West Seattle Crime Watch: Seen this stolen sign?

| Crime | Pigeon Point | West Seattle news

The sign in the above-left photo is one of two that brought a lot of smiles and comments when we published photos sent by their creator, Jim Sander, a month ago. Tonight, Pigeon Point’s Pete Spalding says the sign’s been stolen – along with most of the community signpost that held it (“after” photo, above right):

At some point during the day on Friday some low-life scumbag decided to vandalize one of our Pigeon Point neighborhood signposts. These signposts were donated by residents of the Pigeon Point neighborhood. These sign posts are normally used to notify residents of upcoming meetings and events that are taking place in our neighborhood. Now we will have to come up with the funds to replace this signpost and the Welcome to Pigeon Point sign that was attached to the crossbar on top. These signs have been in place for several years and we have had some occasional damage, but nothing on this scope. If anyone has any information about this vandalism please send an e-mail to pigeonpointcouncil@comcast.net.

Ironically, the road closure/detour that inspired the signs is just a few days from wrapping up.

Bob Loblaw April 2, 2010 (10:18 pm)

Dear Jebus — Can we not have anything fun and cool around here any longer without some jackweed making off with it? It’s not like you can sell this sign for meth money, dumbass!

DOC April 2, 2010 (10:46 pm)

THEY MAY TAKE OUR SIGNS BUT… no, wait, seriously, don’t actually take the sign. Someone spent a lot of time making that and it’s really cool. Seriously give it back. I was just kidding with the whole “Take our signs” bit. Don’t forget about what happened to the people that tried to take William Wallace’s freedom :-)

Ana April 2, 2010 (11:11 pm)

I loved that sign! Now I wish I could remember if it had still been there or not when I drove home from work today, if nothing else than to help pinpoint a tighter time frame for when it happened. :(

JanS April 2, 2010 (11:55 pm)

Bob Loblaw…you took the words right outta my mouth – sort of :)

Guess we just need to put things out with “steal me” written across the top….

jerks!

that girl April 3, 2010 (12:42 am)

ok, so with this road closure, we’ve had gun shots, a house break in, numerous car break ins, and now our signs stolen. coincidence? i think not. the bus reroute can’t be over soon enough.

Travis April 3, 2010 (2:05 am)

Are you blaming the people that ride the bus for a sign being stolen and robberies?
Yes, I ride the bus to all the crimes I commit.
You must be a great neighbor.

CB April 3, 2010 (7:26 am)

William Wallace was eventually captured and executed by the King. Funny how history repeats itself.

Seriously, this is lame.

a neighbor April 3, 2010 (7:34 am)

It was there when I drove by close to 5pm. This was posted at 10pm so it didn’t even happen late at night? And why did they have to cut the post if they just wanted our cool neighborhood sign…lame.

sophista-tiki April 3, 2010 (7:45 am)

Looks like the post was cut with a hand saw. If that’s the case I doubt that some idiot thief took it. Seems more like an offended- crusty- grumpy- geezer might have taken it down because he hated it. Whatever the reason someone has been watching the street and the sign and planning the job. Otherwise why would they have a saw.

sophista-tiki April 3, 2010 (7:47 am)

part 2, I just thought of this. A thief would have just taken the sign off the post. Whoever took this sign down made sure another sign would not go back up in its place.

Jim S April 3, 2010 (8:00 am)

Artist Statement: Jeez. Uh yeah, I’m sort of at a loss as to why somebody would feel so strongly about that particular sign that they would take out a power saw and cut it down in broad daylight. I should be flattered that my “art” inspires such passion, but actually feel sorry for the loss of the much more socially valuable pole. I just hope it finds it’s way into the clandestine collection of an international art collector specializing in Sewer Line/Parking announcements.

miws April 3, 2010 (8:12 am)

Obviously, if this idiot is caugght, they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, for vandalism and theft. However, we very well know it would be unlikely they’d see much, if any actual jail time, even if the charges warrant, especially if it’s a first time offense, (more accurately, the first time they were caught.)

So, how about this; the artist/signmaker makes up one of those wearable, sandwich board type signs. Out of heavy wood, with words to the effect: “I’m a vandalizing, thieving, DUMBASS“, on it, with the appropriate caricature of what a vandalizing, thieving, dumbass would look like.

Then, whether they actually served time, and/or paid a fine or not, they are made to wear the sign and walk the area everyday for at least a week.

Anybody have a Farmer’s Almanac handy? Anymore 100+ degree days predicted for this coming Summer?

Mike

Amanda April 3, 2010 (8:42 am)

Sorry Jim, I loved that sign, and riding the 125 through your hood. You guys have some beautiful houses and awesome landscaping! It’s lame that someone cut the sign down, what a jackass.

wseye April 3, 2010 (9:54 am)

Check the stash of the totem pole brigand.

I. Ponder April 3, 2010 (10:34 am)

“Seems more like an offended- crusty- grumpy- geezer might have taken it down because he hated it.”

Or his wife! We had a neighbor who was disgruntled about traffic chicanes that were put in on our street to slow traffic. Plantings and signs were continuously vandalized over a period of several years. One neighbor lady in her late 50s was behind it all. Mental illness comes in many flavors. She moved away and that was the end of it.

There was a theme of unhappiness due to the NEW people changing things.

(required) April 3, 2010 (11:41 am)

I am once again astonished by the level of bad-vibedness displayed by yet another sociopathic vandal. I hope whoever did this chokes to death in their living room while eating a hot dog. Ok, maybe that’s a bit much. But you get my point.

Babs April 3, 2010 (2:06 pm)

Sure looks like it was a message that they don’t like it in the hood. I think I saw that sign on the local TV news so maybe the thief had enough of the publicity because of the saw job to remove it. Hey are we sure it was not tied the job itself? (Read between the lines) Either way its sad, that sign was cool, arty, and just plain fun. Why can’t naysayers just leave “fun” alone and intact?

Kurt April 3, 2010 (2:09 pm)

As someone that has been using Pigeon Point as a detour to SSCC due to construction on a daily basis for the past several weeks, I am deeply offended that someone would have the audacity to do something like this. Related to the construction or not, it’s just not right.

I would personally be happy to pitch in a couple bucks toward a replacement post. I’m sure my daily passage, along with the several hundreds of others, have put quite an unexpected burden on the residents there. It’s the least we should all be willing to do.

LiouxLioux April 3, 2010 (4:52 pm)

1. The sign was padlocked to the cross post that it was hanging from, that’s why they didn’t just steal the sign, but rather cut the vertical post.

2. Yesterday (Friday), sometime between 4 and 630P, I saw a white younger teenage boy walking around the PP area carrying a hacksaw. At the time I just thought, huh, kids still are interested in woodworking these days…

3. PP open space was also the lucky recipient of 2 used mattresses and 3 old tires this week. Do people just not have consciences these days?

I. Ponder April 3, 2010 (8:16 pm)

I think an amateur would have cut at an angle. It takes skill to make a right angle cut like that on a vertical post.

SC April 3, 2010 (8:57 pm)

Makes me ill that people have no respect for others and other’s property. I couldn’t believe it when I heard that someone stole the Totem from the park at 35th Ave SW and Alaska St.. Now I hear about your neighborhood sign.. What’s next??Wait, don’t answer that….Sorry to hear about your neighborhoods vandalism. Hope the idiot is caught. :(

dale April 3, 2010 (9:09 pm)

..they can take our signs but they can never take OUR Freedom!

sam April 3, 2010 (9:33 pm)

That’s obnoxious that someone took the sign. I hope they are caught somehow. The mattresses and tires are pretty obnoxious too.

I really don’t get the bus=crime reference. did the bus make any stops in PP while on this re-route?

speaking of mentally instability and annoying speed bumps; is there a non-emergency SPD email ?
we were heading northbound on the 21st Ave ridge today, when someone in a red/maroon jeep crossed over the middle line and were about to hit us head on if we a) hadn’t stopped or b), turned onto the shoulder, I mean giant ravine.

this red / maroon jeep crossed over the middle line SOLELY to run over the little yellow plastic stanchions in between those plastic speed bumps.

kg April 4, 2010 (10:22 am)

It was probably that guy who stole the totem pole from the Kiwanis park.

WSDad April 4, 2010 (12:45 pm)

It’s an MO for many thieves and criminals to use the bus-stop as a “cover”in order to blend in and avoid suspicion.They may or may not take the bus(often not)It’s also a way for them to suss out who’s around a neighborhood and how aware the residents are;in some cases it’s a meeting point for them via texting to regroup or act as lookouts.

Steve April 8, 2010 (8:21 pm)

I ride the 125, often, at many different times during the day. There were no stops in Pigeon Point, in the detour area. One stop before the detour then no more until all the way down on Delridge. Its obvious that a powered saw was used. Cordless, obviously. Not something you smuggle on a bus. The fact that a Pigeon Point resident would accuse bus riders of committing crimes is preposterous. Knee jerk reaction like so many comments in the blog. Sorry, ‘that girl’ but it wasn’t just a bus reroute, it was a detour. Cars, buses, patrol cars, bicycles, everyone was rerouted through your neighborhood. Are you one of those people that would never take the bus because you think its dirty and full of losers?

Sorry, comment time is over.