The WSBeat: Pilferer at the party; surprise surrender; more

By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog

As always, the WSBeat summaries are from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers, incidents of note that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports:

*If you and your significant other are tying the knot and collecting gifts in a public place, assign someone to guard the checks-and-gift-cards pile. Last week, a suspicious person was seen wandering around a local reception, wearing what looked like a homemade dark blue sweater with a “security” patch sewn on it. Someone later tried to use gift cards from this wedding at a Westwood Village store. The suspect was described as white, male, age 22-29, about 5’8”, with a slim build and light brown hair.

*Just after 2 a.m. Friday, officers were on routine patrol in an alley in the 3000 block of SW Avalon, when a man spotted their car, raised his hands in the air, and walked toward them. He twice provided false names but finally came clean, admitting he was wanted on a warrant ($15,000 for residential burglary). Officers confiscated two knives, two wallets (not his), a key chain with keys for several cars, gloves, and spark plugs (commonly used to break car windows). The SeaTac resident was booked into King County Jail for the warrant.

10 more summaries ahead:

*Wednesday afternoon around 1:30, a resident of the 3200 block of 41st SW was working in the basement when he heard a creaking sound and then noticed two teens peeking in his basement window. When confronted, the two claimed they were looking for “Mike.” A few hours later, the victim noticed that his laptop was missing from a living room table. The suspects are described as white, male, both with brown hair and buzz cuts, 15-17 years old, 5’6” to 6” tall, medium build.

*On Tuesday morning, a neighbor confronted a stranger who was trying to break into a utility trailer in the yard of a home in the 3300 block of 31st SW. The suspect fled the scene in a white Chevy Astro Van, and was described as a white male, 5’6”, of medium build, and bald.

*Officers investigated reports of a man and a woman shooting up in a truck parked near Raymond and 35th SW. The woman inside the vehicle denied that anyone was with her and was “shocked” when an officer emerged from a nearby business with her boyfriend of many years in tow. The pair live on Vashon Island and finally admitted to shooting heroin. Officers found no narcotics, but they did note that the woman possessed many syringes, a bunch of knives, and one live chicken. She and the bird took wing, while the 33-year-old man was booked into King County Jail on a $10,000 misdemeanor warrant.

*On Tuesday evening, a delivery driver called 911 to report that three teens had stolen a shoe-box package from the front seat of his van while he was parked near 32nd and Juneau. Officers quickly found one of the suspects, who raised his hands in the air and exclaimed, “I didn’t do anything!” just as two shoes dropped onto the ground from underneath his coat. The 13-year-old (wanted as a missing runaway) was held at the precinct and then turned over to his stepmother.

*Knowing from previous encounters that the teen was facing hard times (father deceased; mom on the street), an officer wondered if the boy’s report of being slashed on the arm by a stranger might not be true. He expressed those thoughts kindly to the boy, who immediately broke down in tears and admitted there had been no assault. He also admitted that he was depressed and thinking about suicide. A mental health specialist is now on the case.

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CRISIS LINE: A resource for those in crisis, including thoughts or acts of self-harm: 206.461.3222
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Now – from a check of reports that were in the system several days before the ones chronicled above …

*How do you know you have a drug problem? When your idea of scrounging scrap metal involves loading steel structural I-beams into the back of your truck in broad daylight (lunchtime) at a construction site. Officers responded under the West Seattle Bridge, where two workers were holding a suspect, who tried to make off with $3,000 worth of material. The 21-year-old unemployed Auburn resident said he would be interested in a drug program and admitted to using heroin for the past two years and having a problem with oxycontin.

*After participating in a women’s retreat, a local woman in a verbally abusive relationship found the courage to confront her boyfriend of 1 ½ years, who she believed had stolen $50,000 by transferring it from her bank account into his. When he refused to leave her home, she locked herself in the bedroom and called 911. Boyfriend claims that she knew about the money and that he couldn’t return it because it had been lost making stock-market trades. While officers stood by, she had him turn over his keys and leave immediately. He removed his belongings and said he would not contact her again.

*In North Admiral one recent afternoon, a landlord discovered two men inside the garage of one of his rental homes. The pair claimed they must have been sent to the wrong site for a job. One man was carrying a crow bar and a chain pulley, which he returned. They drove off in a red 1980s pickup. The suspects are white males, one aged 30-49 with slim build and sandy hair, and a second, aged 22-29, with slim build and brown hair.

*A woman was seated at a large table at a coffee shop, doing business with her insurance company on her cell phone. She noticed that a stranger nearby would occasionally write something on a legal pad. He later said to her, “I couldn’t help overhearing that you got a new job. Congratulations.” Later that day she received four e-mails from the stranger (who had obviously overheard her e-mail address during the conversation), asking if she wanted to meet him and providing his phone number. Concerned that the man had overheard other info, she called 911. An officer called the friendly fellow, who was surprised and embarrassed to be hearing from police. He said he’d never try to contact her again.

*A group of people was drinking in an Admiral apartment. The party moved to an alley, and when things got a bit out of hand, the “host” (who had alcohol on his breath and appeared intoxicated to officers) fired a shot into the air to “scare off” the group. Though he had a concealed weapons permit, he willingly turned the weapon over to officers.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: WSBeat roundups are archived here. We also continue to publish crime reports the rest of the week, when we get tips or hear noteworthy incidents via the scanner, so don’t be shy about letting us know when you see/hear something happening = calling or texting 206-293-6302 is the best way.

19 Replies to "The WSBeat: Pilferer at the party; surprise surrender; more"

  • JoAnne March 31, 2012 (10:21 am)

    Hey if your party guests won’t leave it’s only good manners to fire a warning shot before you start picking them off.

  • brizone March 31, 2012 (11:03 am)

    => “Knowing from previous encounters that the teen was facing hard times (father deceased; mom on the street), an officer wondered if the boy’s report of being slashed on the arm by a stranger might not be true.”
    .
    Now THAT is the kind of great on-the-ground community policing that Seattle needs a lot more of. Well-done SW precinct!

  • M. March 31, 2012 (11:07 am)

    ok. The one about the coffee shop and the guy writing down her info is a lil scary. He could have got away with alot more. I’ll make sure to do personal business at home now.

  • onceachef March 31, 2012 (11:26 am)

    There’s nothing safer than drunk people with guns…unbelievable. If a legal gun owner has an “incident” that involves police (especially while drunk) they should have their right to own a gun revoked….forever.

  • Jim P. March 31, 2012 (11:39 am)

    I’m amazed the information people will say/shout into a cell phone in public: Phone numbers, email address, credit card numbers, home address and how long they will be on the road etc.

    Sitting in a crowded coffee shop and doing this is just an invitation to be hacked, experience I.D. theft or find yourself hearing from “interesting” people.

    A polite person simply ignores the things they are forced to hear but we all know some people are simply in a different category.

    There is an old WWI poster showing a sinking ship and soldiers and sailors in lifeboats and swimming. The caption simply says “Someone talked”. I think that sums it up.

  • Alki Resident March 31, 2012 (11:51 am)

    To the officer with the encounter with the teen,you have a great heart and I think this kid will always remember that you took the time for him and it just may put him in the right direction for life. Im sad for that boy and hope the best for him,Ill be praying for him.

  • Janis March 31, 2012 (12:27 pm)

    As a Wedding Planner, I always warn clients about the placement of the guest book and gifts. There is a local company that will stay during the wedding and reception and create an area for guests to check in their coats and gifts. It’s called Coat Check Complete http://coatcheckcomplete.com/services.html

    They have more services depending upon what a client wants.

  • SJ2 March 31, 2012 (12:30 pm)

    The story about the boy stealing shoes breaks my heart. :( 13 and having thoughts of suicide? The poor kid! I wish I could send him some shoes (and more).

  • Chuck & Sally's Van Man March 31, 2012 (12:32 pm)

    Man it’s hard to meet chicks in Seattle. I mean, if you can’t eavesdrop on them in a public place and steal their personal info to hit on them later, what’s a poor guy to do? Guess it’s back to Match…

  • Dave March 31, 2012 (12:46 pm)

    I don’t always party, but when I do, I prefer to party in an alley…with a gun.

  • Rumbles March 31, 2012 (1:31 pm)

    @JoAnne — LOL! That was funny!!

  • karen March 31, 2012 (1:45 pm)

    the woman possessed many syringes, a bunch of knives, and one live chicken

    What?? This sounds like the beginning of a really bad joke.

  • Andrew April 1, 2012 (7:33 am)

    Dave – I was crying laughing for 2 minutes after reading your post. Thanks bro. I needed that.

  • goodgraces April 1, 2012 (11:02 pm)

    I luv these WSBeat posts soooo much. Between the descriptions of events (esp the ones that quote the police reports directly) and the comments on the posts, it’s a guaranteed good time. Seriously awesome.

  • redblack April 2, 2012 (5:33 am)

    from the second story:
    .

    Officers confiscated two knives, two wallets (not his), a key chain with keys for several cars, gloves, and spark plugs (commonly used to break car windows).

    .
    can anyone explain this?

  • Greg April 2, 2012 (8:43 am)

    Redblack, the ceramic top of a spark plug is harder than tempered glass. Thieves thread it on to a cord and “whip” it at this safety glass used for car windows. This tranfers enough force to a small area that it shatters the glass with little effort.

  • A April 2, 2012 (1:28 pm)

    It’s even easier than the cord/whip concept. You can hold a spark plug like a fat pencil and “tap” the glass hard with the pointed end. It’ll shatter the glass with little to no noise. Easy, easy way to get into a car.

  • DollarTreeNut April 8, 2012 (11:30 pm)

    i believe that WW1 poster is more or less simply an oldschool “stop snitching” poster, hence the “loose lips sink ships” reference..

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