WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Two business break-ins and one attempt, in one morning

Going over the SPD data map late last night, we noticed burglaries at two West Seattle businesses early Tuesday and an attempt at a third. After confirming via radio recordings, we requested and obtained police-report narratives this morning. The first two were reported within blocks and minutes of each other in the 5 am hour:

LULA COFFEE (4451 California SW): A business manager or owner got “an alarm alert” and went to the shop. The report says:

When she arrived to the business, she observed the front door lock was punched out and the register was rifled through. An electronic tablet was taken from the register area. A small side window was also forced open where the suspect probably tried to gain initial entry. XXXX had surveillance footage of the incident as well. The video shows one suspect enter the front door, quickly walk to the register, rifle through the register, and exit the back door. The suspect had a large coat on with the hood up and a face covering. He did not have gloves on. He appeared to be a white male.

Investigators were able to lift some prints. If you have any information, this case # is 26-032404.

WALTER’S/UPWELL (4811 California SW): An owner/manager called police after seeing this via live video. The police narrative says:

Officers arrived quickly but the suspects had already fled. A building search verified that no one was inside the business unlawfully. The suspect had used an unknown tool or tools to remove the lock cylinder from the front door. (Owners) showed me security video. The video shows two suspects arrive in a white, mid-size SUV at about 0516 hrs. Suspect 1 was was a white male in a black puffy jacket. He spends about 10 minutes removing the lock before the second suspect entered the business through the unlocked door. The second suspect was also a white male wearing a light-colored hoody.

The report adds that the burglar who went inside “was in the store for only a minute or two” and stole various items. If you have any information on this one, the case # is 26-032408.

BENBOW ROOM (4210 SW Admiral Way): This report came in later in the morning after the establishment reported “that the doors had signs of forced entry and there was a clicking/and banging noise coming from inside.” The report narrative said police “arrived and contacted the owner (who) stated that it was actually only an attempted break-in that happened sometime overnight and that the noise was from a pinball machine that was having malfunctions. (They) showed me the front door and two side doors on the west side of the business. All of which had fresh pry marks on the latch side of the door and jamb.” Case # for this is 26-032444.

NOTE: In addition to these three incidents, we’ve reported on two other West Seattle business burglaries in the past week – both in the Alki/Harbor area – at El Chupacabra and at Unwind Café.

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