West Seattle Crime Watch: Witness helps solve burglary

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(Photo shared by Michael, added Tuesday morning)
Couple messages came in earlier tonight about police activity at Delridge and Holden. Here’s what it was about, according to Lt. Ron Smith of the (not far from the scene) Southwest Precinct: About quarter till six, a call of “burglary in progress” in the 2400 block of SW Holden brought police to the scene. A witness said he had seen two “male juveniles” go into a home, steal items, and walk/run away.

Description/”direction of travel” information that the witness gave, quickly distributed among police, was good enough that officers found the suspects several blocks away; they fled into a residence and then, Lt. Smith continues, “The 2 suspects fled out a window at the rear of the house and were apprehended on a steep uphill embankment where they tried to conceal the stolen goods in the blackberry brush. Officers processed the scene and the recovered property was placed into evidence. Both suspects were positively identified and placed into the Youth Services Center for burglary. One suspect was also booked for a warrant. Thank you, West Seattleites, for taking good care of your neighborhoods!”

(P.S. Interested in burglary prevention? This meeting/field trip tomorrow night is for you.)

ADDED 10:23 PM: Since publishing this, we’ve received a note from the witness, Phillip, telling his story:

I actually heard them busting through my neighbor’s house and then saw them leaping over the fence, so I jumped up and ran out my door chasing after them down the street – I called out to my neighbor to call 911, and kept chasing them all the way down Holden (barefoot, mind you.. I didn’t even realize I forgot my shoes) where I saw them go running into a house. I managed to cut up my foot a bit chasing after them, but didn’t even realize until I got in my house and saw I was tracking blood around. I just did what any good neighbor would – looking out for them. :)

The credit really should go to the WSPD for their incredibly fast response.. it was only about 2 minutes from when I lost sight of them to when the first cruiser rolled up, and they’d apprehended them moments afterward.

ADDED TUESDAY MORNING: SPD Blotter featured this case early today. Only added detail is that the suspects are 16 and 17. Also, Michael shared a photo he took during the big police response, and we’ve added it atop the story.

coffee May 23, 2011 (9:24 pm)

Way to go! But why would someone break into a home just a few blocks from the police station???

wingme May 23, 2011 (9:38 pm)

that’s my block…address please

WSB May 23, 2011 (9:44 pm)

We don’t publish crime victims’ exact addresses, sorry, not that I have it anyway – I hope that if you are stuck away from home and worried, you can contact one of your neighbors and they can tell you? – TR

Kate K May 23, 2011 (11:38 pm)

Phillip, way to watch out for your neighbors and help get the thieves. You made my day :-)

wsguy May 24, 2011 (1:05 am)

Great job Phillip. You can move to my neighborhood any time. Now would really like to know more about these,well you know. How many times have they done this before and what will be the punishment for this crime.

wsbliss May 24, 2011 (6:13 am)

You’re awesome, Phillip!

doc May 24, 2011 (7:53 am)

Phillip, you’re my hero of the day!

Mike May 24, 2011 (8:14 am)

I saw them take one of the suspects into custody while waiting to turn from 21st onto Delridge at about 5:50 pm.

Of course, the one suspect I saw had baggy pants and shirtless…

I thought it was kind of funny because the proximity to the SW precinct, maybe 500 feet at best.

Lola May 24, 2011 (8:39 am)

Wow Phillip way to catch those theifs. I am sure your neighbors appriciated it that they got their stuff back. I hope they don’t just slap them on the wrist?

Kap May 24, 2011 (9:01 am)

Phillip is the man! Thank you to a great neighbor. Hope your foot heals soon.

DP May 24, 2011 (9:37 am)

Anyone up for a quick game of Darwin tag? (You’re IT, stupid burglars!)
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Not to diminish Phillip’s intrepidness — way to go, guy! — but the only way these crooks could have been dumber is if they’d tried to break into the police precinct building.
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Supposing they’d gotten away . . . the cops could just offer them a crisp new $5 bill to turn themselves in. Works every time.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQpc0QfBaMc

mav May 24, 2011 (10:46 am)

Driving home from work, just after turing west onto Holden from Delridge, I saw the two burglars hurrying towards Delridge on Holden. I was immediately suspicious as they looked spooked and had a laptop in their hands. Seconds later I saw who I now know to be Philip running in shorts and barefeet down Holden.

Regretfully, I dismissed Philip as an embracer of the barefoot runner movement and set my suspicions aside (who commits a crime ½ block from the police station). Glad to hear that the burglars were caught and wish I would have realized what was going on to help out. Nice job Philip!

pigpen May 24, 2011 (1:31 pm)

I live in the neighborhood, and there is routinely some suspicious activity at the house where the arrests took place. Sounds like to two younger kids that routinely walk the neighborhood soliciting for yard work jobs.

/Moving in 7 days….

ghar72 May 24, 2011 (5:09 pm)

Pigpen, At first I thought the same thing. We live several blocks east of this house and the boys continue to come back asking for work despite our repeated refusals. But reading the story, it said the youths were 16 and 17. The boys that come to our place are younger, middle school age. I’d say more like 12 and 14.

gogogo! May 24, 2011 (5:15 pm)

Love it! Love that neighbors are helping neighbors. This is the way to fight this and assist police. Good work!! I had a friend catch a prowler in his backyard at 1:00 a.m. and held him at gunpoint (concealed weapons permit) until police arrived and arrested him on an outstanding warrant for theft. He was high as a kite on something. Their neighbor had been burglarized the week before so they think it was the same guy. Keep your eyes open for these punks!

Phillip May 24, 2011 (5:53 pm)

Pigpen and Ghar72 – this is Phillip, the “witness” above. It is indeed (one) of the kids who wanders around asking for yard work. In fact, the house they burgled had actually gotten some work from them. I think everyone along Holden and Delridge knows the houses and kids we’re talking about.. they’re a persistent nuisance.

Mitch May 24, 2011 (6:46 pm)

I just an idea for a website called bad ideas. First entry: “Let’s knock over a house a couple of hundred feet from the biggest police station in the area. They’ll never catch us if we do that.”

lookingforlogic May 25, 2011 (3:04 pm)

I was recently informed that a less than honorable person lives near the West Seattle Police precinct. Problem is catching the cholos in the act of committing crimes. Desperation is running high this year, unfortunately they are adapting to situations faster than we can protect ourselves.

churchlady May 25, 2011 (9:00 pm)

Just read a story in the west seattle herald about two teens possibly east african were spotted kicking a door of a house on 21st ave sw (no address provided)but were chased by the owner who was inside taking a nap. He gave chase and saw the teens jump into a waiting 90’s Acura teal green color. Both teens were wearing baggy clothes. Is this story related ?

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