West Seattle Crime Watch: Alki home-invasion robbery

Seattle Police confirm they are investigating a reported home-invasion robbery in Alki late last night. We checked with them after getting a call from a woman who said her neighbors in the 5600 block of SW Lander (map) were robbed by two armed men who forced their way in. Southwest Precinct Lt. Alan Williams tells WSB they did respond to that call about 10:20 pm: “Initial reports were that 2 males in their early 20’s forced their way into a home and detained the two occupants at gunpoint. The suspects took a variety of personal items, then left on foot. No one was injured. A K9 unit responded and attempted to track the suspects, but the suspects likely left in a car that was nearby.” The caller told us the robbers were reported to have taken off with loot “in pillowcases.” No descriptions at this point; we’ll check back with police later this morning.

12:33 PM: SPD has just posted its summary of what happened, with some additional details.

Rick October 19, 2011 (4:23 am)

Please come to my place. I’ll even give you the pillow cases. But it’s gonna hurt. Real bad.

Johnny Justice October 19, 2011 (8:38 am)

As times continue to get tough, people get more desperate. Stay vigilant. Stay safe everyone.

Alki Resident October 19, 2011 (8:48 am)

I agree with you Rick,wait until they go to the wrong house.Oops.

Alki Resident October 19, 2011 (8:49 am)

WSB-for some reason the murder/suicide blog won’t allow me to comment.Is this fixable?

WSB October 19, 2011 (8:58 am)

We’re having some technical problems this morning. The server took so long to finish the story update that it disabled comments. Should be fixed now.

Alki Resident October 19, 2011 (9:36 am)

It is, thanks.

mudmogul October 19, 2011 (9:46 am)

Same thing just happened last friday in Seahurst. These guys never seem to pay the price.

LyndaB October 19, 2011 (9:49 am)

That’s too scary and close to home.

Karen October 19, 2011 (11:08 am)

Two scary stories from Alki…glad i live in White Center.

Alki Resident October 19, 2011 (11:24 am)

Because White Center is crime free right Karen?

true story October 19, 2011 (11:37 am)

A coworker was getting robbed and he caught the two men in the act and broke one guys arm and anothers leg with a baseball bat. He has a wife and kids so he went inside to get his gun. He came out and loaded it when a neighbor ran over and stoped him. When the police arrived they took the injured robbers away and ALSO the homeowner because they think he is unstable for getting his gun. He was in a psych ward for two days !!!! Only in Seattle ….

neighbor October 19, 2011 (1:00 pm)

Just be sure never to shoot them in the back as they flee your home. That’s a guaranteed ticket to life-in-prison.

I believe that if you are going to face someone that means harm to your family- fire immediately in self-defense.

Question October 19, 2011 (1:12 pm)

Was thinking of getting a shotgun, was leaning towards not, this just sealed it, I’m getting one, if it’s between these punks and wife they aren’t going to be walking away

Seaviewer October 19, 2011 (1:35 pm)

true story –

Let me make sure I have this straight. Your co-worker caught two robbers and disabled them with a baseball bat (breaking bones in the process) and THEN went to get his gun?

What was he going to do? Execute them on the spot?

How is that not unstable?

You can use up to deadly force to protect yourself and others. But you don’t get to summarily execute people. Even if they committed a crime.

sassy October 19, 2011 (2:09 pm)

holy crap. this seems so specific – like how would they know there was only 2 people inside? interested in more details, and what the police think.

MattS October 19, 2011 (2:17 pm)

If you buy a shotgun, please take a safety course on it. These home invasions happen sometimes, you live in the safest time in human history. You may be over thinking the need for a gun. But they are great for hunting and skeet shooting.

Rebecca October 19, 2011 (2:19 pm)

Those guys were very near several homes that I know are defended with firearms. Two morons who seriously could have been killed if they had picked a different house.

Mike October 19, 2011 (3:09 pm)

“Was thinking of getting a shotgun, was leaning towards not, this just sealed it, I’m getting one, if it’s between these punks and wife they aren’t going to be walking away”

Unfortunately you’d be more likely to have it used against you in a home invasion. By the time people like that are noticed, they’ve already got you pinned down.

MJ October 19, 2011 (3:58 pm)

me thinks the “White Center” comment was a touch of irony, Alki Resident.

JP October 19, 2011 (5:00 pm)

Most home invasions aren’t random; usually the assailants are familiar with the occupants and know what type of valuables and weapons might be in the home, so they’re not exactly playing Russian roulette when picking a target. Best advice is to keep good company and carefully choose who you associate with.

Alki October 19, 2011 (5:32 pm)

That sucks, glad no one was physically injured.

Know your neighbors, keep an eye out and call 911 if anything looks suspicious.

mookie October 19, 2011 (6:06 pm)

For anyone thinking of adding a firearm to your household, please, please do something in addition to taking training courses with it: Make sure you have it secured and inaccessible to burglars.

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I want to pound my head on my desk when I hear burglaries reported over the scanner just about every week where the homeowner was not home and their firearms were found and stolen by the thieves, and those guns/rifles are now in the hands of the Very. Wrong. People.

Seaviewer October 19, 2011 (7:18 pm)

JP –

While that is certainly good advice, your comment insinuates that the victims in this case didn’t “keep good company.”

I know the victims here and they did not know the two assailants. Not in the slightest.

I can assure you this particular home invasion was either a random targeting or a mistake.

justme October 20, 2011 (5:52 am)

Never open your door!!!!!

neighbor October 20, 2011 (10:56 am)

“For anyone thinking of adding a firearm to your household, please, please do something in addition to taking training courses with it: Make sure you have it secured and inaccessible to burglars.”

I completely agree with this advice. I am a proponent of using ANY necessary force to defend your family, which in such a case would also protect your neighbors and your community. I don’t advocate random acts of violence, but I am in favor of “old-fashioned justice.”

Don’t be an idiot! Hide and/or secure your firearm to prevent some punk from using it on you!

And, Yes, after you’ve THOROUGHLY disabled any assailants- DON’T go get your gun- it’s too late, and at that point you’ve already done your part!

Guy October 20, 2011 (12:40 pm)

I live on Alki. Bad things happen everywhere. I really feel for the victims!! Please look at the new photographs of the suspects. A hidden revolver is a great addition to a home. Let’s get these guys locked up!

bridge to somewhere October 20, 2011 (3:28 pm)

If someone comes knocking at your door around 10pm and you weren’t expecting anyone: first, grab a phone and have it in your hand. second, don’t open the door but ask through it, “who is it.” third, call police if you don’t know who they are and you aren’t satisfied with the answer. four, tell the person on the other side that you’ve called the police. fifth, if you have a firearm, retrieve it only if you feel threatened but DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR. shooting someone–even someone who has broken into your home–is not legal unless you are in danger as a jury of your peers would define it. in any event, DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR if you don’t know who’s on the other side.

WTF October 20, 2011 (4:08 pm)

This may be a stretch for the passive-aggressive Seattite, but there are more law abiding people than there are criminals, so if we (which I do, BTW) make yourselves visible in your front yards, your backyards, in your neighborhoods, actually talk & get to know who lives next to you, you might find criminals less likely to act in your area. Part of this city’s problem among so many, is it “comes home from work” goes inside and closes the door. The once a year night out doesn’t work. You have to be seen, heard and active around your home, even if you just sit outside in your front yard on a lawn chair everyday.

WTF October 20, 2011 (4:16 pm)

Bridge and Rick are absolutely correct. Do NOT open the door. Also, if you can, watch where the person goes when they walk away; make a note…literally on paper of look, stature, race, age. Just keep notepaper by the door. It’s an innocuous thing to do but a proactive thing in the event something like this happens in your area.

WSB October 20, 2011 (4:52 pm)

Thanks, Non, we’ve had that photo up all afternoon:
https://westseattleblog.com/2011/10/west-seattle-crime-watch-followup-home-invasion-suspect

Adam October 20, 2011 (6:07 pm)

bridge to somewhere: you’re wrong about shooting an armed home invader. Washington state has a nice, clear law about justifiable homicide in your place of residence. Armed robbery is a class A felony.

“Homicide is also justifiable when committed either:

(2) In the actual resistance of an attempt to commit a felony upon the slayer, in his presence, or upon or in a dwelling, or other place of abode, in which he is.”

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9A.16&full=true#9A.16.050

edit to add: i am not a lawyer, and I do not recommend killing people, even if they really do deserve a killing.

Jasperblu October 20, 2011 (9:19 pm)

If someone knocked on MY door after dark, and I didn’t know who it was I saw through the peep hole, no way in heck I’m opening the door, not even a crack. And I’d be ringing the cops, while holding my solid wood baseball bat, and loading my gun, while I’m at it. The only thing I’m missing is a nice 50+ lb dog named Chopper who loves me, and hates everyone else.
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Common sense folks. Please, don’t open the door. I don’t care what their “sob” story is. It’s not worth the risk.
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I truly hope this couple will be okay, I can’t imagine how terrifying this incident was. I’d be really hard pressed to feel “safe” in my own home again actually.
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Neighbors of my folks in CA were robbed like this, by 3 assailants with guns. They were tied up. Their then teenaged son was pistol whipped. And their 100+ pound Great Dane slept through the entire thing. This was in the 80’s. Nothing new… But equally terrifying. Protecting ourselves and our families, with a weapon & a strong measure of common sense, is never a bad idea.
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Sure hope these scumbags are “taken care of” the next time they try this. And we all know, they will try it again. Much cheaper than investigations & court anyway.

bridge to somewhere October 21, 2011 (8:52 am)

@adam: a jury of your peers may indeed find the homicide justifiable and you may be let free–but my point was that the criminal justice system may very likely prosecute you if you shoot someone. the outcome might be favorable for you, but that isn’t the same as the police showing up at your door after you kill someone and saying, “oh, cool, this looks justifiable to me, go back to bed.” you may likely get taken away to jail while they sort out what happened and while the prosecutor’s office decides what to do.

pjmanley October 21, 2011 (10:09 am)

Adam’s right about the law, and most Boeing engineers who sit on juries are conservative, law-abiding gun owners, by the way, so its 99.9% guaranteed the homeowner’s gonna walk, even if charged.

We’d better not cower in fear of what might happen to us if we fight back or shoot first, or it’s game over folks: victory for criminals. Don’t for a second think guys like these don’t factor in our fear of getting in trouble ourselves when they pick their targets. Capitalizing on vulnerability is a criminal commandment.

pjmanley October 21, 2011 (10:18 am)

As for being proactive, WTF is right for a million reasons, btw. It’s way past the deadline for us to unplug, turn off the electronics, and rub elbows with our human neighbors again.

Collective security and peace of mind is one of the major sacrifices of a 24/7/365 plugged-in world. Our fabric is unraveling every minute we are choosing to listen to our I-pods instead of talking to our neighbors. We’re pretty good on our block, but we could much more neighborly around here.

The crisis is calling us, folks. Time to band together like never before.

bridge to somewhere October 21, 2011 (10:54 am)

@pjmanley: first, is your supposition that juries in king county are mainly composed of boeing engineers?! what? second, you believe most boeing engineers are conservatives? third, you believe most boeing engineers are gun owners? wow, there’s a lot of strange assumptions in your post.

Adam October 21, 2011 (1:51 pm)

bridge to somewhere: You only end up in front of a jury if you get indicted. It’s not a foregone conclusion that will happen in a justified shooting. In fact, I believe it’s rare. (I read more articles about firearms being used in self defense than you do.)