Series of robberies, lewd incidents rattle West Seattle students, parents

SEATTLE -- Parents and police are keeping a close eye on kids at two West Seattle schools after a series of robberies and lewd incidents.

The latest scare happened Thursday morning near Chief Sealth High School, when police got word of a possible flasher.

A King County sheriff’s helicopter joined Seattle cops and K-9s on the ground searching for a suspect.

“It looked like the helicopters were approximately over the high school where my daughter goes to school,” said parent Gail MCelligott, “I got a little nervous.”



MCelligott had only dropped her daughter off at school a few hours earlier.

“This morning, when I dropped my daughter off for school, there were four police cars here, two  policemen walking around, and I can't believe this guy was brazen enough to do something this morning with all the police officers here,” she said.

The school district told parents that police are looking into three other incidents involving both Sealth High School and Denny Middle School students walking to school.

Two kids were nearly robbed, one of them almost assaulted, but thankfully nobody was hurt.

Detectives don’t believe the incidents are connected but said there have been a half-dozen robberies in the area since late January. Crooks are after backpacks, cell phones and cash.

Police were watching as Denny and Sealth students arrived Thursday morning. City departments are looking into cutting back overgrown vegetation around West Seattle schools to eliminate hiding places for crooks.

Seattle police promised to beef up their presence around West Seattle schools.

Officials suggest that kids never walk to school alone and they should immediately report suspicious activity.