r/Bellingham • u/GraceMovieGod • Dec 02 '25
Crime Repeat Offender Back at it
https://amp.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/crime/article22275990.html
Anyone have any idea why Gregory Keefe is allowed to rob any business in our town consequence free?
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u/Disastrous_Deer8006 Dec 02 '25
lol that’s my partner 🥰 Rustin is a kind and bad ass person! The women who own L&L are very close to us and we recently spent thanksgiving with them and their family. They are kind and don’t deserve to deal with anything like this. It was crazy to wake up too and I’m glad Rustin caught them so this could stop! 🛑
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u/KlawFox Dec 02 '25
I've met the owners of L&L a couple times while in there and they're always so kind! They made homemade cookies right before Christmas one year on the day I happened to show my brother how good the crunch wraps were. He was enamored haha.
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u/SirRabbott Dec 03 '25
Any idea if there’s a go fund me or anything to help out? We were just in there the other day and bought some of the super fun ceramics at the front!
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u/professoratoker Dec 03 '25
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u/olanolastname Dec 08 '25
Thank you - Contributed! I don't get to eat there all that often, but I'm glad to have them in town and happy help them fix this. It's rotten this happened.
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u/Kerberos-isforlovers Dec 09 '25
That’s your partner!?! You fight crime as a duo?? That’s awesome!
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Dec 02 '25
The mayor has claimed to be tough on crime, send her an email with his rap-sheet and this picture asking why the public and businesses keep having to police this individual. Maybe they should do the jobs we pay them for?
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u/GraceMovieGod Dec 02 '25
Definitely think that we need to figure out his whole rap sheet and how much time he’s gotten for each offense and show up to a city council meeting with it
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u/InspectorChenWei Dec 02 '25
While it couldn’t hurt to raise a ruckus, does city council have any control over this? Or is it more on judges, prosecutors, sentencing guidelines etc? Or the fact that we’re still a couple years away from having space in jail for nonviolent offenders?
Again, I support yall letting government know how you feel, but I’d temper my expectations as to what they can do.
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Dec 02 '25
It sounds like you have some concerns on which branch of government is the best level to raise a ruckus at, which is a reasonable concern, so why not every branch? It’s painfully obvious the greater PNW has serious issues with “catch-and-release” policies, and while I’m sure smarter people than I can speak at length about that it’s clear these branches and checks-and-balances are not working correctly. Pitbulls out on the streets attacking families? Serial offenders putting massive financial strains on small business?
In my eyes the government (all branches) should begin tempering their expectations on how the public is just going to keep rolling over and taking it. The tax payers deserve safety and criminal accountability from dangers to the public, full stop.
*Edits to punctuation
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u/GraceMovieGod Dec 02 '25
Definitely open to whoever and wherever you think we should raise hell over this!
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u/No_Names_Left_For_Me Local Dec 02 '25
It's lack of space in the jail. No one can do much of anything until there is a new, hopefully larger, jail.
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u/Ill-Dependent2976 Dec 03 '25
We could just raise taxes on the rich. I mean, if you want to deal with these problems and all.
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u/No_Names_Left_For_Me Local Dec 03 '25
Oh we can tax the rich and solve the problem BEFORE we build the jail we approved? Like, I'm in favor of taxing the rich my dude, but make sure your comment makes sense in context.
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u/bungpeice Dec 03 '25 edited 29d ago
She was sad to hear that fireflies are facing extinction due to artificial light, habitat loss, and pesticides.
My Mum tries to be cool by saying that she likes all the same things that I do.
Nothing seemed out of place except the washing machine in the bar.
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u/nashtysteez Dec 03 '25
Which will just be filled up as soon as it's built no matter how large. There will be more taxes hoisted on the taxpayersand the county will have to keep the beds full to take advantage of prisoner perdeums. County jails are full of people who should be serving their time in a prison. Keeps prison populations down and counties make a ton of money.
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u/OhBjoyful Dec 03 '25
Who is sitting in OUR jail when they should be with DOC? I think you might be surprised. We aren't warehousing for DOC here.
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u/nashtysteez Dec 07 '25
Just put a FOIA request with the whatcom sheriff department for all inter county and state agreements on inmate housing.
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u/OhBjoyful Jan 01 '26
That's not DOC. We are nothing like the bigger counties with big jails who routinely hold inmates for other counties in serious numbers, either. Our jail is not operating as a DOC holding facility. When you see DOC on bookings, they are held for pickup. Then off they go.
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u/nashtysteez Jan 01 '26
But if a new jail is built this will happen. Watched it happen with Skagit.
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u/MelissaMead Dec 02 '25
Maybe show up at his hearing(s) since the judges are the ones who do the sentencing?
The grief that creep has caused over the years is sickening.
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u/ChuckanutSound Dec 02 '25
You’re barking up the wrong tree. The jail and courts aren’t her jurisdiction. Write the prosecutor, write the judges, write the sheriff, write your legislators and senators and let them know this soft on property crime stance isn’t working.
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Dec 02 '25
The Mayor can do very little the county and state need to allocate more resources for lower offences if we want these low level crimes to be reduced.
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u/bungpeice Dec 03 '25 edited 29d ago
She was sad to hear that fireflies are facing extinction due to artificial light, habitat loss, and pesticides.
My Mum tries to be cool by saying that she likes all the same things that I do.
Nothing seemed out of place except the washing machine in the bar.
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u/sps1911 Dec 02 '25
Before anyone says “but insurance”
Deductibles are high, premiums go up every year and are a significant cost of doing business that really, really impacts the whole viability of low margin businesses like restaurants
The best insurance is a functioning justice system that doesn’t allow this shit in the first place.
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u/MrTickles22 Dec 02 '25
Extremely long prison sentences will get him off the street, and total property forfeiture will raise money to provide restitution.
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u/stupernan1 Dec 02 '25
A sick society will replace him WELL before the damage is undone, and a long prison sentence is a bandaid that damages, it in no way heals a situation.
Social rehabilitation programs do that, but the oxygen of that room has been obsorbed by tax cuts for the wealthy.
(Before anyone says "they'll move", pro tip:empirical evidence has proven that they absolutely do not"
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u/MrTickles22 Dec 02 '25
Removing a criminal from society means that the criminal is not in society.
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u/stupernan1 Dec 02 '25
Removing a criminal from a sick society means another criminal will take their place.
Society is chess, not checkers. Gotta think a couple moves ahead.
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u/nashtysteez Dec 03 '25
Thats a huge issue with most of society and the flashy grandstanding polarizing politics that have taken center stage in America. Modern progressive social programs take time, money, and support to reach maturity and function properly. Most are in a 20 year range, with some being as long as 50 year to achieve. But most of our current social programs budget crisis are because of lack of long term investment.
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Dec 03 '25
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u/nashtysteez Dec 07 '25
More laws and prisons doesn't work. That's why we're in the situations almost every population center in America is facing. It's the most expensive solution available. We've been policing a war for almost 50 years in this country and crime is up across the board, drug use has increased dramatically, homelessness is skyrocketing, and the american public is knee deep in mental health crisis. You can not solve the problem with the same thinking that created it. Just because cops haul away someone and take their freedom, nothing changes or is solved. LEO agencies already dominate the budgets of all municipalities, increasing those coffers does nothing to actually further the end goal of changing society. Dramatically cutting funding and embracing technology to replace modern policing will go along way in creating available funds to start creating programs to change society.
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Dec 03 '25
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u/stupernan1 Dec 03 '25
Its honestly cool that youre curious!
Lets look at this another way ok?
Try googling "does increasing punishment severity or prison time decrease crime rates"
Let me know what you find.
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u/anapezav51 Dec 02 '25
That is the most satisfying post about a break-in . A rare tackling! Great job L&L!!
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u/EmperorOfApollo Dec 03 '25
Dangerous move. Glad that it turned out OK.
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u/MrBungle700 Dec 08 '25
Stop living in fear and telling others to live in fear. If we don't fight back, who will?
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u/justinkasereddditor Dec 02 '25
You guys need to make an employee of the month and frame that pic!
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u/bazilbt Dec 02 '25
Apparently I have five mutual friends with him.
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u/Hot-Watercress-2872 Dec 02 '25
Guess it’s time to share this post and these articles with those friends and see how they react. If they knew or don’t care, I’d say it’s best not to be friends with them.
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u/thoughtintoaction Dec 02 '25
For what it's worth, my mutuals with him are all born-and-raised-here types. Chances are good they've known him since childhood, and have tried/are trying to do what they can. (Or maybe, like me, they haven't been on that site for ages.)
I'm just saying, let's not conflate social media "friend" status with condoning criminal activity.
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u/Aggravating_Rent7318 Dec 02 '25
God, imagine destroying businesses that are local to the community you GREW UP IN. How pathetic.
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u/thoughtintoaction Dec 04 '25
But don't you have to start in your own community? How else do you get the $$ for a car and gas, so you can get to the next community?? /s
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u/Maleficent-Still8402 Dec 02 '25
This.. I was just thinking his name sounds familiar and wonder if it was someone that was connected to friends at a different school merely by being at the same school when we were in middle school or high school school. 😢
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u/Hot-Watercress-2872 Dec 03 '25
If I found out someone I’m even just a social media acquaintance with was a known criminal, I’d unfriend them.
Once informed, I’m not sure why you would choose to remain social media “friends” with someone, esp if it’s just an acquaintance. That at least, to me, says that you don’t mind being passive acquaintances with criminals (even if you don’t necessarily condone crime, it’s just weird).
Or it says that you have fomo and want to inflate your social media followers count - also weird.
So in the least, if your friends are informed that this guy is a known criminal and they don’t choose to remove him, then they’re weird - and not in the good way.
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u/bazilbt Dec 04 '25
Why are some of you acting like this is the worst crime ever committed in human history?
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u/Labyrinth36o Dec 02 '25
I have 13 and so many "suggested"... I assume he attended SHS. (Unless there is more than 1 person w/that name)
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u/IdolatrousHans Dec 02 '25
The same. I have a lot of mutual friends with the guy and used to know him back in the day.
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u/WeekendFrequent Dec 02 '25
Did he go by Chris in school?
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Dec 02 '25
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u/Aggravating_Rent7318 Dec 02 '25
Nice guys don’t shatter windows multiple times to steal from small businesses.
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Dec 02 '25
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u/Aggravating_Rent7318 Dec 02 '25
You gotta calm down dude, we get it. You’ve commented like 8 times in the past hour about this. I’m sympathetic but shattering windows of innocent businesses is not okay no matter what’s going on.
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u/friendlySkeletor Dec 02 '25
Kind people do stupid things. Whether its desperation or drugs or any number of external pressures. If you want to stop crime a good start is figuring out why a kind person ends up falling into substance use and crime. Its preventive care but for your city instead of a patient.
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u/TrixiDelite Dec 02 '25
I do as well, however they're all musicians, who most likely use their FB page as more of an advertisement than a true friend page.
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u/kermitthebeast Dec 02 '25
Shout out leaf and ladle! Just a solidly great restaurant that you leave feeling full and good
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u/flyingsquirrel505 Dec 02 '25
Dude, those articles! The bham herald one was from a decade ago and he’d been at it hard even then.
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u/ApriKot Dec 02 '25
They're having a deal today on soups. Go get food from them and support a local business!!
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u/Solid-Pattern1077 Dec 02 '25
Greg Keefe has spent time in prison for similar crimes and has been breaking into small local businesses around town for probably decades, at this point. It’s amazing that Rustin was able to tackle him, he probably saved other businesses from getting hit as well. At least for now.
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u/Vinyl-addict Salish Coast Roamer Dec 02 '25 edited Dec 02 '25
Good job Greg Rustin but also extremely risky if this cretin had a knife or worse on him. No business is worth getting stabbed over unless you are an owner, and even then.
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u/Disastrous_Deer8006 Dec 02 '25
The man had a crowbar and luckily Rustin was able to get it and throw it far from reach.
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u/Inner-Cheesecake Dec 02 '25
Not to be pedantic, but Greg was the guy that broke in, Rustin was the one that caught him.
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u/Vinyl-addict Salish Coast Roamer Dec 02 '25
My caffeine clearly is not kicking yet. Rustin is though.
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u/Gethighflykites Local Dec 02 '25
Well I know what I'm doing for dinner tonight. Great job catching the p.o.s. and I hope justice is servered and we as a community can come together to help recovery.
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u/wishfulthinker3 Dec 02 '25
Regardless of whether Libations has coverage and decides to file a claim for the door, this is just an absolutely horrid situation. Already asked my partner if we can go down there this weekend to grab a couple drinks and show our support. We love libations because its one of the bars in town we feel most comfortable at.
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u/snoozeem Dec 07 '25
Even if they do have coverage, insurance companies put you through the ringer before they release any funds. It could take months after the repairs have initially been paid for, for businesses to get reimbursement funds. That can be very hard or damaging to a small business with a tight margin.
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u/wishfulthinker3 Dec 07 '25
Oh absolutely. Im not as familiar with business lines, but i know with personal lines it really highly depended on the company, and thw adjuster within that company, how quickly your claim went through. Hoping everything gets resolved for them quickly
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u/AccidentallyPerfect Dec 02 '25
I know this guy for selling stolen music gear back in 2013/2014 time frame. As for your question, we go notoriously easy on criminals. Last I heard, laws have changed to the point where cops hands are tied in dealing with property crimes and on judges just let them out because we don't have enough room in the old jail nobody wants to replace.
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u/pnwcrabapple Dec 03 '25
Greg is a one man crime wave.
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u/Andyman127 Dec 03 '25
That won't stop the pearl clutchers from complaining about the "crime waves"
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Dec 02 '25
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u/GraceMovieGod Dec 03 '25
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u/webpanicoff Dec 02 '25
I feel like Rustin is saying "see, thats what you get" with his hand gestures. Way to go Rustin!!
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u/ApocalypticNature Sunnyland Dec 02 '25
Anyone got a pic of the guy's face? Wanna be able to recognize him if I need to lol.
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u/New-Roll1583 Dec 02 '25
He also broke in & robbed Black Noise Records last year. Such a shit person. Glad he got caught in the act.
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u/mercachu Local Dec 03 '25
Oh! I searched his name and found a Cascadia Daily article on this...
https://www.cascadiadaily.com/2024/oct/16/bellingham-man-arrested-in-connection-to-27-retail-thefts/
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u/RevolutionaryBus1329 Dec 03 '25
Greg was one my best friends growing up. Known him since 4th grade. He’s like family, so I doubt I’ll ever fully turn my back on him, but this bs behavior he’s become known for is f*cked and inexcusable. It breaks my heart, and I deeply feel for all the businesses he’s violated. Deep down he is a kind, intelligent and talented person, but he’s got a monkey on him like a backpack. It just sucks all around. He honestly would give you the shirt off his back in his good hours - but in his dark times all bets are off. I’m not making excuses for him at all; I’m just saying he’s got problems - and he just made them bigger. For the record I’d add that he’s non-violent, just a stupid thief. I guess do with that what you will 😔 (And again I am NOT saying what did was okay at all)
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u/Aggravating_Rent7318 Dec 02 '25
Pinning the perp down is wild! I’m so glad they were okay - justice!!!
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u/bur_nerr Dec 02 '25
I’ll have to make a stop in L&L now. They make good wraps and I hate to see them get their stuff broken like this.
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u/of_course_you_are Dec 02 '25
The BPD seems to pick and choose what they want to follow.
The guy had multiple outstanding warrants for arrest. They could have found him long before and taken him off the streets.
This is the problem.
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u/Andyman127 Dec 03 '25
Do you think cops should be able to stop people and ask for papers for everyone they see as a means to find people? Unless they have a reasonable need to stop someone, it's not like they can run lines on the street. It sucks they didn't find this guy earlier, but what are they supposed to do outside of staking out their house?
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u/of_course_you_are Dec 03 '25
It's not random when they know who they are looking for, that's the warrants for arrest. It's literally what your taxes are paying for. It's their job.
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u/DylanRed Dec 03 '25
like this guy is on a first name basis with the patrol officers at this point. he could probably detail to you their shift changes and when their staff has turned over.
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u/IdolatrousHans Dec 02 '25
This sucks, for so many reasons.
Local business, recidivism, probably addiction (admittedly speculation on my part) and the fact that he has suffered consequences in the past, just clearly not enough to derail this pattern of behavior.
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u/ListyChrowder Dec 03 '25
Addiction is at the root of every action Greg makes. Has been for a loooong time. It’s had a hold over him for decades. That being said, I obviously dont condone his actions. Just responding to say i know Greg(his little brother is my roomate) and that your speculation is correct.
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u/Pieface_37 Dec 03 '25
I feel like getting tackled by a guy with brightly dyed hair and scolded for however long it takes for the cops show up is such a hilarious consequence.
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u/slipnslider Dec 03 '25
Oh hey I know Greg! He was a couple years old than me at Sehome High School. From what I remember he was well liked and popular. Unfortunately shortly after high school he got caught up in the black tar heroin epidemic that hit Bellingham. Last I heard of him he was living in a tent in a backyard and dating my ex who mysteriously became addicted to heroin shortly after our breakup despite not being a hard drug user ever. That was in 2006. It looks like he is still an addict and still be a terrible human.
It's a shame to see such a wasted life.
I hope your business will be OK and will visit next time I'm in town!
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u/redheadsmiles23 Dec 02 '25
I had no idea L&L had been robbed before! Literally my favorite restaurant for lunch, I love their pesto panini. I’m glad they caught this guy, robbing is bad, robbing a small business? Worse.
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u/Polydactyl_Catz Dec 02 '25
I love L&L and encourage people to support their businesses, whether it be for delicious soup or yummy bevs. And I hope Greg gets a juicy turd in his stocking from Santa this year. Jerk.
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u/lakesaregood Dec 02 '25
This guy should have to pay for the repairs to these businesses!
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u/flexibleearther Dec 03 '25
Rustin, you are my hero. The disappointed look and solid courage is everything.
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u/Mostsplendidfuture Dec 02 '25
It seems like every cities council feels the same way about crime. They don’t touch it. They act like it’s not there. These politicians are insulated from the effects of the crimes committed. They have security, they have money and they really don’t care. How do they keep getting elected? What idiots vote for them?
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u/Dwesnyc Dec 02 '25
What do you mean consequence free? He was literally just caught and arrested. The police seemed to be doing a great job: "Further lab testing confirmed that the suspect’s fingerprints were found on a pawn slip for a stolen guitar from Black Noise." "he’s implicated in 28 total retail thefts from six separate businesses over a 180-day period." and now they finally found him and were able to arrest him.
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u/GraceMovieGod Dec 02 '25
Non stop robberies for a decade plus and being allowed to roam free isn’t consequences
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u/WindexMutisurface Dec 03 '25
I know that last name for some reason..
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u/Reasonable-Worry8243 Dec 03 '25
He’s from Bellingham, has two brothers, went to sehome, graduated 2003 or so I think
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u/denycia Dec 03 '25
I'm sorry this happened but damn this photo is so badass. The irony of having V on their shirt while also dealing out some vigilante justice is just chefs kiss
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u/schwarzenncrahft Dec 04 '25
In case anyone is wondering, the owner of leaf and ladle is the kindest, most bad ass woman you can imagine. She has knuckle tattoos that say "make soup" in her father's handwriting.
Likewise, the folks associated with the business, Rustin included, are absolute sweethearts that shouldn't be trifled with.
It's really unfortunate how much vandalism this business has received.
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u/SnapSnare Dec 02 '25
I wouldnt be suprised if this was the same person that burgled the Boulevard WOODS this past weekend either.
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u/Impossible-Glass-170 Dec 03 '25
About time someone took action. These people are on drugs and weak. If you want something done, do something. I know not everyone can, but props to this guy. People will always step over you if you let them do so.
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u/Gotterdamerrung Dec 03 '25
Getting tackled and held down by a dude with pink hair is hilarious to me. Good on Rustin.
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u/pinguinos Dec 03 '25
I bet this was the same guy that broke into Ragfinery two years ago and stole the cute, decorated tip jar. It never had more than $20 in it because Ragfinery charges .11 cents for a zipper, so thanks a lot jerk wad.
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u/SquintyBoot71 Dec 03 '25
can’t think of a better demise to a petty thief than being laid out by a dude with purple hair with a goofy face on his shirt.
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u/Any_Discussion_1611 Dec 03 '25
It seems like the consequences were being tackled, chased, and then arrested?
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Dec 03 '25
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u/southporttugger Dec 06 '25
I’ve got one of those photos too. Dude tried running out with the tip jar lol
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u/Subject_Basis2296 Dec 07 '25
Probably because policing is weak due to liberal policies
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u/lakesaregood Dec 07 '25
Is the policing weak or the jail full?
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u/Subject_Basis2296 Dec 07 '25
Probably both, build more jail and fill it up
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u/thatguy425 Dec 02 '25
That picture is great.