Update: Latest turn in search for West Seattle’s missing totem pole

We’ve got a lot of checking to do when our Parks and Police contacts are back in the office tomorrow, but in the meantime, for late-night news checkers, a short update on this weekend’s developments in the case of the missing totem pole.

Background: After a WSB’er e-mailed us Wednesday morning to ask where the West Seattle Rotary Viewpoint Park totem pole (photo at left used with Rotary’s permission) had gone, we quickly put in an inquiry with the Parks Department, then went over to check the scene (35th/Alaska, overlooking the West Seattle Golf Course), taking the photos you see in this story we published Thursday morning, after Parks spokesperson Dewey Potter confirmed to WSB that they hadn’t authorized anyone to remove it and would report it as stolen. After reading our story, WSB commenters reported seeing trucks at the scene Monday evening – a tow truck assisting a stuck crane truck. A few longtime Rotary Club of West Seattle members also have been investigating, as we mentioned in our Friday followup – the club donated the park and pole in 1976 and isn’t taking this lightly. On Saturday, we followed along as they tried to track the trail. Read on:

First, note that we are not using names or other specifics because at this point, this remains a crime investigation:

The Rotarians had made contact with the Kent-based crane company that acknowledged removing the pole. They told us its owner couldn’t recall an exact address but said if they came out to meet him, he would take them to the (extremely) rural southeastern King County neighborhood where he had delivered the pole.

And so he did. But no one appeared to be home, and there was no sign of a totem pole. The Rotarians talked to a few neighbors, who said they hadn’t seen one either. They did volunteer that the home belonged to a man who also has a residence in West Seattle.

The crane operator gave the Rotarians the name he said he was given – and explained why the authorization sounded legitimate, saying the man who hired him claimed to be working on a city-authorized project to refurbish art works like this. The operator added that the man knew exactly how to remove the pole, including having the right tools to separate it from its base (shown here in our photo from Wednesday):

The name mentioned by neighbors (first name only) was the same as the first name of the person the crane operator mentioned.

With nothing turning up at the rural King County house, and other assignments looming for us, we parted ways with the Rotarians and headed back to West Seattle. They were going to try to find the West Seattle address of the person named by the tow-truck driver, and they promised to call us with an update.

When they did, they told us they did speak with him, but he claimed to have no knowledge of the situation. So now, they say, they’re going to have to leave it in the police’s hands. We’ll be checking tomorrow with Police and Parks and will let you know if they have made any progress. And of course they would still be interested in hearing from anyone with information on what happened.

24 Replies to "Update: Latest turn in search for West Seattle's missing totem pole"

  • k December 6, 2009 (11:07 pm)

    I think the crane company should have asked for an order for removal from the Parks Dept or something before just letting “what’s his name” talk them into taking a pole down. Doesn’t it seem suspicious to anyone else?

  • LyndaB December 6, 2009 (11:34 pm)

    I think the crane company really dropped the ball on this case of ‘Umm, this doesn’t make sense’.

  • Herman December 6, 2009 (11:34 pm)

    I’ll wager the Rotarian’s Nancy Drew investigation has alerted the perps, who are now busy destroying the evidence. Should have left this to the cops.

    • WSB December 6, 2009 (11:49 pm)

      My understanding is that the police already had talked to these folks. However, I have not confirmed that with the police. They did confirm to me on Friday that detectives have been out in the field on the case. Also for context’s sake, the Rotary Club started looking into it about the same time we did – I first heard from someone there two hours before we published our first story on Thursday, asking if we’d heard anything about it – they’d heard the report of the stuck truck, and from there you could have drawn conclusions that maybe it had been knocked down, or …

      I wasn’t here in 1976 but it was apparently a huge deal that what had been an old dumping ground had been cleaned up, turned into a park, the pole commissioned, etc., and donated, so whether you agree with people doing some sleuthing themselves or not, you have to understand the ownership they feel in it. (A summary of its history also includes a mention that it was taken down for some refurbishing in 1992 and returned to its spot with a big ceremony.)

      This is a really active service club; the trip out to meet the crane guy came hours after the Rotary’s annual Christmas Shopping Spree event, which started before dawn that day … TR

  • WMF December 7, 2009 (2:46 am)

    when this is all taken care of, id like to at least be fifth in line to tar and feather the thief… that totem pole is one of our biggest icons.

  • Cheryl December 7, 2009 (4:39 am)

    Personally, I’m kind of proud that the Rotary Club *IS* so involved in the search/investigation, since I’m quite certain most police departments wouldn’t put this kind of theft at the top of their priority list. Let alone a police dept that has experienced the high level of drama ours has in the past 2 months.

    I hope MORE people will come forward either way, because I for one miss seeing the totem pole when I’m coming/going along 35th & I really can’t believe it was removed SO easily without someone, somewhere knowing more.

  • KNM December 7, 2009 (7:11 am)

    This is just so sad and so wrong! I hope the totem is found and returned to its home!

  • karen December 7, 2009 (7:30 am)

    Last night on the new there was a report of another totem pole that was stolen in Bellevue.

  • k December 7, 2009 (9:08 am)

    Word Cheryl!

  • onceachef December 7, 2009 (9:39 am)

    There’s a serial totem pole stealer out there!

  • rnl December 7, 2009 (11:26 am)

    Here is another interesting story of another “Stolen” Totem from Seattle’s past – http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=2076

  • WSB December 7, 2009 (1:26 pm)

    Just looked this up in response to a comment on another thread. Did a Google news check for all mentions of “totem pole.” Only theft besides our coverage was a smaller pole stolen from, and returned to, the east side of VANCOUVER (BC):
    http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20091207/bc_totem_returned_091207/20091207/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome

  • dawsonct December 7, 2009 (1:30 pm)

    Hold the crane operators responsible if the totem and perpetrators aren’t found. I don’t know HOW they could argue that they are NOT accessories in the crime.

    The fact settlers and fortune seekers of European descent stole many of these icons in the past(including the original PSquare pole), in no way justifies this/these latest thefts.

  • miws December 7, 2009 (2:46 pm)

    I agree, dawsonct. But, based on what we’ve learned so far, I want to see them charged no matter what.

    .

    How could they go on the guy’s word, that he was a legitimite city employee? Did the guy produce any paperwork? If so, did the crane co take the time to closely scrutinize it, or just give it a cursory glance? Shouldn’t they have double checked with the Parks Dept?

    .

    Another thing that’s been bugging me, is the fact that the crane truck got stuck in the grass. I know, mistakes happen, but what precautions did the crane co take to keep that from happening? Did they check the grassy surface before pulling the truck up onto it, to see if it was wet or mushy? Did they lay down boards, or anything to prevent the tires from getting stuck in the grass/mud?

    .

    One of my thoughts from the start, was perhaps it was a “trusted” employee, with keys and after hour access to the crane co’s property and equipment? If so, maybe he was in on the “prank”, or perhaps, took some money under the table?

    .

    To many of the non-Native American West Seattleites such as myself, it’s a maddening theft of a beloved landmark from our community. To the Native Americans, it’s an insulting theft of something sacred to them and their culture.

    .

    Mike

  • Aaron December 7, 2009 (3:05 pm)

    I have to agree with dawsonct.

    What kind of company takes cash for a job that is supposedly part of a public works project?

    The crane company is accountable for this (even if is because they were ignorant & negligent).

    If it turns out they are not partially responsible, maybe the next crook could hire a wrecking company to smash through the side of a bank or federal depository by telling them it was for a public works project.

  • WSMom December 7, 2009 (4:01 pm)

    The audacity of stealing a large piece of public/sacred art during rush hour is staggering. Hundreds of people drove by while the theft occurred and presumed they were watching a legit operation. I hope the totem gets returned undamaged and the thieves get nailed big time.

  • Jim December 7, 2009 (4:19 pm)

    Aaron,

    Lets not forget that SPD also was called during the removal of the pole. It sounded as if they came and provided traffic control.

    But the blog commenter who said why police were called, implied concern about damages to the park, and a quizical “what’s going on” question. only a review of the 911 tape would confirm that, but it is what we hear from our precinct time and time again. If you see something odd and out of place going on, call it in.

    The end result was not quite what the caller had in mind.

  • pcdictionary December 7, 2009 (7:26 pm)

    Fortune seekers and settlers should go back where they came from. Just because you were born here does not make you a native American.

  • dawsonct December 8, 2009 (8:28 am)

    No, but we are all human. Real estate should matter less than humanity.

    It doesn’t, but it should.

  • sophista-tiki December 8, 2009 (9:00 am)

    The Stolen Idol was made in 1976 by a SW Seattle Artist. We do have a comprehensive history book for West Seattle. Seems to me there is misplaced outrage about the wrong issues.
    The point is some theif was bold enough to do this on a large scale right infront of everyone.
    I can only think of 2 scenarios for this crime.
    1) Totems go for about $100/ft. so it was stolen and already sold. 2) Someone in the hood with the $ and resources removed it because they wanted it gone for their own selfish reasons.

    Either way, I doubt that we will see it again
    which in my opinion SUCKS. The pole is a WS landmark that belongs to all of us. I wouldn’t be suprised if the rest of them start disappearing as well.
    Where do we sign up to do something about it?

  • I. Ponder December 8, 2009 (12:52 pm)

    A few years ago (before Hurricane Katrina) I read an article about large-scale theft of cemetery ornaments and metalwork from New Orleans cemeteries. Shortly after that I saw a guy in the Home Depot parking lot trying to sell a very large carved stone winged angel from the back of his pickup truck. The thieves who stole “our” totem pole are professionals. Well-planned, not on impulse. I bet retired Rotarians have more available time to put into sleuthing this than SPD. It’s possible some are retired cops or wannabe detectives. Please go get ’em!! If we get the pole back it there should be a re-dedication ceremomy.

  • Morgan December 9, 2009 (9:33 am)

    Whatever became of other West Seattle totem pole that disappeared and was replaced without any feedback from the community? The one overlooking the bay? The one that is there is lovely.

    I just wish I could visit the old one and the missing one in a museum like the Burke or the Museum of History and Industry or even the State Museum.

    As more people cut down all of the tall trees, there will be even more cultural significance to the loss of our totem poles.

    This really really upsets me, as it the West Seattle Rotary pole has been a part of my life since it went up in the park and it taught me to respect our culture and heritage.

    Please do whatever possible to rescue the totem pole animals and return them to their home.

  • Duwamish Longhouse December 9, 2009 (5:51 pm)

    It was disheartening to read about the stolen totem pole. If you would like to share a bit of the Duwamish story, we would like to invite our West Seattle neighbors to the Duwamish Longhouse & Cultural Center this Saturday at 7PM for the World Premiere of the film “Princess Angeline.” Doors open at 6 PM. We will be serving popcorn and hot chocolate.

    Most Duwamish Indians were forced and burned out of Seattle, but Princess Angeline, Chief Seattle’s daughter, refused to leave her homeland. What historical events led up to her being one of the few Duwamish left in the City of Seattle by the 1890’s, only 35 years after the peace treaties? This new film by local filmmakers Sandy & Yasu Osawa explores the unrecognized tribal status of the Duwamish primarily through the life of Princess Angeline. The film will be followed by a discussion with Cecile Hansen, the Duwamish Tribal Chairperson and Seattle filmmakers’ Sandy & Yasu Osawa. 4705 W Marginal Way SW. 431-1582. The suggested donation ($10 adults/$5 students/seniors) supports operations. Hope to see you there.

  • KalHel December 10, 2009 (1:04 pm)

    3rd post down from the top-
    “I’ll wager the Rotarian’s Nancy Drew investigation has alerted the perps, who are now busy destroying the evidence. Should have left this to the cops.”

    Pay up Herman.

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