West Seattle Crime Watch: Brazen burglary

Big police response this morning to a house northeast of The Junction where a burglar broke in while someone was home. It happened near 38th and Genesee. A quick 911 call led to an extensive search, including a K-9 team, but so far, they haven’t found the burglar. The partial description we heard via scanner was that it was a white man believed to be in his mid-30s, about 5-8, unkempt brown hair, light clothing, possibly barefoot when he fled. No harm to the person or people inside the house, police told us.

Trileigh November 2, 2016 (10:19 am)

Helicopter just flew very low over our house near Lowman Beach – related?

WSB November 2, 2016 (10:21 am)

No, it’s way past the time when a helicopter would’ve helped.

56bricks November 2, 2016 (10:50 am)

Sounded more military-like. Couldn’t see it but heard it.

Alan November 2, 2016 (11:10 am)

What appeared to be an army-green chinook went over my house about that time towards Boeing field. I couldn’t see markings on it, even though it was very close.

Swissmiss November 2, 2016 (11:56 am)

This happend in my neighborhood, about 15 min after getting home from taking the kids to the bus I heard voices in my yard. I looked out of my blinds to see 4 police officers and a dog standing in my yard. They searched front and back the shed and deck while I was in the house. They asked that I stay indoors with doors locked. Thanks for posting this so I knew what was going on. My poor neighbor. I can’t even imagine how scary that was.

WSB November 2, 2016 (12:04 pm)

Generally with a K-9 search they ask people to stay in so the track isn’t compromised. Took us a while to figure out where this was happening – we heard police setting up “containment,” we heard the call for a K-9, we heard the partial description, but never an address (we knew it was western West Seattle somewhere because it was SPD’s “William sector”), so we kept hoping we might get a text about “what’s up with all the police in (wherever)?” but as you point out, it’s a busy time of day, going to school, going to work … finally scanner traffic mentioned a car POSSIBLY related to the case (don’t know if that panned out) and the location was mentioned for that, so our photographer was able to go out and look for police in hopes they could tell us where the original incident happened. Hope your neighbor’s doing OK. Usually burglars prefer houses where no one’s home. – TR

Swissmiss November 2, 2016 (12:21 pm)

Thanks again for all your great info! Yep that photo was taken in front of my house. It was really surreal. They spent quite a bit of time in

my back yard alley area

Logan November 3, 2016 (1:14 pm)

Pretty sure this guy came into my work looking for a cab or uber. Out of breath, barefoot, and ran off booking it.

Jen November 2, 2016 (2:13 pm)

Is the house pictured where the break-in occurred? Was anything taken? I feel terrible for what appears to be a very close neighbor of ours.

Swissmiss November 2, 2016 (9:31 pm)

@Jen this another one of your close neighbors, I talked to them tonight nothing was taken and no one in the house was hurt. Just a bit shook up by the whole thing