SEATTLE — A kayaking burglar spent nearly a full hour hiding in the Duwamish River from police Wednesday morning after he was caught in the midst of a boathouse break-in.
The victim reportedly spotted the suspect around 9:45 AM inside the boathouse in the 1000 block of Southwest Klickitat Way, which has recently experienced other break-ins. The victim, who was checking on a friend’s boat, confronted the suspect, who asked him for a cigarette. When the victim turned away for a moment, the suspect pepper sprayed him and then dove into water.
SPD officers responded to the scene to search for the suspect, who hid in the river for about an hour until the Seattle Fire Department cut a hole in the floor of the boathouse and retrieved him. Police also recovered the suspect’s kayak.
The man is now being transported to Harborview Medical Center for treatment.
SPD / Jonah Spangenthal-Lee
