1:08 PM: We requested and obtained the police report today for an incident we heard over emergency radio last night – police arrested two people after finding them in a stolen car detected by Automated License Plate Recognition. According to the report, the plate reader flagged a 2003 gray Dodge Dakota in the former Walgreens parking lot (9464 16th SW) as a potential stolen vehicle. Inside they found two men, ages 25 and 46, one in the front passenger seat, one in the back seat, and took them into custody; the report says, “The rear driver side window of the vehicle was smashed in and the ignition to the vehicle was punched. There was also a pile of trash in the driver seat that was preventing exit or entry from the driver side door.” Both men claimed to be unaware that the pickup was stolen, but they also said they didn’t know its owner’s name. After determining that there was no way they could have gotten into the vehicle without seeing the evidence it was stolen, police arrested them for investigation of possession of a stolen vehicle. Both are still in jail; for the younger man, it’s his fourth booking this year, cumulatively totaling about five weeks in the King County Jail, with other cases involving theft, assault, and property destruction; for the older man, it’s his fifth booking of 2025, totaling 12 days so far, in criminal-trespass cases.

9:58 PM: Checked the jail register. The older suspect has been released; the younger one (who was in the front seat, which might have made a difference in the probable-cause finding) is still in.

10:06 PM: Police are investigating gunfire at 27th/Roxbury. No one injured, but they’ve found at least two casings “in the intersection.” The person who says they saw it happen described the shooter as an “unknown-race male, 20s,” with a backpack and a handgun, on foot when he fired the gun, then walking north.

ADDED 11:36 AM TUESDAY: Here’s SPD’s summary of the incident:

At 2140 hours, a man on foot in the area of 27 Av SW and SW Roxbury St fired two shots from a handgun toward a woman who honked her horn at him for walking into traffic. Nobody was injured. The suspect fled the area on foot prior to the arrival of officers, as seen later on surveillance footage. Spent rounds of ammunition were recovered at the scene. The area was contained and K-9 responded, but the suspect could not be located.

On Christmas Day, we reported on a break-in at WaFd Bank on the north side of The Junction. A check of police records and radio archives also indicated a possible burglary that morning at West Seattle Nursery (5275 California SW; WSB sponsor), but not enough information to confirm one, until we heard back today from owner Marcia Bruno. She tells WSB:

It looks like it was one guy with long dark hair. It happened early Christmas morning. They stole all of our jewelry , some tools and our radios. It’s more annoying than anything else. We haven’t been broken into for years so it’s just a reminder that people are still out there.

If you have any information, the SPD incident # is 2025-376533.

Reader report received tonight with words of warning:

Reporting on a gas thief in the Morgan Junction area:

Caught on our neighbor’s camera at 5:30 am this morning was a suburban type vehicle stopped in front of our house. In the video, a man drops to the ground and drills a hole in our gas tank to pilfer gas. Unfortunately, we couldn’t make out the license plate.

We’d like to be anonymous, but just wanted to let our community know, as most likely we aren’t the only ones who will be targeted. According to our car dealership, this is a common occurrence and gas thieves look for trucks that are easy to get under.

11:42 AM: Police responding to a report of gunfire in the 26th/Barton area a short time ago report finding one casing so far, “in the intersection.” No injuries reported; the shot(s) was/were reportedly fired from a vehicle described as a black Chevy Suburban, by someone described as white, male, wearing a black cap. The vehicle was last seen headed eastbound on Barton.

12:05 PM: Went over to Westwood to see if we could get a closer description o where exactly this happened, but police already had left the scene. If you have any information, the incident # is 2025-377518.

10 PM SUNDAY: A few more details are in this SPD summary:

At 1124 hours, officers responded to the area of SW Barton St/26 Ave SW to investigate shots fired. The victim who was driving a King County Metro Access Transport bus stated that while stopped at the traffic light, the driver of a dark-color SUV pointed a handgun towards the bus and fired two shots. There was no damage observed on the bus; one fired cartridge casing was found at the dispatched intersection. There were no passengers on the bus at the time of this incident. Victim was unable to provide any other vehicle or suspect information.

JC sent this on behalf of the stolen car’s owner:

Honda Fit stolen from Genesee Hill on 12/23/25
Plate No AKA4233
Seattle Police Case # 25-374198

If you find it, please call 911.

Three Crime Watch notes today:

SCHOOL GUN CHARGES: Prosecutors have filed felony gun charges against the two 15-year-olds accused of having handguns at Evergreen High School in White Center last Wednesday. Details are on our partner site White Center Now.

HIT-RUN HELP: Hollie is looking for help in finding the hit-run driver who sideswiped her parked car:

She says this happened around noon Sunday on SW Charlestown just west of California. A witness told her it was a white BMW but didn’t get the plate number. She wonders if anyone nearby might have the collision on security-camera video. She filed a report in the WSP system, temporary # M6916344.

PACKAGE THIEF: Logan sent the image of this person taking a package at their Fauntleroy Way townhouse east of The Junction:

My home is two rows back from the main street, inside a private townhouse community. The individual intentionally walked past multiple buildings and homes to reach my porch and steal a package. This required clear effort and intent, not a quick grab from a street-facing porch … With package theft becoming more common, I think it’s important to highlight that thieves are willing to go deeper into residential complexes, not just target homes near the street.

Early Friday in North Delridge, police pulled over a car for a burned-out headlight. In the process, they found out it was stolen – a “company vehicle” taken from the West Seattle Golf Course parking lot last Saturday afternoon. We heard a bit about the arrest while it was happening, and requested the report narrative from SPD. We received it today. Here’s what the officer wrote:

On 12-19-2025, I was working uniformed patrol as unit 3W31 within the city of Seattle. At about 0151 hrs., I was traveling northbound in the 4600 block of 26 Ave SW when a vehicle, WA XXXXXXX, passed me in the same block with only one functioning headlight during hours of darkness. I turned around and got behind the vehicle at 29 Ave SW/SW Brandon St, facing southbound. I activated my emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop for the defective headlight.

I broadcasted the stop location and vehicle information to dispatch. Prior to me making contact with the occupants of the vehicle, dispatch informed me that the license plate was coming back to a stolen vehicle. Once additional units arrived, the driver was taken out of the vehicle and placed under arrest for Inv. of Possession of Stolen Property. … Two additional passengers were taken out of the vehicle as well.

I observed that the vehicle was running with no keys in the heavily damaged ignition. This ignition was easyyily observable by all passengers in the vehicle and was not covered, or obstructed by view. Officers were not able to turn the vehicle off at the scene. I verified that the VIN # of the vehicle matched that of the license plate information in WA DOL. The vehicle was searched, per the request of the registered owner and then impounded by Lincoln Towing, per the owner’s request as well. … (The suspect) stated that he “found” the vehicle in Burien earlier that evening, but could not give any further details about the vehicle. (The other two) were released from the scene.

The suspect, who’s 30, was booked into the King County Jail and is still there right now. His record includes misdemeanor convictions for an incident at the Delridge Home Depot in October, where he
“threw (palm) trees around” and threatened to kill an employee; he was sentenced to a suspended year in jail and given credit for the three weeks he served before pleading guilty. He also has felony convictions for a plea-bargained case last year in which he walked into a Highland Park house in 2023, took car keys, and stole a car; for that, he was sentenced to three months.

Sent this morning by Karen:

Sorry and angry to report I discovered this morning my mailbox on the east side of 35th SW just south of the 7-Eleven was broken into and severely damaged. Hoping no valuable mail was stolen. Mail recipients, beware!

Not to say that any of these would have helped in this case, but the >U.S. Postal Inspection Service does have advice for customers.

Three reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

ROBBERY ARREST: What happened at the Harbor Avenue 7-Eleven early this morning wasn’t a holdup, police say: They arrested a man who they say attacked a clerk who wouldn’t sell him beer because it was 4 am. The incident summary says a 911 call just before 4 am reported the attack. The summary says the clerk refused to sell the beer, so the man tried taking it anyway, leaving money on the counter, then returned to demand that money be given back to him. When the clerk gave him money, according to the summary, he said it wasn’t enough and demanded more, then went behind the counter and attacked the clerk by choking him and holding a corkscrew to his neck, threatening to kill him. Police arrested the 34-year-old suspect shortly afterward and took him to jail, where he remains tonight.

BUS HARASSMENT: A woman who says she was sexually harassed on a C Line bus from West Seattle wonders if the same man has done the same thing to other women, and if so, wants to urge them to report it.

than usual without my boyfriend who I typically commute with. The man sat next to me and intentionally showed me a pornographic video on his phone of a woman who looked disturbingly similar to me, twice. After I realized that he was very clearly showing me the video (turning his whole body toward me, putting the phone in front of my face), I moved to the back of the bus. He got off on 3rd Ave in downtown as usual. I reported to the King County Sheriff’s Office, who handles Metro issues (case #C25034202). If this or something similar has happened to other girls or women, please report it if you can — his description is below. KC Sheriff Deputy Dalon explained that the man is only likely to be arrested if 911 is called or the driver is notified while there is an active disturbance (i.e. sexual harassment) on the bus.

Description: Older Asian man with gray/white hair. Always wears a beanie with hair peeking out, dark black/gray zip-up hoodie (usually with a red shirt underneath), dark blue or gray joggers, white sneakers, a regular medical mask, and never seems to be carrying a bag or anything. He also appears to have a jaw malformation under his mask.

PACKAGE THEFT: Thieves are particularly active during the holiday season, for obvious reasons. Another reader who wants to be anonymous sent this report:

Just reporting a package theft on Fauntleroy around 2 pm (Thursday). They were making their way north hitting the side streets. Bright orange hat, blue jacket, and purple printed backpack.

Those rocks are what police say they found in the pocket of a 49-year-old man who is in the King County Jail this afternoon, accused of window vandalism in The Junction on Tuesday. We heard some of the incident play out on police radio and requested the report narrative today. It says a 911 call came in at 12:47 pm Tuesday about a business window that had just been broken at Washington Management Company in the 4500 block of California SW, by a man subsequently seen “throwing rocks from the roadway at cars and passeersby.” With a description, police found the suspect near 40th SW and SW Oregon. The report narrative says employees of the business had confronted the suspect after the window was broken, and described him as “mumbling to himself and appeared to be experiencing a mental health crisis,” the officer wrote. They said he ran away after being confronted; one witness had taken a phone photo and sent it to police to help identify the suspect. Police arrested him and found “a handful of rocks” in his pocket before taking him to the King County Jail, where he was booked for investigation of malicious mischief.

According to the police report, the business estimated replacing the large broken window will cost about $3,000. We’ve been working on a story about other businesses who’ve dealt with similar crimes and the city program that attempts to help with the cost. We hope to publish that report later today. Meantime, the suspect is likely to have had a probable-cause hearing today, and we’ll update with any results of that.

We’ve had multiple reader reports lately involving garage break-ins. They’ve all been at private residences. But we were working early Sunday morning when we heard police-radio traffic about a possible garage burglary at a business.
We weren’t able to confirm it until the report was made available today. It happened at the Jiffy Lube in The Junction, at 40th SW and SW Alaska, reported just before 5:30 am Sunday. From the report narrative:

…The call notes read: AT JIFFY LUBE SOUTH OF, 2 SUBJS BROKE BACK WINDOW, ATTEMPTING TO OPEN GARAGE DOOR.

I arrived on scene and observed the back garage door open with glass shattered around the inside and outside of the building. Upon entering the building, it appeared that the computer was tampered with. We swept the building to see if anyone was inside. It was unoccupied. … I also observed a cut lock just inside the bay door.

Officers met with XXXX, XXXX, who stated that he lives [nearby]. He saw three individuals approximately 6’0” tall, wearing all black and driving a black or blue Mazda sedan. He also stated one of the individuals was carrying what appeared to be bolt cutters. He witnessed them taking what looked like a register cash drawer and then saw the car leave and drive eastbound on Alaska St. Officers were unable to locate the vehicle.

Police weren’t able to reach owners/managers immediately but were hopeful of obtaining video from what appeared to be operational security cameras. If you have any information, the SPD case # is 2025-365336.

Anna sent the photos with word her 2021 white Lexus IS 350 has been stolen, near 44th and Dakota, sometime since Friday. It has Florida plate MIFFFY and a bunny sticker in the rear window. Call 911 if you find it. (We’ll add the police-report number when we get it. UPDATE: 25-365577.)

Stacie reports someone shattered her car’s window by firing a BB gun at it, and she says others along her street were hit too:

Our car’s driver-side window was shot at by BB gun sometime overnight 12-12 or early morning 12-13. Wanted to warn the community. We are on 16th Ave SW just south of the college. There were other vehicles hit on 16th Sze that we noticed earlier tonight.

We’ll add the SPD report # when we get it.

This morning we have the report narrative for a smash-and-grab robbery that happened Tuesday night at the Westwood Village Big 5 Sporting Goods store. Here’s what police say happened at the store shortly before its scheduled 8 pm closing time; the report says it was not originally reported/dispatched as a robbery:

On 12/9/25 at 1942 hours I was working uniformed patrol with Officer XXXX as 3F2 in the city of Seattle when we were dispatched to 2600 SW Barton St (Big 5 Sporting Goods) in reference to a disturbance. The call was dispatched as follows, “j/o [just occurred], susp broke window, customer has gun and kicked susp out of blding.”

Dispatch provided the following description of the suspects, “WM, WHI BEANIE, BLU MEDICAL MASK, BLK JACKET, BLU JEANS 2) WM, GRY MASK, BLK JACKET, BLU JEANS.”

Upon arrival I spoke with two Big 5 employees, XXXX and XXXX, who were present during the incident. They stated that two suspects entered the store wearing masks, gloves, and hooded jackets. XXXX added that she saw the suspects were armed with a knife, crowbar, and a glass/window breaker. After entering the store, the suspects walked toward the airsoft/BB gun section. XXXX and XXXX did not have any verbal contact with the suspects, both backed away when they entered. XXXX stated that she did not attempt to contact them out of fear of being assaulted, due to the suspects possessing weapons.

The suspects then shattered a display window and began loading several BB/pellet/airsoft firearms into a suitcase. In total the suspects took six BB pistols and two BB double barrel shotguns. The total value of the stolen merchandise is $884.92. …

W/XXXX was shopping in the BB gun section of Big 5 during this incident. He was no longer on scene and contacted by phone. XXXX stated that he saw the suspects break the display window and place merchandise into a suitcase. Similarly to XXXX stated he observed the suspects were in possession of weapons, a knife and a baton/”billy club.” XXXX stated that one of the suspects began reaching toward his waistline and pockets. At this point XXXX stated he drew his firearm in order to protect himself and the employees as he thought the suspect could be reaching for a weapon.

XXXX then began giving the suspects verbal commands, “get out of the store, stop what you are doing” and “put your hands up”. He then directed the employees to retrieve a less-lethal defensive tool such as pepper spray, but they did not have any. XXXX stated that one suspect did not react and continued placing merchandise into the suitcase. The other suspect put his up and said, “ok bro, ok bro.” The suspects then exited the store with the suitcase of unpaid-for merchandise. XXXX statements were congruent with security video and statements made by employees.

I established probable cause for RCW 9A.56.200 – Robbery 1 for the suspects given they were unlawfully taking property in the presence of a victim who expressed fear of injury, fear that the suspects used to obtain possession of the property.

A shorter SPD summary says police looked around the area for the robbers but did not call for a K-9: “Weather conditions and time delay made a K-9 track impractical.” If you have any information on this robbery, the SPD incident number is 25-360795.

The people out working in this blustery weather include thieves. That’s what Andrew‘s porch-camera video shows. He reports, “This happened December 10th @ 11:45 AM in Gatewood, minutes after the package was delivered.” The camera did not catch a getaway vehicle. But if you’re expecting a delivery, you’re best advised to have a plan to claim it quickly.