The damage done to the West Seattle Smoke Shop in a smash and grab burglary Friday morning was extensive.
SPD photo
Information from Seattle Police Blotter
Seattle police are investigating a burglary at a West Seattle smoke shop early Friday morning after suspects used a stolen car to ram the front and gain entry.
This is the second such burglary attempt of smoke shops in as many nights. the first was Thursday morning.
Officers responded to an alarm at 4:29 a.m. at West Seattle Smoke Shop in the 4700 block of California Avenue Southwest. When officers arrived, they found a black Kia halfway inside the business, having been used to crash through the front entrance.
A witness told officers he saw only the driver ram the vehicle into the store but did not see which direction the suspect fled or what vehicle they may have used to leave the area. The suspects had already left the area when police arrived.
The crash caused major damage to the front doors and security gates, but the suspects were unable to enter the store. No merchandise was stolen.
The Kia Sportage was confirmed to be a stolen vehicle out of Seattle. The vehicle also had a caution alert tied to an armed robbery.
Then Friday at 3:29 a.m., officers responded to an alarm at Global Smoke and Vape in the 4800 block of California Avenue Southwest. When officers arrived, they found a gold Kia left at the scene after it had been used to crash through the front entrance of the business.
A witness told police he saw six masked men arrive in two vehicles. One suspect drove the Kia into the building. Five of the suspects entered the store and began grabbing merchandise while the sixth stood lookout. The suspects fled northbound on California Avenue Southwest at a high rate of speed in a silver vehicle before officers arrived.
The impact caused major damage to the store, including a destroyed security gate and shattered front windows.
Police confirmed that the Kia had been reported stolen from Seattle.
General Investigations Unit detectives are leading the investigation.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Seattle Police Violent Crimes Tip Line at (206) 233-5000.
