A teenager's call to 911 set off a fast-moving burglary investigation in Seattle's Montlake neighborhood Tuesday afternoon, ending with a 47-year-old man booked into jail after he allegedly stripped a family's shed of golf clubs, an electric skateboard and a generator, then led officers on a chase through backyards before changing his clothes to try to evade capture.
According to the Seattle Police Department, officers responded to the 1800 block of East Hamlin Street after a 15-year-old caller reported seeing a man in a home's backyard. Police say the suspect had already left the property by the time officers arrived, but as detailed by KOMO News, he had allegedly gone through the family's shed and pulled out golf clubs, an electric skateboard and a generator before making off with the items.
Officers were still on scene interviewing the victims when, police say, the suspect reappeared and peeked over the family's fence before fleeing on foot, according to the SPD Blotter post written by Detective Shane Weatherford. That reappearance touched off a chase through the neighborhood, with the suspect allegedly jumping a fence, tearing down the home's outdoor security cameras, and fleeing down a steep embankment as he tried to put distance between himself and pursuing officers.
K-9 Frodo Tracks the Suspect's Path
To find the suspect, police deployed K-9 Frodo, who searched the path the suspect allegedly took while fleeing. The dog located a shirt and hat the suspect allegedly wore during the burglary, evidence that police say helped confirm his movements through the area. Under SPD's canine deployment rules, tracking dogs like Frodo fall under the department's Patrol Canine Unit, which handles evidence searches and suspect tracking as part of its standard protocols, per the department's policy manual.
The suspect had reportedly changed his clothes while evading capture, wearing different clothing when officers eventually located and arrested him. The 47-year-old man was booked into King County Jail on suspicion of burglary, per the Seattle Police Department. The department's General Investigations Unit, which coordinates felony case preparations and secondary property crime investigations across precincts, according to a city audit report, will handle the follow-up investigation.
What Charges Could Follow
Under Washington state law, residential burglary occurs when someone enters or remains unlawfully in a dwelling other than a vehicle with intent to commit a crime, and it is classified as a Class B felony — a more serious offense than second-degree burglary, according to state law. A Class B felony conviction in Washington carries a maximum statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $20,000, or both, per state statute. It remains an open question whether King County prosecutors will pursue residential burglary charges or a lesser second-degree burglary count, given that the items taken were removed from an exterior shed rather than the home itself.
Washington court procedures call for individuals booked into King County Jail on felony burglary charges to undergo a preliminary appearance for bail determination before formal arraignment, a process that typically occurs within 14 to 21 days of arrest, according to Washington Courts. What bail conditions were set at the suspect's initial appearance, and whether he has prior criminal history in the Puget Sound region, are not yet known.
A Quiet Neighborhood, A Busy Precinct
Montlake falls under the jurisdiction of the Seattle Police Department's East Precinct, headquartered at 1519 12th Avenue on Capitol Hill, which also covers Capitol Hill, First Hill, Central Area, Madison Park and Judkins Park. Citywide, reported burglaries fell 18% in 2025 compared to the year before, amounting to 1,571 fewer burglary incidents, according to the department's annual review. Still, burglary remained the East Precinct's second most frequent property offense through May, with 557 reported incidents so far this year even as overall property crime in the precinct dropped 6.34%, per SPD's own statistics.
Montlake has seen other high-profile police responses in recent years. In July 2023, officers arrested two suspects in a stolen vehicle near 24th Avenue East and East Miller Street following foot pursuits and patrol car collisions, recovering drugs and a firearm in the process, according to the SPD Blotter.
