Ballard police

A nose for drugs

By Dean Wong

Scar, a police dog, has a nose for narcotics. Scar's nose lead him to a pouch with black tar heroin and white power heroin in a large quantity. Police officers had stopped the car earlier that evening for a tail light violation. A computer check revealed the driver had an extensive drug history and an outstanding warrant in his name. A further search turned up a scale typically used by drug dealers. The suspect was booked into King County Jail.

Gas stolen

Sometime during the weekend of March 23, someone cut the gas line on a Ford van owned by Schippers and Crew on Shilshole Avenue and stole ten gallons of fuel. Chris Bergman, shipping manager, said the repair cost to his van was $450. Bergman wanted to get the word out to warn other companies in the area about this vandalism.

Couple robbed

A late night walk to the grocery store ended up in a strong-arm robbery for a Ballard couple when three men approached and one of them asked for a cigarette. When the male victim said he did not have any, a suspect punched him in the face. The other suspects grabbed the woman's grocery bag, punched her and knocked her to the ground. The suspects fled with groceries and a case of beer.

Textbooks tempting

After finding a parking spot in Fremont, a woman and her friend came back to find two rear windows smashed out and three bags stolen. One bag contained a laptop, another had a laptop and college textbooks valued at $1,000, plus a bag with a digital camera, passport, credit cards and other documents. One of the victims told police she was a textbook salesperson.

Keys left in door

While leaving to go out one morning, a local woman left her keys in the front door when she decided to go back into her house to get something. She then heard a knock on the door. By the time she got to the door, she noticed a man walking away and going directly to her car. She watched as he entered the car and drove away. Police officers tracked the car down nearby and arrested the car thief. The suspect had a $10,000 felony warrant out of Everett and a Washington State driver's license that expired in 1977.

Waitress foils "dine and dash"

In an attempted case of "dine and dash," two people ordered four beers and ate dinner at a restaurant, ringing up a $34 bill. When it came time to pay, they did not have any money. One suspect was allowed to call his father and told the waitress the father was driving down from Snohomish County with the money. The suspects waited around for 75 minutes and then tried to flee. The police came quickly and apprehended the two men. One had a record with the Department of Corrections and was not allowed to leave Snohomish County or consume alcohol. He was identified and released at the police station.

Empty home trashed

Officers responded to a vacant Ballard home on a burglary call on a Sunday afternoon after receiving complaints. They did not find anyone inside, but it appeared that transients had been staying there. They left spilled and empty beer cans, messy bedding and what the reporting officer referred to as "a generally unhygienic environment."

Two hours later neighbors called 911 after two transients returned to the house. The police came back to find the doors locked from the inside. After knocking loudly for a while, the suspects finally opened the door. "They were extremely intoxicated and barely intelligible," the officer said.

A female suspect said he had tagged the house and had paid "$25 so that she can own it." Both suspects were warned they were not welcome in the house and if they returned they would be arrested.

Illegal drug stash

While doing routine yard work, a Ballard man found a brown wallet with three kinds of illegal drugs inside. Police officers determined the drugs were rock cocaine, methamphetamine and crystal methamphetamine. The homeowner told officers he suspected the drugs came from a house nearby, where there is drug activity going on.

Dean Wong may be reached at 783.1244 or dino@robinsonnews.com