The following are selected reports from the Seattle Police Department’s West Precinct. They represent the officers’ accounts of the events described.
Fast Food Robbery
At approximately 7:45 p.m. on Feb. 4, police responded to a robbery at a fast food restaurant in the 400 block of Queen Anne Avenue North. The employee on staff at the time said the suspect entered the restaurant at about 7:20 p.m. and began ordering food. As she was ringing him up he threw a note at her that read, “This is a robbery, put the money in the bag.” The suspect put his backpack on the counter and demanded the employee put the money from the register in the bag. He eventually reached over the counter and began grabbing money from the register and shoving it in the bag. After he got all the money, including the rolls of coins, the suspect ran out of the store and was last seen running south on Queen Anne Avenue. The employee said the suspect never made any verbal threats, and she didn’t see any weapons The employee and her manager were unsure of exactly how much money the suspect stole from the register. Several police officers responded to the scene and began scouring the neighborhood for the suspect, but he wasn’t located.
Resourceful Thief
Just before 10:30 p.m. on Feb. 4, police responded to a burglary at a house in the 1800 block of Sixth Avenue West. The homeowner reported that the suspect moved a ladder in the backyard under an open rear kitchen window and climbed into the house. Once inside the house the suspect stole about $11,000 worth of watches and jewelry. Several other expensive items were left untouched including a brand new tablet computer and car keys. The burglar left the home through the back door.
Double Burglary
Just after midnight on Feb. 5, a man living in the 3400 block of 11th Avenue West called 911 after returning home to find his house was broken into. He said he’d been away from home since about 6 p.m. Although several drawers throughout the house were opened and rummaged through, only one item was stolen: a wrapped gift. The gift was a pair of women’s bracelets that the victim described as “hippie jewelry.” A ground-level window on the north side of the house had been pried open.
About four hours, earlier a burglary was reported at a house just up the street on the same block. That burglary occurred between 6 and 6:55 p.m. that evening. In that burglary the back door was forced open, but nothing was stolen. A rear window was damaged in an apparent attempt to pry it open.
Jewelry Thief
Just before 9 p.m. on Feb. 8, police responded to a burglary at a house in the 2500 block of 35th Avenue West. The homeowner reported that the suspect came in through the kitchen window, he or she pulled a chair from an outside table under the window, taken the screen off and then pried the window open without causing damage. When the burglar entered the house they set off the alarm; they went straight to the bedroom to the jewelry cabinet. An entire drawer full of jewelry was taken, the victim estimated about $9,000 of jewelry was in the drawer.
Mail Theft
Just after 1 p.m. on Feb. 10, a resident of an apartment building in the 600 block of Prospect Street called 911 to report an incident of mail theft. He stated that the mailman had come by at 11 a.m. and at 11:40 a.m. he walked by the mail room and found all of the mailboxes standing open and mail was strewn about. The mailboxes had been pried open, and the victim stated that his mailbox was damaged to the point that it would no longer lock. He said he didn’t believe anything was stolen from his mailbox. He did report that he found open packages on the stairs on the south side of the building. The building is secured entry, and police weren’t sure how the burglar got in.
Pried Back Door
At approximately 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 8, a woman called 911 to report her house in the 2600 block of 22nd Avenue West was broken into sometime between 6:30 a.m. that morning and 4:23 p.m. She reported that the back door was pried open and three jewelry boxes were stolen. She said about $3,600 worth of costume jewelry and rings were inside the stolen boxes.
Out of Town
Just before 9 p.m. on Feb. 8, police responded to a burglary in the 3000 block of 27th Avenue West. The burglary happened between noon and 7:45 p.m. The homeowner had just left for a three week vacation, and the house sitter showed up to discover the burglary. A south side bedroom window was forced open. There was minor damage to the frame, and mud on the frame and wall from the burglar climbing through the window. The house sitter didn’t know what was taken during the burglary, and they couldn’t reach the homeowner to find out.