WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Hate-crime arrest; another package thief on video

Two West Seattle Crime Watch items tonight:

HATE-CRIME ARREST: From the SPD Significant Incident Reports file:

On 12-01-2020 at 2142 hours, officers were dispatched to a hate crime offense at an apartment complex in the area of 35 Av SW and SW Avalon Way. The complainant was calling to report that a tenant there had assaulted another tenant in the common area of the building and had also been calling the victim racial and derogatory names. Officers arrived on scene and developed probable cause for a hate crime. The suspect had returned to her apartment and refused to open the door for officers. The Hostage Negotiation Team was called to the scene, several CIT officers were on scene, and a search warrant was applied for while officers attempted to convince the suspect to leave her apartment. Ultimately, the warrant was signed and SWAT assisted in forcing entry to the apartment. The suspect was taken into custody without incident and booked into the King County Jail.

We don’t know the suspect’s status yet. Meantime – hate crimes are another category of crime that’s up this year, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, which said earlier this week that it’s filed charges in 51 hate-crime cases this year, compared to 38 last year, and 30 in 2018.

PACKAGE THEFT: From Monica:

We had some packages stolen off our front porch (Monday) afternoon off 46th Ave SW & Hudson. We have video from our front door camera. Sounds like he may have hit several houses in the area … A good reminder to grab packages quickly. They were not out there long, but he was obviously scouting the area.

Other neighbors caught that he was driving a white van – seemingly alone. He was driving and hopping out of the van to grab packages.

A police report was filed. (P.S. As we got ready to publish this, a White Center community-group crime briefing also featured discussion of a white van involved in package thefts.)

27 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Hate-crime arrest; another package thief on video"

  • Susan December 3, 2020 (9:27 pm)

    The white van is hitting all of West Seattle ….  he is quick.  

  • Ws December 3, 2020 (9:57 pm)

    What a POS! I bet those were Christmas gifts he just stole from that family. I will keep my eyes open for a white van as this is in my neighborhood.

    • Karen B December 4, 2020 (10:34 am)

      Sorry to hear about both of these incidents. Regarding the second, I notice that he grabbed the vertical railing as he came up on the porch. Hopefully, SPD can get fingerprints! 

      • John December 5, 2020 (5:25 am)

        Karen, unfortunately that’s only how a forensics investigation works on tv. Fingerprints aren’t taken unless it’s a serious or violent crime, which this is not one. It’s a shame that people have lost all respect and resort to stealing from others. 

  • West Seattle Mad Sci Guy December 3, 2020 (10:00 pm)

    What apartment building on 35th and Avalon?  There are a few. 

    • JDLR December 3, 2020 (11:48 pm)

      It was the West Seattle Microstudios nextdoor to the 7-Eleven, thebuilding managers sent everyone in email about it this evening (I’ve attached a screenshot with the manager’s information blocked out). I saw 7-8 police SUVs parked outside of the building and in the 7-Eleven parking lot when I was leaving for work that night and had no idea what was happening. 

      • WSB December 4, 2020 (12:43 am)

        We got no tips and I heard no radio traffic, not even on the tactical frequencies, so for a SWAT event, it was low-key. Thanks for the additional info; I hope to find out more on followup later today.

  • LE December 3, 2020 (10:38 pm)

    Found three empty Amazon packages addressed to a house on Forney today. Slashed open on the side of the road. 

  • Eric1 December 3, 2020 (11:04 pm)

    Damn, Frosty was asleep on the job.  The snowman could have used his cord to trip the perp as he ran for the stairs.  

  • aa December 3, 2020 (11:04 pm)

    I can’t help but wonder, when they are Amazon packages, why not use a locker?  Of course we shouldn’t have to..

    • Old December 4, 2020 (6:33 am)

      I can only speak for myself but I don’t use Amazon lockers because I don’t have a car and the closest one is more than a mile from me. If I had a easy way to carry stuff home I might consider it. 

    • MrsB December 4, 2020 (7:24 am)

      The problem with using an Amazon locker is that there’s rarely any available, at least in my experience. 

    • RMK December 4, 2020 (1:39 pm)

      There has been a white van parked with the RVs on Harbor Ave. 

  • Sassy December 4, 2020 (4:04 am)

    He touched the porch column.  Barehanded. Prints!!  Can the police at least get those?

    • alki_2008 December 7, 2020 (10:36 pm)

      Prints are probably smeared. Notice the motion of his hand on the railing.

  • Smittytheclown December 4, 2020 (5:58 am)

    He touched the railing.  Do they ever run prints to see if he has a record?

  • Matt P December 4, 2020 (9:09 am)

    Definitely get the amazon app as it alerts you when something is delivered.  If you’re not home when it’s delivered, have it delivered to your work instead.

  • wsperson December 4, 2020 (9:42 am)

    Are there any cameras nearby on the street or at the nearest intersection? I’m wondering if there is a way to get the license plate number. 

  • Susan December 4, 2020 (12:33 pm)

    Same van on November 18 blog post.  He hit Garlough over the weekend. 

  • John December 4, 2020 (12:33 pm)

    SPD sending out an officer to dust for fingerprints for a porch pirate?You ever watch “The Big Lebowski” and The Dude’s stolen car recovered by police?SPD has little interest in these property crimes, even more so now during the “Defunding the Police” movement.   Less officers means less officers for property crimes even though they are basically ignored by both police and the courts right now.Once again, what do our council members and mayor  re-imagine for burgeoning property crime?

    • cjboffoli December 4, 2020 (4:44 pm)

      John: “At least they left the Creedence.”

    • CAM December 4, 2020 (6:32 pm)

      Duties are being reassigned to more appropriately trained professionals that will leave police far more available to deal with property or any other form of crimes that are occurring. As to your other concern, I can only speak for what I witness but I can tell you that people are prosecuted every day for offenses that cost more to prosecute than what was lost as a result of the crime. The city prosecutes minor offenses quite frequently so I don’t know where the idea they aren’t prosecuted comes from. They use diversion and other alternative sentence mechanisms to deal with those guilty pleas because there isn’t a jail system anywhere in the world that could manage that capacity if all misdemeanor defendants received custodial sentences. So maybe you’re unhappy with the outcome but that doesn’t mean they aren’t prosecuting these offenses when given the opportunity. 

  • WTeffWS December 4, 2020 (2:13 pm)

    I find it troubling that commenters on this thread are more worried piddly little package thefts than a hate crime. Oh the privilege. 

    • Ken December 5, 2020 (5:34 am)

      This misstates what’s going on. One man (a serial burglar) is actively committing multiple crimes across the city. The hate crime was a single perpetrator that engaged in a single hate crime and is now in jail. No privilege issue here. It’s an issue of respect and trying to find an active suspect. 

  • D December 5, 2020 (6:03 am)

    All these comments about package theft and nobody said anything about the Hate Crime, smh sad to see what Seattle looks like now for people of color

  • John December 5, 2020 (9:32 am)

    Well WTEFFWS,Let’s consider the differences –
    the hate crime suspect, a woman, was identified, resisted arresting authorities and was taken into custody and booked in King County Jail,  while the package theft thief has not been identified arrested and booked into King County Jail.
    The identified, arrested and booked into jail hate crime suspect will likely be charged and prosecuted. 
    So, the hate crime appears to be solved.
    The unidentified property theft suspect, is highly unlikely to be arrested for the recorded property theft, which is a far more common occurrence than reported hate crimes.

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