WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Online sale turned robbery; pedestrian assault

Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports from the weekend:

ONLINE SALE TURNED ROBBERY: We heard fragments of this on Saturday but not enough information to report until we could obtain the police narrative today. After setting up an online sale of clothing items via Instagram, an Arbor Heights teenager told police the “buyers” showed up and robbed him of the items at gunpoint. This happened at a house near Arbor Heights Elementary, according to the police narrative, around 1 pm Saturday. The robbers were described as Hispanic, male, in their teens or 20s, one “with a high fade haircut with curly brown Afro type hair on top,” another with “black/brown curly Afro style hair,” another with a black ski mask, no other descriptive factors for the fourth. After arranging for the sale, one person came to the victim’s door, he told police, and asked the victim to gather all the items – five hoodies, three T-shirts, and one pair of sweatpants – and bring them to a car outside. When the victim did that, he said, the other three robbers got out of the vehicle with handguns and pointed them at the victim. demanding he hand over the items. After he did so, the report says, they ordered him to go back in the house and get more clothing to give them. When he got back outside, the robbers were gone. Police note that the Instagram account through which the sale was arranged was “blocked and deleted … shortly after the incident took place.” The report says the robbers’ vehicle was captured on at least three nearby security cameras but redacts the description; though as we noted the incident audio is fragmentary, it did describe the vehicle as a red or maroon Escalade with darkened windows. While investigating this, police note, a King County Sheriff’s deputy contacted them to say, according to the SPD report, “they were investigating a very similar robbery involving selling items on Instagram, with a similar vehicle description and suspect description.” That happened just before 4:30 pm Saturday. The SPD report # is 25-097663; the KCSO case # is C25-011252.

STREET ASSAULT: This reader report involved an incident reported on 51st SW around 10 am Sunday.

Person in this (video) assaulted a female pedestrian in Seaview at 10 AM. Stayed on site harassing bystanders and witnesses for ~10 minutes. SPD arrived too late to confront him. Riding kids’ purple BMX bike. Notify SPD if you see him.

Both the reader and the incident audio indicate the victim did not need medical attention; incident audio described the suspect as “grab(bing) her.” If you have any information, the incident number is 25-98420.

7 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Online sale turned robbery; pedestrian assault"

  • Kt April 14, 2025 (8:38 pm)

    Granted the thieves were the bad guys, and I hope they are caught an prosecuted, but is the teenager under age 18?  If so why is that teen selling items on line to strangers and giving out their home address???!!!  The internet is not a friendly place for children (or adults).  #StrangerDanger

  • Kravitz April 15, 2025 (10:19 am)

    I saw that guy pedaling that bike up Jacobsen hill  that morning around 9:45 as I was heading down to Beach Drive. He veered towards my vehicle from the opposite side of the street, seemingly wanting to get hit. Maybe there’s better video of him from the homes on that road that can help ID him? Seems a danger to himself and others.

  • T Rex April 15, 2025 (12:42 pm)

    Driving an Cadillac Check. Cannot make the payments or its stolen. Check. Poor parenting or none at all. Check. IF caught, they will be released and they promise to return for the hearing. CHECK. Local city and counties great way of dealing with crime. CHECKThe true definition of insanity, doing the same thing  over and over and expecting different results. 

  • Suzanne April 16, 2025 (12:21 am)

    Is it possible to get the cross street where the assault took place on 51st SW?

    • Laura April 18, 2025 (7:53 am)

      Based on the video and the Jacobsen sightings I’m assuming approximately Dawson/Hudson. 

  • Dog Whisperer April 16, 2025 (10:19 am)

    Probably time for the west seattle men’s militia. 

  • Laura April 18, 2025 (7:50 am)

    I saw that guy (from the 51st Ave assault) yesterday Thursday 4/17 walking down Jacobsen. Assuming it’s him since he had the same big light-colored blanket/quilt draped over him which was odd enough that I kept my distance despite not yet having read this article. This was ~2pm 4/17, walking down Jacobsen and turning right on Beach Dr after crossing at the striped crosswalk, then he headed down the sidewalk at the split towards  the water/concrete bench. So he’s still in the area. 

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published.