Reported tonight by Jenny via email – this van was taken overnight from an apartment parking lot off Fauntleroy Way north of Fairmount Park:

It’s a white Chevrolet van, with ladders on top when taken; plates BFB7562, SPD report number 24-32912. Call 911 if you see it.

A reader reports their home was broken into between 3:30 and 4:20 pm Thursday, February 1. It happened in the 2400 block of Myrtle, a block off Delridge. The victim explains, “Our neighbor’s security camera caught this footage of 3 men walking out of our driveway (his footage is about 28 minutes behind the actual time) … The gray/silver minivan was waiting for the 3 men, all dressed exactly the same.” They appear in the distance in the upper left of the video around :16 in:

The minivan then headed west on Myrtle toward Delridge. The victim adds, “They used a crowbar to open the front door and stole cash and jewelry, mostly family items not replaceable. I am usually home during this time and ran a random errand, so it seems like they were really watching as the window was very small, or they had a stroke of great luck with timing!” The SPD report number is 24-30292.

Police are at Global Smoke and Vape (35th/Roxbury) right now, after the store was robbed for the second time in less than 24 hours. So far tonight police are saying they don’t have much to go on – officers have told dispatch that the store staff has only described the robbers as “three males wearing masks,” at least one with a gun. The robbers who hit the store around 7:30 last night were described as three white men around 20 years old, 5’4″, one in a white jacket, two in dark jacket, all in masks, one with a gun. No injuries reported in either holdup. In addition to other robberies at the store, it was hit by crash-and-grab burglars five times in less than a month last fall.

(Reader photo from 2023, aftermath of what sender called a ‘rampage’ of vandalism north of The Junction)

The city’s graffiti law is enforceable again, according to this announcement this afternoon from City Attorney Ann Davison‘s office:

Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison today announced that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has reversed a lower court ruling that halted the City of Seattle’s ability to enforce its misdemeanor graffiti ordinance.

City Attorney Davison appealed the lower court ruling on July 3, 2023 and made oral arguments to the Court on Jan. 9, 2024. The Court of Appeals made its ruling this morning.

“The people of Seattle won an important victory today when the Ninth Circuit upheld our City’s right to enforce our laws against graffiti property destruction,” said City Attorney Davison. “Graffiti is a massive problem for our City, costing taxpayers, businesses, and residents millions of dollars while creating widespread visual blight. We must have as many tools as possible to protect neighbors and residents impacted by graffiti.”

In June 2023, the U.S. District enjoined the City from enforcing its graffiti ordinance, Seattle Municipal Code 12A.08.020(A)(2).

We reported on that ruling here.

Reported via email:

A 2012 Mazda3 sedan, gun-metal blue, plate # BWY0174, was stolen overnight near 20th Ave SW & Roxbury, noticed missing today at 4:30 in the morning. A police report has been made: 24-29655.

In connection with the theft, according to the email report, another car nearby – a Honda Passport – was prowled.

Via email – this truck was stolen overnight:

Date: 01/31/24
Time: Last seen at 8 pm
Location: 30th SW /Morgan Street, West Seattle
Make/Model: 1997 Ford Econoline
Color: White
License Plate: C98764G

Additional Identifying Features: American Data Guard (ADG) on both sides of the truck

Call 911 if you see it.

Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

CONDO-LOBBY BURGLARS: Residents of a building in the 1300 block of Harbor Avenue SW report their lobby was broken into at 5:15 am Sunday (January 28); the burglars stole packages:

If you have any information on the break-in and/or the burglars, the SPD incident number is 24-901670.

BUILDING VANDALISM: Southwest Youth and Family Services – the nonprofit located just east of Delridge Playfield – was hit by particularly prolific tagging vandal(s) in recent days. They painted over the tags as they usually do but wanted to let the community know about the problem.

Todd at Swedish Automotive (35th/Kenyon; WSB sponsor) says this happened sometime overnight:

Well, make that #3 in the last 12 months. Still nothing of value taken – looks like just a box of old valve shims – but, of course, the expense is in getting the glass replaced.

That’s not necessarily a quick turnaround – last time, Todd adds, they had a three-week wait. They’ve filed a police report; we’ll add the number when available. (Added: It’s 24-901762.) The previous two smash-and-grabs were in February and August 2023.

One incident of confirmed gunfire early today: 911 callers from North Delridge reported hearing suspected gunfire just before 3 am. Responding officers reported finding at least one spent casing “near the trailhead at 25th/Juneau.” No injuries were reported.

9:48 AM: The photo is from Stephanie, whose son discovered early this morning “that the rear passenger window on our 2020 Kia Sportage was smashed. It was parked in our carport at the apartments on 24th and Holden in Delridge.” They subsequently found the steering column was broken, so someone had tried to steal the car. Not the first time: “This is the third incident with our Kia. It was stolen in October 2022 (recovered the next day with plenty of damage), the door lock was broken in May 2023.”

ADDED 11:33 AM: Just sent by Elena:

Found at 37th and Myrtle still running. Back window smashed and trunk pillaged. Still running.

(WSB photo, Westwood Village, 10/20/23)

Back in October, we reported on the arrest of two 15-year-old boys after a purse-snatch robbery in Admiral and a purchase made with one of the victim’s cards. This week, one pleaded guilty and was sentenced, while the other has a plea hearing scheduled for next week. As they are being prosecuted as juveniles, we have identified them only as Suspects #1 and #2. The one who pleaded guilty this week is #1. Court documents say he was the one who got out of a car that pulled up behind the victim, near 45th and Stevens in the middle of the afternoon, and ran up to her from behind, knocking her to the ground and struggling with her for her purse, finally pulling it away. A tracing signal from the phone in her purse led police to the two boys at Westwood Village, where they were coming out of GameStop with a PlayStation they had bought with one of the victim’s cards. They split up, but police quickly took both of them into custody. #1 has remained in detention; his previous convictions, as we reported here, included a 2022 carjacking in Burien and a car theft last year in Kent. While on “electronic home monitoring” for the latter, he cut off the monitoring bracelet, and was arrested in September for an incident also involving Suspect #2 and a stolen car found at Bellevue Square.

Getting back to the current case, #1 pleaded guilty this past Wednesday to one reduced charge, second-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, and one charge that was unchanged from October, second-degree ID theft. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office recommended the standard range of 15 to 36 weeks in state juvenile detention, and that’s what Judge Joe Campagna ordered. But that’s not all the time the defendant will be serving, KCPAO spokesperson Casey McNerthney explains – he also has an additional “15-to-36-week range” from a prior conviction – previously suspended, but now that’s revoked – plus two months. Juvenile sentencing works differently from adult sentencing, with ranges rather than fixed periods, and it will be up to the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families to determine when he’s released.

The report and photo are from FL:

Sometime between 8 pm 1/24 and 7 am 1/25 my 1998 Chevy (white) 1500 pickup was stolen from sw Henderson st / 35th Ave SW. It was parked on SW Henderson St between the public library and the Shell gas station. The Shell gas station camera was pointed directly at the spot it was parked in. It was a work truck that I used daily. It had a metal tool rack on the back in place of a canopy. This is the second white truck my family has had stolen from us in the last six months from this location. About 6 months ago our other truck was stolen at roughly the same time of night within a block of this location. Rampant car theft in the area.

License plate # is C13705B. We’ll add the police-report # when we get it.

One reader report received today, from Christopher:

I wanted to report some mail theft that occurred sometime around midday Monday 1/22. I live in a townhouse at the corner of Delridge Way SW and SW Edmunds Street; we have a joint, locking mailbox for our four units. We found that our mailbox has been pried open and our mail stolen. We have reported this to Seattle police department and the USPS Inspector General. I’m hoping to get this out to see if anyone else had their mail stolen as well, and encourage them to report it.

You can report mail theft to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service here.

ORIGINAL TUESDAY NIGHT REPORT: Police are investigating an armed carjacking reported a short time ago in the 8300 block of 41st SW. From initial exchanges between dispatch and officers, the car taken is described as a black Mazda M6; the suspects are described so far as three or four people associated with a dark-colored sedan, all Black and male, 5’10” to 6′, thin build, wearing ski masks and dark clothing, at least one with a gun. The stolen car was last seen northbound on 41st SW.

ADDED FRIDAY: The victim has told his story in comments below, and SPD has published its summary here.

9:59 PM: This is all breaking right now. Police have just arrived at Global Smoke & Vape (35th/Roxbury) after a report that two people robbed the store at gunpoint. So far the robbers are described as white, male, in black ski masks and dark clothing. (This is the store that dealt with multiple crash-and-grab burglaries last year.)

Police are also responding to two local Starbucks stores with reports of burglaries that just happened – Alki and Admiral. The person who is reported to have broken into the Alki store is described as 5’8″, in a dark blue puffy jacket, dark pants; the only description from Admiral so far is someone in a gray hoodie who got into a vehicle described as a gray Nissan Rogue.

10:39 PM: No further information except that SFD was dispatched to the Alki scene to board up the door.

(Added: Photo sent by Charlotte)

11:59 PM: And now an SFD truck is being sent to “secure” the Admiral shop.

Seattle Police confirm two business burglaries reported over the weekend – Early Sunday, West Seattle Liquor and Wine in outer west Jefferson Square was hit for the second time in less than a week; after a break-in attempt last Wednesday, this time someone did get in, according to the report, and stole what was described as an “unknown amount of product.” Early Saturday, a burglary was reported at the Itto’s building (California/Genesee). In that one, police say, the cash register was stolen – which might be linked to this discovery just sent by a reader:

That turned up dumped near Fauntleroy/Hudson. The California/Genesee incident # is 24-017994; the Jefferson Square # is 24-019098.

Two reader reports of West Seattle thefts:

HARDTOP STOLEN: This report and photo are from a reader:

My Mazda Miata hardtop, which had specially installed bolted locks to prevent theft, was drilled off before my discovery the morning of Jan 12 in a lighted alley apartment lot (next to other cars) in the Alki area. This current removal was a concerted effort requiring multiple people and tools and also involved the removal of all items in the glove compartment, car inside, and trunk. Approximately $6,000 of damage was done to the car. This hardtop is not replaceable and was useful for the driver’s visibility (soft convertible tops have small back windows). SPD report number is 2024-901158.

PACKAGE STOLEN: This happened just after 1 pm today, reports Jenn:

We had a package stolen from our front door. We have video from our Ring camera – they were wearing a blue jacket (looks like they’re attempting to look like an Amazon delivery person), red backpack, gray beanie with Pom Pom, and were masked. We’re off 34th and Morgan and have a gate that they opened.

No report number yet; we’ll add when it’s available.

Two reader reports:

STOLEN SIERRA: From Jon:

My 2000 GMC Sierra pickup was stolen at 4 AM of the 18th while parked in the 6000 block of Beach Drive. The truck is a medium green with a flat bed cover and Washington license N7IGG.

Guilty party was the passenger in a 2000 to 2006 GMC Tahoe, license beginning in “D” and ending in “10”. If anyone notices either please call 911 and mention the case number: 24-16382.

GAS THEFT: Reported via text – “Just a note that on 38th between Stevens and Lander last night at about 930 somebody drilled out my gas tank on my Toyota Tacoma and stole the gas.”