Lake Forest Park - notable police incidents as of January 26, 2023

Congratulations to Officer Juan Robles and Officer Scott Benjamin.
Both officers have reached their one-year probation period!

Lake Forest Park Police Department 

Notable incidents 1-26-2023

Officers responded to Kenmore to assist with a Bank Robbery. Our officers quickly located a suspect closely matching the description provided, however due to the suspect wearing a mask, the victim was unable to make a positive ID. The subject was immediately released. 

Officers were dispatched to a transient causing a disturbance at Albertsons. The subject was described as “rambling” as he approached people entering the store. Officers were tied up on a hit and run traffic accident at the time of this call. Upon arrival the subject had left the area and was unable to be located. 

Officers located a severely damaged vehicle parked on the side of the road. The vehicle had struck several trees and became undrivable. Officers determined the vehicle was reported stolen and the license plate on the vehicle was also reported stolen from a different vehicle. No driver was located. 

Officers were dispatched to a subject drinking alcohol in the bathroom at the Ross department store in Town Center. The subject had also been in verbal confrontations with employees and customers. Subject escorted from and trespassed from Ross. Same subject later contacted at Rite Aid “huffing” a can of duster. Subject was then trespassed from the entire mall area. A short time later the same subject was reported to be exposing himself to customers around the Starbucks. The reporting party did not want to assist further. Subject was then observed getting on metro bus towards Seattle.

Officers responded to stolen vehicle report. Victim stated their vehicle was stolen overnight. 12-gauge shotgun with 150-200 rounds and 150, 9mm rounds were in the trunk of the vehicle. Vehicle located later that day in Bellevue, undriveable, with bullet holes in windshield. The weapons have not been located. 

Officers responded to mall for an unwanted subject. Caller reported a subject was attempting to bathe in the bathroom on the lower level and had flooded the area. The subject was contacted and determined to have been recently arrested for burglary. Subject trespassed from mall property. 

A victim reported sending nude photos of himself online. The recipient of the photos then demanded money to not publish photos publicly. The victim sent money, and the subjects demanded more. The victim was advised to shut down his accounts. The suspects are believed to be based in a foreign country. 

LFP Crime Watch volunteers reported seeing a male acting suspiciously at Horizon View Park. Officers and a Navigator made contact and discovered the subject was homeless with several medical issues. The Navigator then spoke with the subject offering him resources. 

A subject ran up behind an officer as he was sitting in his vehicle. The subject screamed obscenities at the officer and demanded “his money back”. Subject likely has some mental health issues. Subject walked away from contact without further incident. 

Officers responded to a shoplift of clothing from Rite Aid, subject described as 6’04” wearing a camo hat and a Hawaiian shirt. The suspect was easily located at Nektr Juice Bar and taken into custody. Officers indicated the subject may have mental health issues. The subject had been contacted in the past, on several occasions. He was issued a citation for theft and released. 

Officers have recently had multiple contacts with a subject well known to them for over 15 years. The subject resides in a group home within the city. This subject had been moved from his previous group home due to multiple incidents of violence and criminal behavior. He has recently moved back into the city and continues to cause issues within the group home. 

Officers located a vehicle in the mall parking lot with stolen license plates. Officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle once it left the parking lot. The driver was determined to be the legal owner of the vehicle, however he also admitted to stealing the license plates that were on it.