West Seattle Crime Watch: Robbers target 2 stores tonight

Via e-mail and Twitter, multiple reports of a police search in the Highland Park Way/Kenyon area. We haven’t reached police for confirmation so far but Sarah says the store there was robbed. More details if/when we get them. 11:35 PM UPDATE: Police confirm not only that the store in Highland Park was robbed, but also say that two of the three robbers tried to hold up John’s Corner Deli in Sunrise Heights moments earlier.

(photo added early Friday)
According to police spokesperson Jeff Kappel, two people, one with a knife in his hand, went into John’s (7500 35th SW) at 8:22 pm, but something “spooked them” when they got to the front of the store and they ran off without completing the robbery. Less than 15 minutes later, three people with at least one handgun held up the Highland Park Way/Kenyon store, and police are sure that two of them were involved in the John’s Deli incident – the trio got away in a car, no description, but the robbers are described as “at least one with red bandanna covering face, second with blue bandanna covering his face … three Hispanic males, late teens to early 20s, one wearing all gray sweat suit – another one with dark hoodie, third with red hoodie.” No injuries, no arrests – call 911 if you have any clues.

Adam October 23, 2009 (12:16 am)

It’s a good thing we have “no guns” signs in parks to protect us from people like this.

TK October 23, 2009 (1:26 am)

Adam – LOL, seriously!!!

Jen October 23, 2009 (6:24 am)

Is there an address/name for the store that was actually robbed? Sounds like it might be the same store that was already hit once within the last year or 18 months.

Jen October 23, 2009 (6:32 am)

This is the store I’m wondering about: https://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=12741. Similar description of suspects, too. (Note to WSB: tried to add it to my last comment but the ajax editor didn’t seem to want to save the info.)

Kathy October 23, 2009 (7:08 am)

Police were all over the Jefferson Square area last night about 9:30 – on 42nd and 41st, driving down 42nd with lights flashing. Have been wondering what that was all about. They were busy last night!

opossum Nulu October 23, 2009 (7:08 am)

I hope they were not planing to steel any candy!

datamuse October 23, 2009 (7:34 am)

Jen, I think it is. That store is the next block over from me and it’s the only one in this part of the neighborhood. Seems like they can’t catch a break. :(
.
I slept through the whole thing, apparently. Geez. The cat coughing up a hairball wakes me up, but a holdup with police response right down the street apparently doesn’t disturb me at all… :/

Veteran Wisdom October 23, 2009 (9:48 am)

Adam-
I think the city should commision “No robbing” signs outside all convenience stores.

Doc October 23, 2009 (10:02 am)

Veteran Wisdom,
I think you are on to something here. If only some sort of “rule” or “law” were in place that people could not take from others or point guns at them. A “rule” that people already knew about, then we wouldn’t need signs at all!

MAS October 23, 2009 (10:24 am)

Nobody’s mentioned it yet (or I missed it), but John’s Deli was hit last March & the new owner injured:

https://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=15252

Wouldn’t blame them if they decided to sell or just close up shop at this point.

WSB October 23, 2009 (10:31 am)

I meant to work that into the story but then other then-breaking news intruded. Thanks for digging up the link – TR

Paul in Gatewood October 23, 2009 (10:45 am)

I hope John’s sticks it out. It’s great to have them a block away and the owners have always been great to deal with. It’s a good neighborhood, unfortunately 35th is a major arterial and as such it makes the store more of a target for robbers, I think.

MAS October 23, 2009 (11:41 am)

I agree Paul, the folks at John’s are great, and it’s a good neighborhood store that would certainly be missed. I’m not sure how may knife wielding thieves I would be willing to endure in their place though, especially after the injury last time.

Paul in Gatewood October 23, 2009 (12:21 pm)

Hi MAS, if they did decide to close I wouldn’t blame them at all, especially considering that an employee was injured last time. It’s a shame that they’ve had to put up with this twice in the last year.

Tony October 23, 2009 (5:55 pm)

here is an idea. Hire an armed guard to hold up a sign that says “No Robbing”

they will see the sign and turn around to find an easier target.

RainyDay October 23, 2009 (8:23 pm)

I’m sure the owners ARE great, but at this point no part of me would feel safe walking into that store. I wish it wasn’t so close to our little suburbs…sad but true. The trauma of being locked in my house with helicopters circling, police in bullet-proof vests and patrol dogs is still fresh…now this? sigh

(required) October 24, 2009 (9:43 pm)

I too feel for the folks who work at and own the place with the cow on the roof. Whoever owns/works there, we in the community support you. Please consider carrying loaded handguns. I know it is extreme-sounding, but seriously, twice is two times too many already, and it is time to place the world on notice that there won’t be a third time.

cherylc November 8, 2009 (8:17 am)

RainyDay, it’s not the suburbs, that’s the point. We live in a city. And I grew up in Bellevue, and I can tell you the suburbs aren’t that safe either. I like the deli we call Cow on Top, and I wish that they weren’t getting robbed. That sucks. But I think expecting West Seattle to be bucolic or suburban is setting yourself up for disappointment.

Sorry, comment time is over.