Community Post

Helicopters hunt for two robbery suspects overnight

The CDScanner comment threads were alive with queries last night about the persistant sounds of helicopters over the neighborhood. CDNews was sound asleep, dreaming about $750,000 that suddenly showed up in a Bahamian bank account, but our friends at Seattle Crime and Capitol Hill Seattle were on the case.

First up, CHS says that a man was robbed of his backpack at gunpoint at 1:30am at 20th & E. Pine:

At one point, officers detained four men on the ground at gunpoint but it was determined the suspect was not among them after the victim was brought to the location to identify his attacker.

The victim described the street robber as an older black male around 45 years old, around 6’0″, lean and wearing a grey shirt and khaki shorts at the time of the 1:30 AM hold-up. In July, we reported on armed area street robberies but the suspects in those crimes were described as being young teenagers.

Then at about 1:45am, Seattle Crime reports that police spotted a stolen vehicle involved in a south-end robbery earlier in the week, and brought in the helicopter to search for the driver who bailed out and ran:

Police on patrol near 24th and Marion spotted the gray 2001 BMW just before midnight, and recognized the car because of its distinctive National Guard license plate. The car, which was taken in a robbery in South Seattle on August 6th, was also used in a robbery at a convenience store in the 2800 block of Graham St on August 9th.

When officers tried to stop the BMW last night, the driver pulled around a corner and bailed out of the car.

Police arrested a 33-year-old man who was found sitting in the passenger seat, and called out a K9 unit and King County’s Guardian One helicopter to help find the driver.

0 thoughts on “Helicopters hunt for two robbery suspects overnight

  1. since i arrived home around 12am and this started right as I got home. otherwise, this seems about right given the location of the po po and the heli

  2. I agree, I finally went to sleep at 1:30 after it quieted down. Before the given times of both incidents above, G1 seems a bit extreme for scenario 1.

  3. we drove by on MLK, then turned on E Cherry toward 23rd, at around 12:30/12:45 and the police helicopter presence was in full effect at that time.

    thanks for the report, though. we were wondering what was going down and i mentioned to my companion that i’d probably be able to read about it on the CD News blog today. :-)

  4. It was 1:30 when I heard yelling from the victims. That’s when we called police (with others) and within 3 minutes cops, dogs and guns were searching our backyards. Was a pretty fast response from police.

  5. The helicopters started at around 12:30 pm. I made note of it when SO was wondering where the sound was coming from. SO also said it kept him up all nightas the choppers started up again after 3pm until 6pm (can’t confirm that but he said that’s when he took the puppy out).

    Also why have choppers flying for a stolen car or a gun point mugging? Isn’t that a bit excessive for stuff that happens all the time (Probably should have that show of force circling Belltown these days).
    The only other 2 times I’ve seen the choppers circling over head was when they cornered the cop shooter at 29th and yesler, and spotlight search for an “armed prowl” in Ballard many years back. The circling helicopter without search lights isn’t looking for anything, but it is intimidating.

    Finally, earlier that evening there was unusual police presence in Pratt park: uniformed officers ON FOOT. The first time I’ve seen that outside an event since I’ve lived in the CD. I think something was going to happen and the police knew it.