It was a cold and cloudy spring day, and the police scanner crackled with activity:

10:46am – 23rd & Cherry – Disturbance – Man tore down the no pandhandling sign at the AM/PM, stole a hotdog, and is now outside panhandling. Black male, late 20s, black jacket with hood, blue jeans. I’m wondering: is there anyone who would pay for an AM/PM hotdog?

11:48am – (location withheld) – Suspicious Circumstance – A person is scheduled to be a witness in a criminal case. A friend of the person on trial came looking for the witness and wanted to “talk” to him. Witness thinks this may have been an attempt at intimidation.

11:51am – 1410 E. John – Shoplifting – Man in custody at Safeway

11:55am – 1160 23rd Ave – Disturbance – Female yelling at male in front of post office, males making bang-bang gestures, no weapons seen. 3 black males in their 20s.

12:12pm – Marion & Boren – Car Prowl – Caller saw man trying door handles, then entered a vehicle and soon exited. Black male, late 20s, bald head

12:14am pm – 910 E. Pike – Shoplifting – Owner chased after the suspect and brought her back into the store. They’re under control and waiting for police.

12:18am pm – Dispatch: “Data has verified the warrant on Ms. Sullivan. Furthermore, she should be missing one of her left fingers.”

1:18pm – 10th and Seneca – man in a white Audi had a seizure and ran off the road. He is trying to drive away and drove on the sidewalk to get to Union, heading westbound.

2:10pm – 14th & Lane – Disturbance – Man refuses to leave Goodwill. Black male, 50s

2:31pm – 28th & Jackson – Narcotics Activity – 3 black males, about 19, dealing. First in white jacket w/ black pattern, 2nd dark sweat shirt & jeans, 3rd in dark clothing.

2:42pm – 100 block 31st Ave E – Burglary – Caller saw a man trying to get into a window on the side of a neighbors house. White male, beige sweater, dark hair. The man has a hammer, so he could be working on the house (or, maybe the man has discovered that hammers can be used for both good and evil). But no work truck is seen in the area. Update: 2:51pm – An officer, in a disgusted tone, provides a status update: “It was the homeowner”. I guess that’s a reminder that we should all make a better effort to meet our neighbors…

3:01pm – 2100 E. James – Caller reports that a juvenile with an open warrant is at the location now. White male, 17.

3:02pm – Outside an unknown school – Man demanded that school kids get into the vehicle with him. Black male, late 30s, early 40s, short hair, dark sunglasses, navy blue or black t-shirt. The vehicle has been located, unoccupied, at 29th & Pike. A black female later drove away in the car with a toddler in the backseat, and it was stopped at 19th & Pine by SPD.

3:40pm – 1100 Block E. Yesler – Caller saw a 3 year old child running up and down the sidewalk, unattended, wearing only a diaper. No parents in sight. White male. Officers found the child, and think he may belong in a nearby apartment with an open door. No one is responding to knocks at that residence. (let’s hope that this isn’t the beginning of a life-long relationship with this kid and the scanner…)

4:48pm – Broadway & John – Narcotics Activity – Blue Honda – White male & black male driving in a blue honda, headed southbound, smoking drugs

5:26pm – 1101 Madison – Robbery – Man held up a Bartells. White male, late 20s, 5’8″ light brown hair, facial hair, sunglasses

5:41pm – Trespassing – 918 E. Denny Way – 5 intoxicated subjects on the front porch of an abandoned building that has city no-trespassing signs