WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Police investigating possibly linked street robbery, gas-station holdup attempt

5:50 PM: Police are responding right now to the Admiral Safeway gas station after a report of an attempted robbery. According to dispatch, the caller reported at least two would-be robbers, one described as a white man in his early 20s with a black ski mask, the other a Black man his 20s driving a car described as a dark blue Hyundai Elantra with a dent on the driver-side door, no plates, last seen headed eastbound on Admiral after a staff member “chased them away.”

6:11 PM: Officers investigating that incident mentioned that it sounded like an “earlier robbery.” The call log now shows a “purse snatch” investigated about 15 minutes earlier in the 4100 block of California SW. We’ll be working to get details on that.

8:30 PM: Per commenters and archived police-radio audio, the purse-snatch robbery happened by Tram’s Salon, and was reported to involve two men, one in a ski mask, who grabbed the victim’s purse, briefly dragged her, then got away in a black Kia, no plates.

Mom October 7, 2023 (6:22 pm)

At trams and we just figured out it’s the same guys as the Safeway description. They have the door locked and are rightfully scared, shaken, and upset. The poor woman had her purse grabbed while the car was next door in the bank parking lot. Police should pull tape, and go back to review the report to combine them.

WSB October 7, 2023 (6:29 pm)

Thanks. They were trying to track down video from the Safeway station last I heard. Don’t know about the earlier incident, I missed that in real time and have to go back and listen to that response.

LK October 7, 2023 (6:27 pm)

They are probably the same people. I was there when the police responded to the purse snatch and it was a very similar description of a young person wearing a black ski mask and another person driving the car to get away.

TB October 7, 2023 (7:53 pm)

These guys have been doing this up and down California Ave for the last week or so. How have they not been caught?

Michaelphelps October 7, 2023 (9:12 pm)

It’s been more like a over a month and up and down 35th also

Chrissy D October 7, 2023 (9:20 pm)

What’s with these low life’s and especially the association with Hyundai’s and Kia’s?

Kia Hyundai theft October 8, 2023 (8:54 am)

Kia and Hyundai are uniquely easy to steal right now, due to intentional decisions by the manufacturers to cut costs. They’ve been successfully sued by various states as a result (depending on your definition of successful, hundreds of millions of dollars in settlement). So often times it’s just opportunity – steal car, then use that stolen car. SPD is handing out free wheel locks.

steve October 7, 2023 (10:09 pm)

I saw a car/driver fitting that description yesterday(friday) at Sharee’s gas on West Marginal at 12:56pm. I’d swear that car was stolen. Driver couldn’t get credit card to work. No plate in back, front plate was texas, dent. dark blue or black kia. Might not be the car but throwing it out there anyway.RCK-6198. I lost patience and went around him.

Smalls October 8, 2023 (7:13 am)

So that’s 4 or 5 robberies in admiral/alki in 4 days?

WS Neighbor October 8, 2023 (9:42 am)

I definitely saw a car matching that description–dark, no plates, dent on the side–pull into the Shell station at Alaska and Fauntleroy around 5:00 PM yesterday when I was walking nearby. Didn’t get a good look at the people inside because their seats were back so much. They slowed but I don’t think they stopped. Wonder if they were casing it.

KT October 8, 2023 (10:58 am)

Once again I ask, if SPD started actively stopping cars that are unregistered (AKA enforcing motor vehicle laws) what effect would this have on these crimes?

Seattlite October 8, 2023 (12:00 pm)

First the SPD’s police officer shortage needs to be fixed if citizens want more law enforcement on the road.
- K October 8, 2023 (5:34 pm)
  
  If we have enough officers to shuffle the homeless from one encampment to the next, we have enough officers to enforce other laws.
  - Byron James October 8, 2023 (9:07 pm)
    
    SPD doesn’t offer shuttle service.
  - Bopps October 8, 2023 (9:54 pm)
    
    Oh please. That doesn’t even make sense.
hj October 8, 2023 (1:10 pm)

Once again I answer, it would have absolutely zero effect. However, the likelihood of your license plate being stolen for use in a crime would increase.

Grumble October 8, 2023 (5:12 pm)

Im 99% sure I saw these same guys cruising west on Alki around 6:30pm. Dark Kia with no license plate with two passengers (passenger seat and rear passenger seat) sitting leaning out of the car on the windowsill, one wearing a ski mask.

Chuck Norris October 8, 2023 (5:57 pm)

I hope the city budgets and starts to advertise incentives to hire more police officers. There is a serious shortage of officers for a city the size of Seattle.

Sorry, comment time is over.