Police rushed to Market St. near 15th Ave. just before 11 last night after a report of a shoplifter inside Bartell’s Drugs.
Police tell My Ballard that a 35-year-old male entered the store and began taking food items and eating them. When confronted by store employees, “he took several swings at them,” said Seattle Police Detective Mark Jamieson.
The suspect fled and was stopped a short distance away, near 17th Ave. and arrested for robbery.
“There are now 9 police cars at the southeast corner of 17th NW and NW Market,” said Silver in the My Ballard Facebook Group soon after it happened.
The fire department was called to evaluate the employees for any injuries, but no one was taken to the hospital. (Thank you Silver for the heads up and the photo.)
That person was not committing a crime – he was on the Mike O’Brien Meal Plan. The correct response from law enforcement would have been to give the man more food and help him on his way to Ballard Commons.
Sounds like the boys had a bit too much soy last night.
From the scanner traffic it sounded like he was taking swings at people with a knife, which is assault with a weapon, which merits a serious response. Then I heard them say that the witness said it could have been some kind of tool. So it wasn’t clear what was going on, but they have to assume the worst when setting the priority.
@Silver A knife is a kind of tool
technicaly eating the food inside the store isn’t shoplifting, as per the Free Sample Law section 1a put in by the OBAMA administration.
Not only does Ballard have problem with violent thieves on the street, it has a problem with libelous, unoriginal soy boys stealing my name. Get a life.
Correct me if I am wrong, but there’s no ownership of “names” (handles) here. It’s not very polite to do it, but libelous? LOL Hooo boy.
@Pork Pie (if that is you)
Stealing someone’s “handle” or “name” is absolutely libel. I know that and I haven’t even graduated high school (Lincoln not Ballard, as I’m from North Ballard).
I must have slept through that class in law school. What a shame.
Wanna be unique? Crate a log in.
another rabid “neighbor” out for some fun. great.
Just another right of way
I crate my dog “Login” everyday but I don’t see how that makes me reely that unique.
Hollywood, are you really from Ballard or someone from Russia? I’ve heard about a rash of antagonizers who are trying to further divide our country by making outrageous claims.
No doubt hes from Russia…….probably voted for Trump also
I hope he was homeless. This will play well into my nightly homeless fantasy. A knife wielding homeless man eating food in a Bartlells? *swoon*
Apparently the free daily breakfast at St Lukes, along with the free lunch and food at the Ballard food bank, and the daily free dinner served somewhere not too far away, was just not enough to fill this guy up – he was still hungry. So does he go to QFC or Safeway?? heck no, he heads to Bartells of all places. And then instead of just putting his midnight snack in his pocket and walking out the door, he eats it in the store ??? And then wants to fight too?? I’ve been in Ballard since 96 and I’ve never seen such in influx of degenerates as I’ve seen in the past year or two. Ballard feels more like the u district or cap hill, and that sucks! Please St Lukes, stop feeding the strays. Please.
Gets the facts i was working when this happened he wasn’t eating in the store he was concealing food as well as other items and had 2 stolen bikes as well and a weapon and attacked the security officer not the employees
Silly how much comotion this is. I dont understand how guy could get robbery. To much lying amoung oeopke who should mind there own buisness
When you learn to spell, come back and give it another go.