Census Bureau scam
During the day of Feb. 7, a family’s home was burglarized on the 5600 block of 42nd Ave. S.W. while they were away at work. When police arrived to file a report, the victim said he had received two recent phone calls from someone claiming to be from the Census Bureau. The man said he was “put off by some peculiar questions about he and his wife’s work schedules when they were away from home.” His suspicions were likely correct. The victim had record of both calls with “206” area codes. Police took the numbers down for further investigation.

Karmic fail: Stealing tips
Sometime overnight on Feb. 10, an unknown burglar broke into a restaurant on the 4700 block of California Ave. S.W. The crook somehow made entry through the roof (the victim said it would be very difficult to get up there) and slipped down into the establishment through a “very small” hole into the kitchen. Once inside, the suspect stole receipts and the hard-earned tips of the staff. Responding officers were able to obtain a unique boot print from a wooden board that had been, at one time, in the ceiling. The print was taken as evidence.

Don’t pay: get your foot rolled over by a van?
A man called police on Feb. 12 to report his foot had just been ran over by a disgruntled “Water Department” employee’s van. The man, living on 46th Ave. S.W., told police he noticed city employees shutting off the water to his residence, so he ran outside and confronted them. He said he disagreed with their assumption that they had a right to turn off his water, and believed he had paid his bill. He said an Asian female employee around 50 years old left the conversation and took off in her van, “rolling over his ankle” in the process. The victim said he yelled, but the woman did not stop. Police called Seattle Public Utilities to inquire and SPU said no work orders or service crews were in the victim’s area that day. The man refused medical treatment, but said he believed the injury would swell up in the next few days.

Bad spot
A young man was assaulted and robbed on the 5600 block of California Ave. S.W. for the second time in a month, according to police. When they arrived, the victim had facial swelling and minor lacerations. He told police a girl called him that evening and said she wanted to meet up. He told her he had to go to work, which he did, so she showed up at his job and asked him to step outside so they could talk. As they conversed, two males in their teens approached and said, “Give me your phone,” before hitting him in the face. The victim attempted to run away, but they caught up, hit him several more times and obtained the phone. After the assault, he noticed the girl had disappeared. The victim believed the girl was in on the robbery, setting him up for the attack.

Reported crimes from 2/11 to 2/14:

Robberies by block: 5200 26th Ave. S.W., 9400 35th Ave. S.W., 4100 S.W. Edmunds St.

Burglaries by block: 9400 15th Ave. S.W., 1100 Alki Ave. S.W., 3700 38th Ave. S.W., 5400 46th Ave. S.W., 4700 Delridge Way S.W., 5400 45th Ave. S.W.

Car prowls by block: 3000 59th Ave. S.W., 5600 16th Ave. S.W., 7500 14th Ave. S.W., 8400 13th Ave. S.W., 2900 S.W. Avalon Way

Vehicle thefts by block: 3400 44th Ave. S.W., 6700 48th Ave. S.W., 8800 16th Ave. S.W., 3200 47th Ave. S.W., 3400 33rd Ave. S.W.