WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Stolen Vanagon; arrest followups

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Three notes in West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:

STOLEN VANAGON: Sent by Jesse:

Unfortunately my 1984 VW Vanagon Westfalia was stolen today from SW Seattle Street sometime after 5 PM. If you could have readers keep an eye out for it, I would really appreciate it. It has a Washington Collector Plate with a license #BUB7527. The only other notable is that the roof rack is currently not on the vehicle. Police report number 24-236176.

Call 911 if you find it.

Back on Monday, we reported on SPD’s spotlight on two arrests that happened in separate West Seattle incidents in the early morning hours of August 7th, and promised to follow up on the suspects’ status. We found out that one suspect has been charged and one has not, yet:

GUN CHARGE: 32-year-old Robert C. Brown Jr. of Highland Park is charged with one count of unlawful gun possession. He is the suspect arrested after what police say was an attempted burglary in South Delridge after a gunfire incident in White Center. Charging documents say Brown was linked to the gunfire because ammunition found in a gun in his possession when he was arrested matched spent casings at the gunfire scene. Police say he is a convicted felon so he could not legally possess a gun; this gun was not reported stolen but, police say, had previously belonged to a “homicide victim in Federal Way.” His bail was set at $100,000 the day after his arrest; he was released after posting bond and is due back in court tomorrow for arraignment.

NOT CHARGED YET: In the other August 7 arrest, that of a man accused of breaking into Gatewood mailboxes, no charges are filed yet against the 28-year-old suspect, who lives in Kent. The case hadn’t been referred to prosecutors by the rush-filing deadline on August 9, so he was released from jail. This doesn’t mean he’ll never be charged – sometimes charges are filed weeks or even months after arrests.

1994 August 21, 2024 (10:14 pm)

A 28 year old man travelling from Kent to West Seattle to break into mail boxes……makes me wonder if he travelled by bus, car, or how he got here. And, he was released so he could possibly return to try again…. Maybe he should get a legal job to earn himself money instead of trying to rip people off. I hope the legal charges do catch up to him.

Brian August 22, 2024 (8:11 am)

Why would it matter if he biked or drove or took a bus? What are you actually angling at here?
My two cents August 22, 2024 (10:10 am)

More speed bumps probably would have deterred him.

Reality August 22, 2024 (5:52 am)

If he can travel to steak from mailboxes he can travel for a job interview, but chooses not to. I wonder why

RT August 22, 2024 (7:45 am)

A bit of a red flag here…..if the gun previously belonged to a homicide victim isn’t there a possibility Mr, Brown was involved in the homicide ?

PDiddy August 22, 2024 (10:17 am)

I wonder if the NWBF is to blame again for a violent felon getting out so quick?

WSB August 22, 2024 (12:28 pm)

I checked the bond, as those are part of the court record. No.

WestSeattleNative August 24, 2024 (8:56 am)

What is the name of the judge who set a ridiculously low bail?

Meryl August 27, 2024 (8:22 pm)

Jesse, I believe your van has been found in Seattle with a different plate but I dont understand this Reddit post. It doesnt say where. https://www.reddit.com/r/Westfalia/comments/1f2sw5x/found_in_seattle_listed_stolen_westfalia/?share_id=MHX4sdo8vcd5wHP23PFlT&utm_content=1&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1

WSB August 27, 2024 (8:34 pm)

I’ll send Jesse a note. Thank you.
- Wendy August 28, 2024 (8:53 am)
  
  Hi I posted a found van on reddit. The license plate doesn’t match what you posted and the hub caps are wrong but…. the stickers might match. It’s at 222 S Austin Street Seattle WA 98108.