and his buddies are probably on a bender on his victims dime. 

  • Joe March 30, 2018 (4:27 am)

    Show the watch he bought too!

  • marjie March 30, 2018 (7:47 am)

    @A…there are local heroin dens??? have you seen them personally?

    • Native March 30, 2018 (6:05 pm)

      Heroin bins….well I think they call them injection sites.. wow I agree that we are just getting hammered in west Seattle with crimes against property and I know it personally. not the same as I grew up but it is getting worse each week and this summer could be a crime wave unlike any we have seen. We need more neighborhood watches and more police presence and stop releasing them after they are arrested 

  • Petert March 30, 2018 (8:08 am)

    I’m a regular at LA Fitness. You would be surprised at how many people do not padlock their lockers. I know I am.

  • Chargeit March 30, 2018 (8:42 am)

    To buy the Patek Phillipe would have been to obvi..

  • Sillygoose March 30, 2018 (8:53 am)

    So many red flags here: wasnt ID checked, plus not to judge but I am, his appearance alone is not that if someone who wears a Rolex.  Highest valued item to pawn obviously.

    • Swede. March 30, 2018 (3:03 pm)

      Definitely a bit slack of the store to not check better and surprisingly from that particular store too. But pawing the watch might be a bit harder to do since now after all this media attention the serial number is definitely out. Then again if he did it quickly… a pawnshop are gonna loose some cash. 

  • H March 30, 2018 (9:40 am)

    Well. Calling myself out for preconceived notions – this is not whom I would have expected to steal from a locker and commit credit card fraud. I almost feel like it’s the “I took my ex’s credit card and bought a Rolex – serves them right” weird story. Nevertheless, you can learn how to “jimmie” a lock on YouTube. If it looks like you’re opening your locker why would anyone even bat an eye? Stuff is everywhere in the locker room when people are changing from work wear to gym clothes or swim attire – towels, suits, bags… toss a towel on someone’s wallet as they’re filling their locker and you don’t even have to mess with the lock. Right? We all know that theft is more opportunistic than skill. I now take any items I’d miss on my person while working out – a pain but then I don’t worry.

  • Starsky March 30, 2018 (9:47 am)

    Like the ymca. It’s easy to get by the front desk. 

  • just wondering March 30, 2018 (10:28 am)

    We just bought a car and put some of the purchase on our credit card.  We had to show a driver’s licence to do so but the amount wasn’t as high as $6000.

  • BlairJ March 30, 2018 (11:35 am)

    When I am asked for ID when using a credit card, I always thank the clerk for doing so.

    • Hoku March 30, 2018 (6:49 pm)

      I ALWAYS thank clerks who ask for my ID. Theoretically everyone who takes my credit card is supposed to ask for ID after I dealt with identity theft. It is so rare that anyone does ask for ID. I pay cash whenever I can. Ugh.

  • Peter March 30, 2018 (3:20 pm)

    Most retailers have a policy of not challenging people making questionable purchases due to the potential risk of harm to employees, instead they contact the police and/or credit card issuer after the person has left. Checking IDs for card purchases is very rare (hasn’t happened to me in many years), it would tip them off and could trigger dangerous confrontation. Although that detail is not provided, my guess is Menashe contacted the police afterwards, which is the correct course of action.

    • Yikes March 30, 2018 (11:05 pm)

      That’s the most rediculous thing I’ve ever heard- don’t challenge anyone making a questionable purchase- just go ahead and process the transaction. If someone offers you magic beans for a Rolex, just gift wrap the Rolex and take the beans..  

      If someone is gonna rob you or kill you, why would they even need a credit card?

  • Jisyy March 30, 2018 (6:33 pm)

    Me, too BlairJ.

  • Devgru March 30, 2018 (7:27 pm)

    Judging by the second picture this is an extremely “pigeon toad” individual, he should be easily spotted by his walk-somewhat like Kaiser Sosa in “The Usual Suspects”. The Rolex….fuggedaboutit! That things been pawned from here to Olympia by now.

  • James March 30, 2018 (7:28 pm)

    So he went from LA Fitness to the jewelry store, probably then went and sold it on the corner at Bellevue Coins (just guessing).  By the way, I am a member at LA Fitness and there are many times when no one is even at the front desk.

  • miller March 31, 2018 (9:38 pm)

    seen him at Rite Aid on Calif

    • Avocico April 1, 2018 (2:23 am)

      Are you just bragging, or have you called the cops? Perhaps his rite aid transaction can help identify him..

  • Lauren April 1, 2018 (6:36 am)

    Probably not a match as this is from a while back, but physically similar enough.

    https://westseattleblog.com/2016/11/west-seattle-crime-watch-no-holiday-for-thieves/

    (The link is from a previous WSB crime post) He shoplifted a jacket then was later also spotted at Rite Aid.

  • momosmom April 1, 2018 (8:52 am)

      I think this is the pic Lauren was trying to attach…?

    • Lauren April 1, 2018 (12:53 pm)

      Yes! Thank you :)

  • dsa April 1, 2018 (7:34 pm)

    He wouldn’t take the watch to a pawn shop.  It would be barter material or fenced.

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