WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Truck-stop holdup

12:33 AM: Police are at Shree’s Truck Stop in southeast West Seattle (7801 Detroit SW) investigating an armed robbery. The holdup happened less than half an hour ago. According to exchanges between officers and dispatch, five people held up the store; the initial description of all five was: Black, male, 17-18 years old, masks, and dark clothing, at least one with a gun. Their getaway vehicle was described as a white Nissan Sentra that left heading north. SFD was called to provide medical attention for the clerk.

12:53 AM: Officers just updated dispatch, reporting that security video shows the getaway vehicle was actually a “white Kia, no plates.”

Pelicans February 9, 2024 (1:19 am)

Well, now how did I know before reading the last line, that it would be a [white] Kia with no plates? Where are the fixes Kia/Hyundai provided, and how are they working out?

SMH February 9, 2024 (1:51 am)

Ha! Their Not… And at this point for there not to be a major recall following some hefty class action lawsuits would suggest a huge lack of care for all society.
- Mike February 9, 2024 (5:24 am)
  
  How about filing claims against politicians and judges and activists that have emboldened criminals due to lack of consequences?
  - Derp February 9, 2024 (10:17 am)
    
    This is the person who bought the cars problem, not everyone of you on here. It is their problem, if they don’t want to deal with it, they don’t want to deal with it. They have produced fixes, the club has been given away to them. That is it, try to blame politicians for this. They didn’t but the car. Blame Tik tok, you tube, for allowing this info out there.
- Logic February 9, 2024 (9:14 am)
  
  So many folks like to call out Kia for this when any car made before the 80s or even 90s is just as easy to steal. Just look at the stolen car reports posted on this blog, they are not all Kia’s. And where is this vitriol towards gun manufactures?
- 1994 February 9, 2024 (10:43 pm)
  
  How about casting blame on those criminals who seem to have a huge lack of care for all of society? They are breaking the golden rule and violating the social norms……hugely! I hope the Shree’s staff person is OK.
Eric1 February 9, 2024 (8:13 am)

Why does everyone blame KIA? Vehicle immobilizers are not required equipment so how is KIA to blame for trying to save people hundreds of dollars by not including immobilizers and the smart keys that are required to run them on bottom of the line vehicles? Bad parenting is solely to blame. Why? Because good parents teach their children math. There is no way good kids rob convenience stores. Kids who are skilled in math would do the quick calculation of $100 divided by 5 perps is $20. They would then determine what $20 would buy and realize that the reward to risk ratio is next to zero. More importantly, the willingness of these juvenile perps to use a firearm illegally in the robbery also shows why people mistakenly think we have a firearm problem. Hopefully the prosecution of the Oxford mass shooter’s mom sets the precedent for holding bad parents accountable for major crimes.
- do you sell them February 9, 2024 (1:07 pm)
  
  Do you sell vehicle immobilizers? I’ve never heard of them outside of spy movies and your comments on this blog. Give it a rest, it’s a Kia.
  - CARGUY February 10, 2024 (11:08 am)
    
    Most new cars have them. But it’s not required hence why cheaper cars might not have them installed to keep prices low. Who knows, maybe they will be rolled out as mandatory like backup cameras were a few years ago.
  - Clinker February 10, 2024 (4:10 pm)
    
    Better to not misinform, please. Immobilizer systems are built into almost all cars. The trouble on the horizon is now is that pushbutton start cars can be fooled into thinking the keyfobs are inside the car when they’re actually hanging on your keyhook with just a few hundred bucks worth of radio equipment.

Marcus February 9, 2024 (6:24 am)

Boy, I am more concerned with the robbery and the treatment of the employee and realizing that a hoard of violent young men are menacing an individual who is just doing their job. Looks like the first published comments are about a car and not the much more serious crime.

Robbie B February 9, 2024 (1:03 pm)

Agreed.
Pelicans February 9, 2024 (9:24 pm)

I was the victim of a violent robbery a few months ago. They sped away from me in a white Kia sedan with no plates (probably not the one involved in this robbery.) I have security video of one of them exiting the vehicle at a gas station and attempting to use my stolen cards minutes later. I was lucky-they didn’t use a firearm. So I feel particularly bad for the people who were robbed at Shree’s. They must have been so scared…

DB40 February 9, 2024 (7:21 am)

Yes, it’s all KIA’s fault–not America’s criminal culture.

Ben February 9, 2024 (7:38 am)

Why are folx so mad at the car manufacturers and not at the social media for glorifying and teaching kids how to break in and hotwire the cars? The congressional hearings barely got a byeline.

WS Res February 9, 2024 (9:17 am)

Because the car manufacturers delivered an unsafe product to pad their bottom line.

Pro Tip February 9, 2024 (8:51 am)

If you own a KIA automobile, please, please, please have your mechanic install a kill switch on your vehicle. I did, and I now sleep easy that my vehicle isn’t being used for crime around the city I love.

Recreational Driver February 9, 2024 (10:05 am)

I will second this. Also, in case you’re curious but worried, a “kill” switch won’t kill the vehicle owner or anyone attempting to steal it. In this context, “kill” means to switch off the power supply to a critical component or electrical system required to operate the vehicle. It’s definitely worth the peace of mind.
- Pro Tip February 9, 2024 (12:06 pm)
  
  Thank you for that clarification. It never occurred to me that the term may be misconstrued, but it most certainly could be. I wish to correct my terminology to ‘deactivation switch’. The switch must be in the proper position in order to let voltage pass to vital systems required for your vehicle to operate. I appreciate your wisdom Recreational Driver!
Mariem February 9, 2024 (3:00 pm)

Thanks for the tip. How much does a kill switch cost installed?
- RecreationalDriver February 9, 2024 (5:20 pm)
  
  DIY: <$50
  Shop Installed: <$500
- Pro Tip February 9, 2024 (5:24 pm)
  
  Mine cost around $200 which included the hardware and the labor. Best of luck Mariem.
Pelicans February 9, 2024 (9:28 pm)

Thank you for doing that.

DRW February 9, 2024 (9:03 am)

I blame Tik Tok. The Chinese are cyber invading the US and we are just letting them.

Oh Seattle February 9, 2024 (11:28 am)

And the winner for Most Nonsensical Reach To Place Blame In a Comments Section goes to DRW for “Blame the Chinese”.
Jeff February 9, 2024 (12:17 pm)

This is an absurd take
- Mike February 9, 2024 (3:09 pm)
  
  Declaring the commencement “absurd” is highly ignorant, almost absurd itself. It is well-known that the Chinese, Russian, North Korean, and Iranian governments are sponsoring ongoing, ill-intended misinformation and malinformation cyber attacks. This doesn’t make citizens of those countries bad people, nor does it mean our government doesn’t do the same thing. But really, attacks on hospital and public utility computer systems, election interference, exportation of fentanyl, and general divisiveness are pretty routinely coming from unfriendly countries
  - Brian February 9, 2024 (9:09 pm)
    
    RE: fentanyl; the last story I saw about someone caught importing it en masse turned out to be a police union exec in San Jose https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndca/pr/san-jose-police-union-executive-charged-attempted-illegal-importation-fentanyl
- JP February 9, 2024 (11:31 pm)
  
  Of course it’s an absurd take. Everyone knows that Korean car manufacturers are at the root of destroying the social contract in America.
MW February 9, 2024 (6:48 pm)

I know I know this sounds so out there as well as racist. But if you’re reading this, this may be your first clue to being paying more attention to these kinds of possibilities. Today, it is not only likely but more possible than ever before.

OverIt February 9, 2024 (11:14 am)

Blaming car companies, car owners, gun manufacturers, social media, ski mask manufacturers, companies who sell ski masks, big box retailers who sell black hoodies, etc., etc., etc., lets the people who ACTUALLY CHOOSE TO COMMIT CRIME off the hook. How about we put the blame squarely where it belongs – human beings who are 100% accountable for making horrible choices to perpetrate violence against innocent citizens.

uncle loco February 9, 2024 (2:30 pm)

Yep, this passive approach to dealing with crime don’t seem to be working.

Brian February 9, 2024 (4:34 pm)

Dang the Kia payroll is showing up hard in this comments section. I mean, if you’re not being paid by Kia to rehab their image I do not understand what you’re doing.

uncle loco February 9, 2024 (6:40 pm)

This article is about armed robbery and people are focused on what brand the getaway vehicle is. That’s messed up. Side note, about 20 years ago a mechanic told me that KIA stood for Keep It Away.
- 1994 February 9, 2024 (10:48 pm)
  
  Killed In Action – KIA
  - uncle loco February 10, 2024 (6:59 pm)
    
    Well… not the ignitions…

WS Geezer February 10, 2024 (9:05 pm)

I am amazed that no one ended up getting shot. I get gas there from time to time and make the looooong walk to the back of the store to pay cash and save a buck or two. Looking at the no-nonsense employees working there I always assumed they were armed. It’s also a real hard working crowd of customers that gas up there, wouldn’t be surprised if some of there were armed to protect their work trucks and tools.

Sorry, comment time is over.