WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Another smash-and-grab, and a followup

| Crime | West Seattle news

Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports:

WYATT”S JEWELERS SMASH-AND-GRAB: Another jewelry smash-and-grab – this time at Wyatt’s Jewelers (a longtme WSB sponsor) in Westwood Village. Here are some of the security-camera images:

It happened on Tuesday afternoon around 2:30 pm. The thieves smashed a case that held men’s jewelry, grabbed some items and bolted. Lauren at Wyatt’s was still doing inventory as of late last night but assessed the stolen items as mostly: “Men’s bands. Some trays were real and some were just fake Alloy for custom ordering purposes.” Here are two of the stolen rings:

We will add the police-report number when we get it. (UPDATE: 20-213041.)

FOLLOWUP: Another followup on last week’s similar smash-and-grab at Bellevue Rare Coins in The Junction. Going through video footage from earlier in the day, they found this:

Same shirt, jeans, shoes, and wristwatch as the masked/jacketed thief (as seen in other images they showed us) seen in the first followup. SPD incident number is 20-208198.

skeeter July 15, 2020 (12:22 pm)

Thanks for this coverage. I hope that defunding SPD will not hamper SPD’s ability to investigate property crimes like this.

Customer July 15, 2020 (1:51 pm)

I was in Bellevue Rare Coins at the same time with this man. He was in there before my appointment and there even after I left. He was also looking in the exact case for quite awhile where the previous picture to this follow-up showed the glass was broken. I didn’t think much of it except that he was with another man that had a sleeping bag & a huge backpack & he didnt look like he was going hiking. Plus you give your ID and info to the clerk and the man in the picture did not want to. He had his “sleeping bag” friend give his. Just thought that was odd is all.

Peter S. July 15, 2020 (1:59 pm)

@Skeeter: You’re being sarcastic, right? Otherwise, I’m afraid your hope is unlikely to become true. Just the opposite is likely, in fact.

T Rex July 15, 2020 (2:02 pm)

These type of crimes will only get worse if the police are handcuffed to a budget that no longer exists. Punks like these lovely humans are foaming at the mouth right now and will get braver in the types of crimes they commit.. Even if they are caught, they will be released because A) It’s Seattle and B) they won’t leave them in jail because God forbid they get the virus.

Lispector July 15, 2020 (2:23 pm)

That’s nonsense. The police aren’t currently defunded, and this just happened. The police haven’t done anything for the coin shop and that happened a week ago. Cops don’t prevent crime, but they sure do act like judge, jury, and executioner for traffic infractions. Read up on what defunding the police actually means. Here’s a preview, that money would be redistributed into better and more effective crime deterrents.
- T Rex July 16, 2020 (8:21 am)
  
  Lispector,I am very aware of what defunding the police means. The aholes who did this, not so much. Meaning, they will be less afraid of getting caught and do things just like they did at Wyatt’s. In broad daylight, when they were open. Same at Bellevue Rare Coins. I hope you never need a police officer one day because it is pretty obvious you think they are all bad people. Maybe it is you that needs to do some reading. And maybe you should drive better.
- Kelly July 16, 2020 (11:37 am)
  
  Ridiculous. Unproven
Anne July 15, 2020 (3:27 pm)

Yes–plus the police can arrest all they want- but they’re not the ones who decide to charge/ prosecute.
- Barb Armo July 16, 2020 (6:43 pm)
  
  Another reason why precipitous action on defunding is unwise without ANY prior discussion. A kneejerk reaction when there are so many layers to this is not helpful. When do WE get our say?
Cogburn July 15, 2020 (4:34 pm)

You’ve got that right. Please, everyone tell the council we don’t accept this, don’t cut 700 police officers and close the WS precinct. More of this to come

Concerned Neighbor July 15, 2020 (2:08 pm)

Hopefully the fact that I don’t see the perps wearing gloves will aid in their capture. What is wrong with people?

Cogburn July 15, 2020 (4:33 pm)

You’re gonna see a lot more of this when the council cuts about 700 police officers and no SW precinct. Let the council know you don’t want this
- Barb Armo July 16, 2020 (6:37 pm)
  
  I hope the Council finds out that lack of a bridge cuts us off already. Does that support the closure of the SW Precinct?

Josh July 15, 2020 (4:07 pm)

I wonder if Wyatt’s was open when this happened. With the security cameras at Westwood now (and seemingly more recruiting?) it’s a surprise this robbery was mid day.

WSB July 15, 2020 (4:26 pm)

Yes, the store was open.
- Cogburn July 15, 2020 (4:46 pm)
  
  Unbelievable. I know an officer who says that criminals are becoming bolder knowing the city council supports them
  - me July 15, 2020 (5:38 pm)
    
    Nothing has changed yet, so if the police can’t do anything now then might as well defund and stop wasting money.
  - CatLady July 16, 2020 (3:17 pm)
    
    lollllll riiiiight. Cops have no legal obligation to tell anyone the truth. The fact that this cop views the council as “supporting criminals” rather than bothering to look at WHY citizens are calling for a reallocation of resources is EXACTLY the reason why it needs to happen.
  - Barb Armo July 16, 2020 (6:27 pm)
    
    IMO, Westwood is the size of a small village, and quite spread out. In a perfect world, we’d have a couple of beat cops patrolling the place on foot(?) every day. In their vehicles at night…..Not a popular viewpoint I know, but robberies aside, who can really feel safe there? And I don’t mean just after dark.A presence is what is needed. Not to shoot people, but to let everyone know that someone is paying attention. The cops are so seldom in my neighborhood, it’s a shock to see them at all. July 4th was a good reminder of that. I can’t believe there is ANY effort to control illegal fireworks, which are still going off on some occasions. Only recently, some of us were lamenting our inability to attract new candidates to SPD. Perhaps we were offering them 50% too much money?
WTF July 15, 2020 (7:17 pm)

The overriding issue isn’t cameras. The overriding issue is they just don’t care. When you allow and create a society full of entitled AHs and you think a hug will prevent crime, that is what you get. This is only the beginning. Pretty soon businesses won’t ever keep their doors open and shopping will become a non-experience. Be careful what you vote for, you are likely to get it.

True American July 15, 2020 (4:31 pm)

This will stop when store owners start shooting on site. Bring back the fear.

The King July 15, 2020 (5:30 pm)

Damn right. This state doesn’t know where it’s going or what to do. Might as well take care of your property on your own. For the last few years Ferguson has been piling on the gun laws, the common answer has been “just call the police, you don’t need a gun” now here we are 2020, “ Defund the police!!”.

Cogburn July 15, 2020 (4:31 pm)

It’s started and we haven’t defunded police yet. Although, police might have to use some tiny little eansy bit of force with these guys. Better send a social worker to talk them out of it.

Dunno July 15, 2020 (5:57 pm)

Better yet, therapists who can explain away the reason for these actions. Crooks of any creed or color will come busting through your doors soon. I’ve known many who will do this. The motto was, the bigger the house, the bigger the payoff. Think you can protect your property? Look no further than St. Louis and the couple who had their weapons confiscated for defending their property. Things are going to get very crazy around here if voters don’t wake up soon!
- Yes, you “dunno” July 15, 2020 (8:58 pm)
  
  Um, those people weren’t defending their property. They were racists scared of all the people of color in their neighborhood. They were the instigators.

Jon Wright July 15, 2020 (5:59 pm)

Insisting that the crime rate is somehow linked to the police department’s budget has got to be some of the laziest reasoning ever.

PanicMonster July 15, 2020 (10:08 pm)

Post hoc ergo propter hoc.

Maybe the comet?
Barb Armo July 16, 2020 (6:55 pm)

The SPD budget does not create the crime rate. We are all aware there are plenty of other factors. However, their budget does provide more officers. Those are the people you hope will be available when something calamitous happens to you and yours. I hope they won’t have to try to figure out how to get to WS without the bridge.

Wondering July 15, 2020 (6:34 pm)

Lauren at Wyatt Jewelers says on her instagram account that it is the same guy that did the smash and grab at Bellevue coins in the junction. WSB can you confirm?

WSB July 15, 2020 (6:53 pm)

She said in email to us that after seeing the pics here she THINKS it’s the same guy.

Hortsig July 15, 2020 (6:43 pm)

So true…this is just the start of it…

Allie July 15, 2020 (7:35 pm)

Once the police are defunded and west Seattle police station closed I think we need to form a posse and hunt down those low life scumbags

CatLady July 16, 2020 (3:13 pm)

That’s very George Zimmerman of you. Jesus, just come out and say you hate Black people instead of hiding behind some weird vigilante fantasy.

W Seattle July 15, 2020 (7:44 pm)

Agree with prior comment, this is just the start. With the City Council’s proposal to defund the SPD there will be more incidents due to lessened patrolling and response times increased. Businesses will leave en masse. We’re headed back to the early 70’s where many cities became areas to leave, not live in.

Em July 16, 2020 (1:12 am)

Personally, if I actually cared about my community and anti-racism, I would be keeping up to date with the proposals for defunding SPD and why this is a national platform for anti-racist organizations. Several comments here suggest that, unfortunately, we have many in our neighborhood who don’t seem to care enough to do their homework and see how this proposal will benefit our neighborhood’s citizens who actually live in West Seattle (and Seattle in general), as opposed to the many cops our taxes pay for who then go back to their homes in the suburbs. (Of course, some of these comments are also indisputably racist, and I sincerely hope a smaller police presence in West Seattle inspires you to leave the neighborhood for everyone’s safety.)

Js July 16, 2020 (9:47 am)

A local junction jeweler ( well respected) has a buzzer to enter. Im assuming if you are sketchy they wont let you in. This sh’t is sad

Gman206 July 22, 2020 (4:52 am)

Have you ever had a gun in your face, or your child’s, or your employee? Jewelers learn the hard way, and put buzzers, not to discriminate, but to prepare, protect, and control. Nothing like looking up to guns in your face, and having a half second to figure what to do. This is life or death in some situations, so when you push that buzzer, remember it is for safety of the community. Theives rely on control, take that away, and they will find an easier prey. So, yes it is sad that West Seattle has jewelers that learned the hard way, and put buzzers on their doors.

Former WS Res July 16, 2020 (10:38 am)

And why do those cops have their homes in the suburbs? For the same reason the teachers and nurses and other service workers do… Because they can’t afford to live in the city on the salaries they’re paid. Let’s get real here… When the little shacks on the hills of West Seattle cost over a half million, where do you expect those folks to go?

Sorry, comment time is over.