by Lindsay Peyton

Thieves broke into South Seattle College, located at 6000 16th Avenue SW, around 2 a.m. on Tuesday, May 31. Officers arrived on the scene to find a broken gate, a wrecked glass door and a missing ATM machine.

The machine was later recovered unopened in the yard of a home on the 3900 block of SW 97th St. Robbery detectives detained and interviewed one male resident at the house, but then released him. Officers are continuing to investigate the case.

Detectives are still looking for a white Chevrolet pickup truck with a crew cab, which they believe was used in the break-in. Contact the SPD Southwest Precinct Burglary Unit with information about the case by calling (206) 233-2623.

Store clerk assaulted on Delridge Way SW

Officers arrived around 12:45 a.m. on Thursday May 26 at a store on the 9000 block of Delridge Way SW – to find the clerk inside had been assaulted and was in need of medical attention. The man had a laceration on his forehead and was bleeding excessively from his nose.

Two beer deliverymen had made the call – and said that the suspects had left the scene, driving northbound on Delridge Way in a silver Dodge Charger.

The two men had been unloading their truck, when they saw the vehicle drive up. One suspect was a 6 ft. tall Samoan male with a large build, shoulder length dark wavy hair, wearing a black vest, white shirt and jeans. The other suspect was a thin white male, dressed in a white hat, dark jacket and jeans.

As the two men entered the store, they grabbed a hand truck loaded with beer and pretended to walk towards his car with it. The store clerk came outside and said, “Don’t steal the beer.”

The suspect said he was joking, but the clerk said he was going to call the police. The Samoan man followed the clerk inside, and the clerk grabbed a broom and swung at him. The suspect grabbed the clerk by the back of his neck and flung him toward the counter. The clerk hit his head on the computer monitor and then the counter top. The suspect then punched the clerk in the face a number of times.

The white male then went behind the counter and pulled the other man off the clerk. They then left the scene of the crime.

The manager arrived to show police surveillance footage of the assault. The clerk was taken to Valley Medical Center.

Officers checked the area for the vehicle, but found nothing. A can of beer that the Samoan suspect carried into the store with him was collected at the scene and entered into evidence for analysis.

Car stolen while homeowners away
 
Police responded to a call reporting a burglary at the 1200 block of Alki Ave SW at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 30.

A woman who was house-sitting while the homeowners were away discovered that the property had been robbed and a vehicle stolen when she stopped by to water plants. She provided the license plate for the stolen vehicle.

The woman said she was last in the apartment on Sunday, May 29 and had not noticed anything missing at the time. The vehicle was last seen at 10 p.m. on Wednesday, May 25.

The burglars entered the front door by prying the lock and forcing the door open. The homeowners spoke to officers over the phone – and reported that stolen items also included jewelry, purses, a laptop, a camera, personal tax information and files. The crime is still under investigation.

Broken lock only clue in break-in

A man was asleep when someone attempted to enter his home on the 300 block of S. Genesee St. early in the morning on Tuesday, May 24.

Officers arrived at 5:30 a.m. to learn that the victim had arrived home from work at 11 p.m. on Monday, May 23 and entered his residence by unlocking the front door with his key.

When he woke up a few hours later, he found his front door and the upstairs door open. He also found what he believed to be a key broken off in the front door lock. He said nothing was missing – and he did not believe that anyone had entered into his living quarters.

Trio arrested for bicycle theft

On Saturday, May 21, a masked suspect broke into a fenced and gated area at REI’s flagship store, located at 222 Yale Ave N, and left with a stolen black and neon green Ghost Kato bike valued at $2,700.

A few days later, REI staff members found an ad for a bicycle matching its description on Craigslist – listing it for $1,500, describing it as “brand new” and “ready to be picked up.”

The Southwest Precinct Anti-Crime Team contacted the seller to set up a Monday night meeting. Around 6 p.m., police officers were waiting at the Westwood Village shopping center when three suspects – a 29-year-old woman and two men, 28 and 40 years old -- arrived in a cab.

The officers confirmed the bike was the same one stolen days earlier -- and booked the trio into the King County Jail for trafficking stolen property.