WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Crash-and-grab burglars hit another Junction smoke shop

Thanks for the tip. Seattle Police report this morning that crash-and-grab burglars drove into another West Seattle Junction smoke shop just before 3:30 today, this time the World of Smoke and Vape in the 4800 block of California, almost exactly 24 hours after the attempt at West Seattle Smoke Company less than a block north. Here’s the police summary:

Seattle police are investigating a burglary at a West Seattle smoke shop early Friday morning after suspects used a stolen car to ram the front and gain entry.

At 3:29 a.m., officers responded to an alarm in the 4800 block of California Avenue Southwest. When officers arrived, they found a gold Kia left at the scene after it had been used to crash through the front entrance of the business.

A witness told police he saw six masked men arrive in two vehicles. One suspect drove the Kia into the building. Five of the suspects entered the store and began grabbing merchandise while the sixth stood lookout. The suspects fled northbound on California Avenue SW at a high rate of speed in a silver vehicle before officers arrived.

The impact caused major damage to the store, including a destroyed security gate and shattered front windows.

Police confirmed that the Kia had been reported stolen from Seattle.

General Investigations Unit detectives are leading the investigation. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Seattle Police Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000. Incident Number: 25-225915

Listening back to the archived incident audio, one thing not mentioned in the police summary: The model of the car used to ram the store. As with the one a day earlier, it was a Kia Sportage.

Adam August 8, 2025 (9:36 am)

Hope this is helpful, for anyone reading this with a Kia or Hyundai with this vulnerability(pre 2023), I believe you can get your car’s software updated for free at a dealership that prevents thieves from using the vulnerability to steal your vehicle. More info https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/07/business/thieves-hyundai-kia-new-security-software

important note in here about correctly locking vehicle after software update.
“One reason may be that owners aren’t using the vehicles’ new security software correctly, Moore said. For the anti-theft software to work, the vehicle must be locked using a button on the key fob — not by turning the metal key in the door lock.”

WS Res August 8, 2025 (9:43 am)

So Kia still hasn’t fixed its security problem, and everyone else pays the price.

Alki person August 8, 2025 (8:47 pm)

It’s not Kia’s fault that there was a burglary. It’s the fault of the criminal who perpetrated this crime.

Lola August 8, 2025 (9:55 am)

Stake out the Smokeshops in WS it sounds like. They are going to just keep coming.

Anne August 8, 2025 (1:14 pm)

Yeah -like there’s enough police to stake out the smoke shops. Take them off patrol duty -put in unmarked cars for how long -4hours, 8 hours, 10 hours? How often-once a week -twice -more? How about installing metal pull down gates & bollards .
- Vater_nummer_zwei August 11, 2025 (10:47 pm)
  
  We need some rooftop Best Seattleites!

Barb August 8, 2025 (9:56 am)

This address is location of ORIGINS shop?

WSB August 8, 2025 (12:44 pm)

Origins is next door. Different business, same building. They had been offering the space for rent for a while; I don’t know exactly when this shop opened.
Donna August 8, 2025 (1:44 pm)

This shop just opened a few weeks ago, such a shame, all the work they put into it ….

N in Seattle August 8, 2025 (9:57 am)

I thought the easy-to-steal ignition flaw in Kias had been rectified.

Blunted August 8, 2025 (10:25 am)

Doesn’t the smoke shop franchise share its entrance with Origins cannabis?

Surprised they did not go for the expensive weed products next door.

Derp August 8, 2025 (1:22 pm)

They are buglers, not rocket scientist. Lol

bill August 8, 2025 (12:59 pm)

The Kia problem is not Kia’s fault if the owners don’t get their cars updated.

HTB August 8, 2025 (1:08 pm)

Ummm – where were the police? Why aren’t they patrolling the Junction?

Al King August 8, 2025 (4:21 pm)

HTB. We do have police patrolling. Reality is that we don’t have enough police to have one on every block 24/7/365.

Jeff August 8, 2025 (2:23 pm)

Wild. A friend and I were on the way to a frisbee game yesterday evening and called 911 to report a bronze Kia suv coming off the WS bridge and turning left (S) onto 35th at a very fast clip, driven by a man in a black ski cap. Not an emergency but seemed very weird. We shared first three digits of the license plate and went on our way. Now reading this.

Gill August 8, 2025 (2:27 pm)

I too was confused thinking this was the address of origins. But the space next-door to origins was where the crime happened. That vape store must’ve just opened recently. Origins has multiple yellow concrete bollards inside its windows and other barriers. The new space did not seem to have any of these safety protections.

Patrick August 8, 2025 (4:45 pm)

So sorry this happened—hope the police catch this gang soon.Many of us (including myself) posted multiple times before they opened to install bollards, which they did not. Hope they reconsider.

John Smith August 8, 2025 (5:04 pm)

I was recently told by a smoke shop employee (in person) and an Origins employee (via phone) that the smoke shop is Origins’ smoke shop and the two stores have the same manager. I don’t understand why smoke shops are targeted; I don’t think smoke shops have any cannabis product.

1994 August 8, 2025 (10:52 pm)

A witness told police he saw six masked men arrive in two vehicles. One suspect drove the Kia into the building. Five of the suspects entered the store and began grabbing merchandise while the sixth stood lookout. Sheesh! That is a lot of bad guys! These crimes deserve special consequences.

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