WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Two assaulted by thwarted catalytic-converter thief

5:07 PM: Matt reports this happened around 3 pm today:

During our CYO Pentathlon event at West Seattle Stadium, two parents were bear-maced when they encountered someone stealing catalytic converters in the parking lot. One car had one taken, one car partially damaged when the theft was interrupted.

911 called for paramedics and police. Parents are both as okay as they can be after being maced in the face. Police are off tracking the truck – they believe they saw it hanging around Alki earlier. Picture of the person and their truck attached.

We don’t have the report # yet but if you think you’ve seen the truck, call 911.

ADDED 5:46 PM: Report # is 23-139719.

49 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Two assaulted by thwarted catalytic-converter thief"

  • AlkiJames May 21, 2023 (5:25 pm)

    Wow, this guy is a real piece of work. Saw a post about this same truck siphoning gas from a van down on Alki.

  • Me May 21, 2023 (5:29 pm)

    Tell me there looking at those plates.  I hope the victims are ok.I went up against one of those guys and h we dropped the converter and ran.  Meter maid got it after I showed her it. This happen in front of right aid west seattle

    • Denden May 21, 2023 (7:58 pm)

      My truck was stolen last month. It was recovered by a GOOD neighbor 3 blocks away in someone’s driveway.SW corner of SW Holden & 34th AVE SW. Dark green PU in the driveway. Good luck. BTW: I called 911 and they transferred me to the non-emergency line 206-625-5011

  • MikeinSea May 21, 2023 (5:32 pm)

    Same truck that was siphoning gas down on Alki earlier 

  • ruckus May 21, 2023 (5:45 pm)

    I’m curious: If the truck wasn’t stolen, and if the perps can be tracked and arrested, how would the mace attack add to the charges?

    • Hammer in Hand May 21, 2023 (6:31 pm)

      If you are taking something that is not yours… that is theft if you mace some one in the act of the theft that is assault.  I do wonder if the gas theft was reported to 911 if not it is hear saySee it Report it. That is the only way it gets into the 911 matrix 

      • Rhonda May 21, 2023 (7:56 pm)

        If a victim is maced during a theft it becomes either second or first-degree robbery. The grey area where it could become assault is if the victim interrupts the thief. The discrepancy is usually left up to the prosecutor’s office.

        • Pdavis May 22, 2023 (11:57 am)

          Your post about him spraying them with mace can be a criminal and prosecutable action is very insightful and valuable. Thank you for the contribution.

    • WS-RP May 21, 2023 (11:21 pm)

      Siphoning gas! Hahahaha. Kickin’ it old school. Pathetic. Police, and the rest of us, need to focus on the smaller crimes to demonstrate how the “Wild West” atmosphere will not overtake our neighborhoods.

      • Stacy May 22, 2023 (1:56 pm)

        No, stealing catalytic converters.whats even funny?

    • Kim May 21, 2023 (11:32 pm)

      What??  Think about it  It’s assault a.h.  

    • Mike May 22, 2023 (5:44 am)

      The charges should be a minimum of second degree assault.  Bear spray is strong stuff, stronger and longer lasting effects than typical pepper spray a person might have with them.

  • onion May 21, 2023 (6:04 pm)

    As I recall, the person who photographed the Alki gas siphoning incident was criticized by  one or two FB commenters for not intervening. The bear spraying is a good argument for not intervening if you are putting your personal safety on the line. This guy is a threat.

  • KD May 21, 2023 (6:52 pm)

    Are those golf clubs in the back of the truck? (Not his!!) 

  • j May 21, 2023 (7:00 pm)

    I believe it’s 2nd degree assault in Washington

  • MyThruppence May 21, 2023 (7:09 pm)

    I am adjusting my strategy. If given the opportunity (set by the circumstances) then I will quietly report the crime in-progress in hopes of police catching the culprits red handed. It’s difficult to fight the urge to yell out to get them to stop whatever they are doing, but maybe a quiet phone call to 911 while you yourself disappear back into the shadows will yield better results. I do think a life of criming around here is getting harder by the day; thus the desperation we are witnessing.

  • uuncle loco May 21, 2023 (7:18 pm)

    Looks like he also stole somebody’s golf clubs while he was in the lot.

  • snowskier May 21, 2023 (8:22 pm)

    The victim interrupted the theft on his own vehicle before the converter could be fully removed.  He was maced while taking the license plate picture of his assailant right before he was maced, all in a public lot in the middle of the afternoon.  Let’s hope they can be caught and charges filed.

  • BigB May 21, 2023 (9:43 pm)

    No security, no police. Freedom is great, except you have hang the horse thieves. This state just said no to capitol punishment even for capital offenses so it is time for total surveillance.

    • Josh May 22, 2023 (6:29 am)

      This comment is gross top to bottom even in the parts that make sense.

    • Ivan Weiss May 22, 2023 (6:51 am)

      Capital punishment and “total surveillance” are features of a fear-based society that vast majorities of people in this state will reject emphatically. 

    • Jort May 22, 2023 (9:46 am)

      Weird, because there are other countries on this planet, and many, if not most of them do not have capital punishment. Yet, somehow, they have lower crime rates AND they avoid total surveillance. Have you considered some ideas on why that might be the case? What is so unique about America that we need to have a death penalty while most of the rest of the world does not?

    • Scarlett May 22, 2023 (12:13 pm)

      We already live in a surveillance state and both sides of the political aisle are eager to give up their civil liberties when it suits their  political agenda – and then cry foul when it comes back and bites them.   

      • Al King May 22, 2023 (6:12 pm)

        Scarlett. Banks and other retail stores have had cameras for years. Do you boycott them? What do you say to all those homeowners that have ring and other surveillance cameras? I take it they’re all bad people taking away your civil liberties.

        • Scarlett May 22, 2023 (8:40 pm)

          Risk is inherent in any democracy and when risk has been eradicated, it’s highly likely  you’re not living in a democracy anymore, but an authoritarian state.   

          • Adyrl Byrd May 23, 2023 (4:25 pm)

            Japan’s a democracy and risk (particularly to your own personal goods) is minimal.  Only dangerous thing is being an ex-Prime Minister.  So I reject the notion that you can’t have both.  We’ve just tolerated crime culturally for so long that it’s embedded in our psyche.

          • WS Res May 23, 2023 (5:13 pm)

            How on earth do we “tolerate crime”?  We lock up a greater percentage of our population than any democracy on earth, by an enormous percentage. We are absolute fanatics about incarceration, and for what outcome?

  • Admiral May 21, 2023 (10:35 pm)

    It’s too bad the wrong person had the mace! A thread stating a Catalytic Converter thief caught in the act got maced by the car owner, cops showed up minutes later and hauled the perp to jail would be nice to see.

    • Jort May 22, 2023 (1:39 am)

      What is a “perp?”

      • SlimJim May 22, 2023 (8:53 am)

        Look it up. Or do you actually know and you’re just picking a fight? If you truly don’t know, look it up. Third grade research technique. 

        • Admyrl Byrd May 23, 2023 (4:26 pm)

          Not everybody has watched the Dick Wolf anthology for the past 20 years…

      • here is answer May 22, 2023 (9:16 am)

        Google is helpful:The word perpetrator is so often associated with crime that police officers and other criminal justice types sometimes abbreviate it “perp.” A perpetrator is often a suspect until it has been proven that he or she carried out the offense.

        • Jort May 22, 2023 (9:44 am)

          Oh, so, in police culture, it’s slang for someone suspected of a crime? Weird, I’ve only heard cops use that word in cop shows on TV. You know, “Book ’em, Dano!” and that kind of thing. Most of the actual police I’ve known over the years think it’s a very cringey word to use. Strange to see it used so often in comment sections. 

          • momosmom May 23, 2023 (6:25 am)

            Yes its a word used by all the …

  • Alki Eyes May 22, 2023 (7:57 am)

    We just called 911 after seeing this guy and his friend in the alley behind our place on Alki  (between 56th & 57th). They were switching gas from canister to canister and acting super shady. Other suspects car is a mid 90’s Toyota Corolla with a spoiler and a license plate that starts with C (the suspect pictured above has since removed his license plate).  The 911 operator encouraged the phone call and our diligent information gathering, we have photos and will share them with police. They both sped off when my neighbor turned down the alley so keep an eye open for them.

    • Alki resident May 22, 2023 (11:25 am)

      Alki eyes- please share the pics of him, these guys may be my neighbors, but won’t know until I see faces. 

  • Patience May 22, 2023 (11:44 am)

    @Alki Eyes – what color is the Toyota Carolla? 2 or 4-door?? Description of the guys or any photos to share?

  • Rumbles May 22, 2023 (12:08 pm)

    Expired license plates, there’s a shocker!

  • CatTheft May 22, 2023 (1:00 pm)

    Same guy was trying to steal a catalytic converter off our neighbors Honda Saturday night on 17th Ave Sw he also had 2 adult white males riding kids bmx bikes checking car door handles up and down the street

  • Anonymous for safety May 22, 2023 (1:38 pm)

    The house on the SW corner of 34th and Holden that was mentioned earlier has different cars there daily and is suspected of illegal activity by neighbors including me.

  • alki mom May 22, 2023 (1:57 pm)

    Catalytic converters, cars, bikes theft, it’s so out of control. We really need more police patrolling. Where are the cops????

    • Derek May 22, 2023 (3:14 pm)

      Cops don’t prevent crimes.

      • wanna be criminal May 22, 2023 (4:15 pm)

        Well, I suppose I don’t have a great criminal mind, but if I were walking down the street and tempted to open a car door to steal a purse or something, I would indeed be deterred if I saw a policeman watching me.  How can that scenario not deter some crime here and there?  I feel like asking what does prevent crime, but I don’t think I’ll understand the answer.

      • Apotheosis May 22, 2023 (4:38 pm)

        Doctors don’t prevent disease either. What’s your point? 

        • Jethro Marx May 22, 2023 (6:10 pm)

          If you think about it, a good doctor often prevents disease. Prevention is almost implied by the old oath to first not harm.

      • Al King May 22, 2023 (4:42 pm)

        Derek. So, what’s your real-world solution then??  Clearly you know what the majority of people would support because it would actually work.

      • Dad May 22, 2023 (9:35 pm)

        Actually, arresting and prosecuting repeat offenders, who it turns out perpetrate the majority of crimes, does reduce crime. We just don’t do that here. 

  • Alki Eyes May 22, 2023 (4:17 pm)

    We were encouraged to not share the photos since it shows the location of our home.  These guys are not your neighbors, they do not live around here as noted by the policeman who had to wake up the bear mace guy from our alley on Saturday morning.Corolla is the same color as the truck, dark grey. It has paint missing around the back bumper. That individual was 5’8″, white, with dark hair. Wearing jeans.

    • Alki resident May 22, 2023 (8:01 pm)

      Alki eyes- you have no idea where I live to say these aren’t my neighbors. You can crop the pic to just show the criminal, without showing your house. 

Sorry, comment time is over.