West Seattle, Washington
10 Tuesday
Two notes in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:
(Added: WSB photo)
SUSPECTED STOLEN CAR: If you’re seeing a big police response in the Alki area, police were pulling over (or otherwise dealing with) a suspected stolen car, which usually calls for a “felony stop” response, guns drawn. Via the scanner, police report detaining two people, and searching for a passenger who got out of the car and “walked away” in the 56th/Alki area – only description so far, “18-year-old white male, white shirt, green stripes, Seattle Sonics hat.”
BELVIDERE VANDALISM: Here’s a reader report about an odd case of vandalism on 37th SW sometime during the day on the 4th of July:
Since this is a relatively unique act of vandalism, we thought we would reach out to the blog in case it has happened to others in West Seattle and as a precaution to other residents (although there is really no way to safeguard against this type of crime.)
On Sat we came home at 6:30 PM to a running hose that had been cut. The water was turned on and the hose was intentionally and cleanly cut causing the running water to seep into our foundation and eventually into our lower level where it has caused significant damage. We filed a police report and heard from the neighbor that he saw a 25-30 year old white male with a blue shirt and dirty blonde hair on our back deck around 1:00-3:00 that afternoon. (We weren’t home from 10:00-6:30 on the 4th.) There were no signs of a potential break-in and we have an alarm system which was armed and not triggered. Thankfully, this was the only damage that was done. However, it has caused significant damage to our property and it is highly likely that it was completely random.
Be on the lookout for that stolen bike – maybe tossed aside somewhere by now:
July 4th, 11:55 pm. Corner of alley at 59th & Stevens. Devastating theft of 1-of-a-kind 1977 Free Spirit bike. Distinct rainbow colors and banana seat. Male, early 20s, snatched it and took off toward beach. Owner heartbroken, offering reward.
Two more West Seattle Crime Watch reports:
CHILD THREATENED, CHASED: This incident was reported to police on Sunday, but we didn’t hear about it until two people asked us about it, having seen a secondhand mention via social media/e-mail. While the incident was described as an “abduction attempt,” we couldn’t find anything in police files with that classification; finally it turned up classified as a “threats” case, which led to the incident number, enabling us to get this information from the Southwest Precinct:
The report taken by officers say an 11-year-old boy was approached around 5:30 pm Sunday by a man near 45th and Walker, by under-renovation Fire Station 29. The man was making threatening- and insulting-type remarks to the boy, police say, so the boy started to run toward his not-too-far-away home. The man pursued him until the boy was a block away from home, according to police, and then finally stopped. The police report says the man made a motion at one point as if to try to grab the boy, but no physical contact was made. Police were unable to find the man, who they told us was described only as “dirty and grubby, transient-type” looking, no further details; the social-media post forwarded to us said “early 20s, dark hair.”
‘HIT-AND-RUN JOKER’: From Keith:
Last last night my 1993 Chevrolet truck was hit. We live on the 35th arterial north of Fauntleroy and heard a huge screeching of tires locked. Guessing it was a 60 foot skid by the duration and mild skid marks on the road. Then a huge bang. My wife was looking out there ahead of me, and shouted out “oh my gosh, they hit the truck”. I ran outside with her and a dark-colored sedan was backing away from the side of the truck, then took off at top speed up SW Manning St, then north on 37th Ave SW.
We called the police, had witnesses all over the neighborhood coming over to the house to help the SW precinct assemble details. Eventually about 3 or 4 police units had been looking thru the neighborhood for the car. Thankfully the damage appears minimal, at least a hubcap, possibly the hub/axle/wheel/tire needing inspection. Incident number is 2015-223600, officer #6040 – if you have anything to report, or noticed a ’90s Subaru sedan with new left front damage. They really would like to track down this hit-and-run joker.
In West Seattle Crime Watch today – Justin woke up this morning to find out that his motorcycle had been stolen overnight. It’s a white 2005 Suzuki GSXR 600 with Washington plate with new tabs good till 2016 (black color), plate number: 7C8072, black rims, black windscreen and aftermarket exhaust, 600cc engine. It was stolen from a space on Alki Avenue between 2 and 9 am. If you’ve seen it, as with any stolen vehicle, police ask that you call 911.
Two people were held up at gunpoint and assaulted late last night on Puget Ridge. We’ve just obtained the police report, which says they were walking to a residence when a group of people confronted them near 17th and Myrtle around 11 pm (map). The first robber “had some type of pistol and pointed it at both victims,” demanding, “Give me everything you’ve got.” The second one is quoted in the report as saying, “I’m gonna take your purse,” while reaching out to take one victim’s purse; that victim tried to resist by pushing the robber, who pushed her back and took the purse. All the while, the first robber had been “speaking with (the victim) and taking items from him (wallet, cell phone, day pack),” and then said, “Is that all you have?” When the victim said it was, the robber hit the victim in the right eye. The robbers then walked away, along with several other people who had accompanied them but did not participate in the robbery/assault. The victims called police from the house they had been headed to, a few blocks further north on 17th. According to the police report (and our followup question to SPD), the only descriptions provided were “black male” and “black female, 5-7.”
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports:
From Rebekah:
We had two bikes stolen from our backyard at Croft and Delridge on sunday during the early evening when nobody was home. These bikes hold sentimental value for us. The pink one is a Diamondback, and has whitewall tires, the black and red one has flames on the tires. Both are slightly rusty.
Seen either or both? Let police know – and comment here.
From Guy – whose deck-dwelling pirate is seen first in happier times:
Around 2:30-3:00 am last night my life-size pirate statue was launched off my second floor patio on the 2600 block of Alki. I wasn’t home at the time.
A witness said it was a group of what appeared to be teenagers. They were seen getting into a newer dark green Ford king cab truck with a canopy. I’ve had the statue for three years and honestly I can’t believe it wasn’t stolen prior to this. I hope they get a severe spanking!
Three reader reports to share tonight:
HIT & RUN: Tim says this was one lousy parting gift to get while preparing to move – damage done by a hit-and-run driver near 42nd and Manning (map). It’s been reported to police. Tim says a neighbor believes the car was a Subaru Forester – checking to see if they also mentioned its color.
PLANT THEFTS: The latest case of illegal grab-and-go from a garden:
1:30 am this morning, 2 white women were stealing plants from my driveway where I have
plant sales, when my neighbor came home. They already had the 2-3 Japanese Maples in their car (2 Ukigumo, 1 red Pygmy). They had taken two hostas in 3 gallon containers and placed at the front of the driveway – then they were discovered by my neighbor. They promptly left in their Toyota Sienna, around year 2000, color light gold/silver, partial license (starting with) 522 … My Neighbor was chasing after them on foot. This is a dead end block – one way in and out. 7300 block 19th Avenue SW.
DOOR-TO-DOOR CONCERN: Our final reader report:
I live in the 8500 block of 14th Ave. SW in Highland Park. A little before 4:00 p.m. two young men knocked on my door. The windows were open and the TV was on, but it took me a few seconds from the time I first heard knocking to get to the window and stick my head outside to see who was at the door. In the meantime, it sounded like someone wriggled the door handle and tried to get in. When I stuck my head out the window, they said they were from Century Link and they wanted to talk to neighbors about construction that is going on. We are having wires enhanced in the area. I said I wasn’t interested.
I called Century Link and it was confirmed that none of their representatives are going to houses in the area. They only send out technicians. The young men looked to be in their early 20’s. One was brunet Caucasian with slender build and the other was tall, stocky African American. They wore white shirts and black pants and carried clipboards.
There’s always the chance the person the reader spoke with at CL didn’t have good local info – so if you happen to know these visitors were legit, please advise, does happen sometimes.
New local crime-trend info today from the latest semi-weekly SeaStat briefing at HQ – all in this slide deck just published via the SPD website. SeaStat does not spotlight all precincts at every briefing, but this time our area was featured on three slides:
MAJOR CRIME CATEGORIES: First slide from the Southwest Precinct (West Seattle and South Park) showed the year-to-date changes in all major-crime categories. (The screengrab is too small/blurry to read in our format, so we’re summarizing, but again, you can see it firsthand here.) First, the increases:
*Aggravated assault, non-domestic-violence: Up 21 percent, 51 incidents YTD compared to 42 a year earlier
*Burglary, non-residential: Up 15 percent, 70 incidents YTD compared to 61 a year earlier
*Robbery: Up 12 percent, 64 incidents YTD compared to 57 a year earlier
*Motor-vehicle theft: Up 7 percent, 245 incidents YTD compared to 230 a year earlier
*Residential burglary: Up 5 percent, 228 incidents YTD compared to 217 a year earlier
*Car prowls: Up 4 percent, 438 incidents YTD compared to 420 a year earlier
*Larceny/theft: Up 4 percent, 479 incidents YTD compared to 459 a year earlier
One other category with an increase is homicide – 1 this year, 0 last year. (This year’s case was in South Park; West Seattle’s last homicide was in December 2013.)
Next, the decreases:
*Aggravated assault, domestic violence: Down 34 percent, 33 incidents YTD, 50 a year earlier
*Rape: Down 13 percent, 7 incidents YTD, 8 a year earlier
POSSIBLE HIGHLAND PARK BURGLARY PATTERN: This also was featured in the SeaStat deck – 8 break-ins between mid-May and mid-June:
You can take a closer look at those incidents via the SPD Police Report map – use the controls at left to choose the same time period, starting May 19th, and to select only burglaries; then click on any location to get the vicinity and date/time, plus report narrative if available.
NORTH ADMIRAL CAR PROWLS, PRE-ARREST: This slide illustrated a point police often make – repeat offenders are often responsible for a sizable number of incidents. This series preceded the June 12th arrest covered here and here – the case of the construction workers who tackled a juvenile car-prowl suspect (with one getting bitten for his trouble):
Since the suspect is a juvenile, information on his current status is not easy to come by, but we’re doing our best to find out.
CRIME-PREVENTION ADVICE: Also today – helpful information from SW/South Precincts Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Solomon – the topics are window safety and graffiti vandalism:
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports:
(City-provided photo of one of the stolen fish)
FAUNTLEROY CREEK OVERLOOK ART THEFT: Fauntleroy Creek steward Judy Pickens tells WSB that someone has stolen part of the art installation at the fish-ladder overlook across from the ferry dock:
I’m sorry to report that someone cut through the base of both the bronze coho
salmon and cutthroat trout that have been part of “Stream Echo” since its installation at the fish-ladder viewpoint in 1998. … The city’s Office of Cultural Affairs has contacted artist Tom Jay to request replacements. Because Tom is very involved with art installation at Cove Park, we have no idea when he can recast the fish.If the thief still has the fish, we would welcome them back, no questions asked, on our front porch – 4539 SW Director Place.
Judy’s husband Phil Sweetland discovered the theft yesterday, but she says it could have happened any time in the past several days. Though this is on a smaller scale physically, we still couldn’t help but be reminded of the as-yet-unsolved Walking on Logs sculpture theft, which happened almost exactly a year ago.
MOONDROP COFFEE & TEA BREAK-IN: Proprietor David Livingood from the little coffee shop across from Seacrest sent word this morning that someone broke into their shop late last night. They’re still trying to assess what was stolen but wanted to get the word out. (We were headed that way this morning when diverted by the crane fire and are still planning to go over and find out more – we’ll update when there’s more information.)
2:11 PM: Two West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports today, and your watchfulness is appreciated:
JUNCTION SHOPLIFTER: From Linda Sabee of Carmilia’s:
Yesterday afternoon (Sunday, June 21) around 4:00, a twenty-something woman shoplifted several items from my store, to the tune of about $325. As she shopped, she told a sad tale about her dying grandmother, proceeded to try on many things and when the store got busy and I was distracted with another customer, she bolted with the unpaid-for items.
She’s tan, athletic but large build, she was wearing a black ‘Fight Like a Girl’ tee with a skirt and tennis shoes. Her long hair was pulled back into a pony tail. She said she grew up around here, moved to San Diego and has been back for about a year to care for her grandmother. She also said she put on ten pounds over the past year. All of this could be untrue. Perhaps she’s a pathological liar as well as a thief.
CHILD’S BICYCLE STOLEN IN ADMIRAL: Maybe you’ll find Rafael‘s bike.
(That’s Rafael and his bike – added 3:11 pm)
Mom Cynthia messaged us:
My child’s bike was stolen from in front of our home last night. It’s a 16″ Tonka boys bike. Looks like (this pic) except no training wheels. If you see it grab it and let me know. Or if you have a 16″ bike we can borrow till we find a new one I would appreciate it. He was fighting back tears this morning trying to be strong. Sweet boy.
This happened near 46th and Stevens.
P.S. We’ll write more about this later but tomorrow night’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network meeting is the place to be for neighborhood crime-prevention info – 6:30 pm, Southwest Precinct (Webster/Delridge). All welcome – you don’t have to be a BW captain or even a BW member (but if you’re interested in finding out more about how it works, come early and mingle – doors open at 6).
7:55 PM UPDATE: See the comments – Rafael’s bike has been found!
Two quick West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports:
DUMPED? The photo was texted to us from 38th and Juneau, where that trashed BMW turned up about an hour and a half ago. The texter says no plate or VIN were in view. Police have been notified.
KEYED AND TAUNTED: From Andrew:
Our car was keyed (last) night near the West Seattle Health Club between 5:50 & 7:30 pm. It was parked on the right side of SW Yancy St. on the opposite side of the street from the club. To make this incident worse, this person left a printed card with the slogan “Hey… You parked like a total a–hole, stop doing that.” Hope this doesn’t happen to anyone else as it is super sad that people waste their time with acts like this.
(WSB reader photo from Tuesday crash, courtesy Raquel)
The man who flipped his car on the eastbound West Seattle Bridge Tuesday afternoon is a repeat drunk driver who is in jail right now, bail set at $100,000. He and his 1-year-old daughter, who was in the back seat, escaped injury, as did the people in the three other cars involved, according to Seattle Fire. But police soon discovered that he was wanted on a warrant, which is why we’re identifying him as 32-year-old Christopher T. Martin of Renton.
According to the documents from his bail hearing this afternoon, Martin first told police the crash happened because he was passing a snack to his daughter, then later said he wasn’t sure why he crashed. Police also say he first told them he had been driving a gray Honda, when in reality he had been driving a red Ford. Police said he smelled of alcohol, and that he told them he had consumed one alcoholic drink 5 or 6 hours earlier, and also smoked “a bowl” of marijuana. They discovered Martin had a warrant for failing to appear in connection with a drunk-driving case that happened downtown three years ago; we looked up that case and found he had taken a breath test that showed him at three times the legal drunkenness level, and that his record at that time showed two DUI arrests in 2010 and two in 2003. Prosecutors wrote at that time that Martin “either cannot or will not refrain from driving impaired and is a grave danger to the community.” The case remains unresolved because of his failure to appear, for which an arrest warrant was issued in September 2012. (He had been allowed out on work release weeks after his May 2012 arrest.)
The new court documents also say he was driving despite a suspended driver license. According to Seattle Fire, neither Martin nor his toddler were hurt in the crash. King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesperson Dan Donohoe says a judge found probable cause to hold Martin for investigation of reckless driving, reckless endangerment, and negligent driving while prosecutors review the case for potential charges; he’s due back in court on Friday.
(WSB photo from June 1st @ Denny)
Two weeks after Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole visited Denny International Middle School and heard students request more help from police in staying safe (WSB coverage here), members of her department followed up to start making good on that promise. Southwest/South Precincts Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Solomon shares these notes of what happened when they visited the Denny/Sealth campus this past Monday, one day before the last day of school, particularly to lay the groundwork for a safer start next fall:
* SPD Reps met up with students and staff at 12:40 at classroom
* Walked SW Kenyon Street between 2600 Block and Delridge SW
* Walked from Kenyon & Delridge to Holden & Delridge; observed Holden Stairs; returned to Denny via same route
* Mark drove routes between Denny/Sealth Campus and Westwood Village to observe areas about which students expressed concerns.
* SPD Officers spoke with students about ways to minimize their chances for victimization (Robbery/Assault)
* Discussed the possibility of SPD officers getting together with students at the beginning of the school year to discuss safety measures; being proactive and focus on prevention vs. being reactionary.
Measures in Progress
* Mark will work with Youth Ambassadors and Denny Staff through the summer to engage surrounding neighbors to form Block Watch groups with have Denny/Sealth student safety as a prime focus.
* Mark will facilitate communication between the Youth Ambassadors Program and The Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative regarding the Safe Passages Program (a group of adult volunteers who provide a presence in the Rainier Beach community between the 1400-1800 hrs on school days to deter youth violence and disorder). The goal is to try to implement this program for the Denny/Sealth campus area by the fall of 2015.
Recommendations
* Raise tree canopy on SW Kenyon Street Between 2400 – 2600 Blocks. Tree canopy should be no lower than 8′ to ensure good lines of sight for pedestrians transiting SW Kenyon ST.
* Request SDOT conduct additional vegetation clearing at dead end of SW Kenyon ST & 24th Ave SW.
* Request SDOT conduct vegetation clearing along trail/walkway/bridge over creek between Delridge WY SW & 24th Ave SW along SW Kenyon Street (Longfellow Creek Legacy Trail).
* Request additional vegetation clearing be done on the Holden Stairs, between Delridge WY SY & 20th Ave SW. (possible return of the goat herd?)
* Request vegetation clearing along the non-through streets of 26th Ave SW, 25th Ave SW and the North/South Alley that runs parallel between those two streets, between SW Thistle Street and SW Trenton ST. Students use these corridors to transit anyway; let’s open them up to reduce cover and concealment.
* SPD conduct student safety assembly at the beginning of the 2015-16 school year.
The reader reports in this West Seattle Crime Watch report include some good news. But first, a new theft:
STOLEN BIKE: That bicycle was stolen from a garage in the 4500 block of SW Henderson (map) on Tuesday morning between 6:30 and 7:30 am. A police report is filed; please call 911 if you see it.
FOUND TRUCK: Last Friday, we published this reader report about a stolen red pickup truck. That helped its owners get it back, and they e-mailed this update late last night:
We couldn’t be more excited to report that our Red Ford F-150 XLT pick up was recovered late (Tuesday) afternoon in West Seattle.
Further, we directly attribute the successful return of our vehicle to two things:
1. The West Seattle Blog – The SPD officers specifically called out the West Seattle Blog, how they had remembered seeing the photo of our truck and description on the blog. We feel so fortunate that the blog, its staff, and the community responded so quickly and got the word out. It is so awesome to have such an incredible resource, for all types of information, in West Seattle.
2. SPD – West Seattle – We couldn’t be more proud to have met a handful of these guys today. After talking with them for over an hour, we certainly feel we’re lucky to have these guys looking out for us. And they do, every day, even when when they’re off the clock. They have our deepest appreciation and heartfelt thanks.
Johnny and Kalynn
STOLEN PURSE RETURNED: We also published word last Friday of a purse theft, and have an update from the purse’s owner: “it was returned anonymously; the ID and important papers were all in it.”
THEFT/TRESPASSING: Another reader report details an incident that started with a man parking on the street by her residence in the 2100 block of SW Holden on Monday and emptying items of “his very packed car onto my parking strip. It’s clear he is living in the vehicle. When I got home from work around 6 pm my housemate informed me that he saw some of my possessions in his car. The man had gone onto my property and stolen metal yard art from my flower garden. I called 911 while my housemate and neighbor confronted the man. He admitted to trespassing and stealing and explained it was an accident and after some time returned one item. I suspect he had more items, but I felt too intimidated to confront him further and didn’t want to spend time outside inventorying because he proceeded to shout and scream he would shoot anyone who messed with his family. He then took the paper items strewn about and shoved them into the grill and wheel wells of a Car2Go vehicle across the street. He settled down around 9:30 pm.” She says police finally came to check it out Tuesday morning; as of Tuesday afternoon, the man and his car were still there, and she wanted to alert people in the area to call 911 if they see an intruder on their property.
We heard police dispatch to a report of a purse theft on Pigeon Point tonight – didn’t hear the circumstances, but this reader report has since come in:
We (were) at Pathfinder School 8th grade graduation; my cousin had a emergency call to make, she left her purse on her seat, and she came back. it was gone – not even a few minutes. It’s a pink Michael Kors purse, has all her ID, passport, and all her important information. Today 6-8 pm. We didn’t see who took it; we called police, let the principal know; she had a sick family member (who) had a seizure and needed to take the call. If someone knows who took it, please return it – thanks.
Or, if you find it discarded somewhere – let police know.
From Johnny and Kalynn on SW Austin in Gatewood:
We woke up this morning and our truck had been stolen. It’s a Red 1994 Ford F150 XLT. The license place is C89822C. Only the back license plate is on. The front has no plate. If anyone has seen it, we would really like to get it back.
If you see it – as SPD advises, call 911.
9:03 AM: Police and fire are responding to an address in the 1900 block of 48th SW. The early report indicates someone might have a stab wound. More info to come.
9:06 AM: We’re headed that way, but in the meantime, information via scanner says this might not be a stab wound, but rather some other type of assault. They’re canceling most of the units.
9:23 AM: Our crew talked with a neighbor who says this started with someone suspected of prowling cars near 48th/Hill; construction workers in the area tried to stop that person. (update) Someone was injured in the course of this, and has been taken to the hospital – we’re hearing conflicting unofficial reports at the scene, trying to sort it out.
11:26 AM: Seattle Fire spokesperson Kyle Moore tells us a 57-year-old man was treated for a “minor bite wound” at the scene but declined transport to the hospital. We’re following up with SPD and will add whatever we find out from them about the hopefully-sorted-out-by-now circumstances.
12:35 PM: The full report isn’t in the system yet and what is in the system doesn’t clarify exactly what role in all this was played by the bite victim, according to Det. Patrick Michaud in SPD media relations. But he was able to tell us that the car-prowl suspect – who at one point was reportedly being held down by two people – was arrested. Another incident in the system indicates that, whether they’re all the work of the same person(s) or not, there were multiple car prowls reported/noticed this morning in that area of North Admiral.
ORIGINAL REPORT, 7:41 PM: Police and fire rushed to Admiral/California for an “assault with weapons” call. We’re still gathering information about what was reported.
7:49 PM: We are in the area and while SFD units are staged on California by Hiawatha and on California a block north of Admiral, we haven’t spotted police anywhere.
(WSB photos by Christopher Boffoli)
8:02 PM: Police and fire are now in the Admiral Safeway parking lot. The assault happened somewhere else and the victim showed up here. Responders are trying to sort it out. The victim will be taken to the hospital with a leg injury, we are hearing.
8:15 PM: The victim is female and her wound isn’t major, WSB’s Christopher Boffoli has learned. She was in the passenger seat, a man was driving, and a boy was in the backseat. Police are searching their car to see if they can find a bullet or shell casing.
8:41 PM: Adding photos, including a bullet hole in the car. Christopher says police at the scene will not confirm where this happened; when our Patrick Sand talked to firefighters before police arrived at the scene, they said the initial report had been that it happened under the West Seattle Bridge.
8:59 PM: Christopher has just talked again to police. They now say this is a suspected road-rage incident; the victims’ car apparently cut off a black sedan while westbound on Spokane near the 5-way intersection when someone in the sedan fired two shots into the victims’ car. Police have found two bullets, either 9mm or .380. The victims told police they followed the shooter’s car for a ways up Admiral but a 911 operator told them to stop. So far the only description of the people in the black sedan are black male driver and white female passenger.
9:09 PM: And just a moment ago, SPD Blotter published its own report. They say the 46-year-old woman in the passenger seat was unhurt; that is a change from the early reports, but sometimes information does evolve in situations like this. If you know anything about what happened or the person who fired at the victims’ car, call 911.
9:31 PM: Christopher elaborates that the woman *was* grazed by a bullet but it was such a minor wound that a band-aid took care of it. Very close call – he reports the bullet that went through her door was found on the console next to her seat.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports.
First, what’s NOT in that photo is the subject of this stolen-car report from Scott:
Stolen between 12:30 AM & 8:00 AM Tuesday from this spot in front of our home at Holden & Holden Place: 2011 silver Honda Fit with Texas plates. Belongs to a young man serving our church as an intern who is living with us. Car is frequently parked in this spot and never had any trouble before. Note large sodium light on corner of the house.
It’s been reported to police. So has this next incident; Dan says a hit-and-run driver did this damage:
We live on 26th Ave SW near Roxbury. About 3:15 AM (Monday) our car parked on the street was hit; the driver took off. They left some of their car behind.
Police subsequently seized the biggest piece – a headlight – as evidence, Dan says. If you have any tips, let them know.
P.S. Next Tuesday is the final West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting before a couple months of summer break. If you have crime concerns and/or questions for police – be there, 7 pm, Tuesday, June 16th, Southwest Precinct meeting room, which is right off the parking lot on Webster, west of Delridge, just east of the south side of Home Depot.
(WSB photos taken between 5 & 5:30 pm)
5:11 PM: Police are searching for a suspect on the north end of The Junction, not sure yet why. Updates shortly.
5:22 PM: The suspect police are looking for is someone wanted on a warrant. They were apparently trailing him near California/Dakota when he bolted.
5:31 PM: Helicopter has headed south. Our crew is out trying to find out more from SPD on the ground.
5:35 PM: Police tell us one person is in custody, found by a K9, another still on the loose.
5:43 PM: Another officer we asked said this involves felony theft warrants. And no, we have no description at all of the person being sought.
7:55 PM: Someone asked us if the search is still active; no, it was wrapping up two hours ago as we left The Junction. The post-search Guardian One tweet says the same thing police told us – it started as police tried to arrest someone for whom they had a warrant. The one arrest happened close to where the search started, in the California/Dakota area.
9:01 PM UPDATE: We checked with Lt. Alan Williams at the Southwest Precinct to see if the second suspect had ever been found; he confirms BOTH suspects are now in custody.
In West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:
ALKI ROBBERY REPORTS: No details on these yet – weekend information is almost impossible to get from SPD and we haven’t heard directly from anyone involved – but two street robberies have been reported in Alki in the past two nights, according to SPD auto-tweets: Just before 9 tonight in the 2700 block of Alki (which might explain the sirens we’ve been asked about by several people – until now, we’d only heard of a medic response in the area too, don’t know if it was related), and one around 10 last night in the 5800 block of SW Lander (near Whale Tail Park). We’ll be pursuing the reports tomorrow.
ALSO IN ALKI – STOLEN BICYCLE: A silver Specialized #24 bicycle was stolen from Alki Elementary earlier this evening, according to a text from its owner’s parent, who described the thief as “teenager, skinny, buzz cut, white male.” If you see one abandoned, please let police know, and comment here.
THEFT AT WESTWOOD TARGET: Just in from Mary, via e-mail:
I know this is a long shot, but this morning I was shopping at Target at Westwood and while my back was turned, someone took my rectangular lime green purse/wallet out of my cart. My keys were attached to it, on a purple carabiner clip, with a Lego R2D2 keychain and a Lego Darth Vader keychain. I was left with no way to pay for my groceries and no way to get into my car to get home!
All the cards in it have been cancelled (as far as I know) and there is nothing of much value there, but if someone should flip through it and then throw it on the ground somewhere at Westwood or in the area, it would bring me a great deal of peace of mind to have whatever’s left of it back – especially my keys, since the keys were attached to my purse and ID, I’m going to have to change the locks at my house, and I don’t even know what to do about my cars, which will remain parked at the address that is easily accessible from my purse. I think it will be days before I can sleep at night.
Please let police know *and* comment here if you’ve seen what Mary’s missing.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reports:
ADMIRAL GUNFIRE: What sounded like gunshots just before midnight last night in the 2600 block of 45th SW (map) did turn out to be gunshots – but neighbors didn’t know for about 18 hours.
A neighbor who heard them texted us after calling police. Via scanner, we heard officers dispatched to check them out, but heard nothing more, until seeing an SPD auto-tweet this afternoon mentioning “property damage” in that same block. We texted our original tipster to ask if they’d ever found evidence of gunshots. She went out to check – and discovered shell casings had turned up in the street. We were in the area so we stopped by the neighborhood to photograph the shell casings in the street and planting strip as neighbors waited for police to return. Turned out, they told us, the “property damage” was a shot-out car window down the block (no photo, as we couldn’t find it), close to the far southwestern corner of the back playground at Lafayette Elementary. Silver lining to the non-silver bullets: Neighbors who hadn’t met before were out in the street getting acquainted.
UPDATE: We have since heard from the owner of the car window hit by a bullet, who sent this photo:
While the windshield wasn’t technically “shot out,” they pointed out, it still has to be replaced.
(back to original report) 18TH/BARTON ROBBERY: Also early this morning, an e-mail question came in about a SPD tweet logged as “armed street robbery” on Thursday evening in the same area that was the topic of a discussion by neighbors and police at a community-council meeting this week. We hadn’t heard anything about it at the time but have since procured the report from SPD. The robbery was reported to have happened around 4:15 pm; officers finally found the victim a few blocks from the scene around 5:30 pm and reported that he seemed intoxicated and did not want to file a report. Nonetheless, they wrote one from what few details he had given – that two people described only as “Hispanic males” had held him up at knifepoint and taken a gold ring and glasses from him. They asked the victim repeatedly if he felt safe staying in the area, and said he would not answer.
CAR PROWL IN NEW GARAGE: First Crime Watch reader report since the Spruce/LA Fitness underground garage at 39th/Alaska opened recently: Jim e-mailed to say, “My Subaru Outback was broken into on Thursday evening between 8 and 8:30 pm June 4. I was on the p1 level under the new LA Fitness club in West Seattle. Two windows were broken out and a backpack stolen.”
After almost six years, the verdict is in for the killer of Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton, a West Seattle High School graduate. KIRO TV reports (as do other regional news organizations) that a King County Superior Court jury has found Christopher Monfort guilty of murdering Officer Brenton, 39, in Leschi on Halloween night 2009. Monfort was also found guilty of attempted murder and arson; the latter charge is from a firebombing at a city facility downtown that damaged/destroyed vehicles including a mobile command unit that had been used in this area (and is just now finally being replaced). (added) Our partners at The Seattle Times report that a jury will next decide whether Monfort’s sentence will be life in prison, or death.
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