Three thieves pried open a side door at the West Seattle Bowl/Three Nine Lounge early Friday morning apparently looking for cash but got nothing for their efforts.

Around 5:30 am three men, in hoodies and face masks pulled up in a silver, light colored or white BMW SUV with no plates on SW Oregon Street just adjacent to the side door of the business and then emerged, used a crow bar to pry open the door and then got back in the vehicle.

Ironically the camera that recorded their crime had been installed just a few days earlier, becoming part of the 40 cameras installed there. 

A few minutes later they entered the building with flashlights (one of them may have been armed with a gun) and came to the main counter, roughly stripping out the cash drawers. which have closed metal tops. This triggered the audible alarm and they quickly fled. 

The drawers contained no cash. They got nothing.

Police arrived quickly but not in time to catch them. 

Jeff Swanson, General Manager said, "We take all the cash out at night and leave nothing. The janitors were a few minutes late this morning so that's probably a good thing."

The door they destroyed has already been replaced and made much more secure with steel bars.