WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Air and ground search for burglary suspects

| Arbor Heights | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

7:06 PM: Thanks for the tips. Guardian One is over Arbor Heights right now and police are on the ground; we’re on our way to find out what’s going on and will update as soon as we have information.

7:16 PM: This is a King County Sheriff’s Office operation and deputies won’t comment, referring us to their media unit (which we’re trying to reach). Their search appears to be focused just outside the city limits, near Seola Pond.

7:38 PM: We reached KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Eric White, and here’s what he tells us: “Currently KCSO Units are at the location of 2600 block of SW 104th Street on a reported burglary in progress. Guardian 1 is assisting in a search for any suspects of the burglary. Currently one person has been detained. Two others are still being looked for in the area.” He does not have any descriptive information on the two others who are at large.

7:48 PM: An update from Sgt. White: “The detained subject was released and patrol was not able to find any more suspects.”

Ken N November 16, 2023 (7:16 pm)

Looks like police have a containment perimeter set up between Seola Pond and 24 st SW

KS November 16, 2023 (7:16 pm)

Lots of circling of helicopters, what is going on?

Deb White November 16, 2023 (7:23 pm)

I drove by a Sheriff car that had blocked off the Seila Beach Drive & 106th St. Helicopters still flying above now. There’s 2 Seattle police on 26th Ave SW, one north of Shorewood market & the other made a U-Turn to head North on 26th Ave SW about 7 minutes ago.

Lost in the heights November 16, 2023 (7:23 pm)

Thanks! Still hearing the helicopters

Concerned Neighbor November 16, 2023 (7:24 pm)

Interested to know what’s going on, this is in our neighborhood and we go to Seola pond daily to walk our dog.

AH Neighbor November 16, 2023 (7:25 pm)

This is the second time in the past month that I’m hiding in my home in my previously safe neighborhood as a single mom. This is terrifying.

Rhonda November 16, 2023 (7:48 pm)

The heavy police response/activity to search for burglary suspects is actually good news. That means it’s not easy pickings here. It would be frightening if there were little or no response.
- AH Neighbor November 16, 2023 (8:07 pm)
  
  I appreciate the positive spin and I do agree. Thank you for that.
- Nessa November 16, 2023 (10:39 pm)
  
  You are absolutely correct Rhonda I remember some years back being in dire need to go to the hospital so we called for an ambulance and they never even came. That was near Othello Park off of Martin Luther King. I guess that was normal for that area…. Not exactly a warm fuzzy feeling when not even emergency personnel will go rescue you

From the hood November 16, 2023 (7:27 pm)

Cops running through yards with a dog and flashlights, drone as well as king county jetranger. Sure would be nice to know what’s going on.

WSB November 16, 2023 (7:30 pm)

Sorry we haven’t been able to find out yet since as noted above they wouldn’t comment on the ground (we don’t usually have that problem with SPD)) but still working on reaching somebody at KCSO media.

Tom November 16, 2023 (7:39 pm)

As King County Sheriff flights go, this has been more focused (very tight circle) for a long period of time, and also oddly non-detalied on the police scanner.

Rhonda November 16, 2023 (7:30 pm)

We have lots of SPD units on our street and lots of sirens. Our house is 1/4 mile from Seola Pond. Small drone zipping up and down the street.

Hey Lady November 16, 2023 (7:33 pm)

Kids are at practice at AH pool.

Seola Beach neighbor November 16, 2023 (7:34 pm)

Cops have three drones up circling the area. One is just hovering over the convenience store.

AF November 16, 2023 (7:35 pm)

Dude I just ran to Safeway really fast and now I’ve been waiting to be let onto my street so I can go home.

Greystreet November 16, 2023 (7:36 pm)

In the alley behind our house…first a SWAT team a few weeks ago and now this, it’s getting old

Alki resident November 16, 2023 (7:37 pm)

I’m shocked police aren’t saying who they’re looking for. I’ve never had an issue get descriptions of a suspect during a search. Stay safe everyone. I hate that it gets so dark early now.

WSB November 16, 2023 (7:40 pm)

Just got the info. Some, anyway. Burglary. Added above.

ArbHeightsRes November 16, 2023 (7:49 pm)

Must’ve been one hell of a burglary!

White Center Resident November 16, 2023 (8:07 pm)

I urge folks to write to the KCSO and SPD and urge them to let folks know what is going on, especially when there is this much visible activity. There are likely thousands of us worrying and wondering, which is very different when there is just one cop car on your street. The helicopter really amps it up and has been up in the sky, unannounced, for the following reasons: training exercises, stolen vehicle located, murder, bank robbery. Sure would be nice to know which ones when you’re out walking!

CarDriver November 17, 2023 (6:17 am)

The FIRST job of police is to find the perpetrator. Quite often information is changing by the second. Do you really believe they should be broadcasting second by second what and why and where they’re searching/negotiating? Please realize the bad guys can also listen to scanners.

Kt November 16, 2023 (8:18 pm)

What was stolen in the burglary? Guns? Seems like a huge response for just a break in.

Eddie November 16, 2023 (9:11 pm)

People piss and moan about “all the crime”, and then piss and moan when law enforcement tries to do something about it.
- WS Res November 17, 2023 (12:03 pm)
  
  Glad I’m not the only person who noticed that.
- From the hood November 19, 2023 (3:12 pm)
  
  The pissing and moaning is due to the secretive nature of KCSO operations. Even the WSB has difficulty getting any info out of them after the fact. When 5 cops and a dog run through my yard looking through bushes and lawn furniture, it would be nice to know who they are looking for. Just in case that person is seen after the sheriff leaves. It’s been 3 days since this event, does anyone know where/how the sheriff informs the public?

Local November 16, 2023 (8:33 pm)

Question: burglaries happen all the time. Why does this one warrant a helicopter response?

WSB November 16, 2023 (9:04 pm)

Since I didn’t hear the dispatch, I don’t know the specifics. Two possibilities for starters –
1. The PIO said it was reported ‘in progress” which means a better chance of catching someone.
2. The helicopter happened to be up and offered to help (they monitor what’s going on) – have heard this scenario more than a few times. More often, something will happen, officers will ask if G-1 is up, but it isn’t.
- David November 17, 2023 (7:05 am)
  
  Seems to me this might have been a home invasion robbery/burglary in progress instead of a simple burglary given the descriptions of the level of police response?
  - WSB November 17, 2023 (11:12 am)
    
    “Home invasion” is usually classified as “robbery” and the PIO distinctly said “burglary.” However, I’ll ask when following up today.

Sara November 17, 2023 (4:12 am)

Question: how does a burglary get a helicopter called but then there’s ‘not enough cops’ for others?None of the crimes are ok, and under no circumstances am I trying to devalue others needs, just trying to gain some perspective.

resident November 17, 2023 (7:59 am)

Sorry but where is Selona Pond?

WSCurmudgeon November 18, 2023 (12:28 am)

Eef you haff to ask, you are NOT autorized to haff dat informazion!
Rhonda November 18, 2023 (2:48 pm)

Seola Pond is about 100 yards north of the T-intersection of SW 106th and Seola Drive.

Wsresident November 17, 2023 (11:50 am)

We moved to Arbor Heights recently from the junction because AH rated 4th safest neighborhood in all of Seattle. I still believe it ti be true. It seems there isn’t much activity 35th and higher but has been some stuff near to the shorewood market recently. Can anyone who’s been living in this area for a long time speak to what the boundaries are and if this is normal or uptick?

Eric1 November 17, 2023 (1:59 pm)

Shhh. Don’t ever mention that Arbor Heights is safe or desirable neighborhood. Much like I tell people outside Seattle that it rains here every day and all my clothes are Gore-Tex based, when asked, I tell people that Arbor Heights is the gerrymandered arm-pit of Seattle. It is on the extreme end of Seattle where it takes 20 minutes to get to I-5 north or south. Roads are marginal, there are no sidewalks, and ferry noise and traffic are horrible. I recommend living in other neighborhoods.
Rhonda November 17, 2023 (2:57 pm)

We’ve been in Arbor Heights for years (on 31st about 1/4 mile from Seola Pond and 1/4 mile from the Arbor Heights Country Club for over 15 years. It’s still a very safe area. We walk around late at night. Neighbors leave packages on porches all day without pirates ripping them off. The rare, occasional car prowl, shed or garage burglary, speeding drivers, loud music, a yahoo who shoots-off fireworks for every Seahawks touchdown, etc. That’s about it. The recent SWAT standoff involved an armed felon who doesn’t live here and passed out in his car in a front yard was the biggest crime event here in decades.
- DL November 17, 2023 (8:30 pm)
  
  Well… not exactly true. The car that hit and ran our house on November 3rd was the most recent big event. But generally arbor heights is quiet and safe. The van and person who hit our house and caused a lot of damage was not found. Police does not have the resources to locate them. I do think there is in general much more traffic activity and people speeding.

Sorry, comment time is over.