Stealing from those in need
A panhandler located on the 4000 block of California Ave. S.W. believes he was knocked unconscious by someone wielding a board shortly before midnight on June 20. The victim awoke with a bump on the back of his head and realized someone had stolen all of the money he had collected from his tin can. Police said the victim is well known to area residents and business owners, but after canvassing the area for witnesses no one was able to provide further information. The man was taken to Harborview for treatment.
Nickelsville attack
On June 19 a resident of the Nickelsville homeless camp located on the 7100 block of West Marginal Way S.W. called police to report he had been assaulted. The victim exhibited red marks on his back and said he was struck with a stick after attempting to intervene in a domestic violence dispute between a husband and wife living there. The man said the husband reacted to his meddling by grabbing a four foot long branch (one-inch in diameter) and hitting him the back “at least twice.” The suspect was not located by police.
Strange choice
An unknown suspect broke into a home on the 3000 block of Walnut Ave. S.W. on June 20 and stole the following: an iPad, an iPod, a Canon EOS digital camera, a laptop bag, three autographed baseballs and … a breast pump. The victim told police a door had been left unlocked, creating the opportunity for an unforced entry.
Gutting a warehouse
A South Park industrial building was ransacked sometime around June 19, and the burglars made off with a lot of copper wiring, a surveillance system and several firearms along with 200 rounds of ammunition. The victim told police he purchased the building on the 700 block of S. Riverside Dr. six months ago, but was enduring a mandatory waiting period before fully moving in. Investigating officers said the suspects (it was believed to be more than one based on the amount of work done in a short period of time) broke in by getting on the roof and removing a skylight. They removed wiring from “over 50 wall-mounted outlet boxes, 8 large wall-mounted circuit panel boxes, and 1 large transformer box.” The building was purchased in an auction, and the prior owner had turned one of the offices into a residence where several firearms were still stashed. 200 rounds of ammunition were stolen from that office along with a 12-gauge pump shotgun, a 7mm bolt-action rifle, a mini-14 rifle and a 9mm pistol. Police recovered a flashlight, Red Bull energy drink can and an empty bottle of beer believed to belong to the suspects. Those items were sent to the lab for fingerprint analysis.
Crimes reported from June 24-30
Robberies by block: 9000 20th Ave. S.W., 9200 29th Ave. S.W.
Burglaries by block: 5000 California Ave. S.W., 5600 Fauntleroy Way S.W., 8300 35th Ave. S.W., 9400 Delridge Way S.W., 3200 S.W. Avalon Way (2), 1000 S.W. Trenton St., 1800 S.W. Myrtle St., 4000 California Ave. S.W., 11200 Marine View Dr. S.W., 5900 45th Ave. S.W.
Car prowls by block: 7500 24th Ave. S.W., 8000 Fauntleroy Way S.W., 10200 35th Ave. S.W., 2600 S.W. Barton St., 4700 25th Ave. S.W., 9000 31st Ave. S.W., 2600 California Ave. S.W.
Vehicle thefts by block: 8600 Delridge Way S.W., 1700 Alki Ave. S.W., 9400 18th Ave. S.W., 3100 Alki Ave. S.W., 4300 S.W. Concord St.
