By Cassandra Baker

2:59 a.m., February 18. 83rd block of 15th Ave NW

Police responded to reports of a robbery at the Safeway on 15th Ave NW that had turned into a fight in which one of the subjects had a knife. The responding officer spoke with the witness who had reported the incident. The witness said that the suspect, a black male in his 30s, approached a Shuttle Express driver in his van and asked to borrow his cell phone. The suspect then took the phone and ran away, and the victim chased after him.

While the officer was speaking to the witness, the victim approached, introduced himself, and said that he had left his van running. The officer and victim relocated to the place where the van was parked.

The victim told the officer that he was sitting in his van when the suspect approached him and asked to use his phone. At first the victim said no, but when the suspect said he had walked a long way, the victim agreed to let him use his phone. He dialed the number the suspect gave him, and soon after taking the phone, the suspect ran away. The victim said that he chased after the suspect, and the suspect started calling “back off” and “I have a knife.” The suspect dropped his duffle bag. The chase ended in the backyard of a residence, at which point the suspect lunged at the victim with a knife. The victim said that he tried to grab the suspect, but the suspect swung the knife wildly and cut the victim on the hand and chest.

A resident called 911, and the victim recovered the suspect’s duffle bag and gave it to police. Seattle Fire treated the victim at the scene. While the officer was speaking with the victim, a K9 unit found a possible suspect at NW 85th St and 14th Ave NW. The victim was taken to the scene, where he positively identified the suspect. The victim was taken to the hospital for further treatment of his injuries, and the suspect was taken into custody.

12:09 a.m., February 17. 77th block of 14th Ave NW

There have been at least eight burglaries in the neighborhood around NW 77th and 14th Ave NW stretching to 24th Ave in recent weeks. In one of three incidents in the area on the night of Feb. 16/early morning of Feb. 17, the burglar entered the victim’s house through an unlocked window and ransacked the house. The suspect took three bottles of beer and a laptop.

In another incident in the same area that occurred several hours earlier, the suspect entered the residence through a window. In both incidents police determined that the suspect likely wore gloves. It is not known whether the same suspect was behind both burglaries.

There was another residential burglary at the 70th block of 23rd Ave NW on the night of Feb. 16. In this incident, the burglar likely entered the residence through a bathroom window that the victim said had been locked when she left the house, but was unlocked when she arrived home. The victim said the only item missing was $150 in cash that had been in her desk. The responding officer examined the yard and found several window screens that had been removed.

10:20 a.m. on February 17. 3rd block of NW 80th St

Police responded to reports of a residential burglary in which the suspect took a strange assortment of items and left a particularly unpleasant mess behind. The victim said that the house cleaner discovered the burglary, which occurred on the Feb. 15 or Feb. 16, and said that the burglar may have slept on the couch. There were no signs of forced entry, and police believe the burglar entered through an unsecured window.

The victim said that the only items that had been taken were a candle and some oranges. The suspect also used the victim’s toilet and neglected to flush.

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