May 15-An 81-year-old Burien woman was killed shortly after noon in a hit-and-run accident in the 13400 block of Ambaum Blvd. S.W.

The victim, who died at the scene, was identified as Valerie Glass. She lived about two blocks from the accident scene.

According to the King County Sheriff's Office, Ms. Glass was crossing the street in a marked crosswalk. One car stopped for her but a car headed northbound in the next lane over did not. She was hit, but the driver did not stop at the scene.

As of Friday, no one had been arrested for the hit-and-run fatality. The suspect vehicle is described a likely a mid-90s tan or gold Lincoln Town Car with dark tinted windows and front-end damage from the collision. Otherwise the car was described as in good shape.

If anyone recognizes this vehicle they are asked to call the Sheriff's Office immediately at 206-296-3311 (24 hrs.) or 9-1-1.

Suspect accused of stealing

credit cards from shoppers

May 17-King County Sheriff's detectives asked the public last week if there are more elderly victims of a prolific thief who distracts her victims then steals their billfolds.

The woman then quickly uses the victim's credit cards to purchase gas or gift cards.

Beatrice Holbert was arrested by Burien detectives on May 7 and booked into the King County Jail, where she remains on a Department of Corrections hold.

She is suspected of at least 12 thefts of wallets/billfolds in 2007 in the Burien area alone.

Holbert is 50 years old and has 20 felony convictions on her record, including convictions for theft, forgery and possession of stolen property.

The victims of these thefts range in age from 68 to 90, with most in their 70s and 80s.

The suspect's method of operation is to distract an elderly shopper by asking questions or asking the intended victim to read a label on a can, pretending she forgot her glasses. While the shopper is distracted the suspect allegedly slips the victim's wallet out of her purse.

Holbert allegedly would then quickly leave the store, and often use the victim's credit cards to buy gift cards at Target or Sears. Once the gift cards were loaded, she allegedly used them at her leisure, effectively "washing" the credit card.

Often victims would not realize they were victimized until they reached the check-out counter and could not pay for their purchases.

According to King County Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. John Urquhart, with no suspect information, the investigation of these crimes was difficult.

But the Sheriff's Office Crime Analysis Unit located a similar string of cases from 2005 in Federal Way and Tukwila.

A suspect was identified in one of those cases, and the name was given to sheriff's detectives.

Covert surveillance was set up, and Holbert was followed off and on for two weeks. Detectives watched as the woman allegedly "trolled" several stores looking for the "right" victim.

On May 2, detectives followed Holbert to the Burien Fred Meyer and watched as she allegedly filled a shopping cart. Then, pretending to be shopping for hams, she allegedly struck up a conversation with a 77 year-old woman.

According to Urquhart, "Then Holbert struck! She surreptitiously slipped the woman's billfold out of her purse as she conversed with her. Our detectives watched the entire interaction unfold.

"Holbert left the store and was arrested a few days later. Several gift cards were found in her vehicle and home, and detectives will track backwards to find the names on the credit cards used to purchase the gift cards."

Sheriff's detectives believe other persons were likely victimized by Holbert. Anyone who recognizes her photo and thinks they may have been one of her victims is asked to call the King County Sheriff's Office at 206-296-3311 (24 hours) or 9-1-1.

Man shot in chest during

argument in Midway park

May 11-Around 7:50 p.m., in Midway Neighborhood Park in the 2900 block of S. 221st St., a 32-year-old man was shot in the chest during an argument.

According to Des Moines Police officers, about 50 adults and children were in the park having a barbeque when the victim, accompanied by a woman, walked up to a man at the gathering.

The two men began to argue and the second man then shot the victim multiple times. A Des Moines Police officer patrolling near the area at the time was flagged down by the woman.

The suspect fled the scene, probably in a black or a white SUV. The victim was taken to Harborview Medical Center in serious condition.

Tukwila

May 16-The Washington State Patrol reported that a semi-trailer that lost a set of mounted dual tires on May 11, killing a 31-year-old Bothell man, lost a tire just three months ago.

John Ellis died instantly when the mounted tires crossed lanes on Interstate 5 near Southcenter and smashed into the van, driven by Adam Milzarek, in which he was a passenger.

The trailer reportedly is owned by Democon Container Services of Milton.

The previous lost tire reportedly came off a different axle.

The State Patrol is expected to issue its final report on the cause of the accident next week.