West Seattle Crime Watch: Burglars hit local neighborhood

HolyKow March 10, 2010 (1:18 pm)

This is pretty scary. I have read about alot of people reporting kicked in doors while they are home. But I gotta tell ya, one of these days, these dirtbags are going to kick in the wrong door and find someone that has a 2 week old baby and a shinny new 12 gauge shotgun and they will then be sorry they ever stole a dime…

Never wanna see anyone get hurt, but there is someone out there that will not put up with this and act with greater than equal and opposite force, and I can’t says that I blame them. If I had a gun in the house (I do not) and a 2 month old (I do), and some meth hunter kicked in my front door, ….well, let’s just say I hope never to be in that situation….

hk

Marc Bowers March 10, 2010 (1:18 pm)

This is alarming. We’re at 13th and Trenton and were broken into 2.5 years ago. 2 months our neighbors just east of us had the front door kicked in on their place in broad daylight. I seriously believe we have a serial burglar in the neighborhood whom is becoming more bold each time. What do we have to do to get more police presence in the area and how can we get our slightly westward portion of Trenton involved in the blockwatch?
Marc

Bus Rider March 10, 2010 (1:25 pm)

This is getting scary. Perhaps it would not matter, but does anyone know if the house’s that were hit had a dog?

Christie March 10, 2010 (1:36 pm)

Marc, our neighbors on 12th and trenton are going to get together with the representative from the Southwest precinct to form a block watch. We are going to pass out flyers to all the neighbors to join in. The M.O. of your neighbors break in is the exact same of our neighbors last night – front door kicked in – they also have trees that block their front entrance – we are helping them very soon cut them down!

Chris March 10, 2010 (2:04 pm)

15th and Trenton, broken into over Christmas, same general MO. A friend of mine told me he was robbed and then six weeks later robbed again as the thieves know most people replace the stuff that was originally stolen and since they now know your house feel comfortable striking again. So, taking action now is good. Dogs are great but their affect can be negated by food. I have heard this on these boards.

TLP March 10, 2010 (2:08 pm)

Christie, please let us (via WSB) know what activities or suggestions you have as a step up from the regular “night out” information. After all, if your neighborhood gets wise, then these vandals will probably just move on to the next easiest target. And having police in the area doesn’t seem to do a darn thing when they’re not there for the crimes. I often wonder as people speed past me where the heck the cops are at that time. There needs to be more and better solutions and the community working as a whole. Good luck.

Keith March 10, 2010 (3:07 pm)

My neighbor was recently broken into as well and they stole their plasma and jewelry. I’m looking forward to seeing these guys get caught.

I’d like to let everyone know that we are assisting West Seattle residences and businesses with alarm systems and video surveillance to help catch these crooks. It’s quite inexpensive to get setup with a system. We have special packages setup for West Seattle right now. Please email me at ksawka@freedomsystemsinc.com with any questions. Thank you.

WSB March 10, 2010 (3:12 pm)

And Freedom Systems is the newest sponsor of the WSB Crime Watch page; thank you. Watch for more info on their business in their official “welcome” tomorrow. – TR

Christie March 10, 2010 (3:21 pm)

no, neither one of the neighbors had dogs. We are taking some new measures – we are mapping our street with all of our house numbers and phone numbers or emails so we can let each other know what is going on. We are also trying to get a block watch on our street as well. We are a pretty friendly street – we talk to each other and do the night out celebrations but we need to do more. We have a few people that work from home so they are going to try and take a walk on the street now and then to deter anyone thinking about breaking in again.

HolyKow March 10, 2010 (3:46 pm)

Short of a lucky break and a cop being on patrol 2 streets over when you call 911, is there anything short of walking armed patrols up and down your block that will really change anything? These people are likely to be drug addicts/other forms of lowlife looking to score another fix of some kind…one of them there big EYEBALL signs that says ‘We’re Watchin for ya’ is not going to take away their need for a hit….and it is questionable that they can even read the sign to force them to go elsewhere…

There is also a bit too much whining about ‘Where are the Cops!’ on these pages. In Castlerock v. Gonzales, the Supreme Court ruled that an individual does NOT have any expectation to police protection even in the event of a restraining order (likely to be the most directed form of restriction on an individual’s ability to interact with another individual). This ruling clearly states that the government sees that you are responsible for your own protection.

Look around the ‘net and you will see that average response times of 911 emergency calls to violent crime reports average 7-11 minutes (significantly longer if you call from a cell phone and are unable to provide your location before disconnection). A good smash and grab team can get in and out of your house in under 5 minutes. If there is violence or not in that break-in is completely left up to situation and chance.

This is not a post that is saying everyone within the reach of this post should run out and get a gun…far from it (see earlier post where I state that I have no gun in my home)…but you need to have a plan for your family in the event of an occurrence of this nature. The cops do their best with what they have, not a knock on them, but there is a 99% chance that you will NOT have a cop sitting on your front porch when the SHTF.

Stay Frosty…

HK

HP March 10, 2010 (3:48 pm)

In the alley between 12th and 13th, there in plain sight, is a back yard with street signs and cones that look freshly stolen. The house is on the 13th side. Such obvious theft should be a reason for police to search the house.

d March 10, 2010 (3:48 pm)

Other very good alarm systems companies are ADT and Broadview. But don’t let the companies over sell to you. Assess where the most basic access is and secure it: doors, ground windows. Unethical alarm sales folks will take advantage of the adrenaline pumping through you when you’ve just been a victim. Think rationally about how extensive of a system you REALLY need. And ask questions about how long of a contract you are agreeing to and find out about the particulars for permit approval for insurance purposes. Systems can be expensive. Peace of mind does NOT have to be expensive.

Change all the deadbolts. Make sure you in fact HAVE deadbolts to start with.

Steel doors are available from Northwest Door and Window and other door sellers. Measure your doors and install the darn things.

My home near the dog park was prowled three times (around 1:00 am and pre-dawn) last fall over the period of a week and a half. The cops were called each time, but they just missed whoever it was. The smart guard dog was on the ball, but did NOT deter them. But he did alert me, or I would have slept through it completely.

A few days later, they got into the house without forced entry the one night the house was empty for a day.

Came home and they must have been interrupted or spooked out of the house. I have NO idea how, but glad of it. The flatscreen had been unplugged and moved on the table in the den and in the other room where my jewelry box is, the table light had been turned on for better viewing into the jewelry box. I keep those kinds of valuables in a safety deposit box. Finally, those bank fees paid off. Unfortunately?

So, no, not the same MO as doors being kicked in, but very creepy. And very upsetting.

Lastly, Block Watch is a great bringer of peace of mind. Join one or start one.

Bus Rider March 10, 2010 (4:10 pm)

Thank you Christie. Realize having a dog won’t make them stop, but perhaps the barking will deter the idiots a little?

Marc March 10, 2010 (4:40 pm)

HK,
I agree that people must take their own precautionary steps to protect themselves and their belongings. We made some major investments in home security after we were broken into with the assumption that we were more or less on our own after waiting better than 2 hours for a cop to arrive after we called just to clear the house (which I did on my own after a period of time). What bothers me is that some police presence in the form of a simple cruiser coming through occasionally and taking note of possible unusual individuals walking about would be nice and it doesn’t seem to happen. I am convinced these guy(s) live near us and are most likely on foot. They’ve likely chosen Trenton as it offers a fair bit of both foot and street traffic (despite not actually being an arterial in our area) and so they have good cover as they case houses.

In short, not whining, but unable to sit at home and watch my stuff 24-7 and would enjoy a bit of stepped up patrol especially as it’s become extremely obvious that we have a problem in about a 6 block area.

José March 10, 2010 (5:39 pm)

Some good-faith recommendations:
.
Get security mesh doors for all your entry and exit doors; put DOUBLE-deadbolts (requiring a key to operate both sides of the lock) on them. You can have all the locks keyed alike so you still only need to carry one key.
.
If you live in an area that seems to be getting hit a lot, consider metal security mesh coverings for your windows. minimal handyman skills required to cut them to size and bolt them into the existing frames.
.
If you can afford it, have a home security system (alarm) installed – but only if you have sensors on *all* windows and doors, otherwise don’t bother.
.
Unfortunately these bastards can’t be stopped completely; but if you make it just a bit more difficult to get into your home than the next one, you could spare yourself from becoming a victim.

onceachef March 10, 2010 (5:45 pm)

Call Benjamin Kinslow at the SW Precinct…he coordinates all off the neighborhood watch groups around West Seattle and is very knowledgeable about crime prevention methods (for household break-ins). The sad fact is that if someone really wants to get in your house, they probably will…but the harder you make it for them to do that, the less likely it will happen. I know it’s not cheap to “crime-proof” your house but think what it costs to replace what is stolen, not to mention the danger to you and your family…it’s worth the investment.

Fences, security lights, locking “storm doors” that open out (like a really secure screen door), change the “direction” of your door to open out instead of in, dogs, deep-insert dead bolts, window locks…just a few things that can be done. Video tape or photograph your items of value, write down serial numbers, etc.

In regard to a “plan” as HolyKow mentioned I have a small bat, pipe or solid dowel at each door (well not the front door!) that I can access if I hear anyone in the house…not absolute protection but something to give you a slight advantage.

mark March 10, 2010 (6:19 pm)

There is a show on Discovery Channel called “It takes a thief” http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/ittakesathief/ittakesathief.html
Where the 2 hosts offer to break into someones house to show the owners the weaknesses in their homes and then after they break in, the come back and fix it up. They almost always get in thru open (unlocked) windows or weak basement doors. They always put in heavy duty locks and alarms, lock up things like ladders and just making it more difficult to be a victim. No, its not an answer, but it might open you eyes to your own potential vulnerabilities.

Aim March 10, 2010 (8:36 pm)

Christie, I live right by Chris, above. I think our block (Trenton @15th) would be VERY interested in either joining with you all in a blockwatch or getting our own officially going (we already watch out for one another pretty well.) It’d be nice to get the greater neighborhood involved, especially considering the upswing in activity around here. We’ve had a few suspicious door-to-doors, including one I documented on the Forums just last week: https://westseattleblog.com/forum/topic/highland-park-possible-casing-warning

If you’d like to contact me, email the editor and they’ll put you in touch. I’d be happy to help or be involved in any way. Thanks!

tincanrocket March 10, 2010 (8:44 pm)

My brother is SPD and his advice for the best security system is a dog. He has said many times that he has been to many burglaries where the owners had alarm systems, but can’t recall going to any where the owners had a dog.

kg March 10, 2010 (8:54 pm)

You can put all the heavy duty locks on your doors that you want, but if you don’t anchor them to the door frame the bad guys will still just kick your door in. Get your door frame strengthened and use at least 3″ wood screws.
‘Door jamb armor’ is a great investment and can be put in easily if you have decent carpentry skills.

Keith March 10, 2010 (9:16 pm)

These are all good comments about deterring break-ins. Definately strengthen the door frame with the 3″ wood screws. Add dead bolts as well. But the bottom line is that if a thief wants to get in he will find a way. Being in the industry I have to recommend a alarm system as a first step. We always recommend to at least use ADT stickers on all floor level windows as a deterrent. Prices are so inexpensive for alarms these days it’s silly. $34 a month is not bad for a piece of mind. ksawka@freedomsystemsinc.com

d March 10, 2010 (9:52 pm)

Keith –

Of course you have to recommend alarm systems :). I HAVE an alarm system, but I could afford the cost of the installation; those upfront costs are going to knock a lot of people out of your range. Plus, we ARE in a recession. So, for those folks who can not do the spendy systems, alternative solutions are required and very doable.

Just a thought for all my neighbors.

Aim March 10, 2010 (10:04 pm)

Keith doesn’t a house have to have a land line for a monitored alarm system to function effectively? Many houses/families no longer have land lines. I’m wondering what the industry is doing to keep up with the technology and resultant lifestyle changes.

that girl March 10, 2010 (10:19 pm)

nope, there are places that monitor the alarms over the internet now. nextalarm for one.

Keith March 10, 2010 (11:58 pm)

Well the upfront isn’t too bad. It’s only $99 for setup/install and $34 a month. We have some specials right now for free key remotes. Today there are wireless/cellular options for those who don’t use a land line (myself included). And @ the comment by d…It’s true, there are alarm salesmen out there that do take advantage, so you really want to work with a reputable dealer.

anonymous March 11, 2010 (1:15 am)

I hope that they catch the people doing this soon. Most people have worked very hard for their homes and lifestyle. It is very troubling to have people destroying and stealing.

Kevin March 11, 2010 (1:29 am)

Consider creating a “safe” room within your house. A safe room is just that. A room with a heavy SOLID wood (or steel) door with one or more dead bolts in a very solid reinforced door jamb. Ideally one at the top and one at the bottom of the door, with perhaps a 3rd at normal door knob height if you don’t always want to (but should) lock three dead bolts every time you leave the house.
.
Once INSIDE the safe room, consider converting a closet into a safe room within a safe room. Reinforce the INSIDE of the closet inside the safe room by lining the inside walls of the closet with 3/4″ or even “1 and 1/4” plywood to help prevent kicking through the wall from an adjacent room. Use this closet within the “safe” room to store your most valuable but not used every day possessions such as cameras, jewelry, stamp / coin collections, IPODs, GPS, and other small electronics, etc.
.
Extra space in the closet can be used to store stereo components and other mid to larger sized valuables when leaving town for vacation.
.
Sure, it will be fairly obvious that this is a “room of interest” but how much time do they think they MAY HAVE to figure out a way to break in, especially if they think the clock is already ticking before police or security arrive.
.
I think most self respecting crooks would turn around and flee once they discovered they just got done breaking into one secure space only to find a second line of defense to be conquered :)
.
The safe room could even be equipped with it’s own LOUD alarm system that sounds an exterior siren or bell once breached. VERY unlikely to ever have a FALSE alarm if just ONE door is in the circuit.
.
Ideally this room might see double duty as your home office, so your computer and other office electronics are protected with a much heavier line of defense than the rest of the house. It could also be a place of refuge in the event of a break in while home.
.
.
Still worried? I don’t blame you… Consider installing safe room type doors on other adjoining rooms. Now you are able to lock all the safe doors when leaving the house, and let the poor intruders waste valuable time by having to select between door A, B, or C as the first door to “try” to kick in. The important part of the illusion is to make each of the doors look equally secure. The chance of the real “safe” room being breached is now reduced by 50% or more depending on the number of door to select from.
.
As a side note, USING deadbolt locks on interior doors while the house is occupied (fire concerns) has certain risks, the risks are certainly outweighed by offering that precious extra time to wake up and be able to place a call to 911 in the case of a forced entry while sleeping. Once again… which room are the homeowners sleeping in?
.
As a side benefit, SOLID core doors will SLOW a fire much longer than a flimsy hollow core door.
.
.
More money than you want to spend right now – or you say you live in a rental? Fair enough. Have you considered these really low cost but effective techniques.
.
.
+ Place a decoy laptop in an easy to see location. Extra points if you can find an older one that is still working and is able to display a screen saver 24 x 7. Even just in the open position, perhaps “decorated” with a few “to do” Post It notes on the edge of the screen will help create the illusion it is working, and likely valuable. Warning – you lose all bonus points if you forget to DUST it!
.
+ You can find VERY impressive looking old film and video cameras at garage sales and second hand stores. Again, score extra points by parking a camera bag nearby. Leave a couple of older smaller memory cards nearby to give the impression it is a digital camera.
.
+ Have you seen some of the real NICE looking watches over at Target that are available for $20 and less! Again, a great decoy to leave laying on your dresser counter. Don’t forget to leave a little costume jewelry out as well. Keep your “good stuff” in the bottom of an old portable sewing machine box, or some other “innocent” looking household item. An obviously older looking tube TV set with a “fake” service access lid on the bottom for example.
.
Convert an existing or build new, a very heavy reinforced “Hope Chest” with an inside locking door that will take too long to break open and be too heavy and awkward to be easily carried by only one person. Too large to stuff in the back of a car. Perhaps painted fluorescent orange paint on part of the top, and with the word STOLEN stenciled in big 10 inch black letters. This part of the top normally covered by an “extra blanket” on top.
.
Oh yes, one last thought – impressive looking old cellular phones, mp3 players, and other cool looking electronic gadgets are literally a dime a dozen at Goodwill and Value Village. Great impulse items for any potential thief! Then go tell your insurance company how much money you just saved them, and submit a claim for replacement decoy items :)
.
Happy remodeling / decorating!
.

anonymous March 11, 2010 (2:00 am)

Is there someone that we should contact about this? Like a city council person or congressman?Thanks.

onceachef March 11, 2010 (8:40 am)

Contact Benjamin Kinslow – Southwest Precinct – he’s the West Seattle neighborhood block watch coordinator.

WSB March 11, 2010 (8:49 am)

That’s the info linked at the end of the story – Crime Prevention thru SW Precinct (including Block Watch).

anonyme March 11, 2010 (9:50 am)

Kevin, you are amazing! Some great ideas there.

Christie, please don’t start chopping down trees. It won’t make anyone safer, and it’s senseless from both an aesthetic and environmental standpoint. We had a similar break-in in my neighborhood last year. Middle of a Saturday afternoon, no plants around house, front door fully exposed to the street – there were even neighbors outside. Yet the front door was kicked in and the house robbed.

Janet March 11, 2010 (11:53 am)

We live on 15th SW between Trenton and Henderson and would be very interested in joining a a block-watch. This is very troubling.

natinstl March 11, 2010 (12:20 pm)

We just installed a GE Simon XT in our home. It can be monitored, but we really just wanted something loud that would deter people so we chose the non-monitored option. It’s hard wired and all the sensors are wireless. We also hard wired an external siren, although the interior one is very loud. It does call up to 8 numbers and we have it programmed to call our cells if it goes off. We’ve been very impressed with it so far.

Chris March 11, 2010 (12:52 pm)

Christie and Janet,

You can get in touch with me (though the WSB?) or stop by. We are the ones on Trenton and 15th with two loud boys, usually playing basketball in our driveway. We are the keepers of our neighborhood list and need to update that anyway.

SRL March 11, 2010 (1:02 pm)

Our house was burglarized on Thursday, March 4th. We’re in the Westwood Village neighborhood on 24th Ave. SW.

They kicked in the daylight basement door.
The thief was very thorough and methodical… they looked through every drawer, looking for secret stashes of stuff (which we don’t have). They took all the electronics that were worth anything. They didn’t touch any medications or things under $500 in value…they were pros, certainly not kids.

I have my suspicions…the Monday before the incident, we had a service person come to the house to do something. Then we get robbed 3 days later.

So, my question to all of you who have experienced break ins, is did any of you have any type of service done where a technician of some sort came into the home in the week or weeks previous to the burglary?

Christie March 11, 2010 (3:54 pm)

thanks Chris, yes i will try to stop by this weekend – it is good to know each other and what is going on.

and the trees that might be cut are not mine they are the neeighbors that got robbed – but they dont like them anyways and will feel more secure if they cut them down.

Sylvia March 11, 2010 (7:14 pm)

our neighbors had their house broken into on March 9th. we live on Cloverdale btw Delridge and 20th street. the theives broke throught their steel screen door and broke the deadbolt on the front door. we have a big dog with a big bark, so that might have been a factor. we would join a block watch.

Robbed March 11, 2010 (7:58 pm)

SRL, we did have a service person. It was a local chinmney company, any relation? I wondered about that, but sort of disregarded it. They did not take any meds at our house either, but took the $4 sitting out…along with other money, electronics, jewelry… and the list goes on. They emptied drawers and really made a mess in 3 rooms. It makes me sick.

Marie March 11, 2010 (9:25 pm)

Wow, what is going down peeps!! we live on 12th ave sw between 12th and henderson. WE have falled victim to a weirdo peeping tom and he was very bold and creepy. Unscrewing light bulbs and looking in windows! He even came in my yard and came at me!He went to jail for 3 days, got out on $200 bail!! He has a long rap sheet of criminal tresspassing, theft and drugs! His name is Ernest Parnell, 35,light skinned african american man, about 6 ft , medium build. I am getting a restraining order but if you see him call 911 asap!! He was very bold I wonder if these are linked?? he was hanging around 3/27-3/28 got out of jail 3/3! WE started a blog and we are having a meeting april 5th at my house. WE are even getting a fancy block watch sign!! These our homes, our community we need to look after one another!! Together we are better!! Please come if you can!! thanx Marie
If anything we our more aware now!!

Marie March 11, 2010 (9:35 pm)

My Friend is an officer in the Everett police dept he say home alarms systems are good but make sure they are audible on every window and door. Thieves usually kick it wait to see if the cops come. IF THEY DON’T THEY GO IN. He said if a loud alarm goes off these usually split! He said always have a line of personal defense being a dog, gun or pepper spray! Man i knew we should have left the bars on!! They ugly but effective!

d March 11, 2010 (11:05 pm)

Marie –

Great that you are starting a block watch for your street, but you need to figure out a way to let people know where to go for the April 5th meeting. DON”T post your address up here under the story though.

Have you coordinated with Ben Kinlow at SW Precinct? He will instruct you how to get the word out. And everything else you need to know about a Block Watch.

Anyone else: if you DO NOT know if there is a Block Watch for your street, or one close by, call Ben Kinlow or email him.

WSB has linked his contact information in the story above.

Glad to see folks are ready to get proactive and meet each other. Good stuff.

And Kevin: thanks for the input. Great info for the peeps.

Keith Sawka March 18, 2010 (1:30 pm)

I thought I’d mention that we are offing some great packages this month for home alarms and video surveillance. 5 window sensors and a pet immune sensor are included. Only $99 to setup and install and that includes equipment. We are a dealer for ADT which has the fastest and most robust monitoring system available. We have cellular or land-line options as well. Contact ksawka@freedomsystemsinc.com or 206.229.8075