Bellevue Beat Blog

Last Friday afternoon, Bellevue Police arrested two suspects and recovered a stolen vehicle and firearm following a call from Bellevue Square Mall security. On Friday at about 2:30 p.m., an observant Officer with Kemper Security, which provides security for Bellevue Square Mall, observed a suspicious vehicle in the west parking garage of the mall. The Officer observed a pistol in plain view next to the front passenger seat of the vehicle, and a check of the license plate revealed that the vehicle had been reported stolen from Renton.

Bellevue Police arrived a short time later, and contacted the two individuals that had arrived in the vehicle as they exited the mall. Officers detained a 26-year-old Seattle resident who was later identified as having been the driver of the stolen vehicle. A search of the man revealed a loaded firearm on him that had also been reported stolen. Police also learned that the man was a convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms. The second suspect, a 19-year-old Seattle resident, was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a firearm as he was not legally old enough to be in possession of the firearm located next to the passenger seat of the car.

Bellevue Police seized both involved firearms and discovered that the firearm that the security guard had observed in the vehicle had been illegally modified with an attachment, making it a fully automatic pistol.

Bellevue Chief of Police Wendell Shirley, speaking about this case, stated: “This is yet another example of our Officers working closely with our retailers, loss prevention, and security Officers to reduce crime in Bellevue. Because of the cooperation of all those involved, a stolen car was recovered and, most importantly, two illegal guns are off our streets.” Chief Shirley continued: “The message is clear, if you come to Bellevue to commit crimes, your chances of being caught are high.”

Bellevue Police arrested two suspects yesterday after an observant Officer learned the vehicle they were driving had been stolen twice in the same week. Yesterday at 2:45 p.m., a Bellevue Police Officer conducting a proactive retail theft emphasis patrol in the parking lot of the Home Depot noticed a vehicle that the Officer believed may have been stolen. The vehicle, a KIA, had a broken side window and a damaged ignition. The Officer was then contacted by a loss prevention Officer from the store and learned that two individuals who arrived in the vehicle were being watched by loss prevention officers inside the store. The officer called for additional backup and detained the two suspects as they exited the store.

Officers were able to contact the owner of the KIA, and it was then that police learned that the vehicle had been stolen by the suspects after the owner dropped the vehicle off at a dealership in Auburn on Saturday to have the window and ignition repaired after it had been previously stolen and recovered in Puyallup last Saturday.

Praising the officer’s keen instincts and tenacity in recovering the stolen vehicle, Bellevue Police Chief Wendell Shirley remarked, “I commend the officer in this case, whose intuition and persistence led to the recovery of this stolen vehicle and the arrest of those involved. Our close collaboration with retailers in Bellevue is pivotal to our effectiveness, and this is yet another testament to this partnership.”

An adult and juvenile were arrested following a daytime robbery in Bellevue. Yesterday at 11:57 a.m., Bellevue Police responded to a report of an assault and robbery in the 700 block of 148^th Avenue SE near the Larsen Lake parking area. When officers arrived, they contacted the victim, who told police that he had been walking on the footpath adjacent to 148^th Avenue SE when the incident occurred. The victim stated that a KIA minivan stopped in the road, and two suspects got out of the vehicle, demanded the victim’s shoes, and physically assaulted him. The suspects were successful in removing the victim’s shoes from his feet. The suspects fled in the KIA, which was later determined to have been stolen.

Bellevue Police advised surrounding jurisdictions of the suspect vehicle description. At 12:32 that afternoon, an observant Redmond Police motorcycle officer located the suspect vehicle near Redmond Middle School, which is located at 10055 166^th Avenue NE in Redmond. Redmond Police detained four suspects after they fled from the vehicle, and Bellevue Officers responded. Two of the involved suspects, a 17-year-old male juvenile and a 19-year-old man, were ultimately arrested by Bellevue Police after having been identified as being involved in the robbery. The female driver of the vehicle was arrested by Redmond Police for possession of a stolen vehicle. The vehicle was recovered and returned to the owner.

This evening at 6:35 p.m., an on-duty Bellevue Police Officer was involved in a deadly force incident. As a result, a person is deceased. No Officers or bystanders were injured. The King County Independent Force Investigation Team (KC IFIT) has been called out to investigate this incident. All further release of information will be provided by an IFIT PIO, once assigned.

Last night at about 6:30 p.m., Bellevue Police responded to a reported carjacking in the parking lot of the Factoria Bank of America, located at 12727 SE 38th Street in Bellevue. Officers arrived quickly and contacted the victim. The victim told police that he had stopped to use the ATM in the bank, leaving his 10-year-old son in the vehicle. When the victim returned to his car, two men approached him and demanded his vehicle. One of the suspects knocked the victim to the ground, threw the victim’s son out of the vehicle, and stole the car. The suspects abandoned the vehicle a short distance away and fled in a white KIA sedan.

Later that evening at around 7:15 p.m., the same two suspects entered the AM/PM store at 1607 145th Place SE. One suspect pointed a pistol at the clerk inside and demanded cash. The suspects stole an undisclosed amount of cash and items from the store and fled in the same KIA, which was determined to be a stolen vehicle.

Bellevue Police Detectives have been assigned both cases and will be conducting a thorough investigation into these two incidents.

After giving away over 400 steering wheel locks at past events this year, the Bellevue Police Department will again be providing free steering wheel locks this weekend. The effort comes as auto thefts have been on the rise in Bellevue and across the region.

Steering wheel locks are an effective deterrent to these thefts. The events will be held at the following locations:

• Saturday, December 2nd, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Bellevue Police Factoria Police Substation

(Inside Factoria Mall, Next to Nordstrom Rack)

• Sunday, December 3rd, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Bellevue Police Crossroads Substation

(Crossroads Mall next to Planet Fitness)

The City of Bellevue has seen a 29 percent increase in vehicle thefts in 2023 through the end of October. What is especially concerning, however, is the increase in thefts of vehicles made by two manufacturers: Kia and Hyundai. Bellevue Police have received 69 stolen Kia reports and 83 stolen Hyundai reports during the same time frame, a staggering 762% and 730% increase, respectively. The Bellevue Police Department strongly urges owners of these vehicles to reduce their chances of becoming a victim of theft by considering the following:

• Have all recall work and software updates performed by an authorized dealer as soon as possible.
• Use a steering wheel lock.
• Consider purchasing an alarm system.
• Place a tracking device, such as an AirTag, in your vehicle to aid in recovery.

Locks will be available while supplies last, limit one lock per person.

The Bellevue Police Department is pleased to announce the appointment of Constance Slappey as its’ new Assistant Chief of Police. With a distinguished career spanning over 26 years, Ms. Slappey brings a wealth of experience, strategic leadership, and a proven track record of fostering excellence in law enforcement.

Constance Slappey most recently served as the Assistant Chief of Police at the Inkster Police Department in Inkster, Michigan, where she oversaw patrol operations, emergency management, investigations, and community-based outreach initiatives.

Prior to her role in Inkster, Ms. Slappey served with distinction at the Detroit Police Department for an impressive 26 years. Notably, as the Commander of the 11th Precinct, she orchestrated a 24/7 operation covering 16 square miles of Detroit, with a population of 83,000, implementing strategies to reduce crime.

In addition to her operational achievements, Ms. Slappey is recognized for her community engagement efforts, such as the “Cop on the Block” initiative, which increased community involvement with police in the area she was responsible for. She also spearheaded the establishment of Club Detail enforcement, resulting in zero intentional shootings for 2.5 years at social clubs in 2019.

Ms. Slappey holds a Master of Business Administration from Wayne State University, a Bachelor of General Studies from Oakland University, and a Graduate Certificate in Business from Wayne State University. She is a graduate of the FBI National Academy Session #266 and has completed critical incident command training at the Center of Domestic Preparedness.

Bellevue Chief of Police Wendell Shirley, speaking about Chief Slappey’s appointment, stated: “We are thrilled to welcome Constance Slappey to the Bellevue Police Department. Her extensive experience, innovative problem-solving skills, and commitment to community engagement make her an ideal fit for our leadership team. We look forward to the positive impact she will undoubtedly have on our department and the Bellevue community.”

Chief Slappy stated: “I would like to thank Chief Shirley and the city of Bellevue for giving me this amazing opportunity. I look forward to serving the men and women of the Bellevue Police Department and all those who call Bellevue home.”

Assistant Chief Slappey’s first day of employment is today, and she will be formally sworn in during a ceremony in the Council Chambers at Bellevue City Hall tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m.. That event is open to the public.

After giving away nearly 200 steering wheel locks at the last event, the Bellevue Police Department will be providing free steering wheel locks again this coming weekend. The event will be held at the Bellevue Police Crossroads and Factoria Community Substations this Saturday, October 28th from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. or while supplies last. Steering wheel locks are an effective deterrent to motor vehicle thefts, which have been on the rise in Bellevue and across the region.

In response to the rising concerns surrounding retail theft within the city of Bellevue, the Bellevue Police Department announced a series of initiatives aimed at addressing this issue head-on. As with other jurisdictions in the region, reported retail theft in Bellevue continues to be a concern, and the Bellevue Police Department is committed to reducing the impact of this issue in the community.

To foster a collaborative effort, the Bellevue Police Department is hosting meetings with local retailers to discuss ways to combat this issue. This meeting will provide an opportunity for law enforcement and retailers to exchange valuable insights and strategies to reduce retail theft more effectively.

Chief of Police Wendell Shirley emphasized the importance of this partnership, stating, “We recognize the significant impact that retail theft has on our business community, and we are committed to working hand-in-hand with local retailers to find solutions. This meeting serves as a crucial step towards a safer and more secure retail environment for all.”

Additionally, the Bellevue Police Department will implement a series of zero-tolerance special emphasis operations in strategic locations throughout the city. These operations will target areas identified as high-risk for retail theft and will involve increased visibility and enforcement efforts, as well as undercover operations utilizing plainclothes Officers.

Speaking about these operations, Chief Shirley continued: “we have seen some of these individuals go to great lengths to commit these types of crimes, to include resorting to physical violence and making threats. The Bellevue Police Department will have ZERO tolerance for this type of behavior, and if you’re caught shoplifting in Bellevue you can expect to meet one of our Officers.”

These initiatives are part of an integrated approach to safeguarding the economic well-being of local businesses and ensuring the safety of our community members. The Bellevue Police Department remains dedicated to maintaining a strong and collaborative relationship with our community partners.

Last night at 9:25 p.m., Bellevue Police responded to a reported armed robbery at the 7-11 store near the intersection of 148th Avenue NE and Main Street. When Officers arrived, the clerk told them that he had been robbed by two individuals. The suspects, both of whom appeared to be juveniles, displayed knives and threatened the clerk before stealing tobacco products. Officers searched the area with a K-9 however the suspects were not located.

An hour after the Bellevue robbery, Redmond Police responded to a similar robbery at the 7-11 store in the 5000 block of 148th Avenue NE. Officers were able to locate the suspect vehicle in that robbery and attempted a traffic stop near 140th Avenue and Main Street in Bellevue. The driver fled the traffic stop and began driving on the wrong side of the street at a high rate of speed. Officers discontinued chasing the vehicle due to the extreme danger involved.

Officers later contacted several individuals walking in the area the vehicle was last seen. Those individuals were later positively identified as the suspects in both robberies, and all were arrested. The stolen property was recovered by police. Four of the five suspects were juveniles between 16 and 17 years of age, and two of them had been reported as runaways. All four juveniles were booked into the King County Youth Detention Center, and the adult was interviewed and released. Bellevue and Redmond Detectives are handling the investigation.