WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Charges filed against suspected serial shoplifter

That security-camera image is from charging documents in the case that the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has filed against an alleged serial shoplifter, 25-year-old West Seattle resident Joseph E. Herdrich. It is described as showing Herdrich exiting the Marshall’s store at Westwood Village on October 5th with more than $850 in stolen merchandise. He wasn’t arrested that day, but just two weeks earlier, he had been arrested there in similar circumstances – here’s a security-camera image from that day, in which he is accused of stealing $700 worth of merchandise:

Three and a half days later, on September 24th, with no charges yet filed, he was released from jail. But he’s there now, two weeks after yet another arrest at Westwood Village, after allegedly shoplifting more than $500 in items from the QFC store on November 18th. In that case, store security confronted him and got the items back; he was still outside the store when police arrived and arrested him. Now the KCPAO has charged him with three counts of second-degree burglary for all three of the incidents we’ve mentioned, The charging documents say Herdrich had already been banned – “trespassed” – from both those stores and from other businesses in Westwood Village, but keeps going back to shoplift. An SPD detective wrote in a September report that Herdrich had been under investigation for months for thefts at both the same Marshall’s store and Delridge Home Depot and that he was “driven by his fentanyl addiction.” Herdrich’s arraignment is scheduled for December 7. His bail was set at just $250 by a judge who prosecutors say was unaware of his previous arrests; they argued for raising it to $5,000 given the added facts in the case, but the court docket says that motion was denied.

28 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Charges filed against suspected serial shoplifter"

  • Elton December 2, 2022 (12:38 am)

    It’s really sad to see what addiction can do to someone, and fentanyl is an especially harsh one

    • clinker December 2, 2022 (7:59 am)

      Absolutely. Opiate addiction is like sci-fi mind control. Hope a reasonable judge can use the system somehow to get this guy into treatment before he’s dead.

  • Audifans December 2, 2022 (2:10 am)

    No one is talking to anyone?  Hello?  ….. His bail was set at just $250 by a judge who prosecutors say was unaware of his previous arrests; they argued for raising it to $5,000 given the added facts in the case, but the court docket says that motion was denied.

    • Peter December 2, 2022 (12:13 pm)

      Arrested ≠ charged. Arrested ≠ guilty. Arrested ≠ convicted. Even if the judge were aware of prior arrests, that wouldn’t itself be an adequate basis for increased bail. 

    • Monica R Herdrich December 17, 2022 (10:21 pm)

      Hi – can you please tell me how to get those records? Thank you

  • Plf December 2, 2022 (3:11 am)

    Might you have the name of the judge

  • Jeepney December 2, 2022 (6:48 am)

    Is the judge’s name available so I have that information next time they are up for election?

  • Marcus December 2, 2022 (7:17 am)

    Needs to go to the big house for a long time.  He will detox, the hard way, and save his life.  At his present state he could become violent if cornered.

    • James December 2, 2022 (12:21 pm)

      If you think prison is devoid of drugs, I have a bridge to sell you. 

      • 1994 December 2, 2022 (10:09 pm)

        But at least the crimes would be stopped if he is in jail and he doesn’t have the opportunity to injure innocent people.

      • alki_2008 December 3, 2022 (1:35 am)

        Available, but much harder to acquire without the ability to steal to pay for it. There is a not insignificant number of people that knocked their addiction after going to prison and being forced to detox. It’s interesting to hear them talk about how going to jail saved their life. Bleeding hearts don’t want to believe it, but leaving addicts free to continue their abuse (of drugs and their own health) is not helping them in the long run.

        • WS Res December 4, 2022 (8:01 am)

          Can you post a link that supports your argument that imprisonment helps a significant percentage of people with addiction end their drug dependence and stay out of prison in the future?  Thanks.

  • AlkiBean December 2, 2022 (7:57 am)

    What  is the name of this ‘judge’ that essentially set him free? Vote this clown out of office!

    • WSB December 2, 2022 (9:55 am)

      As noted, it’s been 2 weeks and he’s still in. Some defendants are unable to raise even nominal cash bail – in all these years of following cases, I’ve seen people in for months on bail around $1,000, and some with six-figure bail making bond the next day. Anyway, to your question, the first hearing judge is not in the Superior Court records but the judge who rejected the motion to increase bail was Karen Donohue. – TR

      • Monica R Herdrich December 17, 2022 (10:18 pm)

        Hi – how can I get those records? Thank you

  • Mj December 2, 2022 (8:38 am)

    Joseph needs a new home address, the King County jail for a long long time.

  • Jethro Marx December 2, 2022 (9:40 am)

    Marshall’s, did you get that excellent sweater with the triangles back? I’ll take it, if so.

  • flimflam December 2, 2022 (10:19 am)

    Hard drug use is NOT a “victimless crime”. The massive amount of shoplifting, gone burglaries, car break ins, car thefts, bike thefts are just the tip of the iceberg. All of this drug use fuels the Mexican cartels to produce more and more and it takes a MASSIVE toll on Mexican towns and communities.

  • Marty December 2, 2022 (11:06 am)

    So this is all we do to a known criminal? We shouldn’t be surprised by the continued rise in theft from businesses.

  • Rick December 2, 2022 (12:27 pm)

    What kind of judge set a bail for $250 dlls, Seriously the system and the people needs to hold accountable and impeach those kind of judges and put in jail for low offenses anyone who commited.

  • WSeaNeighbor December 2, 2022 (12:32 pm)

    I only learned as of recent from posts on WSB that many of these judges who don’t want to do their job and bring justice to victims (those whose the crimes are committed against whether businesses or individuals) run unopposed. So yes take their name down on a note card for election time but if they continuously run unopposed they will obviously get re-elected. Just be curious to know why more qualified individuals don’t run against these judges especially in a county of our size and what seems to be a shift in public opinion to wanting more justice served than slap on the wrists given to the most prolific criminals in our county… Hope KC and WA state takes this fentanyl and opioid crisis seriously and is able to involuntarily admit these addicts for their overall well being, a safe detox process and to spare us all from the harm/crimes they commit against us all to fuel their addictions. It’s sad but what’s more sad is all of us especially elected officials watching them die on our streets alone when we have the money & resources to get them professional help they desperately need and in turn will lower crime overall

  • Zipda December 2, 2022 (4:27 pm)

    A classic example of why these addicts need treatment.  Otherwise they cycle in and out of the criminal system, continue crime to feed their addiction or overdose.

  • Colonel Mustard's Wrench December 2, 2022 (6:19 pm)

    Great !
    Westwood Village is struggling to keep stores – and we want to slap the wrist of this addict that repeatedly leaches off our merchants.
    Disgusting !

  • bill December 2, 2022 (7:27 pm)

    So, for stealing $2150 retail value of goods (probably less than half that wholesale cost — what Marshall’s and QFC actually lost) you-all want to “send him to the big house” for a “long long time.” I agree the brazenness evinced in the photos is alarming. But y’alls might want to stop posting when you’re tipsy. Howling for blood over a minor non-violent property crime and taking note of the judge’s name is not a good look. 

    • K in WS December 3, 2022 (8:04 am)

      Stealing is wrong. 

    • Jeni December 18, 2022 (6:17 pm)

      Bill, thank you. 

  • Ashleigh N LEMMON December 4, 2022 (12:00 am)

    I’ve had two people very close one like a sister die from detoxing in king and snohomish County jails if you doubt me Google it you know one poor woman starved to death with no charges after several days you think that tough love works then why hasn’t it worked they have proved thru study after study it doesn’t it’s dark ages thinking. But you can die from withdrawal both of them were fit and under 30 years old with young children at home and had been open to treatment, now they are gone and I still feel waves constantly reminding me of nikoles laugh she was too bright for this world we both went to meetings together she never judged anyone and gave the clothes off her back to cold strangers. 

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