West Seattle Crime Watch: Almost-here baby’s car seat stolen

Out of the WSB inbox from Kate, an expectant mom who is about to deliver:

I just wanted people to know that our car was stolen out of our alley driveway either late last night or early this morning (in the 5400 block of 35th Ave SW). The car was recovered after having been driven up onto someone’s yard (crashing into a picket fence of one house and ending up in the front yard of another) about a mile and a half from our house. The car was found on Holden near 37th Ave SW. The damage to the car is fairly minor, but the timing is horrible and the one major thing missing from the car is something that we could certainly use.

My husband and I had just gotten back from the hospital last night where I went into early labor. They sent me home to labor further and rest and the car was stolen while we were asleep. Though we are happy to have the car back (since we are getting ready to go back to the hospital), we are now without our infant car seat which, for some reason, was the one major thing they took out of the car. Without revealing too many details (the cops are pretty sure they know who did it and are tracking them down), we don’t know if they took the car seat to sell or use, or if they got rid of it because it cramped their style. If that is the case and anyone finds a Keyfit30 infant car seat with 3 dangling toys hanging from the canopy, we’d love to have it back . . . Preferably soon, since I am now a week past my due date.

Clearly this is also a reminder to keep valuables out of cars-even if you think you need them at any moment . . . They took the seat and the base, however, which seems to have required some amount of maneuvering on their part.

15 Replies to "West Seattle Crime Watch: Almost-here baby's car seat stolen"

  • datamuse July 16, 2011 (2:13 pm)

    Somebody posted a found car seat and some other things on the forum…could be yours??

  • Katie July 16, 2011 (2:14 pm)

    I have an infant car seat that i am not using. It is a Graco Heirloom Collection Safe Seat. It is black & white. Please let me know if it would be needed! I hope they get theirs back!

  • Recall McGinn July 16, 2011 (2:28 pm)

    Until car theft is treated more seriously by the justice system, these crimes will continue to occur. Criminals know there is little risk in being punished and held accountable, so they will continue to steal people’s vehicles.

  • Bill Bacon July 16, 2011 (2:32 pm)

    Kate, contact Westside Baby tomorrow. They can probably fix you up with a new (not used) car seat. If you go this route, have them send it to the West Seattle Food Bank up the street from you. We distribute here for Westside Baby. They’re free to people in need.

  • WSB July 16, 2011 (2:40 pm)

    The forum post that Datamuse mentions is here:
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    https://westseattleblog.com/forum/topic/car-seat?replies=3#post-133703
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    I have sent e-mail to Kate to call it to her attention. And thanks to those who have made kind offers, if this doesn’t solve the case, so to speak. – TR

  • kte July 16, 2011 (2:51 pm)

    Even if your car was in just a small collision, your insurance company should be willing to replace your carseat. You never know how any sort of impact might warp or weaken the plastic in ways that can’t be seen. I encourage you to get a new carseat, even if the stolen one is found.

  • RG July 16, 2011 (4:27 pm)

    If you get your car seat back I wouldn’t use it; they could have damaged the integrity of it. You might want to call the hospital (the labor and delivery unit) where you plan to have your baby and see if they have one you can keep or borrow.

  • Westgirl July 16, 2011 (4:56 pm)

    I have an infant car seat as well. It’s the Graco Snugride in gray/lime green! I would be happy to donate it as well!

  • Kate July 16, 2011 (5:14 pm)

    Thank you so much to everyone who has offered to help! This is why I love living in West Seattle. We’re headed back to the hospital now, but in the meantime, we’ve been in touch with Tom who did, indeed, find the car seat. Though we may not want to use it (they dumped it before they crashed–but it was raining, so who knows what kind of shape it is in), we will at least get the toys back that were hanging from it. Friends of ours have lent us a car seat that we hope to be able to put to use very, very soon.

    We were also told by the police that the “perps” have been apprehended. I don’t really know much more than that (and don’t have time to follow up right now), but there is some gratification in knowing that they didn’t completely get away with what they did.

  • cstar July 16, 2011 (5:40 pm)

    Really glad to hear they caught the guys! Also happy you have a carseat to bring baby home, Kate. Wishing you smooth delivery of your healthy new bundle of joy!

  • 35this35mph July 16, 2011 (6:18 pm)

    Here’s to an otherwise uneventful birth! At least in as much as a birth can be uneventful! Your little one will have an interesting anecdote attached to their birth for all time…

  • Westgirl July 16, 2011 (10:02 pm)

    You’re welcome! Have a great/smooth delivery! :)

  • Paul July 16, 2011 (11:02 pm)

    we need more night patrols or have a groups of citizens do some night walks,,seems like Holden would be a good place to set up camp..we gotta fight back!!!

  • litper July 17, 2011 (6:07 am)

    There are hardly any cops working in West Seattle at night. Sad as it is. And SPD isn’t planning on hiring any more cops in the near future according to their websites. I had my car broken into and asked the young officer how many cops were working in our neighborhood (it was about 8:30pm). He said only 7 or so. And thats for all of Alki, Alaska Junction, South park, arbor Heights, White Center, etc. Pretty pathetic, SPD. I feel I pay enough taaxes that there should be more cops out there.

  • Eilene Hutchinson July 17, 2011 (10:30 am)

    I love the calm demeanor of Kate – “We are heading back to the hospital now…don’t have time to follow up right now” – and still she gives us an update on her car seat :).
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    Nerves of steel.
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    Hope the labor and delivery are smooth.
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    Give our (WSB readers’) best regards to the new baby.

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