SWAT team nabs robbery suspect
A man police believe robbed a coffee stand was arrested Friday after a SWAT team standoff.
Shawn Michael Westlie, 41, hid inside a home in the 2100 block of Montgomery Avenue in west Spokane when police arrived about 3:30 p.m. but surrendered about 90 minutes later without incident, said Officer Glenn Bartlett.
Detectives believe Westlie robbed Best Espresso, 5226 N. Division St., at gunpoint Wednesday, Bartlett said.
The robber had a silver handgun and matched the description of a would-be robber earlier that day at the Jack in the Box restaurant at Hawthorne Road and North Division about 3 miles away, but police don't know if the crimes are connected, Bartlett said.
"We're definitely looking into it," Bartlett said. Police didn't find a gun on Westlie Friday but were preparing to search the home about 6 p.m.
Westlie has a history of burglary and theft dating back to at least 1997, according to news archives.
His most recent conviction was in February 2009 when he pleaded guilty to third-degree theft and was credited for 21 served in jail and put on probation for a year.
He made the news a couple of times in the late 90s.
Click the link below to read the (brief) items.
MAN ARRESTED IN BREAK-IN
Publication Date: January 7, 1999 Page: S8 Section: SOUTH SIDE VOICE Edition: SPOKANE
A Spokane man was arrested early Monday when officers responded to a burglary-in-progress call in the 1700 block of West Ninth Avenue.
Police found a man in the basement of the residence, trying to climb out a window. He'd entered the home about 2 a.m., said police spokesman Dick Cottam. Officers booked Shawn Michael Westlie, 33, into jail on suspicion of residential burglary for the incident.
They also booked him on another residential burglary charge in connection with a break-in at the same residence on New Year's Day, Cottam said.
The suspect had been identified by residents then but was not located by police until Monday's incident.
Westlie has six convictions in Spokane, including one for burglary and one for possession of a controlled substance.
BURGLARY SUSPECT THREATENS OFFICER
From staff and wire reports
Publication Date: October 20, 1997 Page: A8 Section: MAIN NEWS Edition: SPOKANE
A suspected house burglar threatened a police officer with a knife and dropped it only after the officer pointed her gun at him, a Spokane Police Department spokesman said.
Officers were checking out the 5000 block of North Belt after getting a report that a man was trying to force open a window of a house Saturday morning.
Shawn Westlie, 29, was spotted in an alley north of Queen between Cannon and Elm streets. Westlie ran when he saw the patrol car. He was ordered to stop and did so.
But when he turned around, he had a knife in his hand and started walking toward the officer, said Dick Cottam, police spokesman.
The officer, whose name was not released, pointed her gun at Westlie. He then dropped the knife but continued to move toward the officer.
He eventually lay down on the ground as he was told. Westlie was booked into jail for attempted residential burglary, obstructing an officer and possession of burglary tools.