A concerned citizen called 911 to report that three local children were home alone without food or adult supervision. An adult male and "a swarm of flies" greeted officers at the door. The man was reluctant to let officers in to check on the kids, possibly because of the trash, cat feces, and rat droppings all over the floor and the rotten food in the refrigerator. The children, ages 12, 9, and 3, showed officers their room. The beds had no sheets, and box springs were jutting out from holes in the smelly mattresses (A kitten was using one mattress as a litter box.) The home's menagerie included a mother cat and five kittens, several birds and snakes. A live rodent was seen running through the bedroom. The acting sergeant determined that the children should be removed immediately, without a court order. They were placed in the care of Child Protective Services.

A 12-year-old was home alone when she heard suspicious banging and glass breaking. She called her grandmother, who told her to hang up and dial 911. Officers arrived within five minutes and secured the girl in a police car while they searched the house. They discovered that a screen had been removed from a lower basement window, and the glass had been broken out.

Early Sunday, four intoxicated men began arguing in the middle of the 2300 block of California Avenue SW. Two of the men initially shook hands and were encouraged to leave, while a third defied officers, swearing, taking a fighting stance and refusing to keep his hands visible. Then one of the original combatants charged at an officer but was intercepted, and a new intoxicated participant jumped in, screaming at police. In the end, three of the men were booked into King County Jail for investigation of obstruction.

An elderly gentleman who just moved to the area called 911 to have a "group of women" removed from his home. He claimed to not know them. When officers arrived, the man seemed erratic, and the women turned out to be family members. Concerned for his well being (he was also complaining about his high blood pressure), the officers had him transported to Harborview for evaluation.

Managers of an Alki-area business had their hands full early Saturday when a female patron took off her shirt. As they struggled to eject the bra-clad woman from the premises, she spit and punched them.

Down on Delridge and Juneau, a Metro driver was assaulted by a teen who refused his order to settle down on the bus. The teen spat on the driver's face and mouth, punched him and brandished a knife before jumping from the coach. Some observers said that this is the same suspect who "always causes trouble" aboard Metro. He remains at large.

In an effort to escape from an angry homeowner, a burglar slammed a tire iron down on the victim's wrist. The suspect was last seen running northbound in the 4000 block of 35th SW.

Students might want to think twice about listening to their iPods while walking home. Both a junior high and a high-school student had theirs forcibly stolen last week.

Burglaries by block: 5400 35th SW, 9000 21st, 11000 37th SW, 6500 Highpoint Dr., 9200 45th SW, 4000 W. Marginal, 6600 Macarthur Court, 4000 35th SW

Eleven domestic violence incidents and four car prowls were reported in greater West Seattle last week.