WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: From the weekend summaries

| Crime | West Seattle news

From weekend (Friday/Saturday/Sunday) summaries made public late this afternoon, two incidents we hadn’t previously heard about:

(WSB photo, added Tuesday morning)

JUNCTION CRASH-AND-GRAB: West Seattle Smoke Shop in The Junction (4750 California SW) was hit by crash-and-grab burglars around 4:30 am Saturday. According to archived audio, three vehicles were seen nearby, including a dark minivan, with five to 10 people milling about them, and police got word of the crash-and-grab while on the way to check out that report. The summary says that “suspects backed an unknown-model Hyundai over the cement bollards installed in front of (the business) and plowed into the already boarded-up smoke shop. The suspects entered the store, taking various vape products, and caused damage to the building.”

MORGAN JUNCTION GUNFIRE: This happened just after 4 am Friday: “Officers responded to the 6500 block California Ave SW to a report of a shot fired following an argument in the street. Officers arrived and located a single shell casing in a business driveway. Caller reported that possible suspect left in a vehicle NB after firing the round.”

And a little more information on a break-in we covered Sunday:

48TH/CHARLESTOWN BREAK-IN FOLLOWUP: We reported initially that the man arrested in this incident was taken to Harborview. He subsequently was booked into King County Jail, we confirmed today, and is still there. According to the SPD summary of the incident, he “broke a large window at the front of the home and crawled through the broken glass” to get in, where a man and woman living there confronted him; while the three fought/struggled, one of the residents hit him, and that’s how they got him “pinned down” before police arrived.

JustMeChkng March 11, 2024 (9:33 pm)

Re: ddress/location of burglary at Smokeshop…4750 California Ave SW is the “bangbar”Also, the Google Maps pic doesn’t show any bollards for the smokeshop that’s next door.It’s maddening to see these small shops hit, damaged and burglarized – and repeatedly! I think people (expert criminals) go into these small stores during the day to case out the merchandise, the security system, and the cash registers, and then return in groups late at night to hit the businesses they’ve identified as their next targets.

WSB March 12, 2024 (12:13 am)

Not sure about the bollards (we’ll be looking tomorrow, but note that the newest Street View photo is from 2022 so not necessarily reflective of what’s there today) but I listened back to the actual dispatch – and it was for the Smoke Shop. Not to mention, I doubt Bang Bar carries vaping merchandise. The address was indeed a bit off – Smoke Shop is 4748 – but that’s not unusual for public-safety dispatches, hard to report exact addresses in the dark – TR
- WSB March 12, 2024 (10:22 am)
  
  Followup – we went by while out on an errand this morning. Yes, there’s a couple of bollards in front of the Smoke Shop. Adding a photo above.

Seattlite March 12, 2024 (6:11 am)

When will the city council and mayor get a handle on Seattle’s crime wave?

Steph March 12, 2024 (9:58 am)

It’s a sad time for our society when citizens have to tackle and fight an intruder who breaks their windows to enter a home. There should be extra penalties for this type of crime. Let’s watch this one and see what the judge does!

John SamSon March 12, 2024 (11:20 am)

Let’s get SPD a new contract now! We won’t attract highly qualified decent candidates to grow our police department without giving them a well overdue well deserved union contract! Get on this now mayor & newly elected city council ! We need more officers to help patrol our streets in prevent crimes against business and citizens alike. Criminals know there aren’t enough police and are capitalizing on this by committing crimes against homes, businesses and citizens of Seattle. We need proactive early morning patrols of West Seattle & traffic stops to be made of those driving these stolen vehicles to discourage criminals ! Give police ability to pursuit once again in WA state..

WSB March 12, 2024 (11:37 am)

I’m watching the City Council committee discussion on police hiring (story to come) and Deputy Mayor Tim Burgess said they believe they’re “very close” on the contract.

jedidiahperkins March 12, 2024 (2:02 pm)

I don’t understand this version of Seattle that people seem to romanticize. In the 90’s we had over twice the amount of violent and property crime than we experience now, with a smaller population. Perhaps it is because you can now see it on your phones in real time, I’m not sure? SPD has said that property crimes are directly tied to narcotics use, of which we have seen a 46% increase in overdose deaths over the last year. But property crime itself dropped by 17% last year and violent crime dropped by 7%. I realize crime is undesirable, but considering the lack of patrol officers in Seattle, I think we’re actually doing quite well.

AwakeWithaCupofJoe March 12, 2024 (9:04 pm)

Crime was worse in the 90s so we should excuse the crime/drugs we see today. Brilliant. People in the 90s were just as violent and on the same drugs (fentanyl) as they were in the 90s. Glad your family is safe, hope it stays that way. Maybe don’t call out that violet crime dropped 7% when it hit a 15-year high the year before (2022)… just saying.
- jedidiahperkins March 13, 2024 (2:35 pm)
  
  Hi Folgers, I said we’re doing pretty good on crime considering the lack of patrol officers and dropping crime stats, even if in small percentages. The police force has dropped since 2022 as well, so wouldn’t crime have increased since then, according to your metrics? I mean, SPD just stated that they currently have the same number of deployable officers as they did during the 90’s when there was 2x the crime and a smaller population. Can you explain to me how adding more cops will alleviate the problem, if we have a larger population now with less cops and less crime? This is according to their own statistics btw, thanks.

Sorry, comment time is over.