West Seattle, Washington
12 Thursday
This just in from the city press-releases page: 35th/Thistle and 35th/Avalon will get cameras this year to snap photos of red-light runners. If you get caught, it’s a $124 fine (up from $101 last year). Specifically, at those intersections, the cameras will watch drivers heading south on 35th @ Thistle (above photo, right) and west on Avalon @ 35th (above photo, left). Full citywide list of present and future cameras here; map of West Seattle locations here:
Two main headlines from the latest stack of reports at the Southwest Precinct: An alert neighbor helped police nab three burglary suspects, and somebody targeted two cars driving along Delridge. First, the cars: Both incidents happened Friday night while the drivers were heading northbound in the 4500 block of Delridge. First, a 34-year-old woman driving a Nissan Quest told police that around 7:25 pm that night, her passenger-side window suddenly shattered; then, a 43-year-old man driving a Mercedes heard something hit his passenger-side door around 7:30 pm, and when he stopped, he noticed a small hole made by what looked to have been a BB pellet. Nobody hurt in either case, and no arrests reported so far. (In case you were wondering, that is 3 miles north of where bicyclist Peter McKay was shot with pellets on Delridge last month.) Now, the rest of the reports, starting with the burglary arrests:Read More
Just back from checking the past week’s worth of reports at the Southwest Precinct (thanks again to the fine folks there for the access). We’ve got a variety of incidents to tell you about – starting with this eyebrow raiser (note that we have agreed, as is standard for police-blotter reporting, to omit specific addresses and victims’ names): Between 9 pm Christmas Eve and 5:30 am the morning after Christmas, somebody broke into a fast-food restaurant in the 3000 block of California through the drive-thru window. They stole just one item: The donation jar — which they had to pry off the front counter — full of bills and coins collected for a charity! No arrest reported so far. Here are more highlights/lowlights, in reverse chronological order (including the tale of the Christmas Canine Chase):Read More
As of right now, we’re testing two new features – both in hopes of better fulfilling the WSB mission of serving you with West Seattle news, information, and discussion, 24/7/365.
MORE DISCUSSION: We have finally launched “forums” — another HUGE thanks to the fabulous STUART MAXWELL for making this happen (same guy who got WSB onto a better server earlier this morth) — but before we build them out with a slew of categories and other enhancements, we would like you to try them and then let us know how you would want to use them. You will find them by clicking the FORUM tab at the right side of the row of navigation tabs under the sunset header (or click here). We’ve started with two general areas — we’d like to see if forums are the best, well, forum for Reader Recommendation Requests — start a new topic when you have one, and see what happens — this means RRRs won’t have to wait for us to get to them amid all the other West Seattle news of the day. Also, there’s an OPEN DISCUSSION area where you can post a topic you’d like to talk about. Sometimes the main page is the right place for that — like the “walk all ways” opinion sent to us that resulted in this well-discussed post — but again, maybe there’s something you just want to say NOW – go to the forums and say it. One note, you will have to register to post in the forums (but anyone can read them). And right now, since we’re considering this a “beta” test before possibly tying it into more of the site, that registration does NOT link to the comment feature on WSB posts, so you will still have to enter your name and e-mail address separately if you want to comment on those. Try out the forums, let us know what you think, with comments on this post OR by e-mailing WSB. Thanks!
MORE NEWS/INFORMATION: With the help of the fine folks at the Southwest Precinct, we are now able to bring you lots more information about West Seattle crime reports, safety concerns, and crime-prevention advice. Starting right now – with police-report highlights from the past several days:Read More
While we were at the Seattle Police Southwest Precinct this week meeting with Lt. Steve Paulsen, he showed us this photo and we asked for a copy to share with you. It’s from Arbor Heights, during one of the many school-zone safety patrols that SW Precinct officers routinely handle; the trunk-mounted display is another variant on those unmanned mobile signs you see from time to time (like the longrunning one on Fauntleroy by Lincoln Park). After “early dismissal” today, school is out for the next two weeks, so you won’t see a scene like this, but many school zones are in residential areas where you’re going to want to keep the pedal a little lighter on the metal anyway.
Two things to mention, unrelated so far as we know except that they involve Seattle Police and are both of course in West Seattle:
-First, reminder that – per what we reported Friday afternoon – you may notice an increased police presence around West Seattle High School again today.
-Second, this photo (and the reader report beneath it) came in last night from “Bob Loblaw”:
SPD said it was a “routine traffic stop,” but they had three cruisers present nonetheless. A big thank you goes out to them for being highly visible on 38th Ave. SW when a suspicious-looking vehicle with a flat tire and smashed headlights showed up on our normally quiet street near Fairmount Park. Thank you, SPD.
— Bob Loblaw
Big news just in from the latest edition of the Southwest Precinct Public Safety Newsletter sent by Crime Prevention Coordinator Benjamin Kinlow, with this excerpted section written up by Detective Bauer:
Southwest Precinct Officers and Detectives, within the last week and a half, have arrested, booked, and filed charges on nine (9) Burglary suspects. Detectives have cleared fifteen (15) burglary cases with the arrest of these suspects. Most of the stolen property has been returned to the owners.
Below are some recent cases that we have been working on. Please notice the incredible Police work along with calls from alert citizens:
12-03-07: Burglary incident: On the morning of 12-03-07, a neighbor was standing on her front porch, and noticed an unfamiliar vehicle pull up to a neighbor’s home. Two males got out of the vehicle and went to the back of the residence. The witness called police. Officers responded and arrived very soon after the call came out. Officers caught the two males after they had burglarized the home by way of forced entry. Both suspects were later booked.
Note that King County detectives have another burglary case in their jurisdiction in which these suspects have been identified. The King County Detectives are also looking at these suspects as good possibles on the series of BB gun shootings in the SW area. That investigation continues.
12-05-07: Burglary/Wanted fugitive arrest: Officers responded to a Burglary call in the 5800 block of 38th Ave SW. Detectives were aware of a wanted fugitive who possibly broke into a nearby residence and took a shotgun and ammunition a few days earlier. Through cooperation of the case detective and patrol officers, the fugitive was caught hiding in a limousine that was parked in front of the home of the burglary/shotgun theft victim.
12-06-07: Burglary incident, 4800 block of Colorado Ave S. Suspect enters fenced in property of metal recycling site. A night watchman sees the suspect and calls police. The suspect exited the property and got into a van before officers arrived. The responding officers located the suspect in the van, and had the watchman do a show up ID of the suspect, which was positive. The officers also arrested another male in the van, who had an outstanding warrant.
12-10-07: Theft/Trafficking stolen property investigation, 4800 block of 35th Ave SW: Detective Bauer investigated an on-going theft incident in which an employee was allegedly stealing property from vulnerable adult residents, and then selling the items on EBAY. Detectives arrested the suspect, and later booked her.
Please noted the following:* Outstanding work by the Patrol Officers!
* Outstanding follow-up by the Detectives!
* Outstanding work by the witnesses who had the presence of mind to call the Police or jot down the license plate number and other information!
Please read that last line again — it’s vital to call SPD as soon as possible when you see something suspicious, not just an emergency. (The non-emergency number is 206/625-5011.)
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