The following information was compiled from Renton Police Department case reports.
The Northwest Gold and Jewelry store on Southwest 43rd Street was robbed at gunpoint Feb. 12 of about $24,000 in cash, gold and jewelry.
A thin man about 5-foot-10 walked into the store just after noon and pointed a handgun at a store employee. His face was covered with a camouflage ski mask.
He locked the store’s door and said, “You know what this is.” Cash was taken from a till and the gold and jewels were taken from a safe, all carried off in a black-plastic garbage bag.
I am doing this for my family, the robber told the employee. For the sake of your family, he told the employee, don’t do anything stupid. And wait for one minute before you call police.
And then he fled. He apparently stopped at a nearby business and smoked a cigarette outside, leaving the butt in a dumpster, which officers found.
A K-9 team was called in but the suspect was gone.
WIRE SLAMS FIREFIGHTER: A Renton firefighter was slammed to the ground Feb. 16 by a downed guy-wire that had just lifted up a car when it became entangled in the car’s rear axle.
Firefighters were monitoring a down power line at about 1:30 p.m. at the intersection of 116th Avenue Southeast and Southeast 180th Street.
A passing motorist ran over the guy-wire, which wrapped around the rear axle. When it stretched, it lifted up the car and slammed it to the ground.
The guy-wire then struck the firefighter in the shins, lifted him off the ground and then slammed him head-first to the ground. His brow was cut and he was dizzy; he was taken to Valley Medical Center for further treatment.
The guy-wire hit a firefighter next to him on the right hip and torso. He remained at the scene and indicated he would see his personal physician.
The car’s driver wasn’t injured.
WALLET STOLEN AT LIBRARY: A 63-year-old Renton man about ready to leave the downtown Renton Library Feb. 17 after working on a computer looked down to see the bag with his wallet inside was gone.
His debit card was used later at a store before 1 p.m., which is when he noticed the bag was gone. Also taken were his keys and other possessions, including two inhalers and EBT food card.
PIZZA-DELIVERY MAN ROBBED: A 48-year-old pizza-delivery man was robbed at knifepoint of $45 at about 9 p.m. Feb. 8 after delivering a pizza to an apartment on Park Avenue North.
The suspect, about 20 and 5-foot-9, pointed his knife at the victim’s chest as he was getting into his vehicle. He demanded the victim’s wallet and made a slashing motion, cutting the victim’s jacket.
The victim gave his wallet to the suspect, who fled on North Fourth Street. The victim wasn’t injured.
ACCIDENT VICTIM PUNCHED: A 24-year-old Renton woman was rear-ended on Bronson Avenue Northeast at about 11:15 a.m. Feb. 6, then hit in the face by the hit-and-run driver when she rolled down her window.
The victim thought the suspect was just checking on her when he got out of his car and walked up to hers. She rolled down the car’s window; he punched her in the face, then took off north on Bronson Avenue.
She declined medical help.
HOUSE SHOT UP: Someone fired several rounds into a house in the 3000 block of Mill Avenue South at about 1:35 a.m. Feb. 6.
No one inside the two-story house was injured.
Residents heard what sounded like fireworks, until one resident told a family member a bullet just went through his bedroom wall. It was recovered from a closet.
At least 10 shell casings were found outside. Rounds pierced the exterior, the garage door, kitchen and bedroom and other interior walls.
Residents didn’t know why anyone would shoot up their rental house.
BABY FORMULA STOLEN: Two women in their early 20s placed about 10 containers of baby formula in a reusable bag Feb. 5 and walked out of the Albertsons store on Northeast Sunset Boulevard. The formula is $26 a container.
They left in a black SUV. Police checked the plate.
