WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Business burglars take truck, bonuses, booze; car smash-and-grab; toolbox turns up; helicopter search

| Crime | Helicopter | West Seattle news

(Updated 8:13 pm with helicopter search)

Four West Seattle Crime Watch notes:

BUSINESS BURGLARY: Thanks for the tips about Whisky West‘s break-in. We haven’t been able to get the police report, but this afternoon we spoke with general manager Mike Sweet. He tells WSB it happened around 4:30 am Sunday. Two men whose faces weren’t visible due to masks and hoodies broke in through a side door and looked around – they didn’t seem to exhibit any familiarity with the restaurant/bar, but eventually found their way into the office, and stole the safe, which contained money to be distributed to the staff as holiday bonuses. They also took about $4,000 in liquor, some food, and keys they used to take a business truck (white 2007 Ford F-150). Sweet launched a crowdfunding account to try to replace the bonus money and says it’s had a good response already. Meantime, if you have any info, the police report number is 20-348992.

CAR SMASH-AND-GRAB: This happened to Peter in the 9700 block of 33rd SW:

He says it happened Saturday night: “Our car was broken into … parked right underneath a streetlight.”

STOLEN AND DUMPED? Susanna found this toolbox near a South Admiral corner:

She moved it out of the street onto the sidewalk, “out of the way of cars.” If it might be yours, let us know and we will pass along location info.

ADDED 8:13 PM – HELICOPTER SEARCH: Guardian One is in the area, assisting with a search in the West Duwamish Greenbelt, just uphill from West Marginal Way. According to radio communication, police are looking for a suspect in a harassment/threats case who is possibly armed with a knife. … The search is also covering Puget Ridge. We don’t have a description of the suspect, other than that he’s a juvenile. … (8:49 pm) The helicopter has moved on to another call. We don’t know the suspect’s status.

overhead December 22, 2020 (8:18 pm)

the chopper is audible on pigeon point/north delridge right now.

Susan December 22, 2020 (8:36 pm)

Who is benefiting right now from this effort? How much does it cost to pay for the gas, staffing & upkeep of this helicopter? What are the odds of finding someone with a knife? What has s/he done that the payoff is worth the stress this creates for our neighborhood for who knows how long? Is this just happening because there is unspent money in the 2020 budget that needs to get used up?
- Pete December 22, 2020 (8:44 pm)
  
  The odds are pretty good if they spot the person.
- WSB December 22, 2020 (8:49 pm)
  
  No, there’s no unspent money. The helicopter is owned and operated by the King County Sheriff’s Office, which is facing the same budget challenges as other public agencies around the country. Sorry I don’t have any further details about what preceded this other than what is noted above
- Hammer in Hand December 22, 2020 (8:53 pm)
  
  Who benefits? What silly question keep me up all night with the helicopter just get the thugs you don’t have all the facts surrounding this and I would assume it does not involve a family member of yours. The odds are pretty good with the infer red technology it can spot a heart beat on a rat in a wood pile. Hope they get their suspect then we all sleep better when Seconds count the police are always minutes away. Get them Boys and SPD… thank you for your service!!!
  - JES December 22, 2020 (8:57 pm)
    
    ‘Get them boys…’ ok
- Nick December 22, 2020 (8:53 pm)
  
  GREAT points Susan! You should run for office.
  - LR December 22, 2020 (9:59 pm)
    
    Susan is wrong. The kid could be suicidal. Or declared the intention to hurt someone. Facts before judgements.
- TM7302 December 22, 2020 (8:56 pm)
  
  @Susan… Hopefully, the offender will be caught before he/she hurts someone. Shouldn’t this be reason enough?
- The King December 22, 2020 (9:09 pm)
  
  Susan those sound like questions from someone who has never been at the wrong end of a weapon. Stop thinking about yourself only and realize the universe doesn’t adjust to your stress levels.

n7oep December 22, 2020 (8:25 pm)

Was curious about the helicopter….turned on my police radio to listen and logged into the blog to get the basic info. Thanks WSB!

Pigeon pointer December 22, 2020 (8:53 pm)

Thank you WBS for the info. I was wondering what this was about and as always your website has the best and most up to date info!! You rock!

JES December 22, 2020 (8:42 pm)

They’ve been circling above my house by Longfellow Creek trail for 25 min- for a kid who may have a knife…?

n7oep December 22, 2020 (8:59 pm)

Police were in contact with the individual via cell phone and he said he was walking north on Delridge from the 76 station at Brandon. Moments later I heard “Subject in custody”…..

HelloGoodbye December 22, 2020 (9:04 pm)

They had arrested a person on Delridge not too long ago, 8:45pm by the p-patch.. 7 cop cars. Must have been who they were looking for.

NDelridge December 22, 2020 (9:05 pm)

They had someone in cuffs and about 5 SPD vehicles at the Delridge p-patch just a bit ago – assuming that was this search suspect.

Bill December 22, 2020 (9:18 pm)

My thoughts throughout the hovering flyover as well, Jes. Does WSB have policy on comments? I’m really tired of the racist trolling which I assume are reviewed and published.

TM7302 December 22, 2020 (11:01 pm)

Bill, racist trolling? Are you talking about this specific thread? ‘Cause I just don’t see it…
- N December 23, 2020 (7:26 am)
  
  I think he’s referring to the pro-law enforcement or public safety tones in comments as inherently racist; which I don’t agree to be true.
Resident December 23, 2020 (12:12 am)

Can you be specific about where you see the racism in these comments?
- CS December 23, 2020 (7:11 am)
  
  I imagine Bill is referring to someone using the word “thug” above. Which is seen by many as a racially charged term. https://www.npr.org/2015/04/30/403362626/the-racially-charged-meaning-behind-the-word-thug
- ally cat December 23, 2020 (11:11 am)
  
  I wonder if Bill interpreted the comment, ‘Get them Boys,’ as a reference to Proud Boys.
  
  Maybe Bill made a mistake in an interpretation here, but sensitivity is understandable, and I appreciate the speaking up, as long as racism exists, advocacy is needed.
Headinthesand December 23, 2020 (5:25 am)

Calling someone a thug is a veiled way of calling them the N word. Get with the times people.
- Yowza December 23, 2020 (9:30 am)
  
  Holy stretch of reality, Batman!
  - headinthesand December 23, 2020 (11:03 am)
    
    I’m not a racist, but………………
Sue December 23, 2020 (8:27 am)

Bill, comments are not reviewed before posting. If you see something concerning, please contact WSB with a link to review it. With all that they are doing out in the community, they can’t always catch every comment here.

Doug December 23, 2020 (12:22 am)

Proud to see the community stepping up to support the team at Whisky West. I just donated.

John W December 23, 2020 (9:40 am)

Where did thug come from?Thuggee (UK: /θʌˈɡiː/, US: /ˈθʌɡi/) refers to the acts of the Thugs, who were organised gangs of professional robbers and murderers. The English word thug traces its roots to the Hindi ठग (ṭhag), which means ‘swindler’ or ‘deceiver’.————————-thug/THəɡ/Learn to pronouncenoun

1.a violent person, especially a criminal.”he was attacked by a gang of thugs”Similar:ruffianhoodlumbully boybullybanditmuggergangster

NPR is not the arbiter of language. It is troubling to read people attempting to “cancel” correct English and admonish those who are educated. The meaning and use of words does evolve and change but to deny a writer the use of “thug” to describe a “violent person, especially a criminal” is ridiculous. Also to claim WSB does not monitor these posts and implying that WSB Editor is responsible for also “canceling” and censoring posts that don’t meet someone’s new racially charged standard is un-American.

headinthesand December 23, 2020 (11:17 am)

No one is denying the definition of the word, just pointing out that it is disproportionally used when referring to people of color. As one of those “educated” people you refer to, I acknowledge and recognize wholly that the word thug is frequently used as a pejorative against black people.
- John W December 23, 2020 (4:00 pm)
  
  By that standard we lack any word to define those who practice criminal activities.ruffian,hoodlum,bully boy,bully,bandit,mugger,gangster, criminal, convict – all may be disproportionately used to describe criminal activity by POC. I think the disproportionate part has more to do with crime statistics regardless of race.
- Rick December 24, 2020 (6:00 am)
  
  Edward G. Robinson is probably spinnin’ in his grave.

Bill December 23, 2020 (12:49 pm)

Exactly headinthesand. Thank you.

TM7302 December 23, 2020 (12:59 pm)

I’m a white guy and in my vernacular, thug equally applies to whites as it does to anyone else. It’s about behavior not skin color. While I listen to NPR everyday, it saddens me that the reporters are more biased and less informed, to include KUOW

headinthesand December 23, 2020 (3:19 pm)

“I’m a white guy and in my vernacular, thug equally applies to whites as it does to anyone else.”

Your own white privilege blinds you to the exact problem being debated above. We (white men) experience the world in a much different way than people of color, and we don’t get a say in how they experience it. Just because your vernacular is challenged and you do not agree with it doesn’t mean it isn’t true. Grow a pair and drop the white fragility.

aRF December 23, 2020 (3:52 pm)

I often use the word thug to refer to a number of our world’s current autocrats.

Pessoa December 23, 2020 (5:15 pm)

“Rat in a wood pile?” I’m waiting for someone to be offended by that phrase, which if you substitute one word, gives you an old racist trope. Hammer in Hand might be a little gung ho, but that’s all. Am I being racist using “gung ho?” It is beyond sad at how West Seattle has deteriorated into a neighborhood of small-minded, vindictive Jacobins.

ally cat December 23, 2020 (6:58 pm)

It’s sad how many people will speak up defensively against something being called racist, yet probably wouldn’t take the time to speak up against racism.

jack December 23, 2020 (6:11 pm)

Sorry to change the conversation.“He says it happened Saturday night: “Our car was broken into … parked right underneath a streetlight.”Car smash and grabbers have said a street light actually helps them scope out a car in passing. In a moment they can see if anything was forgotten in the car, wires hanging (possible phone) etc. It makes so much sense to never leave anything in your car these days.

Sorry, comment time is over.