Category Archives: Crime

Crime

Amor Spiritual Center vandalized with hate graffiti

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On Wednesday morning, October 21, Beacon Hill residents were shocked and disturbed to find the Amor Spiritual Center, 2528 Beacon Ave S., had been defaced overnight with a swastika and the words “Hate in many la language” (sic), most likely referring to the Center’s slogan “Love in many languages.”

When neighbor Callista Chen posted the above picture to the Facebook group Beacon Hill Social Club, neighbors rallied to denounce the graffiti and offer to help clean up. Later on Wednesday, second- and third-grade students at Beacon Hill International School sent artwork and messages of support to decorate the Amor building.

Though one or two people posted comments blaming “gentrifiers” for what happened, most neighbors in the Facebook group avoided the temptation to use this event to add divisiveness to the community. Gentrification certainly is an important topic, one that should be discussed, but it seems unlikely that affluent new residents go around tagging Beacon Avenue buildings in between shifts at Amazon.

The people at Amor have scheduled an Amor Love Circle Event for this Sunday, October 25, from 12 noon to 1 p.m. “Join us to create a Love Circle on Beacon Hill. It is time for us to transform all the hatred, bigotry, and racism with our love. We have tried countless other ways; let us now choose love.” All are welcome.

Crime, Meetings

Mid-Beacon residents to discuss crime prevention

Neighbor Deirdre writes to share:

A crime prevention specialist from Seattle City Police will be meeting with residents of mid-Beacon Hill at Maple Elementary, 4925 Corson Ave. S. on Wednesday, November 20, 6:30 – 7:45 p.m.

We will be learning about:

  1. Recent crimes in the neighborhood
  2. The new marijuana laws – what’s legal, what’s not legal, and who to call if you have concerns.
  3. How to recognize and report suspicious activity
  4. Basic crime prevention techniques, and more.

Refreshments will be served. All are welcome!

Crime

Broad-daylight burglars break in, kill family cat

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KOMO reports a story that is both sad and frightening. A home in the 3200 block of 15th Avenue South was burglarized in the early afternoon on June 7, and when the family returned home to find the burglary, they also found their cat lying dead in the backyard.

The owner reported on the BAN mailing list that “at some point either my cat got in the way or wanted to be petted and was struck with enough force that it killed him.”

Police were able to lift prints from several locations in the home. The thieves apparently tried to kick in the back door, and when that failed, broke an upper window in the door.


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Crime, Overheard

Beaconian tells tale of two robberies

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Image by Anders Sandberg via Creative Commons/Flickr.
The Stranger has an article this week by Tobias Coughlin-Bogue: “Mugged at Gunpoint on Beacon Hill.” In the article, Coughlin-Bogue describes being robbed twice on North Beacon Hill, and his thoughts on revenge and gun ownership.

“About two blocks into our trek, a cop rolled by, and we flagged him down. He made a very unconvincing effort to track our assailants, giving the distinct impression that he believed our cause lost from the get-go. He also made sure to let us know, “If they tried to rob me, I would have pulled out my gun and asked them, ‘How badly do you want my stuff?'” I wasn’t in the mood to point out how incredibly foolish that statement was, so I just let it slide, borrowed his cell phone to get ahold of our roommate so we could get into the house, and let him drive us home.”

Have you been mugged on the Hill? Do you feel the police response was adequate? And what do you do to stay safe when walking around?

Crime

Robbers strike Beacon Hill pedestrians twice

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Monday, May 20, was apparently not a good day to be walking around on Beacon Hill. Seattle Police report two robberies that took place Monday evening, one with arrests and one without.

In the first incident, a woman was walking on the Chief Sealth Trail near Beacon Avenue South and South Orcas Street at about 6:40 p.m., listening to music on her white iPhone 4S, when she noticed a group of four teens following her. Two of the youths rode up to her on a bicycle and tried to grab the phone, but only knocked it onto the ground. They fled and the woman continued walking.

Later, she noticed two more boys following her, and she started to run. One of the teenagers caught up to her, pushed her down, grabbed the iPhone, and took off.

Police later found two of the suspects near 21st and Orcas, with a white iPhone 4S in one suspect’s pocket. Though the teen claimed it was his own phone, police found that it contained photos belonging to the victim.

The two suspects, aged 14 and 15, were booked into the Youth Service Center on charges of robbery.

Later on Monday, a man and his wife were walking home in the 4700 block of Beacon Avenue South just after 8 p.m. when two suspects ran up to them and demanded the man’s wallet. One of the suspects was holding a gun.

The wife ran across Beacon, looking for help, while the husband turned over his wallet. The suspect then ripped a chain from the man’s neck. The suspects then fled in what police describe as an older, full-sized white sedan with tinted windows and violet paint on the sides, driving westbound across Beacon Avenue.

Police were unable to locate the suspects, described as two black males: one 6’2″, thin, wearing a black t-shirt, blue jeans, and armed with a handgun, and the other 5’5″, medium build, dressed similarly.


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Crime, Lost and Found

Can you help find these stolen tools?

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Neighbor Nick writes:

“Hi, we live on the corner of 15th and Hinds and recently (last night?) had two toolbags stolen, and some cordless drills. They are Veto Pro Pac XL toolbags. One is filled with wood and metal-working tools, the other is mostly electrical tools. There is a Makita 18v lithium ion cordless drill as well. If anyone tries to sell you tools with purple and silver paint on them or with a ‘Q’ written on them, please call Nick at 206-718-7358. Thanks!”

Crime

Do you have information about this burglary?

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Neighbor Travis writes:

Dear Neighbors,

I want to share that our home, near the intersection of 16th Avenue South and South Stevens Street, was broken in on Saturday afternoon between 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. It seems a very bold break-in.

The burglars kicked in the back door and took the most valuable and smallest items, i.e., laptops and jewelry. The sentimental value of the jewelry out weighs the cash value — passed down from elders, etc. — and we are working hard to try to have them find their way back to us, somehow.

If anyone believes they saw suspicious activity during that time in our area of Beacon Hill your information would be very helpful. Our neighbors were able to provide some concrete leads to the officer, and the more info the better.

On that note, we want to thank all of our neighbors who have been extremely supportive and helpful, and Officer T. Saewong was thorough, informative, and professional.

On the bright side, we know our neighbors much better after this nasty incident, and we have shared personal contact information so we can better keep an eye out for one another.

Feel free to call 206-930-5321 with any leads or information, or contact Officer Saewong directly at 206-386-1850 with case #2013-115804.

Thank you.

Crime

Two men stabbed on Rt. 36 bus

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Seattle Police report that two men were stabbed on Sunday night as they attempted to exit the Route 36 bus at Beacon Avenue South and South Graham Street, with one victim receiving life-threatening injuries.

According to police, the bus was stopped at Beacon and Graham at about 8:20 p.m. Two male victims walked down the aisle of the bus past the suspect, who then stood up and stabbed both men with a folding knife. One victim was stabbed in the back of the head and neck, and is being treated at Harborview for life-threatening injuries. The other was stabbed in the shoulder, and his injuries are non-life-threatening.

Officers arrested the suspect on the bus and recovered the weapon. It is not yet clear whether the suspect and the victims knew each other. Homicide detectives continue to investigate.

Crime

Men killed Monday in New Holly identified

Seattle Police reported yesterday that two men were found in a parked car yesterday morning in the New Holly neighborhood on the edge of South Beacon Hill, dead from gunshot wounds to the head. The two men were identified today as Edward James Westmoreland II, 34, and Elijah Roosevelt Paul III, 42.

An officer found the crime scene at 39 Avenue South and South Kenyon Street on Monday morning at about 6 a.m. when he stopped to investigate what looked like a car prowl.

According to the Seattle Times, a police source said that the men may have been involved in a drug transaction when they were killed. The case is being actively investigated, and anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 911.


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