12:27 PM: Police are investigating a bank robbery that happened a short time ago at the Umpqua Bank branch just north of Admiral Safeway. Scanner traffic indicates the robber gave tellers a note; no weapon was seen. We only have a partial description so far – dark shirt, jeans, multi-colored bag, last seen walking south on California SW, might have then gone on to a 4-door champagne-colored compact car. If you have any information, call 911.

1:07 PM: No word of an arrest yet; no additional descriptive information, either, but we’re trying. Checking our archives, this is the first West Seattle bank robbery in more than a year; last one was north of The Junction in May 2014.

From the WSB inbox: Jim hopes you will keep an eye out for his dark green 1995 Saab 900S, stolen in front of his house in the 4000 block of 47th SW Thursday morning around 1 am. Plate includes the letters YLC. If you see it, call 911.

Two notes in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:

BAIL INCREASED FOR VANDALISM SUSPECT: We reported early Wednesday on 31-year-old Yonas Berhane, arrested near California/Raymond after allegedly vandalizing at least 10 vehicles and harassing/threatening people. At a hearing this morning in a King County Jail courtroom, Berhane’s bail was increased to $10,000, and additional charges were filed, according to the docket – he now faces two charges of harassment and eight charges of vandalism. He is due back in court on August 17th.

TODDLER’S STREET SIGN STOLEN: You wouldn’t expect to see a street sign for Corliss Avenue in West Seattle – it’s way up by Northgate. If you do, it might be the one Justin is looking for:

Last night, someone walked off with our decorative street sign (purchased from the city of Seattle). Our son shares the name.

It happened in the southeast Gatewood area. If you find/see it … let us, and police, know!

Two quick West Seattle Crime Watch notes:

MAIL THEFT: Thanks to Leanne for reporting mail theft along 40th SW in Arbor Heights. “Neighbors found a couple envelopes and a birthday card in the ditch.”

RECOGNIZE THIS BICYCLE? Abandoned bicycles often turn out to have been stolen, so if you know someone missing a bike:

Katy sent the photo after spotting the bicycle in shrubbery along SW Thistle west of California SW in Gatewood, where it’s been for at least a day. (The only bicycle theft on the Seattle Police crime-reports map for the past week happened Saturday night in the 9200 block of 17th SW, but others could be in the online-reports queue and not showing up on the map yet.)

A West Seattle Crime Watch reader report from “North Admiral Resident“:

I came from vacation to find my home had been broken into. They stole all my jewelry and my ex-husband’s old wallet, otherwise nothing else seemed to be disturbed.

Just a note, ladies – make sure you increase the amount for your jewelry or itemize and take out separate policies with your homeowners insurance.

Vintage pieces from my grandmother, filigree white gold and diamond rings, a yellow gold and amethyst necklace and a scarab bracelet, were among the things stolen. While not the most expensive pieces, they are the ones that tear at my heart.

This happened sometime between July 20-28th. If anyone has any clues, please comment.

The Seattle Police online crime-report map shows nine burglaries reported in West Seattle in the past week – including three each in the greater Admiral and Fauntleroy areas:

Six recent reader reports in this round of West Seattle Crime Watch. First, if you heard any of Friday night’s loud “booms,” here’s the result of one:

MAILBOX BLOWN UP: When we got a text asking about an explosion heard in Seaview Friday night, we had just heard the same thing at HQ east of Lincoln Park. Sounded like the typical summertime illegal “firework” explosive. Saturday morning, our tipster went out and found the remains of a mailbox along 45th SW and sent the photo.

Ahead, two more vandalism reports, a package thief and shoplifter caught on camera, and a case of suspected casing:

Read More

Following up on the arrest that caught attention on the last day of West Seattle Summer Fest: 20-year-old Justin R. Vincent, Jr., is charged with first-degree theft for allegedly stealing a money pouch containing $4,500 from a festival vendor. As reported here in our festival coverage that day, after the pouch was grabbed from a food vendor at California/Alaska, a man running southbound on the sidewalk on the east side of California was pursued and tackled by citizens while festival-patroling police were summoned. They arrested Vincent, a Sunrise Heights resident, and got all the money back. He has no criminal record and, as reported in our first followup, was released on his own recognizance after a day in jail. A few days later, records now show, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed the felony charge as recommended in an SPD detective’s report. No weapon was involved , and no one was hurt, though the detective’s report says Vincent complained of soreness and was treated by SFD medics at the Southwest Precinct before being taken to jail downtown. (WSB photo of 7/12/15 arrest)

(WSB photo from Sunday: Suspect seated at right, face hidden behind officers)
In our as-it-happened coverage of West Seattle Summer Fest‘s third day, we reported on something unscheduled – a robbery, and quick capture of a suspect. Today, we have a followup: The 20-year-old Sunrise Heights man who was arrested for investigation of robbery had a bail hearing this afternoon; the judge allowed him to go free on “personal recognizance,” according to King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesperson Dan Donohoe, with another appearance set for Wednesday. In probable-cause documents, police say he is the robber who “forcefully grabbed” a bag containing $4,500 from the hands of a vendor on the west side of the food court and took off running. The vendor yelled for help; people ran after the suspect and tackled him a short distance south of the food zone. Police working the festival took him into custody shortly thereafter. We’ve checked King County records, and the suspect does not appear to have a felony criminal history.

From Michael:

Another classic bike stolen last night in the neighborhood of 59th and Stevens. Trek 8000 aluminum big fork mountain bike. Equipped with Campi pedals, Cateye computer, WTB speed V comp saddle, Grip Shift, bar ends, Mavic rims, Blackburn front and rear fenders, Blackburn headlight and tail light, Performance triangle shoulder bag, Performance mini pump bag with Blackburn mini pump, Park tool bag, dual bottle cages. Many miles and memories were put on this bike.

Please contact police if you see it.

Four reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch.

First, a burglary near 36th/Trenton, with an arrest reported. Summarizing the neighborhood-watch e-mail string that was forwarded to us – vigilant neighbors heard glass breaking and saw someone entering the house next door just after 4 am. They called 911; in the meantime, a suspect was spotted running through nearby yards, and as more neighbors got involved, he was reportedly cornered in the next block, and police took him into custody.

Another burglary Tuesday afternoon has not yet been solved, so far as we know. From Erika and Jackson:

We would like to make sure the readers of the WS Blog are aware of the burglary that happened at our home yesterday. We live on 17th Ave SW between Holden and Kenyon, and our home was broken into during the afternoon hours (Tuesday) when nobody was home at our residence.

We have lived on the block for six and a half years and have never had this happen before, and typically feel very safe in our home. We are very shaken up, have had property stolen and minor damage to the house, but everyone is OK. We also have an alarm system with ADT, and it took the SPD 2.5 hours to come to our house after ADT called their dispatch. We also called 911 four more times on our own. We are currently working with ADT and SPD to get transcripts of the day to learn how that happened, as we are very upset with the alarm company and police department’s reaction time to our burglarized home. The police officer who did take our case was also very surprised at how long we waited for his arrival.

As everyone in Highland Park, West Seattle, and Seattle knows already, we want our neighbors to stay vigilant, locks all doors and windows when you leave your property (or are even in your backyards), and be aware of suspicious activity.

We also have two reports of possible package theft. From Teresa:

I wanted to let you know that a large UPS package was possibly stolen off our front porch in the Genesee Hill neighborhood (Tuesday) afternoon. I say possibly because no one saw it happen, but the UPS driver confirmed he delivered it at 11 am and by 4:30 pm it was missing when I arrived home. The shipping company and UPS are working together to remedy this for me, but I wanted to make the neighborhood aware of the possible incident.

She notes there were other signs of suspicious activity, such as an open side gate. Meantime, Josh in Sunrise Heights reported that while tracking showed 2 packages delivered to his home Monday, one was missing. So if you’re expecting deliveries … keep in mind that package thieves might be back in business in the area.

ORIGINAL REPORT, 8:31 PM: Someone stole that car this afternoon in Morgan Junction. Justin sent us the photo and report:

Black 2003 Subaru Baja with license plates A12916Y. Has a blue and white Scottish flag on the back window. Last seen in enclosed lot at 5953 California Ave SW between 1 pm and 5:30 pm on Monday, July 6, 2015. It had only 2 or gallons of gas in it at the time of theft.

If you see it – as Seattle Police always advise – call 911.

12:23 AM: Justin says the car’s been found.

Two notes in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:

(Added: WSB photo)
SUSPECTED STOLEN CAR: If you’re seeing a big police response in the Alki area, police were pulling over (or otherwise dealing with) a suspected stolen car, which usually calls for a “felony stop” response, guns drawn. Via the scanner, police report detaining two people, and searching for a passenger who got out of the car and “walked away” in the 56th/Alki area – only description so far, “18-year-old white male, white shirt, green stripes, Seattle Sonics hat.”

BELVIDERE VANDALISM: Here’s a reader report about an odd case of vandalism on 37th SW sometime during the day on the 4th of July:

Since this is a relatively unique act of vandalism, we thought we would reach out to the blog in case it has happened to others in West Seattle and as a precaution to other residents (although there is really no way to safeguard against this type of crime.)

On Sat we came home at 6:30 PM to a running hose that had been cut. The water was turned on and the hose was intentionally and cleanly cut causing the running water to seep into our foundation and eventually into our lower level where it has caused significant damage. We filed a police report and heard from the neighbor that he saw a 25-30 year old white male with a blue shirt and dirty blonde hair on our back deck around 1:00-3:00 that afternoon. (We weren’t home from 10:00-6:30 on the 4th.) There were no signs of a potential break-in and we have an alarm system which was armed and not triggered. Thankfully, this was the only damage that was done. However, it has caused significant damage to our property and it is highly likely that it was completely random.

Be on the lookout for that stolen bike – maybe tossed aside somewhere by now:

July 4th, 11:55 pm. Corner of alley at 59th & Stevens. Devastating theft of 1-of-a-kind 1977 Free Spirit bike. Distinct rainbow colors and banana seat. Male, early 20s, snatched it and took off toward beach. Owner heartbroken, offering reward.