Seattle Police rushed to West Seattle Coins after getting a call from a woman who claimed her gems were being sold illegally. The call was at first thought to mean a robbery was in progress but it was quickly resolved and the woman was questioned and released.
An incident involving a woman claiming her property was being sold illegally at West Seattle Coins today was briefly misinterpreted as a robbery at the well known store at the corner of S.W. Oregon St. and California Ave. S.W.
The West Seattle Herald spoke to the woman involved, Ms. Nora Van Hala, who said, "I knew the gems had been sold and I physically saw at least two or three that had been either my grandmother's or my mom's."
The gems had been controlled by, according to Van Hala, Guardianship Services of Seattle. They have control of it but they were under the protection of her uncle who is ill. "I didn't give them permission to sell those gems."
Frank Carpino of West Seattle Coins said, "There was something obviously wrong with the woman that came in and she basically called the police on herself. There was no robbery and no weapons involved. The police showed up and took care of it."
Seattle Police initially tweeted they were investigating a robbery with a white female suspect at large (describing Van Hala as their suspect). 45 minutes later they reported the robbery call was "unfounded."
