West Seattle Crime Watch: Burglaries update; sign stolen

| Crime | Safety | West Seattle news

First, an update on the 37th SW burglaries reported here last night, from Block Watch Captain Karen:

The timeframe for the burglary in the 5000 block of 37th [last night] was sometime in the late afternoon/early evening, before 7:30 PM. One neighbor (who wishes to remain anonymous) told me today that, in hindsight, he may have seen the vehicle & one of the burglars around 5 PM. He has provided a report to the police.

The second burglary was in the north end of the 5200 block of 37th. The owners e-mailed to say that the burglars kicked in their French doors in the back of the house for entry. They ransacked the house, turned over the bed, went into pantry, closets, dressers, etc. They took items that were easy to take. The burglars put their dog in a bedroom & closed the door. One of the owners reports seeing a gray/silver color car with 4 teenage boys in it around noon, driving slowly & suspiciously on 37th. The burglary at their house took place in the afternoon between 1 & 4:30.

Also, a theft report to pass along, from BJ:

Just noticed that our street sign corner of Alaska and 50th is gone today. I caught some teenagers in the act a couple of years ago but didn’t catch them this time. It took 2 years to get a new sign the first time it was stolen.

BJ has since checked with the city, and is hopeful a replacement will arrive sooner this time, as her neighborhood is slated for those bigger street signs that have already been installed in many West Seattle neighborhoods (by the way, the old signs are still for sale).

Todd in westwood April 3, 2008 (6:13 am)

Ahh Spring Break. I remember when spring break meant sleeping in and riding bmx bikes all over Vashon, building tracks to ride.

Kayleigh April 3, 2008 (6:33 am)

My parents’ home was robbed years ago when they were Blockwatch captains. Does anyone know if the Blockwatch stuff really works to deter crime?

Also I have seen some things that seem out-of-place in the neighborhood but am not sure if I should report them. Example: some kids I didn’t recognize (have lived here 5+ years) abandoned two Safeway carts, and later, two other unfamiliar kids abandoned a bike. Unusual here, but not exactly dramatic.

beachdrivegirl April 3, 2008 (7:33 am)

Kayleigh,
I have seen unusual things happen in my neighborhood in the past. I wrote down the information and called the non-emergency line just so it was on record. (This was teenagers roaming the streets @ 3-4am..)when I know there are no teenagers in the immediate neighborhood unless they were visiting. I am not sure if anything came of the reports but I felt better about it. Not sure if the blockwatch works…

Kayleigh April 3, 2008 (7:41 am)

BDG, I will start writing stuff down; good idea.

I thought the bike may have been stolen because the two kids were each already on a bike…so why would they have a third bike, right? But then, why abandon it?

BigRed April 3, 2008 (7:41 am)

I live in Westwood area where the city has just put up more speedlimit signs. One happens to be directly in front of my house. Now when I look out my windows all I see is “SCHOOL” (in bright yellow) “SPEEDLIMIT 20 MPH” The thing about it is I live 40 feet from the corner. You should NOT be going over 20 mph anyway! Anyone know how to go about getting the sign removed? PS the school is Denny Middle hasn’t that been decided to join with Sealth?

WSB April 3, 2008 (7:47 am)

If you have a concern about anything involving city roads, the hotline is 684-ROAD. As for Denny’s status, it won’t be moving off that site for several years.

old timer April 3, 2008 (12:29 pm)

The trouble with Blockwatch, IMO.
1) There are always people on the block who ‘don’t want to be involved’.
2) The people most likely to be useful are working during the day,
3) Most of us are not watching the streets after dark.

So, basically it’s someone who can spot something because a noise or some movement caught their attention.

I’d like to see some funding and locations made available for high-resolution surveillance cameras. (Not that cheap-o Qwicky-Mart stuff we try to decipher on the evening news.) Maybe then we could get plate numbers and photos of whoever it is that prowls the alleys and the side streets in the middle of the night. Not to mention getting the goods on non-scoopers, litterers, taggers, and other various miscreants!

lala April 3, 2008 (1:55 pm)

Block Watch can work if you do some things right. 1. Take advantage of the annual Night Out and spend 1 hour to meet your neighbors. Learn who works from home and who is retired. Don’t elect a captain who is elderly (our last one was in their 80s and went to sleep extremely early). Talk to the neighbors who have good vantage points in the neighborhood. Get a list of phone numbers of your neighbors and ANYTIME anything strange happens in the neighborhood call them – don’t be shy. A friend of mine who is a captain also set up a blog for their website where people can talk about neighborhood problems and get to know their neighbors online. If you want to be private and not participate then no complaining when something bad happens.

lala April 3, 2008 (1:56 pm)

Blog for their neighborhood is what I meant, not website. Brain not working.

cmc April 3, 2008 (2:10 pm)

I am not sure if there are stats that show that a blockwatch deters crime, but I do believe that it’s helpful to start a blockwatch so you can get to know neighbors who you may not have otherwise known. It is helpful to learn from others in the neighborhood what they know about the history of the crimes that have taken place on the block etc. Also, a rep from the police dept will come to your meeting and provide information on how to make your homes and neighborhood safer.

And old timer, I am not sure why you think the people most likely to be useful are working during the day. I am a stay-at-home parent and I am very aware of the comings and goings of our neighborhood. They say the majority of break-ins happen during the day. Everyone plays a part in keeping the block safe.

Vanessa April 3, 2008 (2:15 pm)

Living in the area called Fairmont Springs(around Fairmont School, greenbelt area west and south of Mt. St. Vincent’s, I am trying to be more alert than ever with all of the break ins and robberies of late. I am one of those fortunate ones who works from home. I am not afraid to walk and carry a big stick and a cell phone. I am committed to taking more day time walks around lunch and even before and after regular work hours. I hope to meet more neighbors out doing the same. Have there been more of a police presence in these area’s? I’m sure there must be…but if I was a crook, I would go to another neighborhood by now….I hate the fact that I am thinking of buying a hand gun or a taser but I refuse to live in this world of fear and vulnerability. I try not to think about what’s been going on just outside my door but how can not jump up and worry about every little noise you hear out there? We are very involved in our block group and I hope you all will talk with your neighbors even the ones who don’t want to “get involved”. Thank you for the space to rant.

Megan April 3, 2008 (7:03 pm)

This sounds exactly like what happened at my house on 28th Avenue on Monday. Same point of entry, flipped up the bed, small appliances taken, etc. I wouldn’t think they would spread out so much but these are just too similar for it to be a coincidence. Hopefully they will take all the info that we and the neighbors have provided and will be able to catch them. Sorry to hear so many were affected!

lala April 3, 2008 (11:14 pm)

No needs for a gun or taser, Vanessa. Buy a whistle for a buck or so, as most people caught in the act will freak and run once you blow it, using all your lung power.
Or buy a “personal alarm” if you are worried about personal safety. A personal alarm is something you can buy online and you can set off that are about 100 times as loud as your smoke detector. Someone tries to steal your purse, assault you – you pull a plug and a blindingly loud alarm goes off. Assailant is surprised by it and freaks out and runs, and bystanders or people in homes look out the window…I hate mace, guns because most people who carry them for protection have never been to a class which shows them how to actually use them – end up having them used against themselves by the assaultant.