12:18 PM: Police are in The Junction after a robbery reported at Menashe and Sons Jewelers. The robbers are reported to have gotten away in a silver Subaru but that’s already been reported apparently dumped somewhere bear 35th/Fauntleroy, with its occupants possibly getting into a white Camry and heading eastbound on the bridge. The robbers were reported to have been armed with “hammers and bear spray.” More to come.
12:29 PM: We’ve added a photo above sent by Clarence Higuera, who was in the area right after this happened, He also just put us on the phone with a witness who was in the store and says the robbers – masked – smashed their way in and were in and out very quickly. Clarence’s photo shows broken glass in front of the store as well as police. Menashe and Sons has long had a locked door, and other security measures since a crash-and-grab burglary on Christmas Eve 2022.
12:52 PM: We’ve also just received those photos of the damage inside the shop. Police are canvassing nearby businesses for video cameras that might have caught something. If you have any tips or video that might help the investigation, the incident number is 25-233180. The first 911 call came in at noon.
1:14 PM: The Junction Association has long had supplemental security; WSJA tells us the regular hours are in the evening and overnight. Tonight they’ll be “stationed in The Junction at Menashe’s” starting in the early evening and continuing until tomorrow morning. Also of note: WSJA tells us Police Chief Shon Barnes has shown up at the robbery scene. He was already scheduled to be in West Seattle tonight for the city’s Council District 1 version of the Community Safety Forum (6 pm, Delridge Community Center, 4458 Delridge Way SW).
1:47 PM: Another note: The same block saw a daylight smash-and-grab robbery three and a half years ago, in April 2022, at what was at the time Bellevue Rare Coins on the ground floor of what was at the time the Senior Center of West Seattle (the space that now holds Snapdragon). Meantime, we’re not sure if police have recovered the getaway car, as an officer who has seen video just broadcast that it was a silver/blue Subaru Outback with a dealership placard on the back, nothing on the front, some damage near the right rear wheel. That officer also said there were four robbers; the only descriptions broadcast were clothing, including three in gray hoodies, one in a red hoodie.
1:59 PM: CSI detectives have just told dispatch they’re on scene too.
4 PM: Police say the robbers “stole an estimated $1 million dollars’ worth of jewelry” if not more. They also verify that no related vehicle(s) have been recovered yet. Meantime, we have a crew back in The Junction to follow up and they report the shop is installing a temporary door.
4:19 PM: Shop management asked us “to let our customers know that we will be closed until Monday.”
4:46 PM: Anne Higuera spoke with Menashe family members at the shop for WSB. Jack Menashe said, “We’re thankful that no one was hurt … we’ll get through this.” In addition to the police chief coming to the scene, they said they’d also received a call from the mayor.
ADDED 9:43 PM: Here’s the updated summary from police, who say the estimated value of what was taken has doubled:
Seattle police officers are investigating an estimated two million dollar smash and grab robbery of a jewelry store in West Seattle this afternoon.
On Aug. 14, at 12:00 p.m., patrol officers responded to reports of a robbery at a jewelry store in the 4500 block of California Avenue Southwest. There, officers determined that four masked suspects used hammers to smash the locked front glass door. Once inside, they smashed six glass display cases and stole an estimated two million dollars’ worth of jewelry, diamonds, and luxury watches.
According to the police report, “one of the glass jewelry displays contained 700-800k in Rolex watches, another contained an emerald necklace valued at $125k and a platinum diamond. Two other display cases contained a large amount of gold jewelry.”
During the 90-second heist, one of the suspects pointed bear spray and a taser at employees while the others robbed the store. Neither the victims or witnesses reported any injuries to police. When finished, the suspects fled the scene in a getaway car before officers arrived. Police searched the area, yet they did not locate the suspects.
The Robbery Unit, Crime Scene Investigations Unit, and the Photo and Video Units responded to process the scene. Anyone with information is asked to call the SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000. Anonymous tips are accepted.
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