WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Police chase after another 7-11 robbery

Another West Seattle 7-11 robbery early today, but this one played out differently. An officer was on “directed patrol” focused on the Harbor Avenue 7-11 around 1:30 am when, according to the early summary, “The officer saw two suspects enter the 7-11 and grab the till. The officer interrupted the robbery, and the suspects entered a white Kia SUV. The officer recognized the robbery suspects being the same from the night prior at the 7-11 on SW Admiral. The officer initiated a pursuit, and other officers joined.” The archived audio indicates the robbers were chased across the bridge and onto northbound I-5, above 100 mph, at which point “it was terminated due to speeds” around Exit 168, north of downtown. Eventually, SPD tells us, the vehicle was dumped “in the East Precinct’s area and it was recovered.” Turned out to be stolen. The robbers, however, remain at large. They did not get away with the till, which police say was left at the scene when the robbery was interrupted. The Harbor Avenue 7-11 was the fourth one in West Seattle targeted in the past week, as detailed here.

Steve October 3, 2024 (10:54 am)

Kia’s and Hyundai should be banned.

Brandon October 3, 2024 (11:34 am)

So should 7-11s by this logic.
- Geoff October 4, 2024 (11:45 am)
  
  That’s actually a great idea considering everything they sell detrimental to human health.
Christopher B. October 3, 2024 (11:41 am)

@ Steve I’d go further than that and say that vehicles capable of going way over the speed limit of any highway in the US should not be street legal. And in 2024 it ought to be possible to remotely, electronically disable any car eluding the police at high speed.
- Neighbor October 3, 2024 (12:04 pm)
  
  Hyundai and Kia can’t even get door locks and ignition switches right. How do you expect them to secure a remote kill switch?
- Mukinabaht October 3, 2024 (12:52 pm)
  
  Yessss…cause the government has never abused power like that before. Giving them the ability to do that is just a band-aid over an infection. Address the root cause first, before defaulting to more power for the state.“What is ominous is the ease with which some people go from saying that they don’t like something to saying that the government should forbid it. When you go down that road, don’t expect freedom to survive very long.” -Thomas Sowell
  - Jason B October 3, 2024 (3:54 pm)
    
    Yet you are all ready to hand them tons of power with CCTV cameras all over.
- Rob October 3, 2024 (1:58 pm)
  
  Why don’t we just ban robbing stores or fleeing from the police after committing a banned activity?
  - wscommuter October 3, 2024 (8:42 pm)
    
    That seems extreme.
My two cents October 3, 2024 (12:29 pm)

Knee jerk response to “banning” certain makes or how to implement the legality/functional definition of “way over”. Example: car going 30% over the 60 mph freeway limit is 78 mph which is not an exception based on an observational perspective. Is 30% increase “way over”? Why don’t we try 50% over in a 25 zone … would be 38 mph. Limiting the “speed” of a vehicle doesn’t equate to solving the issue listed here – nice thought, but not practical. When the police are pursuing a suspect, overall safety for the officer/s and community as a whole are important factors and guidelines. Abandoning a pursuit needs to account for that – this isn’t starsky and hutch rerun it a fast and furious scenario.
CarDriver October 3, 2024 (12:37 pm)

If Kia’s and Hyundais are banned do you really believe no other brand of car will be stolen? Hate to inform you but they already are. As far as limiting speed…that’ll just entail WSB writing about slower speed chases.
- Christopher B. October 3, 2024 (1:34 pm)
  
  I’ve seen footage of stolen vehicles with OnStar being (at police request during a pursuit) stopped remotely. And it seems like a very civilized way to stop and arrest fleeing criminals. No chaotic pit maneuvers. No putting police officers in harm’s way with Wile E. Coyote type devices like stop sticks. Just a car slowing and stopping with the doors locked until officers can execute a controlled felony stop and remove them from the car. Seems like the future we could have if we wanted it.

WS Taxpayer October 3, 2024 (10:54 am)

Appreciate our law enforcement officers protecting our local businesses. Sorry the perps got away, but appreciate the discernment that went into abandoning a dangerous chase. Its funny how Police presence deters crime…sure would be nice to have more officers around town!

Fred October 3, 2024 (11:46 am)

Would be nice to have more Sevvies around town! Now we’re talking.
CAM October 3, 2024 (12:00 pm)

I’m not disagreeing that it was good the police were there. But by definition a crime occurred. Their presence did not deter any crime. They were able to, after the crime had been committed, attempt to apprehend the suspects and gather important evidence. That isn’t deterrence.
Marcus October 3, 2024 (12:45 pm)

WS Taxpayer, I have been saying this for years. Police presence is a deterrent. I am pleased that this common sense is being voiced.
Brian October 3, 2024 (12:53 pm)

The police officer was right there and the crime occurred anyway? Absolutely nothing was deterred here. Use your eyes.
- WSB October 3, 2024 (1:58 pm)
  
  Sorry, I don’t know whether this was a marked or unmarked unit.
- Question Authority October 3, 2024 (4:20 pm)
  
  That’s because the crime hadn’t been committed yet, then because of Police presence they quickly dealt with it so there’s the benefits of being out patrolling as a deterrent and to respond timely.
  - CAM October 3, 2024 (11:08 pm)
    
    If they had actually “deterred” someone from committing a crime, there would have been no legal justification to engage in a high speed pursuit or really any kind of pursuit. By definition, to deter means to discourage a person from doing a particular action. If these individuals are arrested, they will almost certainly be charged with a crime for these actions (not even taking into account any other actions they allegedly took) because attempting to commit a crime but failing to do so since you were interrupted is still a crime.
- Rhonda October 3, 2024 (5:26 pm)
  
  Did you not read the part where they didn’t get away with the till due to the SPD intervention, Brian?
  - K October 3, 2024 (5:45 pm)
    
    Brian was saying police presence didn’t stop it from happening in the first place, which is accurate. They were also able to get into a car and drive away even though the cops were present.
    - Rhonda October 3, 2024 (7:07 pm)
      
      K, the SPD car was very likely unmarked, therefore not a deterrent.
    - CAM October 3, 2024 (11:11 pm)
      
      To quote a reliable source (Rand policy institute), “Directed patrolling simply means to add visible patrols—whether in vehicles or on foot—when and where more crime is expected (i.e., hot spots). The underlying theory is that would-be criminals will be deterred by seeing police patrols.” So since the officer was on “directed patrol” I’m going to think the more logical conclusion is that they were intentionally visible.

Vee October 3, 2024 (11:49 am)

So glad police interrupted them but hope they get caughtWhy is any car made to go over 100, dangerous and not needed, would probably help reduce a lot of crime and crashes from speeding

Seattlite October 3, 2024 (11:58 am)

SPD….Thanks for your hard work. Too bad Seattle has a police officer shortage because more criminals could be stopped and caught. Hopefully, these criminals will think twice about robbing anymore 7-11s in the WS area. Seattle needs more police officers and to end its revolving-door criminal justice system.

Look Both Ways October 3, 2024 (12:07 pm)

Thanks to the police for engaging, and sorry the rules restricted them from the full chase. What an absurd society that allows criminals to outrun officers at their whim. We need the laws changed to enable road closures and/or “PIT” maneuvers to capture perpetrators in the act, and mitigate further harm; as allowed in other metros/states.

K October 3, 2024 (1:23 pm)

The rules are there, in part, to protect the officers. I am not sorry there are rules allowing officers to call off a chase when they don’t feel safe. Your absurd need for vengeance over property crimes is not worth an officer’s life.
- Question Authority October 3, 2024 (4:25 pm)
  
  So your ok with the potential for an armed robber to put a gun in a clerks face because it’s just a property crime? Strong arm or weapon related crime is an assault on innocent employees who are not at fault here, the marauders terrorizing the public are so quit excusing violent crime.
- Look Both Ways October 3, 2024 (4:44 pm)
  
  “Vengeance”?? No one’s suggesting Dirty Harry tactics here. But if you talk with police (we have) about whether they’re restricted (they are), most will tell you they need the rules changed to do their job effectively. Ask the 7-11 owners (often small franchisees, not sure about these locally) how they feel about the multiple recent targets. The inability to engage fully (e.g. ‘spiking’ as mentioned below as a reasonable option) just invites more of the same behavior. Again I applaud SPD for doing their best under the circumstances.
- Are you kidding me? October 3, 2024 (10:33 pm)
  
  K, robbery is a VIOLENT crime, not a property crime. Robberies are the #1 cause of random murders around the globe.
Joshua October 3, 2024 (1:45 pm)

Yes these robbers are jerks who need to be corrected. That being said I’m glad that they ended the chase before some bystander or pursuing officer was seriously hurt in the accidents that so frequently occur during these high speed chases. I am grateful for restrictions on chases.

Gill & Alex October 3, 2024 (12:10 pm)

Did they get away with the cash box?

Midi October 3, 2024 (12:23 pm)

At what point does 7-11 take action? They shouldn’t have to, but they are clearly being targeted and I feel for the employees – that should not be a job where you worry about your safety every time you go to work.

Jason October 3, 2024 (12:26 pm)

It’s unfortunate SPD couldnt block in the vehicle and deflate the tires prior to the suspects fleeing. Then call in guardian one to help track down the suspects via air patrol, vehicles setting up perimeter & officers on foot with K9. Seems the officers know who the individuals are and I’d venture to guess the suspects won’t attempt to rob another W Seattle 7-11 and will move elsewhere in the city for their next robbery attempt. Nice job by SPD, hope these suspects are apprehended before some innocent store clerk is injured or even worse killed by these dangerous criminals. We need these judges to quit letting dangerous criminals off easy!

WSB October 3, 2024 (12:51 pm)

There was talk in the audio early on about ‘spiking’ but that didn’t happen for some reason.

Craig October 3, 2024 (12:32 pm)

I don’t know what happened exactly, but I wish the police had more options to hold people like the Bola Wrap in situations like these. For cars they make something similar to disable the car tires. Of course the perps are going to drive away fast to get away from the cop if they know he has no options other than to follow behind them until they hit the fast enough speed to make the cops stop following them. https://www.realchangenews.org/news/2023/05/24/spd-will-begin-using-lasso-bolawrap-weapon

Marcus October 3, 2024 (12:33 pm)

Good job SPD! Now let’s get the drones up and flying so we can pursuit these criminals to a point where they feel safe and then nab them and haul them off to jail.

Danny October 3, 2024 (3:44 pm)

If the police have the car, they are had. Give it a few days.

Derrick October 3, 2024 (4:51 pm)

Kudos to the police who made what must have been a frustrating decision to terminate the pursuit. While we all fantasize about the police “catching the bad guys” public safety must be a priority and at speeds over 100 mph, there was risk of a horrific traffic accident had the pursuit continued. I hope some day the technology will evolve to allow for some form of intervening in situations like this.

Nadmiral October 4, 2024 (9:19 am)

THANK YOU SPD! ❤️❤️

momosmom October 5, 2024 (5:28 pm)

This happened Friday 10/4/24 at the WC Domino’s 3 males went in and robbed at gunpoint and also assaulted a girl who was going inside when the robbery was happening but turned and walked away and on this vid it shows one of the guys going after her after they came out then the one in green pulled his gun out and aimed it at her. Maybe these are the same guys that have been robbing the 7-11’s??? KC Sheriff showed up within 3 mins of it being reported. This crime has got to stop. 😔

Sorry, comment time is over.