WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Why the Guardian One helicopter was over Arbor Heights (and beyond)

| Crime | Helicopter | West Seattle news

5:33 PM: For those wondering why the Guardian One helicopter is over Arbor Heights – they’re helping SPD in an attempt to recover a stolen vehicle. The helicopter isn’t routinely summoned for this kind of call but the vehicle in question was reported to have been stolen in a carjacking, so that ups the case to robbery; we don’t know where or when that happened – no carjackings recently in WS. The car is described as a gray 2021 Dodge Challenger with a “small rear window broken out,” license starting with CMT; call 911 if you see it.

5:46 PM: With some indications the car might be headed north, or might even gotten onto the ferry, the helicopter has moved out of the Arbor Heights area.

Deb August 13, 2025 (5:48 pm)

Thank you WSBlog for ALWAYS knowing what is going on – in the air and on the ground. The Helicopter just flew over Seaview.

S August 13, 2025 (5:53 pm)

Saw a grey car that seemed to match that description speed down 41st around 5:30, called it in. Thanks for posting this!

WSB August 13, 2025 (6:02 pm)

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Heard that dispatch.

Highland_Park_Guy12 August 13, 2025 (8:18 pm)

Possibly the same one spotted circling just west of Westcrest park around 8:15pm. It’s a blue helicopter that’s says “Sheriff”.

WSB August 13, 2025 (8:54 pm)

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That was Guardian One (I watched its track until it totally left West Seattle airspace). It’s green and white, not blue, and it’s the only law enforcement helicopter in the metro area, operated by the King County Sheriff’s Office but assisting Seattle Police among other agencies.
- John S August 14, 2025 (10:34 am)
  
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  I’m surprised a city & police department the size of Seattle doesn’t have their own helicopter yet. Wonder if they will get one in the future? Especially with the wide area they cover.
  - WSB August 14, 2025 (10:45 am)
    
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    Having worked at a TV-news department that had its own helicopter at the time (the local TV stations have one by one gotten out of the helicopter business except for a shared aircraft last I heard), I can tell you they’re incredibly costly to operate. More likely they might get into the drone business (King County SO has some of those too), though I haven’t heard of any formal proposal
    - Al King August 14, 2025 (11:47 am)
      
      As an old timer SPD did have their own helicopter in the ’60’s early ’70’s. It even had floats on it so they could land on water.
  - Long time listener August 15, 2025 (12:51 am)
    
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    Seattle had two helicopters. A Volkswagen repair shop (called Jacks )across from whats now called Endofline the owner Jack was taking flying lessons in a small plane No one knows what happened but either the seattle police helicopter came down on top of the plane or the plane came up underneath the helicopter all died in the crash that was the end of Seattle’s police helicopters as an aside as young kids we would drink (keggers) in Lincoln Park and the police helicopter would try to find us they never did