WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: South Delridge arrest; stolen-van sightings (update: found!)

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Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports:

SOUTH DELRIDGE ARREST: Police are still at this scene right now, at 16th/Henderson. We don’t have details of the initial call yet, but police were pursuing a possibly armed assault suspect on foot, and took him into custody after using a Taser. The suspect’s being taken to the hospital, we’ve been told at the scene. Officers are searching for a knife he might have dropped along the way. We’ll add any other details we get.

STOLEN-VAN SIGHTINGS: We published Zack‘s stolen-van report Sunday. It’s still in West Seattle, readers have reported, so Zack sent this followup:

My van is still missing, and has been seen multiple times in west Seattle. Thank you to everyone who has contacted me! The thief is driving very aggressively and erratically, and ripped the storage rack off the top at the junction QFC Monday evening. I have also learned that he is prowling houses, and using my van as the get-away vehicle. He has been spotted in the Admiral area several times, this morning was seen at Belvidere/Hanford at 11:00. Please call the police immediately if you see the van, this guy is up to no good!!

License plate: AFD9206
“Campmobile” sticker on the nose
“Treepeople” sticker in rear window
“West Seattle” sticker on rear hatch
My contact: 503-360-8813

WEDNESDAY UPDATE: Zack and van have finally been reunited – see comments.

lowmanbeachdrive April 19, 2022 (9:03 pm)

I’m so sorry. You must love that van and to hear that someone is just trashing it must be hard.

Michael Bloom April 20, 2022 (2:05 am)

I’m so sorry for this .

Wsgal April 20, 2022 (6:39 am)

I saw the van yesterday near holy rosary playground around 1130am, I feel terrible for not calling it in. The guy was driving slow, I had a thought about having seen it on the blog and thought maybe this was the owner, that it had been found and returned. Dang. Will keep an eye out for it!!

Jim P. April 20, 2022 (1:37 pm)

Simply appalling that the police seem unable to even bring in a stolen van this obvious and still in the local area.

Jeepney April 21, 2022 (5:53 am)

Indeed it is appalling. Please remember that the next time you vote for local leadership.

Zack April 20, 2022 (4:57 pm)

WE FOUND IT!!! The van is at 45/Charlestown, it has been pretty beat up, and it is full of stolen stuff. I waited 2+ hours for the police, but they are busy with more important calls – so I pulled out the battery :) I want the police to look at all of the stolen stuff inside before I take back possession of the van, I will have it moved at the first opportunity. THANK YOU everyone for your help!!! It’s the only good part of the story..!

Boinsted April 20, 2022 (8:20 pm)

So happy to hear you found it. I drove around last night looking for it (had some free time and wanted to get out of the house). I concentrated on the Belvidere area so was just east of California on Charlestown and around there. So close! Glad you have it back. Hopefully it isn’t too trashed. If you can, put in a hidden ignition or fuel pump kill switch to try and thwart another theft.
Eric1 April 20, 2022 (11:39 pm)

Glad you got the van back. Too bad they trashed the van. Years ago (like 20) I had a old Toyota 80’s box van stolen. Sort of the same story, recovered only because they blew the transmission by hitting a rock (literally years later in Lakewood). After the initial shock of seeing my trusty companion so beat up (it also lost the Yakima rack and box) I decided to nurse it back to life. I used a lot of upholstery cleaner, replaced the transmission and enjoyed many more years of use. I still tell people stories about that van. Hopefully you can do the same as those Vanagons are classics.