Notification of Criminal Incident – Seattle Campus
February 1, 2022
Robbery
This message is being communicated to all faculty, staff and Seattle campus students with the approval of the UW Police Department. This message is sent in the interest of public safety and in compliance with federal law requiring timely warning notification of crimes committed on or near campus. This is not a UW Alert message. For information regarding UW Alert and to sign up to receive UW Alert notifications, visit www.uwalert.org.
On Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, at 4:19 p.m., Seattle police were called to the report of a robbery that occurred in the 1100 block of NE 50th Street. A man walked into a store, picked up a ukulele and took it to the front counter for checkout. When the store employee opened the cash register, the man pulled out a handgun and demanded the employee give him the money from the cash register. The employee handed over $100 to the suspect, who then left the store with the money and the ukulele. He was last seen walking northbound in the alley behind the store. Police were unable to locate the suspect. The employee was not injured during the incident.
The suspect was described as a man between 30 to 40 years old, about 6 feet tall, medium-to-heavy build, wearing a green hoodie, black beanie with white letters or stripes and tan work pants. The suspect was holding the black handgun with his left hand. If you witnessed this incident or have additional information about this crime or the suspect, please call the Seattle Police Department at 206-625-5011. The Seattle Police Department case report number is 2022-27072. To report a crime in progress, or other suspicious activities or persons, call 911.
Crime prevention tips for similar incidents:
• Be aware of your surroundings and what is going on around you.
• Cooperate with the robber’s instructions if applicable.
• Remove yourself from potentially dangerous situations as soon as possible.
If you suspect criminal activity, here is some helpful information to pass on to the police:
• Clothing descriptors: Look for layers under the visible layer, other distinctive identifiers, etc.
• Physical characteristics: Height, weight, eye and hair color, mannerisms, scars or tattoos.
• Direction of travel.
Contact the University of Washington Police Department’s Community Engagement Unit at 206-685-1916 for additional crime prevention information.