The following are selected reports from the Seattle Police Department's West Precinct. They represent the officer's accounts of the events described.
Meddling Kids
Just before 3:30 a.m. on Aug. 28, police responded to an alarm trip at a building in the 2500 block of 34th Avenue West. When officers arrived, they spoke with a security guard who was on duty. He said he’d caught three high school aged kids in the building; two had climbed out a window to try to escape him. He’d stopped the trio and recovered electronic equipment that they’d attempted to steal. The security guard told police that, since the kids were under age, the business would be handling the incident internally. He’d already given the kids a ride home.
Garage Burglary
At 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 27, a homeowner living in the 2500 block of 14th Avenue West called 911 to report his garage had been broken into. He said the burglary occurred sometime between 12:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. that morning. The burglar forced the main door open and stole a mountain bike and a power saw from the garage.
Tripped Alarm
At approximately 9:45 p.m. on Aug. 26, police responded to an audible alarm at a house in the 1600 block of 29th Avenue West. Police and the homeowner responded to the house at the same time. Police searched the inside of the house and, while they found nobody inside, they could tell it had been burglarized as drawers were open with their contents spilled out, closets had been ransacked and a bathroom door was left open. Police found a camera bag in the backyard; the victim stated it was from an upstairs bedroom. The victim said some jewelry was missing from the bedroom and it looked like the burglar had taken the pillowcase off a pillow, likely using it to carry his haul.
Regular Shoplifter
Shortly after 9 p.m. on Aug. 24, security at a grocery store in the 100 block of Mercer Street called 911 to report they had a shoplifter in custody. When officers responded security stated that the shoplifter, who has been caught shoplifting at this store before, came in and took a bottle of liquor. He hid the bottle under his jacket and walked out the door. Security confronted him outside the store and took him into custody with no incident.
Construction Site Burglary
Just after 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 24, police responded to a construction site in the 3200 block of 16th Avenue West after workers called to report a burglary that occurred overnight. A hole had been cut in the fence that surrounded the site. The hole was large enough for a truck to drive through. The construction workers told police they believed the burglar had driven a truck onto the site and loaded it with a large toolbox and tools. As the construction project is set to last up to two years, police advised the construction business to hire security guards.
Out of Town
Just before 10 a.m. on Aug. 24, a landscaper called 911 to report the house he was working at, located in the 3200 block of Conkling Place West, had possibly been broken into. When officers arrived, the landscaper showed them to the house’s side door, which was glass and had been shattered. Officers went inside and found the house appeared to be ransacked. Drawers throughout the house had been pulled out and dumped. The homeowners were out of town and couldn’t be reached. The landscaper told police he would fix the door. Police collected evidence including items to test for fingerprints.
Unlocked Window
Just after 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 25, the resident of an apartment in the 1500 block of Queen Anne Avenue North called 911 to report his apartment had been broken into. The victim said he and his roommate left the apartment at about 6 a.m. on the 24rd. He’d been back in the apartment briefly on the 24th, but didn’t notice anything out of place at the time. He came home at 4:15 p.m. that day, and noticed one of the front window screens was out of place. He wasn’t sure if the window was locked when they left. The apartment had been ransacked. He reported the following things stolen: a laptop computer, $40-50 worth of change from a jar, two debit cards, a social security card, a car key and membership cards for different businesses. He said he’d spoken with his neighbors and nobody had seen anything suspicious while they’d been away from home.
Weekend Burglary
Just after 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 5, police responded to an apartment in the 500 block of Fifth Avenue West after the resident called 911 to report a burglary that occurred sometime over the weekend. The victim said he and his girlfriend were away from home from 9 a.m. on Sept. 3 through 7 p.m. that night. The front door of the apartment had been forced open and there was damage to the doorframe. Parts of the frame were on the floor and the doorknob was damaged as well. A black backpack containing a laptop and a passport was stolen along with a spare key fob for the victim’s car, two more laptops, an e-reader, and some checkbooks. The victims told police they spoke with their neighbors and the building manager, all of whom stated that they hadn’t heard or seen anything suspicious over the weekend.
Victimized Empty House
Just after 8 a.m. on Sept. 6, the foreman of a construction project in the 700 block of West Lee Street called 911 to report a burglary that occurred over the weekend. The project is a house that is being remodeled. The foreman stated his crew locked up the house on Sept. 2 for the Labor Day weekend. The crew returned on Tuesday morning and discovered that the home had been burglarized. Police believe the burglar entered the house by reaching through a broken window on the back door and unlocking it. The burglar stole some chandeliers that had been taken down during the remodeling project along with some of the construction crew’s tools. There were more tools removed from the house and lined up in the front yard, indicating the suspect was either planning to come back or had been scared off during the burglary. The foreman also reported that his computer bag was taken, the bag had contained some computer cords – the computer was locked away – and three credit cards.
Early Morning Robbery
Just after 4 a.m. on Sept. 4, police responded to a 911 call reporting a robbery that occurred in the 300 block of Broad Street in which the victim may have been stabbed. When police found the victim he stated he thought he’d been stabbed in the shoulder. Officers checked the victim’s shoulder, and found no blood or any wounds. He said he’d been sitting on the sidewalk leaning against a building in the 300 block of Denny Way. Two suspects approached and asked him for money and drugs. When he refused one of the suspects pulled out a knife and the other started hitting and kicking him. They took his wallet and ran off towards the Seattle Center. A witness told police she’d been standing on the northwest corner of Denny Way and Broad Street when she heard the disturbance. She looked over and saw the two suspects kicking the victim on the ground. She approach and told the suspects to stop. She said they left the area, running towards the Seattle Center. Police searched the Seattle Center campus for the suspects, but didn’t find them.