West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
We start this West Seattle Crime Watch roundup with an incident that brought several texts/calls tonight because of a big response:
Police responded to an assault call in the West Seattle Stadium area. According to Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Pierre Davis, a woman under the influence of the drug known as “ecstasy” attacked someone by hitting them with a skateboard. Lt. Davis says she’s in custody. The victim was taken to a hospital to be evaluated.
Also tonight, two reader reports. First one is about attempted burglaries (these came up at tonight’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, too, and we’re working on the full report on everything discussed there). John in the 5000 block of 40th SW reports:
My back door was kicked in yesterday morning at 7 am, as was my next-door neighbor’s door. Nothing was stolen out of either house. My neighbor was home at the time, I was not. I understand a house two blocks from me had the same thing happen around 3 pm yesterday.
From Miranda, word of a stolen moped – the one in this montage:
She says it was stolen Sunday night or Monday near 59th/Alki: “The moped is a Motobecane; it has pedals but is missing it’s motor as we were working on updating it. The front wheel is bright turquoise and the back on is a maroon-ish color. It’s very unique so it’s hard to miss.” If you’ve seen it, call police.
(Photos courtesy Seattle Parks and Recreation)
Followup today on the huge copper-wire theft that has put Delridge Playfield out of commission for many events until further notice, as reported here last night. Today, Parks says its electricians estimate the repairs will cost up to $20,000 and take up to two weeks. They were at the parks today, as were police, trying to find out more about the theft of 1,200 feet of wire. An update from Parks today explains how it happened:
The copper wiring was accessed from the junction boxes under light poles around the perimeter of the field. After cutting the wires between each junction box, thieves brought in a vehicle (likely a truck), hooked up the wire to the vehicle and pulled out the wiring. Parks staff believe the theft was conceived and executed over several nights, as it appears other junction boxes with wire still inside were prepared for theft.
Parks’ update quotes acting superintendent Christopher Williams as saying, “This is a significant theft … and we want to catch the person or people who did it because this creates a needless expense for taxpayers and an unnecessary loss of playing time for park users. … We are asking anyone who is a neighbor to a Seattle Parks and Recreation ballfield to help us keep eyes on our parks. We need neighbors’ help to deter criminal activity.” Call Seattle Police if you have any information about the theft – or any time you spot suspicious activity. Parks also says you can report suspicious behavior to the Park Rangers’ office at 206-255-8325.
(One more reminder about crime concerns/trends in general – the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meets at 7 tonight, Southwest Precinct meeting room, SW Webster just west of Delridge Way SW.)
(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
9:07 PM: For the second time today, police are investigating a stabbing – this time, near Delridge/Thistle, with a female victim who is reported to have multiple stab wounds. Police are looking for a suspect who is reported to be someone she knows. They will be searching with a K-9. More to come.
9:15 PM: Radio exchanges indicate the victim was stabbed at least twice. Medics are taking care of her and will take her to Harborview Medical Center.
9:50 PM: No word of an arrest so far.
1:06 AM UPDATE: Southwest Precinct Lt. Alan Williams now confirms a man has been arrested and booked into the King County Jail; no word on the victim’s condition.
9:59 AM UPDATE: SPD Blotter reports on the incident this morning, with some additional information: The suspect is described as the woman’s ex-boyfriend; two children were in the apartment where it happened but were not injured.
(Photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
11:14 AM: A man has been stabbed six times in the 1700 block of SW Barton. More to come.
11:19 AM: Per SFD radio with medics, the victim is male and despite the half-dozen stab wounds, is conscious and alert. They’re taking him to Harborview Medical Center.
11:30 AM: The wounds are considered to be life-threatening, responders are saying.
11:53 PM: From WSB’s Christopher Boffoli at the scene: The victim is a 61-year-old man and a suspect is in custody, according to police, who describe the circumstances as an argument between friends.
Another car to be on the lookout for, reported by Katy:
I just wanted to warn others/inform loyal blog readers that my car was stolen from SW Lander St & 42 Ave SW by the Admiral Safeway, near the tennis courts, between 10:30 pm (4/9) and 8 am (4/10). The car stolen was a gold ’91 Lincoln Town Car with gold seats. The license plate is 879-WJD. There is also a USC sticker on the back windshield along with a few bumper stickers and a QA magnet on the back trunk. The car may also have a disabled placard up (it was in the car at the time of the theft) as the vehicle had belonged to my mother, a longterm Alki resident.
Police are looking for three men who they say kicked in the door of a Highland Park residence this morning, 
overpowered the woman who was asleep inside, and robbed her of items including her car. They say it happened around 7 am in the 7900 block of 9th SW (map). The robbers are described only as “three young black males, light-skinned”; they demanded the woman’s car keys and made off with her purse and some cash as well as her 2006 white 4-door Chevrolet Malibu, which has a magnetic cat’s-paw print on the passenger-side door. The robbers did not show a weapon, police say, and the victim was not seriously hurt, but did suffer a bloody nose because one of them put his hand over her face to keep her from screaming. She ran out of the house right after they left and saw them driving away in her car; police were nearby and say they arrived quickly but were not able to find it. If you see the car, call 911.
In this West Seattle Crime Watch roundup: First, we’ve already reported this on partner site White Center Now but wanted to make sure you knew too – Hung Pham is in jail; he’s the man charged with domestic-violence arson in the February house fire at 25th/Roxbury and with assault for attacking his girlfriend and another woman in South Delridge last month.
Next, reader reports. On Saturday afternoon, we tweeted a scanner call about an attempted auto theft. The next day, we heard from the car’s owner, Al:
Just wanted to let readers know that (Saturday) at 1430 hrs. in the 5900 block of Admiral Way, my car was broken into and they attempted to steal it. The 2 male suspects fled in a black 4-door car or crossover type vehicle with a bumper sticker northbound in the alley between 59th and 60th Ave SW (it was too far away to get a really good description as I ran into the alley). My car’s door was busted and the ignition/steering column lock was trashed. All of this, with a car alarm going off (ignition disabled). This was broad daylight on a Sat. The only thing they got away with was my radio faceplate, but damage is estimated at $800-1000. It has been reported to police, but in the meantime keep a lookout for suspicious activity. Summer’s coming, and with it is the increased activity of scum.
Be aware of your surroundings. Report suspicious activity. And, above all, make sure you and your family are safe.
And a holdover from Friday – a package-theft report from Kay:
I live on 29th Ave SW between Kenyon and Elmgrove and a package was delivered to my front porch at 4:15 (per tracking info); shortly thereafter my next-door neighbor emailed me saying she found packaging in her yard and saw “an empty box on my porch.” So someone must have spotted the UPS truck and tore through the package after he left (I checked mail at 3:45 then ran errands and was home by 6:30.
Five reader reports to share today in West Seattle Crime Watch: First, Stephanie‘s car was stolen overnight and she hopes you will watch for it:
I’d like to report a stolen Subaru Outback from Beach Drive SW near Me-Kwa-Mooks Park. The theft happened between 9 pm last night and 8 am this morning. It’s a dark red car, license AJT2684.
(SUNDAY UPDATE: Stephanie reports her car’s been found – in Everett.)
(back to original Saturday report) Next – two reader-report links from the WSB Forums, in case you can help but haven’t seen them yet – the search for a hit-run driver, and the search for whomever owns a most-likely-stolen bike dumped in a local yard.
Finally, two car-prowl reports from earlier this week, which got lost in our queue while Crime Watch was overtaken for several days with high-profile incidents – read on:
For the past few hours, we’ve been working to get details about an Admiral-area arrest that several people tipped us to/asked about, and finally have just spoken with police. They arrested a man who allegedly was working a residential neighborhood, going door to door claiming to be selling magazines, possibly as a sports-team fundraiser. Finally, at one house, police say, a woman was asleep on the couch when repeated doorbell-ringing woke her up. She answered the door, and the man tried to claim he was a neighbor, started talking about baseball, and as she tried to close the door, he put his foot in the door to try to stop her. She pushed back and he left; police found him at 45th and Admiral. Since he didn’t actually break into the house, they ultimately could only book him into jail for investigation of criminal trespassing, but the sergeant with whom we spoke says the suspect did not have anything in his possession indicating he was a legitimate door-to-door solicitor.
3:26 PM: Police are responding to a reported armed robbery at Westwood Village – initial information indicates it was at Payless Shoe Source on the south side of the shopping center. Scanner traffic says the weapon was a knife. Police are questioning a possible suspect. More to come.
3:38 PM: No arrest reported – the search continues.
3:56 PM: Another possible suspect – this time spotted on a bus – is being questioned. (And minutes later – a witness says no, that’s not him.)
9:41 AM: That message in chalk in the 5400 block of California SW (map) is meant as a warning – a local woman reports being attacked while out running early this morning, and wants everyone to be careful. We got first word from a later passer-by who saw the message in chalk and e-mailed us about it; while researching to find out more, we got a call from the victim. She says the attacker came out of nowhere; she says she was not seriously hurt and did not need medical attention, but is concerned for everyone’s safety because police searching the area didn’t find her attacker. Here’s a wider view of the area:
We are following up with police, having called them even before hearing from the victim; they’re looking up the report, so we’ll add any additional information (including a description) if/when we get it.
10:09 AM UPDATE: Here’s what police say about the incident:
A woman was attacked this morning in West Seattle. Just shortly after 5:00 am, the victim was jogging Southbound on the East side-mid block in the 5400 block of California Av SW when the unknown suspect came out of the shadows and grabbed her. The man grabbed the victim’s waist, pulled her down into crouch position and fondled her genital area. The victim screamed and the suspect immediately let go and ran off Northbound and then turned East onto SW Brandon St.
The victim stated that during the attack the suspect did not say anything or react to anything she said to him. Officers arrived and canvassed the area for the suspect and any possible witnesses.
The victim declined medics.Suspect’s description- Unknown race male, 5’9, wearing a dark colored hoodie and dark pants.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 9-1-1. Anonymous tips are welcome.
10:29 PM: Police are investigating a report of gunshots fired toward or near a West Seattle home. No reports of any injuries, so far. We don’t have a hard and fast address for it yet, but one caller says it’s in the vicinity of 20th and Cloverdale (map), where similar incidents were reported recently. Per the scanner, witnesses reported a car resembling a gold Taurus headed northbound on 20th afterward.
WEDNESDAY MORNING UPDATE: Not long after that report, police now say, they got a second one, just a few blocks west, in the 2400 block of SW Thistle. A man said someone fired a shot at him from a passing vehicle – details are in this SPD Blotter update, which also includes the latest on the 20th/Cloverdale gunfire report, though police say they are not sure if the two are related.
Though Seattle Police are not formally commenting on last night’s two shootings beyond what was on SPD Blotter (same things linked in our overnight coverage), here’s what we have found out today:
Investigators returned to the Avalon/Charlestown scene this afternoon – the first place a shooting victim was reported, after people in the area heard gunshots around 11:30 last night. The investigators there today were spotted and photographed both by WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams (who took the photo above) and by your co-publishers, a short time apart while heading back to our respective HQ’s after coverage of the “Bertha” arrival. As you see in Nick’s photo, investigators were using a dog to look for evidence. It’s the same area of Charlestown as shown in WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli‘s photo from overnight:
Meantime, a friend of one of the two men who were shot tells WSB that it all started as a robbery attempt and that his friend shot the other man in self-defense. The friend asked to be anonymous, and since we don’t have official identification on either of the men who were shot, we are not using our source’s friend’s name yet either.
According to the friend, the victim was working last night, driving a car for hire – he’s also a musician – and was taking a break when the other man approached him, and the exchange of gunfire ensued. No other details of the circumstances; the friend has visited the victim in the hospital and says he is able to nod his head in response to questions but that’s about it. He says the victim is in stable condition with three gunshot wounds and is scheduled for surgery tomorrow. (The other man also is reported to still be in the hospital.) We will continue to follow up with police to see when they will be ready to say more about the case.
Thanks to Seattle Parks for sharing the “after” photos – their graffiti team was indeed able to clean the paint off tagger-defaced trees at Me-Kwa-Mooks Park. We reported on the vandalism yesterday, with a photo shared by Jason, who discovered the vandalism as well as a litter-covered picnic spot. Today, as promised, Parks workers went to the scene and got the tags off the trees.
(Avalon Way photos by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
11:33 PM: Police and fire are at the scene of a shooting reported in the Charlestown/Avalon area of the Luna Park business district. We heard the first police call on the scanner – someone reporting possible gunshots or fireworks – then came the word someone had been shot, and after that, there was word of a silver car possibly speeding away from the scene. Initial description of the shooting victim sounded like multiple, potentially life-threatening gunshot wounds, with CPR being done. The victim is being taken to Harborview Medical Center. More to come.
11:43 PM: Police are searching the area.
Still no word of any suspect(s) in custody.
11:49 PM: From the scanner, more information on the possible car involved – gray or silver, windows with heavy tint, possibly a late 90s four door sedan.
11:51 PM: Now there is a second scene – police and fire responding to a report there might be another shooting victim in a car in the 5600 block of Delridge (map). We’re sending one crew that way. There is word the car at this scene might be the one that reportedly left the Avalon Way scene.
(Delridge Way photo by Patrick Sand)
MIDNIGHT: We have one crew at each scene. At Delridge (above), our crew says traffic is blocked at Findlay, on the south edge of the small business district there. The victim at this scene is being attended to in the middle of the street.
12:08 AM: Because this is suspected to have been an “exchange” of gunfire, police have been checking with area hospitals for any other possible victims, per scanner traffic. Meantime, the victim found on Delridge also is described as having multiple gunshot wounds, but has been stabilized.
Crime tape is now up across Delridge in the 5600 block.
12:42 AM: We still have crews at both scenes (Christopher Boffoli on Avalon, Patrick Sand on Delridge) but no new information – police are carefully searching both scenes.
SPD Blotter, meantime, has put up something, but it only mentions the first victim – with a bit of new information, describing him as 27 years old, with life-threatening injuries.
12:55 AM: A second SPD Blotter item is now up, saying that the two incidents have not definitively been linked (though what we’ve heard/seen at scenes and via radio suggested there wasn’t much doubt), and saying the Delridge victim is a 19-year-old man, with non-life-threatening injuries.
1:20 AM: CSI team members are at both scenes gathering evidence, our crews say.
3:09 AM: Adding more photos to the story from both scenes, including the one above, of a gun lying at the Avalon scene. No new information yet from police. We have a note from one person who was in the area where the first victim was found, and says, “I heard approximately 5 to 6 gunshots … I didn’t hear any voices prior to the gunshots, but heard a man yell ‘let’s go’ about ten seconds after the shots.” (That corroborates what we heard in early scanner traffic.)
TUESDAY MORNING UPDATE: No arrests reported so far.
That’s one of several photos that Jason e-mailed to us this morning – showing tagged trees, as well as a trash-surrounded picnic table, at Me-Kwa-Mooks Park on Beach Drive. (We’ve blurred the trees so as not to clearly show the tags, which were done in white paint.) By the time we got there for a firsthand look at noontime, the picnic table had been cleaned up, but the vandalism on the trees remained. Seattle Parks spokesperson Joelle Hammerstad tells us that Parks’ graffiti team plans to go to the park tomorrow morning and see what can be done about it: If the bark is thick – like on a fir tree – we can spray it with a combination of water and sand. That assumes that we can get a truck close enough to spray it – because our graffiti trucks have water tanks and spray equipment on them.” For deciduous trees, which appear to be what’s involved here, Hammerstad says it’s a little dicier, but they’ll give it a try.
What is believed to have been stolen from a Fauntleroy porch today wasn’t a package – just something left for friends, by friends. David is just hoping to get the items back:
Some friends left a Trader Joe’s paper grocery bag on our front porch this afternoon (in the 8400 block of) Fauntleroy Way SW (directly across the street from Lincoln Park, just north of the southern parking lot) and the bag was stolen from the porch. It’s terribly frustrating because the bag didn’t contain much except a couple of kids’ books and kids’ sunglasses (both Easter presents), and my prescription glasses (which I have no backup for). Nothing of value to anyone but me and my family. Hopefully someone might come across the contents (maybe dumped in the park?) and could return to them to us. My phone number is 206-349-5477.
(WSB photo of fire scene, 2/13/13)
Six weeks ago, we reported on an early-morning arson at that home at 25th and Roxbury – on the county side, but affecting drivers 
from both West Seattle and White Center as the investigation continued into the morning commute. Today, we have learned that 43-year-old Hung Minh Pham (right) is charged with domestic-violence arson – and that KKing County Sheriff’s Office is seeking him with a $1 million arrest warrant (that’s the amount his bail will be set at when he’s caught). Word of the search comes from KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West, who also says that Minh is believed to be homeless and known to hang around the White Center area.
Since we first published word of the search on partner site White Center Now earlier this afternoon, we have learned more about the case from court documents obtained online: Pham is charged with first-degree arson/domestic violence, third-degree assault, and second-degree assault/domestic violence. The court documents say the victim is a 20-year-old woman described as having been in a “dating relationship” with Pham for two years. The information about the fire – said to have started when he set the victim’s clothes on fire – apparently emerged after an incident in West Seattle, in the 9000 block of 16th SW, a week ago, detailed in the second paragraph of this excerpt from charging papers:
(The victim) has been assaulted by the defendant throughout their two-year dating relationship. As recently as January 2013, the defendant attacked the victim with a baseball bat while she slept sending her to the hospital. In early February 2013, the defendant held a knife to her throat and struck her in the head. On February 13, 2013, the defendant was angry because he could not locate the (victim) at the house she was staying. After searching the home, he gathered her belongings in her bedroom, poured paint thinner on the items and essentially attempted to burn the house on down. The fire spread through the lower structure and rendered the home unsafe and uninhabitable.
On March 22, 2013, the defendant pummeled another victim … in her own bedroom with a detachable wooden wall shelf just because she asked him to be quiet one late night. During the same incident, the defendant went on to attack (his girlfriend, the first victim) as she came out of the bathroom, knocking her to the floor, climbing on top of her punching her repeatedly in the face then finally strangling her to the point of unconsciousness. (She) awoke to the defendant kicking her repeatedly as she laid on the floor. The victim was only able to escape when (the second victim) intervened. (Both women) were both later treated by SFD and taken to Harborview for treatment.
If you see Pham, call 911.
(October 2011 photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
In October 2011, the Washington Federal bank in Morgan Junction was held up by two masked robbers. Days later, as reported here, two men in their mid-60s were arrested in connection with that holdup and others in the region. Today, we get word from federal prosecutors that their trial is over and both were found guilty. Here’s the announcement:
Two men with a quarter century history of robbing banks, were found guilty late yesterday of a string of bank robberies in the Seattle area, announced U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. The two men, 66-year-old JACK P. SEXTON and 65-year-old RONALD C. KETTELLS were convicted of conspiracy to commit bank robbery, three armed bank robberies, and using a firearm during a crime of violence. The jury deliberated for about a day before finding the men guilty following a seven-day trial. Both men face a mandatory minimum 57 years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik on June 21, 2013.
(March 19th photo by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand)
Police are often heard to exhort neighbors to get involved – because they ultimately can have more effect on the crime situation in their neighborhood than can police. And so, neighbors from Highland Park’s 15th/Holden vicinity (map) came to the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meeting on Tuesday night to show their intensifying concern about a neighborhood trouble spot.
Ongoing problems started coming to something of a head on March 19th, when the big police response shown in our photo responded to what Lt. Pierre Davis told us at the time was a case of cell-phone theft – but at Tuesday night’s meeting, pressed for information by neighbors, precinct commander Capt. Joe Kessler admitted it was something more: “Ten police cars don’t show up for a stolen cell phone.” (Toplines in the police-report system later indicated the call also involved “threats.”)
West Seattle Crime Watch (and related) reader reports to share:
STOLEN CAR: Pam reports her husband’s car was taken from outside their home in the 5600 block of 25th SW on Monday afternoon – green 1994 Nissan Altima, four-door, Washington plate AAJ8298. Just two weeks ago, she says, their cars were hit by prowling and siphoning. Speaking of car prowls …
CAR BREAK-INS: From a 31st SW resident:
Just wanted to let you know that on 31st Ave SW between Thistle and Elmgrove, we experienced 3 car prowls (Sunday) night. Two of the cars were locked and armed- those folks are thinking that somehow the thieves have keys to their cars. My car, stupidly, was unlocked. Thankfully nothing of HUGE value was taken, but I wanted to get this out there to remind people to take their valuables inside at night.
POSSIBLY DISCARDED LOOT: Received this note:
I found a guitar in the alley by my garage Sunday morning (March 24th) in the North Admiral area. I assume it was ditched by some car prowlers early that morning since the neighbors’ car was broken into. Call me to identify it. 206 935-4063
One more quick reminder of a crime-prevention, neighborhood-empowerment meeting TONIGHT – the West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network, 6:30 pm, SW Precinct – you don’t have to be a captain, or even a Block Watch participant, to come be part of it.
Remember Alan Polevia, subject of an air and land manhunt centered in Shorewood on March 5th, resulting in school lockdowns, days after he escaped from custody while being taken to Harborview Medical Center – in handcuffs? He is back behind bars today, according to the King County Jail Register. Before his escape, he had been arrested on warrants related to theft allegations, and our research showed that in November 2006, he was found guilty of third-degree assault for a West Seattle incident involving him and his father getting kicked out of Poggie’s in The Junction, then going across the street and attacking a man outside Talarico’s with a beer bottle and a tire iron. Meantime, as for how he was caught this time around, Sgt. Cindi West from the King County Sheriff’s Office tells WSB this afternoon that last Friday night he was found “rummaging through a dumpster behind a building” in Burien. He at first told deputies his name was Alex Polevia; they used a photo and tattoo descriptions to identify him as Alan, at which time, deputies report, he “apologized for lying about his name.”
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reports this afternoon, starting with an early-morning crash that left a trail of damage, reports a resident who didn’t want to be identified. It happened around 3 am in the 3800 block of California:
Police responded last night. 5 parked cars damaged, here [photo above] is the worst. … I am told by resident the perp could not drive away and was arrested.
Blocks to the north, from someone else who did not want to be identified (though they have reported this to police):
Just wanted to let you know that last night two young adults, possibly teenagers, were going through cars and stealing items last night around 10 pm on the 3000 block of 45th Ave SW. They were wearing black with hooded sweatshirts and backpacks. They escaped on foot and police searched the neighborhood. They were not able to find them.
We had a few items taken from our car. This morning I also noticed items from other cars on 45th in the street. This is the second time this month we have had our car ransacked.
One more report ahead, with a photo – a car whose driver is reported to have followed a young woman for blocks on Friday:
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