By Tim Clifford

Knife pulled by chocolate thief
One shoplifter proved the lengths he would go for Dove chocolates on Jan. 20 at a store on the 2600 block of S.W. Barton St. At 5:30 p.m. the victim, a loss prevention officer dressed in plain clothes, was following a couple down the aisles when he noticed the suspect stuffing a bag of the chocolates into his coat.
The victim approached the suspect and identified himself as a security guard while also demanding the suspect hand over the candy. According to the police report the victim suspected at the time that other items were also in the suspect’s coat. Refusing to comply the suspect reached into his pocket and pulled out a box cutter knife with the blade out, posturing as if ready to strike. The victim backed away slowly allowing the suspect to run away.

Responding officers caught the shoplifter a short distance from the store (chocolates are the enemy of endurance) and arrested him without incident. The victim was transported to the scene of the arrest and positively identified the suspect. Security footage was also handed over to police to assist in the investigation. The suspect was booked into the King County Jail.

Burglar leaves mark at the scene of crime
On Jan. 16 a burglar left multiple “tags” at the scene of a break-in on the 2200 block of 44 Ave. S.W. The timeline for the break-in is estimated to have occurred sometime between Jan.15 at 8 p.m. and Jan.16 at 8 a.m.

The victim returned home to find the gate to her backyard open as well as the door to the garage slightly ajar. When the victim entered the garage she found it ransacked with clothing and other miscellaneous items missing, including spray paint. While looking around she noticed gold colored graffiti on the inside of the garage door, outside on some recycling cans, and covering a vehicle parked across the street. The color matches the color of the spray paint can that was missing.

Responding officers filmed and documented the damages to the property. An area search yielded negative results. The suspect remains at large.

Crimes reported between Jan. 16 and Jan. 23

Burglaries by block: 2200 block of 44 Ave. S.W., 4000 block of 47 Ave. S.W., 4400 block of 42 Ave. S.W., 5400 block of 45 Ave. S.W., 5400 block of California Ave. S.W., 5000 block of 25 Ave. S.W., 5900 block of 41 Ave. S.W., 7000 block of Delridge WY S.W., 7300 block of 32 Ave. S.W., 8800 block of 11 Ave. S.W., 500 block of S. Henderson St., 9000 block of 17 Ave. S.W., 9400 block of 26 Ave. S.W., 8900 block of 14 Ave. S.

Car prowls by block: 2700 block of 49 Ave. S.W., 3200 block of 47 Ave. S.W., 3000 block of 39 Ave. S.W., S.W. Bradford St. / 40 Ave. S.W., 3800 block of 22 Ave. S.W., 4200 block of 30 Ave. S.W., 44 Ave. S.W. / S.W. Oregon St., 4500 block of 36 Ave. S.W., 4800 block of 35 Ave. S.W., 5000 block of 49 Ave. S.W., 5600 block of 49 Ave. S.W., 5600 block of California Ave. S.W., 8000 block of Fauntleroy WY S.W., 24 Ave. S.W. / S.W. Holden St., 600 block of S.W. Kenyon St., 8500 block of 14 Ave. S., 8900 block of 14 Ave. S., 2500 block of S.W. Trenton St., 1700 block of S.W. 106 St.

Car thefts by block: 3000 block of Charlestown St., 42 Ave. S.W. / S.W. Oregon St., 5200 block of 45 Ave. S.W., 6500 block of 30 Ave. S.W., 6500 block of High Point Dr. S.W., 4100 block of S.W. Kenyon St., 7900 block of Delridge WY S.W., 7900 block of 18 Ave. S.W., 900 block of S.W. Holden St., 1000 block of S. Rose St., S. Rose St. / 10 Ave. S., 9200 block of 42 Ave. S.W.