WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Business burglaries; cars vandalized; dumped-likely-stolen bicycle

| Crime | West Seattle news

~~Four~~ Five reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch today:

TRUEVALUE BREAK-IN: After a tip we called to ask about this, and store staff told us it happened at the 44th/Edmunds store between 3 and 4 am today, Three burglars who appeared to be in their late teens or early 20s broke in through the front door and made off with a large amount of Sawzall blades and a small safe. Security video shows their faces were obscured because they were wearing hoodies, They left in a newer-model Jeep Gladiator pickup with Bill Pierre tags. Police responded but lost them after a short pursuit, If you have any tips, SPD incident # is 22-226293.

ITTO’S BREAK-IN: Another early morning burglary at a Junction business, this time around 5 am Thursday at Itto’s Tapas.

The burglar is shown from 3:05 to 4:16 and again from 6:05 to 8:00. We don’t yet have the report number for this.

(added 10:30 pm) ADVANCE AUTO PARTS BREAK-IN: One more business burglary to add:

I work at Advance Auto Parts and our window was shattered (see photo) sometime before 7 am this morning. Not sure if it was tied with TrueValue. The only thing holding the window together in the photo is the window banner. Then at about 3:30 pm we had 2 males come into our store and steal a part that was supposed to be delivered to another shop.

CARS VANDALIZED: We received multiple reader reports about three cars with smashed windows on Beach Drive near Constellation Park. One of the people who contacted us, Michelle, said, “A neighbor came out of his balcony and told us it happened around 4 am this morning and they filed a police report.” The brick was left behind under the front of this car:

Incident # is 22-226269.

DUMPED-LIKELY-STOLEN BICYCLE: From Justin:

There’s an abandoned bike at the top of the steps where 8th avenue SW and SW Kenyon intersect. It’s a nice bike and I’d guess the owner would want to see it returned.

Rob August 26, 2022 (6:27 pm)

This is so sad about True Value, it’s a local treasure, family owned. In continual a string of *many dozens* of business burglaries up and down West Seattle- it’s rare to go to a business in the last 9-12 months (or more) that doesn’t have one or more windows or doors boarded up. Where are our leaders, where is Lisa Herbold, why is there zero sense of urgency around this?? Our community is really under siege and being allowed to be destroyed. It’s heartbreaking and it didn’t have to be this way.

Also John August 26, 2022 (6:34 pm)

Those Sawzall blades are used on reciprocating saws. Reciprocating saws are used to steal catalytic converters.

Chris August 26, 2022 (7:20 pm)

Stealing Sawzall blades so they can steal more catalytic converters? We have had so many stolen around here.

MW August 26, 2022 (9:47 pm)

Two of the homes around me, 1 next door and the other across street have had their vehicles damaged in the last week. The latest was this past Wed very early morning someone sawed through the catalytic converter on a car. The other was a week ago the rear window was smashed out and an attempt made to steal that truck. I’m north of Schmitz Park Elementary on 49th. It’s Mad Max out here.

pelicans August 26, 2022 (10:50 pm)

I heard and watched the perp in the car window smashing case pacing back and forth for about an hour on the sidewalk at the north end of Constellation Park, before he even started his spree. He was highly agitated, alternately shouting on his phone, then just pacing, yelling at the beach and the waves. I could hear him inside, even over the wind and the sound of the surf. A little after 0300, he took something heavy (which later was discovered to be a paver) and started smashing it against the windshields of the three vehicles. I called 911 at about 0312 on my cellphone and reported it as he was still wailing away. That call, unfortunately, went to Kitsap 911. At 0317 they called me back as I was videoing and asked where I lived, and then we both called SPD 911– I using my landline this time. SPD Dispatch said they’d send someone. I called them back multiple times as he returned to each car to continue his tirades and vandalism, and was told they’d be sending someone. I was able to record him actually throwing the paver into two of the back suv windows and retrieving it to use again. He finally ran out of steam around 0345, and just paced by the damaged vehicles, talking to himself and crying. From what he was saying, it had something to do with his family. He was clearly in crisis, but also dangerous.SPD rolled up at 0355, handcuffed him, and took him into custody without incident. It appeared almost as if the suspect was relieved to see them, it was over that quickly. An officer asked me to upload my cellphone video, which I did.Now, reading the story and time frame of the True Value break-in and pursuit, I understand why it took SPD so long to respond.We clearly need more police officers, as well as more mental health responders.

Correct August 27, 2022 (10:50 am)

We need countless more police officers and even more new prisons!!!

Pelicans August 26, 2022 (10:57 pm)

To add to my previous post, it was very apparent that this man who caused the damage to the vehicles was not out to steal. He didn’t appear to remove anything from them except that paver, which he’d thrown.

disgusted August 27, 2022 (7:38 am)

How did the police lose the Jeep gladiator from the True Value break-in?? The police car certainly has more power and is faster than that gladiator??? To have pursued them and lost them is very sad. No back up? So disappointing. I hope those guys get caught and are severely punished. (but not holding my breath!!)

Alex August 27, 2022 (10:04 am)

A couple years ago, the legislature banned high speed police chases when the crime was property theft. Perhaps that was the case here??
- WS Guy August 27, 2022 (2:48 pm)
  
  WA State recently banned car pursuits. The theory is that they are dangerous. Fortunately our police departments are so well staffed that they can research the crime later and follow up with an arrest and conviction that will lead to a long prison sentence.
New Law August 27, 2022 (10:52 am)

I believe a new law prevents officers from chasing a vehicle if they feel the speed may cause harm to others?!

Richard August 27, 2022 (11:14 am)

A big part of this problem is there are virtually no consequences for these derelicts. They don’t fear being arrested, that’s just an inconvenience. Probation? They could care less. Until there are significant changes in how we treat & punish these idiots these crimes will persist. There has to be a more forceful deterrent, it’s well past that time.

Also, for those who are juveniles, where are the parents? Do they even care or know what their kids are doing at 10pm or 2am? If you’re a parent in West Seattle & you know your teenager is “out & about” at those hours … are you certain YOUR kid is not part of this problem?

Thomas Wood August 27, 2022 (3:09 pm)

Exactly right !we as citizens need to be given more latitude to deal with criminals

WSeaRes August 27, 2022 (2:15 pm)

According to the Neighbors/Ring app there was an attempted and/or successful break in at the Cuts Hair Salon (3727 California Ave SW) on 8/26 @ 349am as well by 3 individuals in hoodies prying the door with pry bars. They posted the video from their inside surveillance camera to the post on the ring app.

WSB August 27, 2022 (2:28 pm)

Thanks, we can’t see closed apps, membership-only social-media sites, etc., so we REALLY appreciate hearing directly from people (about good news as well as bad!) so we can publish on the visible-to-everyone open web.

Anne August 27, 2022 (6:15 pm)

I agree that a police car pursuit should not place others at risk. Better to lose them ( hopefully find them later) than risk injury to officers or by standers

WSB August 27, 2022 (6:28 pm)

It is a difficult issue. We reported recently on our White Center site about a North Highline woman killed by the driver of a stolen car that ran a red light while police were trying to pull him over. (Whether it was an official “pursuit” or not, we don’t know, didn’t hear it when it happened.)
http://whitecenternow.com/2022/08/10/crime-man-charged-in-stolen-car-crash-that-killed-north-highline-woman

Then there was the Highland Park Way crash in which two died in 2016 while police were trying to stop the juvenile driver of a carjacked vehicle.
https://westseattleblog.com/2016/04/followup-spd-dashcam-video-of-pursuit-before-deadly-highland-park-way-crash/
- WestSeattle August 28, 2022 (9:51 am)
  
  The incident in 2016 on highland Park way had nothing to do with the police pursuit and everything to do with the teenage driver who murdered another innocent man and his dog. The police were pursuing him because he had stolen a car at gunpoint then proceeded to drive right by the Southwest Precinct where he was noticed and pursuit began. The fact state leaders and west Seattle residents reference and use this 2016 tragedy as reason to say police pursuits aren’t viable is horrendous and blasphemous. That kid was going to hurt more people and they had to chase him because he was violent with a weapon. Shame he decided to try and run from police in a car that had zero chance of getting away from the second they started pursuit. If he didn’t crash he likely would’ve shot it out with police. He couldn’t pay for his crimes with time so he killed an innocent man in his young 20s and a dog. He chose to do that not the police. If you car gets stolen at gunpoint and the police see your car they should absolutely pursue that vehicle before the criminal behind the wheel hurts more people. It’s truly a lucky tragedy that only two people and a dog died on that hill. If the driver of the stolen car had got away its likely more than 2 people would be dead by now just from him being on our streets

Clipper August 29, 2022 (1:22 pm)

We just discovered today, 8/28/2022, that our catalytic converter was stolen from our 2004 Honda Odyssey parked on 48th between Charleston and Andover. Our next door neighbors had a catalytic converter stolen from their Honda about a month ago. It seems that the Police need to get a handle on this.

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