WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Another West Seattle 7-11 robbery

2:20 AM: Police are at the California/Charlestown 7-11 right now after the clerk reported a robbery. It happened just before 2 am. So far the robbers are described as at least three men with at least two guns – one rifle, one pistol – wearing black hoodies and black masks. They got away in what the clerk described as a white van (believed to be a newer Kia Carnival), last seen heading south on California; police have discussed with dispatch the possibility the same vehicle and robbers were involved in a holdup on East Marginal Way earlier tonight. SFD also has responded to the robbery scene because the clerk reported chest pains. This is the second West Seattle 7-11 robbery in four days; the 35th/Avalon store was held up early Tuesday.

2:47 AM: An officer gave dispatch updated descriptions: 4 in the van, 3 went into the store. All 3 were described as white or Hispanic men, 18-25, The one that had the “long gun: was 5’8″-5’10”, black sweatpants, blue shoes; the one with the handgun was in a gray sweatshirt, red mask, black pants; the third was about 6′, all-black clothing, blue gloves.

24 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Another West Seattle 7-11 robbery"

  • Julian October 28, 2023 (5:09 am)

    Would be nice to hear what SPD is doing to catch these guys and prevent this in the future. And maybe 7-11 should consider changing its operating procedures during dusk to dawn hours. Requiring buzzed entry, limiting the number of people in the store, better physical security. These robbers are a menace and embarrassment to our community. 

    • Watertowerjim October 28, 2023 (8:00 am)

      Funny you mentioned buzzed entry.  Was just thinking pretty soon all stores will be like Costco and check your membership before entering and check your cart when leaving.  Sad realities. 

    • Anne October 28, 2023 (8:17 am)

      What exactly do you want SPD to do-stake out every possible target- every night -all night long? A more realistic expectation is for more serious  consequences for these thugs when they are caught. For that-we need to hold county, city & state government accountable.-judges as well-these are folks that WE elect by VOTING. 

      • East Coast Cynic October 28, 2023 (12:27 pm)

        Stake out the locations that have been hit more than one or two times, e.g., 7-11’s in Admiral and Avalon.  It’s possible that it is a crew that has been doing multiple stickups around the peninsula.

        • Niko October 29, 2023 (11:17 am)

          I don’t think anyone is expecting police to prevent 100% of the crime all the time but it would be nice to see some more results especially when I regularly see them out doing parking enforcement and the other day I saw two motorcycle cops with a speed trap set up next to Lincoln Park That I don’t have too much of a problem with because people speeding along there has been a problem but it’s the principle of the thing when they can barely respond to 911 calls in a timely manner. Their average response time is 118 minutes for a call and about 8 minutes for an emergency call

      • Julian October 28, 2023 (3:04 pm)

        There’s nothing unrealistic about a stakeout, but I had more in mind using investigatory tools to track and arrest these people. Moreover, they can’t be given a harsh punishment unless they are caught, so I’m not sure why the notion of wanting the SPD to assure us of their efforts in catching them is so seemingly irksome to you.What is unrealistic is thinking harsh sentences will help. These people are already committing class A felonies over amounts of money that when split among them can be earned in a day of minimum wage work. They are not intelligent enough to do a sensible risk-reward analysis, so throwing the book at them means little to deter them although it may keep our communities safer while they’re locked up. It has been shown that harsh sentences fail to function as an effective deterrent. What does work as an effective deterrent is having a high likelihood of being caught. So again, the SPD should make clear that they are putting resources into this to catch these people and then actually do  so. That can function as a deterrent in and of itself.https://www.vera.org/news/research-shows-that-long-prison-sentences-dont-actually-improve-safetyhttps://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/business-law/do-harsher-punishments-deter-crime

        • Mike October 29, 2023 (4:53 am)

          Most of these criminals are repeat offenders, there’s a reason for that.  When violent criminals are not held accountable and let back out into society right after committing violent crimes, they commit more violent crimes.  That’s not the police, that’s the judicial system.  SPD could have magical fairy dust that finds and arrests every criminal, but if judges and juries decide to let the criminals back into society without holding them accountable, you get more crime and mostly by the same criminals. You stated “What is unrealistic is thinking harsh sentences will help”, that’s not unrealistic for violent crimes and it’s legitimately the thing that will keep people from being terrorized and killed by violent criminals.

          • Julian October 29, 2023 (10:46 am)

            Mike: As my citations show (which, you’ll have to separate the links because the post fused them together for some reason), no, it’s not realistic to think harsh sentencing will help. I am not suggesting these criminals be released right after being caught, but there’s a lot of options between that and very harsh sentences and research has shown long prison sentences do not effectively deter crime or reduce recidivism. Given that these criminals are already risking years in prison for less than a day’s worth of minimum wage work in Seattle, it should be clear that giving even harsher sentences isn’t going to do a thing. I agree though, there is a benefit for having them out of the community, but for deterrence and recidivism reduction not so much.—Littlebrowndog: I am saying that the high likelihood of being caught functions as a deterrence, that is based on the research and articles I’ve read on this subject including two that I posted. I understand that removing them from the community has a benefit of not allowing them to negatively impact communities during that time, but long sentences do not function as an effective deterrent, nor to reduce recidivism. I’m not suggesting that they should be released in a short time, but from what I’ve read, the manner in which the punishment is implemented is more important than the duration.

          • Gretchen October 29, 2023 (7:59 pm)

            Huh?? Giving harsher sentences isn’t going to do a thing…uhhh  … what planet are you on?  There are decades of research showing that consequences impact behavior..period !

          • Julian October 29, 2023 (9:20 pm)

            Gretchen, saying that harsher sentences will help and saying consequences impact behavior are two different arguments and I never disagreed with the latter. If you have sources that explain how harsh sentences better deter crime then I’m all for reviewing it. Everything I’ve seen on the issue concludes otherwise and I have already provided links to show this.

        • Littlebrowndog October 29, 2023 (5:37 am)

          Are you suggesting that in and of itself a high risk of getting caught is a deterrent? I’m unclear if you’re then going on to say once they’re caught they need long jail time. It does seem like long jail time combined with increased likelihood of being caught might not be a deterrent but at least prolonged absence would mean no crimes committed during that time. Increased arrests that only lead to booking and then released on their own recognizance or at most 30 days in jail won’t do anything. And if we’re going to address the root causes and provide trauma informed treatment and teach employment skills that won’t be successful in just 30 days. Anyhow, maybe you’re meaning increased arrests combined with punishment would be good. My critical reading skills might be lacking. 

    • John October 29, 2023 (11:16 am)

      7-Eleven on 35th does buzz in entry after midnight until about 5:00 or 6:00 a.m.

      • DJ October 30, 2023 (11:16 pm)

        If you’re talking about 35th & Avalon they do not buzz you in at night, it’s just open. They’ve had the same plywood on the door for months now.

  • Rob October 28, 2023 (6:40 am)

    I hope this time if they spot them the police don’t get a stand down do not pursue order.

    • Tired WS Mom October 30, 2023 (3:50 am)

      Biggest concern is the jail time, time served for this. Our Seattle judges are not following through with punishing these criminals and they’re released to go back to their BS. Our judges are up for election. I hope we have some serious change. Starting with Sawant leaving. 

  • Bob October 28, 2023 (8:59 am)

    In So. Cal about 50 years ago they had drive up windows only for 7-11 type stores late at night, where you had to place an order and sit there under a camera for a while and pay ahead of time with a gate in front of your car that only raised after a transaction was completed. Why not here?.

    • bolo October 28, 2023 (11:16 am)

      Because here not everyone has a car?

      • Balderdash October 28, 2023 (12:11 pm)

        Fine, have them stand outside under a camera and deal with it just like a car. They can walk up, walk away, but not inside

  • Marty October 28, 2023 (9:51 am)

    I shake my head every time I read about a 7-11 robbery. Four people risking a robbery record for life to get maybe $20 each? It makes no sense…

  • Frog October 28, 2023 (10:17 am)

    I wonder if 7-11 clerks get paid per hour, or per robbery.  It’s amazing anyone will take the job.

  • they October 28, 2023 (10:37 am)

    Funny thing about life…If you work hard enough for something, you’ll almost always get it…

  • Sillygoose October 28, 2023 (11:01 am)

    I believe it is time for all 7-11 to close at 9pm. Pumps work with CC, everyone goes home safe.

    • Rhonda October 28, 2023 (3:23 pm)

      They’d just get robbed at 7pm.

  • WSREZZZ October 30, 2023 (1:14 pm)

    I hope the clerk (I assume Kumar since that’s typically his shift) is okay. All of the people that work there are wonderful people and so unfortunate this happened to them, along with all the other clerks in our area who constantly have to deal with this.

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