By Cassandra Baker

11:40 a.m., December 4. 80th block of Greenwood Ave N

A robbery suspect was arrested after being tracked by police on the morning of December 4. The victim said that the suspect approached her at the dance studio on NW 80th St and Greenwood Ave NW and asked to speak with someone. She said that she went to find the person and came back to find the suspect digging through her purse. She said that the suspect looked at her and said, “I don’t want to have to hurt you” and gestured to his pocket as though he had a gun.

The victim was holding her wallet at the time, and she said that she held it out to him because she feared for her safety. The suspect took the wallet and ran out of the studio. The victim said that she thought about chasing him but then stopped because she didn’t know what she would do if she caught him.

Police broadcast a description of the suspect and soon received reports that he had boarded a bus near the Fred Meyer that is under construction. An officer followed the bus and then followed the suspect into a store at NW 83rd St and 15th Ave NW. The victim and a witness were brought to the store, where both positively identified the suspect. The suspect was arrested and later booked in King County Jail.

The victim’s wallet was recovered in a trash can at the bus stop where the suspect had gotten off, and she believed that all of her property had been recovered.

1:42 p.m., December 3. 20th Ave NW and NW 59th St

Police arrived on the scene of a robbery to find an angry and bleeding victim and the robber gone. The responding officer attempted to speak with the victim about his bleeding mouth and lip, but he refused all aid from Seattle Fire and yelled for an ice pack. The victim also said that he didn’t want officers to be there.

The victim did not want to describe what had happened. He said that a white male with blond hair tackled him from behind and stole his money. He refused to answer any more questions and said that he didn’t want a report to be written about the incident, then left the area.

The suspect was not found in the area.

12:25 p.m., November 28. 87th block of Greenwood Ave N

Police responded to reports of a shoplifting incident turned violent at the Safeway on NW 87th St and Greenwood Ave NW on the afternoon of Nov. 28. The victim and witness, both store security officers, said that they saw the suspect leave the store without paying for a bottle of brandy. They followed him outside, identified themselves, and told the suspect to return the bottle. They said that the suspect turned to walk away, and one of them grabbed the suspect’s arm to stop him. The suspect punched the other security officer in the head twice, then dropped his coat and bag and left the scene.

The uninjured security officer followed the suspect to a nearby store and saw him enter the bathroom. The responding police officer arrested the suspect. The officer reported that when he told the suspect that he was being arrested for robbery, the suspect claimed that he had tried to return the bottle of brandy and said that the security officers had attacked him.

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