WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Arbor Heights store robbed for second day in a row

Police are at Global Smoke and Vape (35th/Roxbury) right now, after the store was robbed for the second time in less than 24 hours. So far tonight police are saying they don’t have much to go on – officers have told dispatch that the store staff has only described the robbers as “three males wearing masks,” at least one with a gun. The robbers who hit the store around 7:30 last night were described as three white men around 20 years old, 5’4″, one in a white jacket, two in dark jacket, all in masks, one with a gun. No injuries reported in either holdup. In addition to other robberies at the store, it was hit by crash-and-grab burglars five times in less than a month last fall.

Katie February 3, 2024 (6:55 pm)

What color were the masks? Just saw a car of four individuals wearing masks. They appeared to be white and/or neon. They were entering WS by way of the bridge.

WSB February 3, 2024 (7:03 pm)

No color that I’ve heard in radio traffic re: either robbery.
Rhonda February 3, 2024 (8:12 pm)

Katie, if you ever see a carfull of mask-wearing occupants again contact 911 immediately, especially if you see a ski mask(s). Drivers and passengers with masks were common 3 years ago but these days it’s usually a crime-in-progress or getaway.

Inquiring Minds February 3, 2024 (8:10 pm)

Is robbing this store a TikTok challenge or something? Is there a Viking Hoard buried somewhere on site? Has any other store been robbed as many times as this one in such a short period of time?

Someone February 5, 2024 (1:36 pm)

No it isn’t. The reason is because smoking/vaping has turned a lot of people to get addicted and would do anything for a few hits
- WW Resident February 5, 2024 (2:21 pm)
  
  That’s utterly ridiculous! I unfortunately smoked as a teenager and was a rather heavy smoker and never robbed a store for a few hits. Can we make people responsible for their own actions again instead of blaming society, addiction, some oppressive bogeymen etc?!

Sam February 3, 2024 (8:21 pm)

Why does this place keep getting robbed? Something special about it? Front for something else? It doesn’t seem like there would be a ton of cash on hand at most retail establishments anymore. Are they holding them up for vape products? I feel like this place has been robbed like 10 times in the last few months. Hope the staff is doing okay.

Katie February 3, 2024 (8:22 pm)

I can describe the car I saw in case it ends up being valuable information for this incident or anything else – late 90s or early 2000s Honda, light color, probably white but difficult to discern if it was more of a cream or even yellow given the overhead and nearby lights. It’s a bit concerning to see four individuals in full face masks at night.

Eric1 February 4, 2024 (9:11 am)

The frequency of robberies may have to do with the location more than anything else. It is a high visibility location with easy escape on 35th or Roxbury. The Arbor Heights area has very few shops to rob or steal from. If there are several groups of rocket scientists “planning” a road trip while in Arbor Heights, they would likely come up with the same brilliant idea to rob that smoke shop. It is basically the first convenience store where they might load up on spending money and cigarettes on their way to regional meetings.

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