West Seattle, Washington
28 Thursday
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes this morning. First one is a followup to an incident we mentioned on Twitter overnight – the screams that brought multiple 911 calls from a Fauntleroy neighborhood and led to an arrest; second, a “beloved” bike stolen this weekend, with its owner’s spouse asking that you keep an eye out – details on both, ahead:Read More
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reports – a man attacked while walking home explains how he scared off his attackers (and declares his defiance); plus, a burglary and a car break-in, ahead:Read More
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports tonight. From Todd early today:
I came home (last night) to find my front door kicked in, all the lights on and the back door wide open. Gone are all the computers, cameras, small electronics and any sense of security. Closest intersection is 32nd and Juneau. Two other houses in the hood have been hit in a similar fashion in the last year.
And from Dianne –
Last Saturday night someone entered my car and stole my GPS, left my jar of change on the seat, and took my tote bag that held my clogging shoes. I live on 45th Ave SW in North Admiral – between College and Admiral Way. Anyone seeing or hearing a potential robber wearing clogging shoes, please contact WS Blog.
Well, actually, call the police. But once you’ve reported it to them, feel free to let us know.
Annemarie e-mailed earlier tonight about her 1983 red Toyota pickup, stolen from in front of the Tug Inn … but before we could even put up the request for you to be on the lookout for it, she says watchful West Seattleites helped find it – read on for that story plus another stolen vehicle, now found:Read More
Three items in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon, starting with a stolen car to watch for. From Basil:
My 1984 Subaru 4WD wagon, (license plate) # 860SEP, light blue, with freshly painted white spoked rims and front bumper guard, was stolen from in front of my house this a.m. I live in the 5000 block of SW Olga St. If anyone sees it in the area please call the police (911).
After the jump – a WSB Forums member’s report of car prowling reported to police early today (and what happened when police responded), plus arraignment for two of the suspects in last month’s medical-marijuana-dispensary heist:Read More
Two notes in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon. First, from Jeff:
For the 2nd time in the past 3 months we have had packages stolen off our front door that were delivered by UPS (w/online confirmation of delivery). We live (in the 900 block of) SW Austin Street [map] and the our front door can only be seen if someone is coming from the East of SW Austin (i.e. someone coming from the apartments on the corner of Holden & Highland Park). I spoke to a UPS driver the other day and mentioned that there have been reports of packages stolen from previous posting on the blog but, he wasn’t aware of any recent incidents.
Meantime, a followup on Wednesday’s SWAT standoff at the Seattle West Inn (which will temporarily close as of Monday, as reported here yesterday) on Wednesday.
Police responded to our request for more information with the narrative from their report. It includes new information, including a mention of something we had heard on the scanner but not had confirmed till now – that the man has a record. Read on:Read More
We’re at the King County Courthouse, where the hearing we came for lasted barely a minute. The defendant: 46-year-old Duane Starkenburg, the West Seattle man arrested in late January and charged with indecent liberties for allegedly attacking three women in Lincoln Park over the past seven months. This was to be a “case-setting” hearing; Starkenburg’s lawyer asked for a continuance (postponement), as they continue to receive and review various records in the case, he told the judge; the prosecutor did not object. So Judge Ronald Kessler agreed to the defense’s request to set Starkenburg’s next appearance for May 3rd. Starkenburg did not speak; we won’t have a new photograph from today, but he looked about the same as he did at his last hearing (see photo in this February story), close-shaven head, wearing a dark suit. He remains free on $175,000 bond, and remains under orders to stay out of all parks in King County.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch notes to share this afternoon. First, keep an eye out for the car shown above, which belongs to Alex, and was stolen in the Fairmount Park area:
Last night 3/25, an ’87 burgundy Toyota Supra was stolen at 38th and Graham in West Seattle. It seems to have been stolen from between 7 pm and 8 am this morning 3/26. The car has a number of specific details; it is missing the washer squirters in the hood, has a Casual Industries (black and white circular sticker) on the drivers side of the windshield, lowered with chrome wheels and a large (loud) exhaust. If anyone sees this car, please call Seattle PD and reference police report # 2011-97683.
Second: Tom reports his house was broken into just east/uphill from Solstice Park:
At 10:30 (Friday) morning my home was burglarized. Persons kicked in the rear door, smashing through two locks, and stole electronic items. It was broad, brash, and swift. Appropriate police personnel were informed immediately.
Last but not least, SusieQ shares the story of a flower theft – after the jump:Read More
Again today, we have a new auto-theft report, and a followup from a stolen car’s owner:
First: That’s Josh‘s pickup, and he is hoping you have seen it:
It was stolen from my house in Highland Park Monday night (3-21). Sometime between 7 pm and 8:30 pm someone stole the truck from in front of my house and I am hoping they drove a short distance and possibly ditched the truck in West Seattle. The canopy and lumber rack are custom made and very easy to spot, I am hoping someone in West Seattle might recognize the truck. … 1988 Toyota 2WD extended cab truck – black. The canopy and lumber rack are custom built of bright silver aluminum. The front driver side fender has a little body damage and back window of the canopy has a NPR sticker. The plate number is B08669S.
And one day after we published a stolen-car report from James, he says his Honda was found near 28th and Roxbury – a couple miles from 35th/Holly, where it was stolen – the roof rack and stereo are gone, he says, but “they left all the audio books, and the hats and the tire chains. They left the pound of organic apples and the 10 Clif bars i had. Which goes to show, these criminals left the nutritious food, and the educational books behind, just to sell a few items that may make them money. Which I can only speculate will not feed them, nor will it help them in their future.”
(11:32 AM UPDATE: We have added the KCPAO’s news release, including information on charges against the youngest suspect, to the end of this story. In it, Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg makes the same points that Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes made in a story published on WSB yesterday – he says regulation is vital, and without it, the current unregulated proliferation “invites violence”)
ORIGINAL 10:01 AM STORY: The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has filed charges in the Saturday night armed robbery at West Seattle medical-marijuana dispensary G.A.M.E. Collective. We are expecting additional information from KCPAO this morning but so far, court documents obtained online indicate the adult suspect, 24-year-old Donshae Dwayne Sims of Northgate (state Department of Corrections photo at right), is charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, and first-degree unlawful firearm possession (he’s a convicted felon, from an earlier assault case). The older juvenile suspect, 16-year-old Malik Heckard of Des Moines, is charged as an adult – which is why we are publishing his name, though otherwise we generally will not use juvenile suspects’ names – with first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, and second-degree unlawful firearm possession. Information on the other juvenile suspect’s status is not available through the online court-records system, so we are waiting to hear from prosecutors.
Accompanying the charging documents is more information on how investigators say the heist unfolded (beyond what was contained in probable-cause documents made public on Monday and transcribed in our followup):
Just got word of a new city “public safety survey,” and we are going through it even as we type this. First thing we noticed – not all West Seattle neighborhoods are listed in the first question about where you live (Morgan Junction and Gatewood are missing), so choose whatever’s closest. Otherwise, if you are concerned at all about crime and safety – and even if you feel your neighborhood is the safest place anywhere – there are a lot of good meaty questions to answer, about both your perception of crime/safety where you live, and your perception of Seattle police. The survey is here: seattle.gov/publicsafetysurvey – for an explanation, click ahead:Read More
The advice that Southwest Precinct Community Police Team Officer Jonathan Kiehn shared with the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network tonight just might prevent a few break-ins – or more than a few. He coached the captains in Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design – CPTED (“SEP-ted” as if you were saying “interCEPted”). In addition to concepts you might not have considered before – such as “hostile vegetation” – his presentation busted a few myths, too (is it better to have your blinds up or down? high hedge or not? etc.). More than 45 people crowded the meeting room by the time he began (from almost every neighborhood in West Seattle, according to the round of self-intros that opened the meeting – from Admiral to The Arroyos!). Read on for the highlights:Read More
First, the stolen-car report: James says his car was parked at 35th/Holly last night between 10:30 and midnight, when somebody stole it. It’s a 4-cylinder, 4-door white 1997 Honda Accord with a Thule roof rack, “and it’s been lowered,” he adds. He drives it to deliver pizza; it was locked and has an alarm, he says, but somebody made off with it anyway. Call police if you see it.
Now, the found car – you might recall Devin‘s report about two weeks ago – now, it’s been found:
With the help of the Seattle and Tacoma Police, our stolen Acura was found and recovered in Tacoma. There was some minor damage to the steering column (from hotwiring) and the radio and vehicle contents were removed. We were able to get it repaired and the car is back in West Seattle.
Crime-prevention note: We’re just back from a big-turnout West Seattle Blockwatch Captains’ Network meeting at the precinct, featuring a presentation on Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design – things to do in and around your home to make it more crime-resistant. We’ll have the story up in the 10 pm hour.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has announced that the so-called “polite robber,” caught on videotape apologizing while holding up a Roxbury gas station (just outside city limits) in early February, has pleaded guilty. 65-year-old Gregory Paul Hess pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery and will be sentenced April 1st. The PAO says the sentencing range would be 51 to 68 months in prison. As we reported previously, Hess gained some fame eight years ago for a series of robberies attributed to the “Transaction Bandit.” After the local heist this past February, police say, Hess confessed; they also say that he reported putting $90 in the bank, from the $200 he stole.
(WSB photo: Police after the robbery, about a block north of the dispensary)
Two days after an armed robbery at a medical-marijuana dispensary in the 5400 block of California SW (original Saturday night WSB coverage here), the three suspects made initial court appearances this afternoon. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office says the adult suspect, 24, has bail set at $500,000; the 15- and 16-year-old boys who also were arrested have been ordered to “remain in secure detention.” The KCPAO has until Wednesday to file charges or set the suspects free. We’ll add to this story shortly with details from the court documents accompanying word of today’s hearing.
ADDED 5:31 PM UPDATE: We’re transcribing the court document (minus any suspect/witness names), after the jump:Read More
In January 2010, a Metro bus driver who lives on Alki survived a vicious attack while on the job in Tukwila. She recovered well enough to be at the hearings for her teenage attacker (here’s our final report from last April), but wasn’t sure if she would ever return to work. We learned the other day that she had decided to return; today is her first day. She shared some of her thoughts via e-mail:
Yes, it’s true. I am “attempting” to go back. I will be on a limited schedule at first. I was pleasantly surprised that my driving skills were 100% intact so less pressure there. As far as the rest, well, here’s my thoughts:
January 22, 2010 changed me and my family’s life forever. It has been a rough journey. Physically I recovered quite well, except for a small scar. I didn’t really know what post-traumatic-stress disorder was until this. Boy, I do now! I will always carry that night with me, and I have accepted that. The day of the sentencing I forgave the boys and that is when the healing began, and to this day I cannot harbor hate or anger. I needed to gain enough confidence that I could safely drive the bus without “freaking out” while there were passengers on board. I believe I have now reached that point. I am able to work my way through the “rough spots,” whereas a year ago I wouldn’t have even considered going back.
I believe that my mission is now to turn what has happened to me into something positive. In the coming months, and perhaps years, my focus will be on doing my job, creating some sort of program to reach out to our youth, loving my family and hugging my Shiba Inu. When I look into her eyes, as strange as it sounds, I see the big picture. And the big picture is Japan. I am just a speck in the universe compared to this tragedy. I will survive. I will move on. I want to thank the much love and encouragement from literally everyone who has helped me get through this, including King County Metro. My future looks bright. Thank you, and prayer for Japan.
The forgiveness she mentions above was also reflected in the statement she gave in court last April – part of this WSB story. The then-14-year-old was the only one charged with attacking her; two other teens were charged with vandalism as part of the incident.
(SUNDAY MORNING UPDATE: Police have just posted their account – we’ve added it)
(Photos by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand)
7:49 PM: We finally have a bit of information about the big police response that’s drawn tips and questions the past hour and a half. The first tipster thought they were seeing something “undercover” around California/Juneau, so we headed out and saw police at two scenes, the tense “guns-drawn” situation in the photo above (which we photographed with a zoom lens), just north of California-Brandon, where someone was ordered out of a car and then cuffed:
Further south, there were multiple cars outside the building that is home to a medical-marijuana dispensary, and while you can’t see it from this angle, police were inside – the door is set back from the street (the building is not in our angle either, it’s immediately south) – talking with people:
Southwest Precinct Lt. Alan Williams tells WSB that since officers are still out, full details aren’t available yet but it is reported to have been a robbery or attempted robbery; three people are in custody (according to later scanner traffic, two are juveniles, one is an adult), and up to two more suspects may still be at large. Lt. Williams says robbery and CSI detectives are responding to investigate now. There is no indication anyone is hurt, and no information yet about whether anything was taken.
10:28 PM UPDATE: More information from Lt. Williams, now confirming it was a robbery: “The suspects’ did take some property of the dispensary and personal property of at least one person inside. At least some of the property taken was recovered by officers. The detectives are continuing their investigation.” (We just drove past the scene, on our way back from two other stories, and saw two police cars still parked outside the building on California.)
SUNDAY MORNING, 9:17 AM: SPD Blotter has just posted a summary of what they say happened:
On March 19th, shortly after 6:00 PM, three suspects entered a licensed medical marijuana dispensary located in the 5400 Block of California Avenue SW. Also inside the business were three employees and two customers. The three suspects were asked by employees to leave, as they were not there to purchase anything. At that point, the suspects pulled out handguns and proceeded to restrain everyone in the store and rob them. The suspects then fled the store on foot. The employees of the business were able to free themselves and gave chase. They managed to catch two of the suspects a few blocks away. In his haste to get away, one of the suspects dropped his handgun and some stolen items in the alley. Responding officers arrested the two suspects and then located and arrested the third suspect a short distance away. In all, two handguns, the victim’s wallets and money and stolen marijuana were all recovered. Robbery and CSI detectives responded to the location to process the scene. All of the suspects were interviewed by detectives. The 24 year old male was later booked into the King County Jail for Investigation of Robbery. The other suspects, ages 16 and 17, were booked into the Youth Services Center for Investigation of Robbery. Robbery detectives will have the responsibility for the continuing investigation.
Quick West Seattle Crime Watch note tonight – Jeri on Pigeon Point asks you to be on the lookout:
Late Sunday night or early Monday morning, March 13th or 14th, a 2003 white Subaru Outback, Washington license plate ACE 4203, was stolen from a driveway near 21st & Charlestown on Pigeon Point.
Seen it? Let police know.
Southwest Precinct leadership had promised that they would go public with information about how crime prevention would be coordinated in the wake of longtime coordinator Benjamin Kinlow‘s departure. His official retirement date was yesterday; today, the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains’ Network is circulating a note from Southwest Precinct Community Police Team Officer Jonathan Kiehn, addressed to the captains, mentioning one of the remaining coordinators in SPD (Mark Solomon, city photo at left) will help with our area, among other things – and promising Block Watch will live on:Read More
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes this afternoon. First – recognize that bicycle? Seattle Police have it and think it might have been stolen, so if you recognize it, Detective Brian Ballew wants to hear from you – 206-233-7836.
Second, another afternoon burglary, close to the location of one reported here last week – details after the jump:Read More
Julia wanted to get the word out about the burglary at her house on Thursday – including praise for the responding police officer – read on:Read More
Just out of the WSB inbox, from Peter:
Just a heads-up, our house was burglarized sometime between 12:30-3 this afternoon. We live on 38th between Oregon and Genesee [map]. They went through all of the drawers in the bedroom/bathroom and they took two TVs, Nintendo DSI, and jewelry. They kicked in the backdoor and we think they went out through the front door (it was unlocked when my wife came home). Leaving out the front seems pretty risky on their part, since we live on a fairly busy street.
Checking the city map for 911 calls in the past day and a half (there’s a significant lag, so, for example, Peter’s break-in isn’t on the map yet), other West Seattle residential burglaries reported in that time period include two last night – one in the 4700 block of 36th SW and one in the 9200 block of 8th SW.
ADDED 9:18 PM: Also got word of a Junction-area burglary this afternoon, from Steve:
It looks like someone was busy this afternoon. Our house located on 48th Ave and Edmunds was also burglarized. Like Peter’s house they kicked in the back door and went through all the drawers in our bedroom and bathroom. As far as we can tell they only took a laptop computer.
“The only acceptable crime stat would be no crime in the city,” Seattle Police Chief John Diaz qualified, toward the start of a Tuesday briefing as the last of the 2010 crime statistics were released, finishing the picture of last year in its entirety. We attended the briefing downtown, and reviewed the statistics later, to put together an update including West Seattle specifics.
Citywide headlines included the number of murders – 19, with 15 of them solved – fewest murders since 1956 (three in West Seattle, all solved). Two categories were up – most notably car theft, plus a slight increase in aggravated assaults – while everything else was down. Assistant Chief Jim Pugel, who leads the Investigations Bureau, started the briefing after opening remarks from the chief. Here’s video of their half-hour-long briefing:
(About 21 minutes in, WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand asked Chief Diaz about something Mayor McGinn said in West Seattle last Sunday, regarding a new emphasis on community policing. The chief confirmed that’s under discussion, without offering specifics.)
Aside from this one-sheet breaking down the categories of crimes and listing the citywide numbers, compared to previous years and the “10-year average,” the only other stats available for the year are the monthly precinct-by-precinct sheets posted to the city’s website. From those:
WEST SEATTLE SPECIFICS:
Through the month-by-month breakouts that were posted, we took a look at the two property-crime categories that Southwest Precinct leadership has acknowledged are the most challenging – burglaries and auto thefts. For the year, the SWP area – West Seattle and South Park – had 436 car thefts and 829 burglaries. For car thefts, March 2010 was the low (23) and May 2010 the high (50), while for burglaries, November 2010 was the low (49) and January 2010 the high (95). Compared to a year earlier, burglaries were down (from 983 in 2009) and car thefts were up (from 395 in 2009).
One final set of 2010 numbers – those who think east West Seattle has more crime than west West Seattle might be surprised to hear that the eastern sector (Frank) had fewer burglaries than the western sector (William) – 345 of them were in F, 483 in W. (Here’s the citywide sector map.)
So what are police doing about property crimes? That was discussed during the briefing by Assistant Chief Mike Sanford, who supervises the precincts. He explained how police are looking for micro-crime patterns (which also is another reason why it’s vital that you report even seemingly small crimes) and work to figure out how to deter crime:
You can explore the latest crime statistics further starting with this page on the SPD website – the year-by-year breakout pages are where you will find the precinct-by-precinct links.
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