KPD Blotter: $25,000 Stolen in 'Grandma Scam'

The following are selected reports from the Kirkland Police Department for the period of Jan. 6-10.

Jan. 6

• After wiring $25,000 via Western Union to get her grandson out jail in Madrid, Spain, an 86-year-old woman who lives on north Rose Hill discovered that she had fallen victim to a “grandparent scam.” She told police the fraud occurred from 8 a.m. Jan. 5 to 10:30 a.m. the next day. Her grandson was determined to be safely at home in a Pierce County town.
• After loading $194 worth of groceries into a cart, a 29-year-old Kirkland man wheeled it all past the checkout stand and into the parking lot of the north Juanita Safeway off 100th Avenue NE. Store staff apprehended the man, and Kirkland police came and cited him for third-degree theft. This happened at about 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 7

• Between 11:45 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., someone broke in through the back sliding door of a residence on the 13500 block of 121st Ave NE in the Kingsgate area and stole gold jewelry. The victim was a 34-year-old man, who was not sure of all he had lost, so the value of the jewelry was not reported.

Jan. 8

• After losing his wallet at a tanning salon on 6th Steet South in Houghton at about 7 p.m., a 55-year-old Kirkland man discovered that one of his four credit/debit cards had been used at a Bellevue restaurant just 45 minutes later. The salon staff provided the man with the name of the client who used the tanning booth after him, but by the time he reported the theft to police, both the salon and restaurant were closed. Police planned to follow up later.
• Police cited a 26-year-old man who lives on the 1300 block of 1st Street in the Norkirk neighborhood for third-degree theft after he took a cab home from Lake Forest Park just after midnight but refused to pay the $63 fare.

Jan. 9

• Police arrested a 27-year-old man who lives near 132nd Square Park in the Kingsgate area after he allegedly forced his way in to a building belonging to a 67-year-old woman who lives nearby on 130th Lane NE. He apparently was trying to steal some cans of Keystone Light beer, which police returned to the owner. It happened at about 2 p.m.
• Police cited and released a 59-year-old Kirkland man after he allegedly shoplifted two bottles of vitamins worth $32 from the north Juanita Safeway just off 100th Avenue NE. It happened at about 6:40 p.m.

Jan. 10

• Mail was taken from the mailbox of a 47-year-old male resident on the 7000 block of south Rose Hill’s 122nd Ave NE between 7 p.m and midnight. A suspect vehicle was identified as a black 2005 Chevrolet Blazer SUV.
• Police arrested a 22-year-old man who gave a Lynnwood address on a felony drug warrant after he apparently abandoned his vehicle at the Kingsgate Safeway on 124th Avenue NE. The arrest occurred at about 1:30 p.m., and police confiscated from the man two beige tablets of suspected suboxone, a synthetic opiate.
• A 59-year-old woman who lives in the 13000 block of north Rose Hill’s NE 88th Street told police that someone kicked in her front door between 8:15 a.m. and 5:40 p.m. But no property was taken or damaged, other than the door.

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Kirkland Police Department contact information:

• Emergency: 911
• Non-emergency: 425-577-5656.