We placed 130 AED’s last year in all the schools in SPS and at the 15 outside sports fields with a program called “The Heart of Seattle Schools.” The one at the (Southwest Athletic Complex) has gone missing and in order to have that complex covered the school district has taken one from the high school [Sealth] to replace it. That leaves a floor at the school not covered as the nearest one is on the 3rd floor.
This machine really has no value to anyone unless you are having a sudden cardiac arrest, then it becomes life-saving! … The school district doesn’t have the money to replace it and I hope the community might rally around and help them out to replace it.
Varrenti says the units cost about $1,200 each. If you have any tips on the theft – call 911. If you are interested in donating to help replace the stolen one, you can do so through Nick of Time (go to nickoftimefoundation.org and click “Donate”; then, she says, “they can put a note in that the donation is for the West Seattle AED and they get a receipt back right away”). P.S. The field from which the AED was stolen is the same one where a coach suffered a fatal heart attack four months ago.
THREE MORE CRIME WATCH NOTES: Ahead, two bike thefts and a followup on a recent theft report, after some of the stolen items were found and returned to their owner!:
This morning we have the story from police regarding an arrest on Sunday outside Holy Rosary just before 12:30 pm. People who contacted/asked us about the incident were worried because they thought the man had a gun. He did NOT, according to police, though what they say he had is alarming enough. Det. Mark Jamieson just checked the report for us and here’s what police say happened:
Around 11:40 am Sunday, a man in a vehicle saw the suspect walking on the sidewalk in the Admiral Safeway/Hiawatha area, screaming, shirtless, carrying something “shrouded” in a shirt. The witness “thought it was something long, possibly a rifle.” The witness, Det. Jamieson says, got out of his vehicle and confronted the man on the steps into Hiawatha park, asking if he had a gun. The suspect – described by police as a 23-year-old transient – uncovered the item and pointed it at the other man: It was a three-foot-long “pointed construction spike.” The man who had confronted him backed away as the suspect yelled that this was none of his business; he continued screaming, and the other man, police say, got back into his car, called 911, and followed the screaming man as he walked south. He stayed on the phone, reporting what the suspect was doing and which way he was going, until officers intercepted the suspect at 42nd and Genesee (by Holy Rosary).
He still had the long spike concealed in a shirt, in his right hand; officers, Det. Jamieson says, “were able to convince him to set it down.” He was booked into King County Jail for investigation of harassment. Nobody was hurt.
That’s Sean‘s truck. He sent the photo and this report:
Got up this morning to hitch up my boat and sure enough no truck. Stolen sometime before 4 am. Police report filed. Not sure what dimwitted fool would steal it considering how identifiable it is; the truck is covered with fishing decals. 2008 Toyota Tacoma, WA St. B48224E, Silver w/canopy.
If you see it – police ask that stolen vehicles be called in via 911. (Sean didn’t mention which neighborhood so we have e-mailed back to ask.)
Also, Sheridan sent this note Saturday afternoon:
I wanted to give you a heads up. I was just at my parent’s house in 24th just south of Roxbury, and we found some stolen mail in the yard of an abandoned house next door. I called the non-emergency line, and per their instructions, packaged it up to give to the mailman on Monday.
2:58 PM:Elsie‘s owner says she is missing and believes she was stolen out of his yard this afternoon in the 2800 block of SW 102th (just east of Arbor Heights, in the county), though he did not see it happen, so he doesn’t have any suspect description to share. He describes Elsie as “an extremely loving pit bull of about 60 pounds, ‘fawn’ coat, and pink lips.” If you see her, you can call him at 206-661-7427 – he says that number is also on her collar, light green with pink flowers on it. We are also crossposting to the WSB Pets page.
9:16 PM: Elsie’s owner says she’s home: “She was in fact taken from my property by car, and after much searching and fretting, she was returned for a small ransom.”
We have two reader reports to share, both with break-in alerts. The first one is from an Arbor Heights resident:
Just wanted to give an alert out: My house on 35th Ave SW & 114th Ave SW was broken into (Friday) between 8 am and 2 pm. They came in through a side window, stole my computer, iPod & ransacked some rooms and then left through the front door. My dog was home in her crate, luckily they did not take her or hurt her (but they were not deterred by her either because she was crated).
And from the 1500 block of 42nd SW in North Admiral:
About 415 am we heard our dog bark incessantly. We didn’t think much of it until the morning when we went into our vehicle that was parked in front of our home, and it had clearly been rummaged through. Meaning, everything from inside the glove compartment and console had been pulled out. There was no visible damage to the car and nothing of significance was stolen. We believe our dog scared him/her off and we also believe that whomever it was exited through our backyard, as our dog eventually began barking toward the back of the house. Be on alert!
We start West Seattle Crime Watch tonight with a report that there’s been a major break in connection with the drive-by shooting September 10th at 26th and Hudson. No one was hurt, but it was a close call for one driver, who wound up with a bullet hole in his windshield, as our photo shows. The announcement was made by Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Paulsen at tonight’s Safe Communities meeting (separate meeting report to come); we hope to get more details tomorrow. (Update: The big break is that police have found a car linked to the incident – no arrest yet, but progress.)
Also tonight, we just got word that a stolen car reported here recently has been found – 12 blocks away from where it was taken. Karen says her CR-V was undamaged. But, she adds, “In the car I found what appears to be the remnants of stolen mail from 2 West Seattle residents.”
Another WSB’er named Karen was hit by scooter thieves – her black-and-purple Honda Elite scooter was stolen in Gatewood, 7100 block of 36th SW, yesterday or last night, license #951570.
Finally – in Sunrise Heights, HM is having a problem with what s/he calls “delivery snatchers”:
Just wanted to let neighbors know of two recent porch thefts in the Sunrise Heights neighborhood. On Friday we had two new leather dining room chairs delivered to our front porch (they were supposed to be held at the FedEx store, but there was a mixup) and they were taken off the front porch sometime that afternoon or evening. This morning we had groceries delivered and we know they arrived sometime between 3am – 6am, and when I went to the porch at 6:30am to get them all but a box of waffles had been taken.
Please be careful of what you have delivered to your house and be on the lookout for “delivery snatchers.”
Some jerk is going around RIGHT NOW stealing mail from flags-up outgoing mailboxes! My elderly neighbor just got hers taken.
We asked about a description, and received one this afternoon:
I finally got a possible description of the suspect: small-size pickup truck, light in color-maybe gray or cream, nicely dressed white male, slacks, shirt.
Seattle Police calls it “a police scanner without the static.” Not exactly, but it does provide newer incident information than they have been previously providing: Automated Twitter accounts with incident types and street name/block numbers for each patrol “beat” around the city. The area served by the Southwest Precinct, West Seattle/South Park, has six: William 1, William 2, William 3, Frank 1, Frank 2, and Frank 3. Here’s a map; the W’s are basically west West Seattle; the F’s are basically east West Seattle. Here’s the announcement; here are the direct links:
Note SPD’s explanation about the information you’ll find on the feeds, and what you won’t:
There are a few caveats: in order to protect crime victims, officers, and the integrity of crime scenes, calls will appear on the Twitter feeds one hour after a dispatcher sends the call to an officer. The feeds also do not include information about domestic violence calls, sexual assaults, and other certain types of crimes.
In case you don’t want to check Twitter (you CAN use those links even without an account), we’ll incorporate these into the West Seattle Crime Watch page, among other potential uses here on WSB, as soon as possible. We’ll also watch the feeds too – but, especially since this is NOT real time and NOT all-encompassing, we will continue to appreciate your tips about what you see and hear and/or are wondering about – 206-293-6302, text or voice, 24/7 (other ways to reach us are here).
Like most community groups, the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network has reconvened, now that summer’s over, and had a fairly low-key meeting last night at the Southwest Precinct. Without a featured guest on the agenda, the spotlight was on members’ recaps of how the summer went. Relatively quiet, most agreed, aside from some car prowls and thefts including bicycles. SWP Operations Lt. Pierre Davis(standing, photo left) said that matched the official stats. One trend that some participants said seemed to be back on the rise is mail theft; WSBWCN leadership will consider bringing in a guest speaker to tackle the topic. Some also wondered if city grants might be available to bring locked mailboxes to areas where theft is a problem. Reminders of upcoming events: Thursday night, the Safe Communities city-facilitated conversation at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 7 pm (more info here), and Saturday, National Drug Take-Back Day – drop your expired/no-longer-needed medications off at the precinct, 10 am-2 pm (more info here).
West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network meets on 4th Tuesdays; watch for updates on their website, here.
West Seattle Crime Watch has quieted down a bit, according to both inbox in-flow and a check of the police-activity map. Danielle, however, shares a two-part alert for her neighborhood (and advice for everyone):
I wanted to give those who live near 8th & Roxbury a heads-up that in the last two weeks we have had a car prowler on our block as well as a mail thief.
Car Prowler – A car prowler was seen at approx. 10:30PM on a week night approx. two weeks ago peeking in the windows of my husband’s work vehicle that was parked on the street. The police were called but my husband, who is extra weary of prowlers after his work vehicle was stolen from our street last fall, yelled at the prowler who left the scene on foot before police arrived. He was tall, thin, and wearing a hooded sweatshirt with jeans. I urge everyone to park their vehicles in driveways and garages.
Mail thief – We discovered (Monday) that a check we placed in our mailbox on 09/06 was removed from our mailbox, washed with a new name and check amount, and cashed at a local check cashing center. We are in the process of working with the bank to file all of the necessary paperwork.
One more reminder that, as mentioned in today’s daily preview, the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network is back in action tonight, 6:30 pm at the Southwest Precinct, and you don’t have to be a captain to come attend and talk/hear about community crime prevention/trends.
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch – first, a hit-and-run solved by the husband of the victim. She writes:
I woke up (Saturday) morning to find my car had been sideswiped overnight. I park on the street because I have no driveway (39th & Hinds). The genius lost a very distinctive wheel hub. I called the police and an officer came within 30 mins. While they were on their way, my husband canvassed the neighborhood and FOUND THE CAR! Just a block away. Unbelievable. The officer headed right up there after I told her where it was. Two criminal citations later and justice is served. Karma wins!! Oh and yes, they have insurance. I am just glad they didn’t hurt anyone!
Second report, about a car break-in at Westcrest Off-Leash Park – and extra information thanks to victim vigilance in tracking down who was using her stolen card:
Thanks to those who have e-mailed/called about a sizable police response on the east side of The Junction, in the 4500 block of 41st SW.
(Photos by Christopher Boffoli for WSB) 8:56 PM: Police are investigating an assault that officers on scene described to WSB’s Christopher Boffoli as a “domestic-violence situation,” and they say there are no suspects at large. Witnesses saw a woman taken away in handcuffs; a private ambulance was called, and Christopher saw a man being treated for a leg wound. We’ll be following up with police for any additional information.
12:15 AM UPDATE: Southwest Precinct Lt. Alan Williams confirms the suspect has been booked into jail. The victim, he says, was stabbed once in the leg with a knife, and is expected to recover.
The city’s time-lagged police-report map includes a notation about an incident coded as a “drive-by” early this morning in the 1700 block of SW Trenton (map). Tonight, we have details via e-mail from the person (requesting anonymity) whose home was hit:
At approximately 5:05 this morning (9/21) a single shot was fired from a moving vehicle into my house in the 1700 block of SW Trenton St. The bullet lodged in the front door a few feet away from where I was sitting, looking out the window and visible to the road. I do not have a good description of the vehicle other than it was a car. No one was injured, and the police were called and came to investigate.
There’s no indication of whether it’s related, but that’s just a few blocks from a recent confirmed case of “shots fired” (no one hit), in the 8600 block of 14th SW, as noted in our most recent WSBeat roundup.
Sometime in the middle of the night, my 1998 Red Honda CRV was stolen from in front of my house on the 7300 block of 29th SW. Police report has been filed. CRV has older Yakima rack with roof mounted bike rack and rear tire mounted Thule 2 bike rack (silver and black). License plate 649VJZ, just in case any WSB readers see an out-of-place Red CRV matching description.
2:56 PM: If you’re in Arbor Heights and wondering about the notable police presence – there’s a search under way for a hit-run driver, according to Seattle Police. After the crash – for which we don’t have full details yet – the driver parked and ran, with a citizen in pursuit for a while.
3:03 PM: We’re in the neighborhood where it happened, 44th SW south of SW 98th. Nobody hurt. An SPD K-9 team just arrived to join the search. The driver is described as a bald Caucasian man, white T-shirt and blue jeans. He was driving a blue sedan that smashed into a parked white Suburban.
And just out of the WSB inbox: Next Thursday, you’re invited to come talk about community safety as part of the city’s “Safe Communities” program. 7-9 pm September 27th at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW). And it’s a conversation, not a meeting, as the invitation-format announcement makes clear:Read More
In West Seattle Crime Watch – four reader reports about three incidents. First, an attempted burglary as told by both the victim and the neighbor who interrupted. Read More
In West Seattle Crime Watch today – Carole reports her mom was robbed while out for a walk, and she is sharing the story to “reach as many people who care for the elderly to be very cautious if the person is able to walk or travel by themselves”:
My 82 year old mother went for her daily walk around the block (Sunrise Heights). She was approached by two males in a vehicle who talked to her like they knew her. Somehow, the driver of the vehicle managed to get her wedding ring off of her, saying he would get it cleaned and bring it back to her. My mother has Aphasia – she knows what she wants to say or do, but cannot get the words out in a coherent manner. Because of this condition, she has difficulty in telling us what happened. She was not hurt but is very upset. She is now frightened to go outside for any reason.
The ring was purchased in 1957 – white gold, about size 4 or 5, one big stone in the center with smaller stones on either side (I think it is called emerald cut). It is a 3-band ring, with the 3rd band added by my dad for their 25th anniversary. The third-band stones are cubic Zirconias.
Tomorrow marks exactly 31 years since Greggette R. and Dwight K. Guy were wed at a church in Burien. Today – six months and one week after Mrs. Guy was murdered in West Seattle – her husband (above) came from Kent to stand in a South Seattle parking lot with other murder victims’ families, showing support for a new billboard/bus-board campaign. CrimeStoppers and Seattle Police are among the sponsors of “Who Killed Me?”, which will place billboards around the city, showing murder victims’ faces, and imploring people with any information to come forward. Dwight Guy did not speak at today’s media event, but several of those on hand did, often emotionally. (Added – here’s our video of the entire event:)
Mr. Guy’s message, in a conversation with WSB afterward, is the same: Even if it takes years, his wife’s killer can be found and brought to justice. Organizers tell us a billboard will be put up in West Seattle with Mrs. Guy’s photo; they’re checking on the planned location (update – it’ll be on Harbor Avenue near the bridge). The first billboard, unveiled during the media event, highlights three other unsolved killings.
For more on where the Greggette Guy case stands, here’s our detailed followup from last week. P.S. There is one more West Seattle case on SPD’s list of spotlighted unsolved murders in the past 2 years – that of Kaari Higgins, a Fauntlee Hills woman whose January 2011 death was not classified as a homicide till long afterward. Find out more about Ms. Higgins, Mrs. Guy, and the other unsolved-murder victims here.
Four West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports from the weekend – starting with a bicycle theft; Daniel sent the photo and report:
I just wanted to share that my bike was stolen off our back porch Sept 15th. We live off Fauntleroy and Dawson (across from Fairmount Park). It was an old gray Raleigh beach cruiser I had turned into a lowrider. It wasn’t worth much by any means; I just feel cheated, is all.
Three more reports ahead, including a car prowl and a detailed account from a rollerblader who says he was attacked near Luna (Anchor) Park:Read More
In West Seattle Crime Watch this evening, Timothy reports his home was broken into this afternoon:
I wanted to alert the neighborhood (we live in North Admiral on 46th between Hill and Walker) of our house burglary today 9/14/12, around 12:30 pm. My wife, our two kids, and my visiting mother-in-law came home to a loud noise in the upstairs bedroom. A side ground level window was jimmied open, with a small hammer left on the ground which was used to pry the window up thus breaking the lock. My wife went upstairs to find a shoebox on the bed, where she keeps her meds, that had been rifled through. Her jewelry box was emptied, which fortunately mostly had costume jewelry in it. Her iPhone is missing too. The upstairs window was open with the blinds hanging on the outside.
It seems that this burglary was interrupted at the very beginning, and the thief exited the house onto the roof while my kids and wife and MIL entered the house. Fortunately, no one was injured and only a few things were stolen. … There were several neighbors around at this time, and only one finding was a “tall lanky white guy with light hair” was walking down the street, likely a coincidence.
If you have neighborhood crime concerns, note that the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council resumes its monthly meetings next Tuesday (September 18th), 7 pm at the Southwest Precinct (Delridge and Webster).
Her family, however, has found a way to honor her memory, via her lifelong involvement with Girl Scouts – from childhood through parenthood:
That’s some of the new information we have obtained for this update on the case, half a year later, after speaking with Mrs. Guy’s husband as well as with police.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports to share this morning – starting with an interrupted car prowl. Karleen wanted to warn you and to also publicly thank someone who tried to help:
(Last night) around dusk I took my dogs for a walk near Salty’s/Alki, only to return to some strange guy sitting in the passenger side of my car, rifling through my belongings. My car was next to GT Towing (right near the West Seattle Bridge). I shouted at him ‘what are you doing in my car??’ then yelled for John the tow truck business owner – who I’ve come to know since I park near his business several times a week when I walk my dogs. Not a lot I could do with 3 little dogs with me, and the guy got out of my car and ran down toward Alki. John heard me and chased him, caught up to him but he pulled a knife so John let him go. Meanwhile I called 911, and they came and I filled out a police report. My car has a busted window and glass everywhere, but not much taken and no one hurt. The guy got away though, and it was scary that he had a knife. I am really grateful to John for helping me!
Two other reports, both involving theft, ahead: (ALSO, ADDED 9:58 AM – A report from another West Seattleite whose car has been hit by prowlers/vandals twice in the past five days.)Read More
We start today’s 
This morning we have the story from police regarding an arrest on Sunday outside 
We start 
now that summer’s over, and had a fairly low-key meeting last night at the Southwest Precinct. Without a featured guest on the agenda, the spotlight was on members’ recaps of how the summer went. Relatively quiet, most agreed, aside from some car prowls and thefts including bicycles. SWP Operations Lt. Pierre Davis (standing, photo left) said that matched the official stats. One trend that some participants said seemed to be back on the rise is mail theft; WSBWCN leadership will consider bringing in a guest speaker to tackle the topic. Some also wondered if city grants might be available to bring locked mailboxes to areas where theft is a problem. Reminders of upcoming events: Thursday night, the 
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