The following are selected reports from the Seattle Police Department’s West Precinct. They represent the officers’ accounts of the events described.
Stolen Files
At approximately 11:30 a.m. on July 11, a woman called 911 to report her house in the 2800 block of 31st Avenue West had been broken into.
She said she’d been away from the house since 9 a.m. that morning, and had just returned to find the back door open and a plastic file box in the driveway behind the house. The file box had been taken from inside the house. She said nothing else was taken.
The back door had no signs of forced entry, and police believed the victim had unknowingly left the door ajar.
Whiskey Thief
Just after 4:30 p.m. on July 16, police responded to a reported shoplifting incidnet at a store in the 2000 block of 15th Avenue West.
Store employees told 911 operators that the suspect stole a $50 bottle of whiskey and threatened a loss prevention officer with a metal chain. Responding police spotted the suspect walking northbound on 15th Avenue West near West Boston Street. He was still carrying the chain.
He was argumentative with police but complied with their commands to drop the chain. After his arrest the loss prevention officer, who had been following the suspect at a distance, positively identified the suspect. The stolen whiskey, a bottle of Knob Creek Bourbon, was found stashed in a nearby push.
Due to his refusal to return the stolen goods when confronted by store security, and his threatening the employee with a weapon, the suspect was arrested and charged with robbery.
Dangerous Shoplifter
Just after 1:30 p.m. on July 16, police were called to a store in the 500 block of First Avenue West after a shoplifter attempted to walk out with a cart with more than $1,000 worth of unpaid for merchandise, mostly alcohol and meat.
The shoplifter was stopped by store security, and a struggle ensued over the cart. Eventually the suspect pushed the cart over, causing its contents to spill out onto the sidewalk and bottles to break.
The suspect picked up a piece of broken glass and approached the employee, threatening to hurt him. The employee and witnesses told similar stories.
Responding police found the suspect about four blocks away. Because the suspect attempted to take over $1,000 worth of merchandise and used force and an improvised weapon to escape, he was arrested and charged with robbery.
Robbery with Little Reward
Shortly after 8:30 p.m. on July 12, police responded to a 911 call reporting that a man was robbed on the street at West Aloha Street and Queen Anne Avenue North by a suspect who grabbed him by the neck.
The victim told police he’d noticed a man was following him as he walked home. As he was walking through the gate into his apartment complex, the suspect came up from behind and wrapped an arm around his neck and reached into his pocket.
The suspect pulled two $1 bills out and then ran off westbound on West Aloha Street.
Attempted Break In
At approximately 6:45 a.m. on July 16, police responded to a reported burglary at a house in the 3400 block of 14th Avenue West.
Responding police describe the house as surrounded by trees and bushes and appearing abandoned. The victim told police he saw a suspect attempting to enter a basement window. The window was full of cobwebs and was nailed shut.
Police explained to the victim that the suspect probably thought the house was abandoned, but he stated he lives there and is home every day. He didn’t seem to believe anyone would think the house was abandoned.
Friendly Thief
Just after 7:30 a.m. on July 16, police responded to an apartment in the 500 block of Galer Street to investigate an auto theft.
The victim said he’d returned home at about 4 a.m. and saw the suspect standing near the entrance to his apartment complex. He struck up a conversation with the suspect and decided to give him a ride inside.
The suspect asked for a drink of water and followed the victim to his apartment. He waited outside while the victim went in and grabbed a glass of water.
The victim had left the door ajar while he went to get the water. A while later he noticed his spare keys were missing from the key holder behind the front door.
He checked the parking lot and found his car was missing.