CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Four days after smash-and-grab robbery, Menashe & Sons Jewelers prepares to reopen

| Crime | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

(WSB photo, earlier today)

Behind those doors, the Menashe and Sons Jewelers owners and staff were working today to get ready to reopen tomorrow for the first time since Thursday’s high-noon smash-and-grab robbery, shown on security video the family-owned shop has released:

They were working today on inventory, continuing to catalog what had been stolen so police would have photos to circulate. The shop stressed in a statement on Friday that no jewelry or watches left by customers for service had been taken. They plan to be open 10:30 am to 5 pm tomorrow.

Meantime, we asked SPD if they had any updates on the investigation – short answer, no; longer answer, they say they’ll “release information when/if arrests are made.” If you have tip(s), the hotline is 206-233-5000 and the incident # is 25-233180.

mygoodness August 18, 2025 (6:14 pm)

Those are kids. Not pros. $2MM in loot. Split 4 ways and it’s still more money than most Americans take home – after taxes – for the past 5 years of work. How did they smash the glass with their bare hands and not get cut-up? What a weird world we live in. This is not the West Seattle I moved to 20 years ago.

Derp August 18, 2025 (6:41 pm)

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They used hammers on the door and cases inside the store. If these robbers are doing a crime like this one. They sure are adults and would bet they don’t not live in west Seattle either.
The King August 18, 2025 (6:47 pm)

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They used hammers to break the glass. It feels like less than 1/4 of the businesses are even still around from twenty years ago. Main drags are canyons of apartment buildings, cars sitting in a single row as far as you can see on any main drag, graffiti everywhere. It’s night and day compared to 2005
- WSB August 18, 2025 (9:51 pm)
  
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  The heart of The Junction is not a ‘canyon of apartment buildings,’ though it’s been zoned for that possibility for more than a quarter of a century. Between Oregon and Edmunds, there are three apartment buildings (one between Oregon and Alaska, two between Alaska and Edmunds, all three of those on the east side). The only project in the pipeline – and currently on indefinite hold – on the west side is the “future home of Husky Deli” building. Along much of the blocks north and south, the apartment buildings are decades old two-and-three-story buildings, while the majority of newer development is townhouses. Fauntleroy has a “canyon” block south of Alaska because of Maris and Huxley on the east side, Whittaker on the west side, and Avalon is probably the most canyon-ish at all, but unlike even Fauntleroy (Way), those aren’t mixed-use buildings, they’re entirely residential (some are condos) – TR
  - JN August 18, 2025 (10:23 pm)
    
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    Thank you WSB for the explanations and corrections.
- K August 19, 2025 (4:33 am)
  
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  Twenty years ago, there was a very sad Super Supplements on the corner, and half the block was occupied by a PetSmart (or was it Petco?). Now there’s an apartment building on that corner, bringing loads more people in to support the local businesses and the large chain pet store has been replaced by several small, local businesses and restaurants. The Junction 20 years ago was pretty sad compared to what it is now. That’s probably why you’re seeing lines of cars now that you didn’t before.
Marina August 18, 2025 (7:00 pm)

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Hammers.
- mygoodness August 18, 2025 (9:24 pm)
  
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  Thanks, I couldn’t see the hammers clearly on the video, I guess. Looks pretty amateur but I would think they must’ve cased the place a bit before doing this. Wondering if previous instore video of visitors could provide clues. I think they have movements like late teen boys.

Al King August 18, 2025 (6:51 pm)

These are CRIMINALS. They don’t need excuses and apologizers. They need jail time.

K August 18, 2025 (9:11 pm)

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Who is saying they need excuses or apologizers?
- Al King August 19, 2025 (12:50 pm)
  
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  The top comment says these were kids-not pros. Umm, no they’re criminals.

Steve August 18, 2025 (8:26 pm)

That camera will not be helpful whatsoever.

bill August 18, 2025 (9:15 pm)

Yet another crummy, fuzzy crime video. Even without masks it would not be possible to identify the suspects. Why do people, and high-value businesses in particular, install such low-grade equipment? And install it so poorly — up at the ceiling the camera would have easily been defeated by ball cap visors as we have seen repeatedly.

WSB August 18, 2025 (9:48 pm)

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(a) Please note, this is me shooting off my screen to enlarge, crop, and mute a recording they made off their screen and uploaded to a third-party service. The police, I’m sure, have a clear first-gen copy.

(b) Detectives look for a variety of other factors other than face. I have a 115-plus-page charging document narrative in another robbery-related story I’m working on and the details harvested from security video, and how they are matched to individual suspects,, are quite amazing. – TR
pelicans August 19, 2025 (5:09 pm)

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Although you probably don’t intend to, please don’t engage in victim blaming.

Tracy August 19, 2025 (5:45 am)

Goodness. So much blame aimed haphazardly, no? I guess I’m just grateful no one was killed and I’m sorry the staff had to endure such a scare. I hope the criminals are caught. And I love love LOVE where I live…warts and all. Have a lovely day.

AS August 19, 2025 (10:22 am)

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Fully agree on every point, Tracy!
Lauren August 19, 2025 (11:55 am)

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Well said

North Admiral Cyclist August 19, 2025 (6:03 am)

Of course better security cameras in the store would be helpful, as these cameras don’t look to provide footage as good as our Amazon-purchased cheapies, or to be very well placed. But, whether they have modern, 4k security cameras in the store or not may not make a huge difference when perps make sure they wear masks, hoods, loose clothing, gloves, etc. to disguise their identity What could be more helpful to law enforcement are “street” security/safety cameras at key locations around the Junction and West Seattle that could be used to track the perps movements and vehicle swaps as they came to the site of the crime and departed the area. I also wonder if they used “bear spray” (instead of guns) to prevent law enforcement from using a gun in return. That is, to avoid triggering a deadly response.

pelicans August 19, 2025 (5:18 pm)

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I suppose detectives know this, and I’ve seen it used in a murder trial, but it’s never mentioned – did these perps turn off their cell phones before, after and during the robbery? Prosecutors can follow phones down to feet, even within a building if the suspect has it on his person. I really hope it works with a phone that is turned off, too.
- WSB August 19, 2025 (7:08 pm)
  
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  Don’t know but yes, that’s often mentioned in charging documents, like the teenagers with the 2024 robbery spree (another one just arrested last week) – detectives mine many things, cell signals, social media, etc.

WSRob August 19, 2025 (9:45 am)

I fully understand many of you do not like guns. But 1 gun just pointed at the first robber as he used a hammer to enter would have ended all this. Possibly changed the mind of the robber for the next try… Guns are a good thing. They are an equalizer. Own one. Train with it. Protect your life and assets with one. Until then… enjoy the insurance process and power in the hands of bad people.

Norolex August 19, 2025 (10:49 am)

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Of course, you could draw your gun and shoot the bear spray can right out of the perp’s hands like in the Hollywood westerns.

No. WSRob it is the guns that make our country the laughing stock of civilization.
More firearms have not, do not and will not ever make Americans safe (please explain 46,000 deaths per year?).

Read through the slew of comments on this incident and you see many other suggestions on how to protect Menashe’s Jewelry.

There are many speculations on how the thieves scoped the store out and confirmed the casual security of this famously friendly neighborhood institution.

This brazen robbery appears to have taken advantage of an unforseen method of entry.An arms race is not the solution.
Lauren August 19, 2025 (11:45 am)

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A gun in this situation likely would have ended with someone dead—and no, not necessarily the criminals. It is very, very easy to look up data around this.
HarrySevenEagles August 19, 2025 (12:05 pm)

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I’m thinking that the use of a gun in this situation would likely be indefensible because the robbers aren’t threatening anyone’s life. Check with your lawyer, and yes, if you carry a gun you need to have a lawyer on speed dial and a plan for the disruption of your life that will follow use of a firearm.
- Mike August 19, 2025 (3:02 pm)
  
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  Harry: you might well be correct, and the outcome would be prosecutor, and then possibly jury dependent. One cannot use deadly force solely to protect property, so it would come down to whether the defender reasonably feared death or grave injury. Most places would allow it d/t the reasonable fear that these thieves meant to harm, tgw their violent manner, and most prosecutors would decline to bring charges. But this happened in Seattle, one of the most liberal cities in the country. Hesitation when using a firearm defensively can indeed get you or others killed.
Mike August 19, 2025 (12:23 pm)

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Seeing this video Im inclined to agree that a firearm would’ve been 100% effective, probably without a shot being fired. The store appears pretty empty, and a defender would’ve had ample time to set up behind a counter. Having a 12ga. shotgun pointed at you tends to “take the starch out of your jammies”A defender doesn’t always have this much time and clear space however, so firearms aren’t always the best option. Training is a MUST. We plan to make some kind of purchase at this store soon to support the wonderful people who run it.
- NoRolex August 19, 2025 (5:19 pm)
  
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  Yes, hunkering down behind the bar, aiming and firing a shotgun out onto the busy sidewalk and street of pedestrians and cars is a great idea.
  
  What could possibly go wrong?
  
  Not hesitating while using a firearm “defensively” also leads to innocent others being killed and the “defensive” shooter being prosecuted and sent up the river.