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Burglar hitting local businesses, says cafe owner

Posted by Geeky Swedes on December 29th, 2008

A business owner in Old Ballard says she was burglarized during the Farmers Market on Sunday. Kylee Harris, the owner of Cugini Cafe, tells My Ballard that a man came into her shop and went back into a private office around 3:45 p.m. She says one of her employees confronted the man, who locked himself in the bathroom and escaped out the window. Surveillance video, seen here in this KING 5 story, shows the man with something hidden under his jacket, and money bags were left empty in the bathroom. Harris tells us this isn’t the first store to be hit by the same suspect: Romanza, Kitchens ‘n Things and Hattie’s Hat have also been targeted. “The scary thing is he’s so bold and has been confronted by so many people, but he keeps showing up,” Harris says.

Last week: ATM stolen from the Lockspot Cafe

Tags: Ballard   Facebook

  • JessicaBallard
    If anyone can post a photo (even it if's a bad one from the surveillance footage) or a description, we can call keep an eye out.

    This stuff is just not cool.
  • Geeky Swedes
    Jessica - we're posting an image momentarily.
  • just saw this live on the news. i work at the other coast cafe and we posted the photo at our till.

    http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_12290...
  • mickey
    Two things occurred to me as I watched the KING 5 report:

    1) The Romanza owner found the guy trying to break into her safe and asked him to leave before calling the cops! I'm sorry, but that's a bit counterproductive to catching him, no?

    2) The Cugini Cafe employee did not say how much money was stolen from the money bags. Perhaps it's because the cops instructed her not to divulge that information. However, I still think it be helpful for the community to know just how much damage this burglar is doing to our Ballard businesses.

    He will certainly find out he was caught on tape and lie low for awhile. If he strikes in Ballard again he will be more likely to target businesses north of Market Street.

    Be on the lookout...
  • candice.
    People are so freakin' rude. I had my stuff stolen a time or two by tweakers and each time I felt invaded. I'm so sorry for the folks who have to deal with this crap.

    On a completely unrelated topic: workethic - I LOVE the Other Coast Cafe. LOVE IT!
  • Bark more, Wag less
    Another rocket scientist. Seriously, why are criminals so stupid? Why doesn't he just write down his address while having his photo taken?

    Anyone else here watch 'The First 48"? They should change the name to " Stupid people who don't ask to talk to a lawyer".
  • lizad
    If it's the same guy (and I believe he is) the same day he was at Romanza, he was found snooping around the back room at Starbucks, next door. He's definitely becoming a recognizable character... it's only a matter of time before he screws up.
  • angelatini
    I am really good with faces and I am pretty sure I saw this guy take the #15 from Market/15th to downtown when I was on it last week. Holy crap. Now I'll definitely keep my eyes open!
  • bmoney
    Wild orchid and the fish market next to larsens was robbed as well! Watch out Ballard, we kept our guard down now its time to put it up again!
  • jules
    wild orchid and the fish market? Yikes, that is right by my house! what a loser...let's keep an eye out for this guy. My Rottweilers would love to meet him!

    Have a great day today and Happy New Year Ballard!

    Peace & Cheers...
  • jules
    Mickey:
    You were right regarding hitting North of Ballard now. Wild Orchid & The Fish market are both North of there. Good point....
  • Ayles
    Where is Tudios when you need him?
  • 50intheclip
    stay strapped
  • toudios
    i'm on it like holly hobbie on a bonnet.
  • SeattleRichardson
    I hope this guy is as stupid as he looks and doesn't watch TV or read the newspaper. That way when he comes back to Ballard for more looting he's going to get attacked by an angry mob of Ballardites!
  • angstadt
    Hey, it's New Ballard. This is the future. Why the shock?
  • You're right angstadt, he looks suspiciously like one of those Volvo driving, latte sipping yuppie professionals who are destroying Ballard. Shame we can't see his Weimaraner in the shot, I hate those dogs.
  • Nordic Woman
    Welcome to the face of New Ballard! Has any store, restaurant of bar NOT been hit? Tigertail, Romanza, Hamburger Harry's, Bella's, Cafe Cugini, Hattie's Hat, Hazelwood, Starbucks, the Fish Store, Wild Orchid, Rain City Video....I'm sure that there are plenty that I left out.

    Combined with the beating of that man with a bat, and the various muggings around Ballard, not to mention car prowls and robberies, I'll take the Old Ballard any day. ( I was burglerized and my car broken into; my neighbor had her car stolen, another had his truck stolen, and another friend had one car stolen on the 23rd and the other seriously damaged the same night.)

    Welcome to the New Ballard! Enjoy!
  • Bark more, Wag less
    So what do all these things have to do with condos, town homes and urban professionals? Did you get mugged by one?

    Don't tell me, seeing rich people makes poor people get stickier fingers?
  • Nordic Woman
    The old Ballard was in effect a small town of single family homes where people knew each other; unlike the canyons of condos where people don't. Ballard traditionally had a very low crime rate.

    The new Ballard seems to be attracting a new type of "resident" along with the "yuppies"; the homeless, crackheads, vagrants, and now criminals. Welcome to your future slum!
  • jm
    Ballard has already gone though the slum phase.
  • Jeez Nordic woman, bet you miss those housing covenants they used to use then.
  • jm
    They used to say, if you wanted to get crabs, go to Ballard.
  • boardbrown
    You guys really need to put a lid on all this New Ballard Old Ballard bullshit. It's stupid.

    In case you haven't had time in your busy lives to notice, we're in a scary time right now. And it's got everything to do with money. People are getting itchy. I witnessed a ton of disturbing and suspicious behavior right outside my door during my 5 day Christmas weekend, enough so to put myself on guard.

    And I suggest you all do the same. Stop pointing your fingers and get ready for what's about to come.
  • boardbrown
    Oh, and Happy New Year to all!
  • Meetio
    Time to visit Butch's guns BB?
  • Nordic Woman
    What housing covenants? None in Sunset Hill, none in Crown Hill, none in Ballard. You think there were "Norksi's only" covenants? Rumor has it that there was one in Olympic Manor, but, strictly speaking, that was outside the city limits (above 85th).

    This was once a tight-knit community; in my 5th grade school picture, over 75% of the kids were 3rd and 4th generation Ballardites. After 100 years or so, people were related by blood, marriage, and community; you don't rob your friend's store. It used to be that neighbors looked out for one another . I don't see roving packs of Norwegians mugging people on Ballard Avenue, do you?
  • boardbrown
    Nordic Woman, it seems the only solution for you would be to turn back the clock. Good luck with that.
  • Hey Mickey! The news broadcast was a bit misleading. The owners of Romanza didn't ask the guy to leave, unfortunately we were not in the shop at the time and our employee (who was working alone) asked him to leave. Her options were very limited given the fact that he knew she had seen him. We feel she did the right thing given the circumstances.

    Old Ballard vs. New... I've lived in Ballard before some of the posters on this website were even out of diapers. Back then when it was "Old", businesses were being robbed and houses and cars were being broken into (mine included). Is crime in Ballard new? No. Do we all hear about it more? Absolutely! This website is an example of how we do that now. In years past the only way you would have know about this would have been from the crime section of the Ballard News Tribune, if even there. Information is much more accessible now.

    We opened Romanza in 1999 and dealing with theft is now just part of our daily life... Sometimes it's enough to make you want to just throw in the towel. Can't we all just follow the golden rule?
  • Meetio
    Nordic woman, not all of miss all white Ballard the way you do and as has been shown it has always had crime. Thanks for playing though, I hear Idaho is nice and white.
  • Nordic Woman
    It has been shown by whom , exactly, and what, precisely? We had a couple of black families when I went to Ballard HS, and some Asian families , but there was never a "white only " covenant here, BTW. We have never had crime like this in Ballard!
  • Meetio
    2? Wow, such diversity.

    Re: crime. Did younot read Romanza's post?
  • Bark more, Wag less
    "After 100 years or so, people were related by blood, marriage, and community"

    Sounds like a homogenous hell quite frankly.
  • mickey
    Romanza - Thanks for the update. I wasn't casting aspersions, and did not realize your employee was there alone. In that circumstance I would agree that safety is the primary concern. That's always an issue with small businesses where only one person is working the shift. But I would suggest keeping the cell phone on the belt and calling 911 immediately, even from a corner of the store while the perp is still on the premises. I hope she got a good look at the perp and that the cops at least got a set of fingerprints off the safe.

    I've lived in Seattle for 24 years, though mostly in Queen Anne before Ballard. I do not remember a time when the neighborhoods were crime-free so this aspect of the Old Ballard/New Ballard conversation seems to not be supported by facts. I remember when good friends of mine bought their house in Ballard in 1985 and within weeks, a number of their neighbors (around 65th and 10th) had been robbed.

    When I lived on Queen Anne in the late 80's, there was a woman only 2 blocks from me -- Genevieve MacDonald -- who was axed to death in her home (sorry to be so graphic). The point is, all the neighborhoods I frequented in the 80's and early 90's -- Queen Anne, Belltown, Fremont, Ballard, and Greenwood -- had varying crime sprees. The difference with crime now is that the city has grown so much in population and size. More people, more criminals, more victims.
  • Word is they just found and arrested the guy! Somewhere in Ballard.. keep your ears open.
  • They arrested him in front of Angelo's Salon near the Well's Fargo bank. Angelo called and told us.
  • toudios
    happy new year!
  • Bark more, Wag less
    He'll be out by Monday...
  • Saw it go down
    I saw the only thing happen, four cops got him. I was hoping they were going to shock him but he gave up without a fight. Guess he is only a baddass to young ladies. One good point is that he is a utter idiot to return to the same area time and time again, wearing the SAME coat. I saw him walk by right before the cops pulled up and I was going to call 911. Now if only they can spot the open drug dealing.
    BTW: I believe with the amount he stole and most likely isn't new to this life as he looked older he might do a little time.
  • Cugini Cafe
    WHOO HOO! He is in Jail tonight! I witnessed the arrest and I was happy to see him leave Ballard in a cop car tonight! I hope we all learn from this...... If we stick together as a community we will prevail! Happy New Year! See you in 2009!
  • Mushmouth
    Iba knowba thatba guyba! Heba lives inba myba neighborhood! Iba forbaget hisba nameba!
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