See something others should know about? Email CHS or call/txt (206) 399-5959. You can view recent CHS Crime coverage here.
Don’t worry — it’s not a crime explosion on Capitol Hill. It’s been a long holiday so we’re emptying out the blotter box!
- Worst Broadway car prowl ever: In late 2014, CHS noted the upswell in car prowls and auto theft around Capitol Hill and SPD has identified the neighborhood hot spots to watch out for. But the information won’t help one extremely unlucky victim who says she lost $10,000 in cash in a December 23rd car prowl in the parking lot at Broadway’s Dick’s Drive-In. According to the SPD report on the incident, the victim is a US ex-pat who was preparing to return to Europe with $10,000 in cash she had withdrawn from her bank. Police were told the 38-year-old victim and her friend parked their SUV at Dick’s around 2:30 PM on the Tuesday before Christmas so they could run into the nearby post office. By the time they got back to the vehicle 17 minutes later, a bag containing the cash and $4,000 in Apple products was gone. Police were unable to find surveillance video of the incident.
- New Year’s Day hold-ups: The victims in an armed robbery just hours into 2015 told police they were held up by a group of three males, one armed with a handgun in a 2:49 AM incident near 20th and Alder. There were no injuries in the incident. A K9 unit was searching for the group of three including the armed robber reported as a black male, approximately 25, slender, and wearing a dark sweatshirt with large white lettering. There were no arrests. Meanwhile, police were called to a assault and reported robbery of a cab driver at 18th and Prospect New Year’s Day around 3:20 AM. According to reports, the driver said his rider attacked him without paying and may have cut him with an unknown weapon in the altercation. The suspect described as a white male in his 20s, around 5’5″ and with a dark scarf, and dark coat, was not found by police after a search of the area.
- Taser removal and alcohol poisoning: Police and medics had a busy New Year’s Eve responding to issues at the Baltic Room where promoters promised the city’s only open bar event. Over the course of the evening, police called Seattle Fire to the lower Pike/Pine venue for taser removal after an altercation with an intoxicated male patron. Later that morning, medics were called again to treat a woman believed to be in her 20s for alcohol poisoning.
- New Year’s Eve DUI: Don’t get intoxicated and drive. And don’t do it so you get busted 19 minutes before midnight on New Year’s Eve. 49-year-old Darren Dawley has pleaded not guilty to DUI charges after being arrested just before midnight in a Broadway/James traffic stop. In 2013, Dawley had DUI and hit and run charges dismissed in a 2008 car vs. pedestrian/bikecase. In 2002, he pleaded guilt to a negligent driving charge. Nobody was reported injured in the New Year’s Eve incident.
- CD hold-up: Police responded to a gunpoint robbery reported just after midnight on December 26th at 23rd Ave E and E Spring. The victim told police he was forced to give up his wallet and his iPhone by three black males. One of the male suspects was carrying what was described as a semi-automatic handgun. He was described as a dark-skinned black male, 5’10”, slim and wearing dark clothing, black cotton gloves, and a hoodie. A search of the area by police was not successful.
- First Hill robbery: Police were also investigating a First Hill Christmas Eve day robbery of a restaurant in the 1000 block of Madison:
- Broadway/Pike strong-arm: The victim in a street robbery reported early Sunday, December 28th was able to wave down police — but had a more difficult time identifying his attackers:
- Wrapping paper melee: Early on Monday, December 22nd, police were called to a report of a group fighting in the Harvard Market parking lot:
The victims in the incident said they did not know the alleged assailants. They were able to provide a license plate number to police. - Broadway club assault: Police found a persistent suspect in an assault inside a 1400 block Broadway club after he had been booted from the venue following a reported early morning December 28th assault:
The suspect was identified by a victim and booked into King County Jail. - Alley lewd call: So, what happens in the alley? This is what was happening in the alley in the 100 block of 11th Ave E prior to an indecent exposure arrest at midnight on January 3rd:
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On the other hand, that must have seemed like a Christmas miracle to the lucky car prowler…
Few cases suggest cause to direct any responsibility to the victim, but . . . leaving an unoccupied vehicle containing ten grand in cash in a skeezy parking lot?????? Never heard of a money belt?
Bet the cops were shaking their heads on this one.
Let’s hope that the cops are not wasting taxpayer money investigating this. Seriously, they got what they deserved.
That’s a little harsh, but it does sound as though they were being very careless.
The lack of empathy here truly shocks me. I’m sure if she was carrying the money herself and got robbed you’d be telling her how silly she was for carrying that large an amount on her and why didn’t she leave it in her car. Just so you could criticize.
“They got what they deserved”? Seriously? Boy, you sound like a real sympathetic person for a friend to turn to in times of trouble. (that’s sarcasm).
No. They did not get what they deserved. Any more than your next door neighbor “deserved” to get raped because she left a window open when she went to sleep. Any more than your other neighbor “deserved” to have their house burglarized because they forgot to lock the back door. Thieves stole from her, that’s a crime, full stop.
If the money and goods were in plain sight, that is being incautious. Perhaps placing it in the trunk (yes, I know they can be broken into as well). And how could they carry $4000 worth of “Apple products” with them? (though it may have been a bunch of small items). Again, if they had done so, and were mugged for them, you’d probably be putting them down for doing so.
Sad that such a thing could be done in a crowded parking lot and no one reporting it. At 2:30?
I hope the police investigate fully.
And I even hope that the next time you do something others might consider foolish people don’t tell you you “got what you deserved” but that you get genuine sympathy (look that word up).
Look, this is an urban neighborhood with a well documented history of crime. Leaving that much money and valuables in a car, in that parking lot, is just flat out stupid. There is such a thing as common sense and taking responsibility for your actions. Even if you don’t live here, one look around the parking lot should convince you it’s a little sketchy. Sometimes people do everything right and they are still victimized but that is not the case here. This person acted irresponsibly and so no, I don’t feel empathy.
Who knows what was really in that car. Is there an insurance claim being filed? Very difficult to believe.
It’s hard for me to feel compassion for someone who would leave 10k in cash and 4k in Apple products in a car but I guess dumb people need love too?
Seriously. Since it was the car owner AND a friend, leave the friend in the car! I’m sure this is awful for the owner, but also…common sense?
Be careful citizens. My landlord was followed from her bank and mugged a few years back. You’d be surprised how these criminals work.
Karma is a bitch, I have no sympathy for arrogant hipsters who think that Dicks is their private parking lot!!!
Obviously it’s horrible that so much money was stolen, but I can’t imagine ever even having that much cash on hand. That’s half of what a lot of people make in a year!! Yes she was returning to Europe but really, you couldn’t have the money transferred? Also, she was with a friend, did they really BOTH have to go to the post office? I hate to blame the victim but that is a super special level of naiveté. I can only hope that whoever took the money put it to good use.
Now, THAT is being an optimist! It’s pretty unlikely that the criminal put the money to good use….more likely that it will be used to buy drugs or some other nefarious activity.