West Seattle Crime Watch: Arrest in Beach Drive indecent-exposure case; Puget Ridge burglary, Gatewood car-prowl reports

| Crime | West Seattle news

Three reports in West Seattle Crime Watch today.

First, police have arrested a suspect in connection with one recent West Seattle indecent-exposure incident. We’d been trying for several days to find out more about this case – the third in less than two weeks – since a reader mentioned it in this comment last Tuesday night. The commenter wrote of giving police license plate/description information after the incident that night on Beach Drive, and that officers said they had matched the information to a sex offender. Finally, after multiple inquiries, we got confirmation of an arrest today; Southwest Precinct commander Captain Steve Wilske confirmed a suspect in that case is in custody. He’s 37 years old and being held for investigation of indecent exposure and failure to register. No charges filed yet – but we’ll be checking first thing Monday, along with trying to find out more about whether he’s suspected in any of the other cases.

(SUNDAY NOTE: According to the jail register, the suspect has posted bond on $50,000 bail and got out of jail Saturday night, after a little more than one day behind bars.)

(back to original Saturday report) Second, Margaret reports her home in the 5200 block of 18th SW (map) on Puget Ridge was broken into during the day on Friday, with two specific stolen items she’s asking you to watch for:

… Sometime between 9:30 am and 7 pm. They smashed the back bedroom window, ransacked the house, and took a Sentry-brand putty-colored fire proof plastic lock box full of irreplaceable family papers, an array of electronics, and a wooden earring box with a leather inset of Raven stealing the sun, about the size of a business envelope and an inch high. It was full of cheap, craft-fair costume jewelry of great sentimental value. They did not get the key to the lockbox and I’m hoping they may not be able to get inside and may dump it. If the lock box or wooden box turn up anywhere, I’d be anxious to hear.

Third, TJ reports from Gatewood, “Two suspicious males were attempting to open car-door handles for the second night down Holden Street. Police were called at 1:30 am.”

Crime Watch info to report? If it’s breaking news, text or call 206-293-6302; otherwise, editor@westseattleblog.com – but not until after you’ve reported it to police! Thanks!

alki Resident July 26, 2014 (1:39 pm)

Im so happy to hear they arrested a creeper. I hope you can put a name and face on the blog soon so we all know who he is. Clearly this guy would’ve eventually harmed a child if he got the chance. Has he ever registered as a sex offender? What will he serve for this? What area does he live in too please?

WSB July 26, 2014 (1:58 pm)

If I had any of that confirmed, I would have included it. I spent two hours looking everywhere in the system for anything more that could be added, before hitting “publish.” He is not in the system, which likely would be the reason he is under investigation for “failure to register.” On Monday, we’ll be able to reach prosecutors among others and there should be a lot more info available. I don’t see any recent arrest record, though; there are no online documents for the case that might be responsible for his offender status, since it was from more than a decade ago. – TR

G July 26, 2014 (5:21 pm)

I’ve said this before, but car prowls are depressingly, and ridiculously commonplace. I don’t know anyone on my street who has been prowled. You almost the exception if you haven’t been. I have been three times, and I live a few blocks from PCC.

ScubaFrog July 26, 2014 (11:13 pm)

So glad they caught the pervert.

Fake Phoenix Jones July 27, 2014 (10:04 am)

Sorry to hear about more car prowls. Here is some helpful info from the SPD on prevention. http://www.seattle.gov/police/prevention/auto/carprowl.htm

WSB July 27, 2014 (11:20 am)

I’ve added a note to the story, but for anyone just checking back on comments – the indecent-exposure suspect has posted bond on $50,000 bail and was released Saturday night after a little more than 24 hours.

anonyme July 27, 2014 (2:20 pm)

Hmmm. The perv is a known sex offender. He commits another offense, in addition to failing to register – and he’s out in less than 24 hours? It seems like nothing short of murder will get you jail time in Seattle, maybe not even then.

WSB July 27, 2014 (2:34 pm)

Anon, the $50,000 bail was pretty high for a nonviolent, noncontact offense – relatively speaking, having covered “the system” for a while – but apparently he had the means to get it covered. There are serial-burglary suspects we are still covering who had bail set in that vicinity and they couldn’t muster it, because they’re still in. The question now, though, is what kind of timetable the prosecuting attorney’s office will work on regarding charges – I hope to find out much more tomorrow. Including whether the guy was required to register before they let him out. I don’t know if the registry updates on weekends but we’re checking, checking .. TR

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