West Seattle Crime Watch: Burglar(s) alert; stolen car found

Be extra-aware of burglars this holiday season. So warned the most recent newsletter from Seattle Police crime-prevention coordinators citywide. Though the burglary rate has dropped lately, according to Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Paulsen, a couple of cases have attracted attention these past couple days – some of which might even play into a citywide “pattern” that police are trying to break right now. We have that story plus a followup on a stolen car (including what the thief did with a card also stolen from the victim) – read on:

Here’s the latest – from an anonymous tipster:

A few weeks ago, a neighbor came out of her driveway and noticed a dark sedan parked outside of her home. After being gone a short while, she got nervous about the suspiciously parked dark sedan, so she came back home to find she had been robbed. Her jewelry, computers and TVs were gone. She didn’t get the make or model of the car.

Today, we saw a navy blue Crown Victoria, 4 doors, with blacked out windows cruising the neighborhood. License plate: (starts with) 476

We were driving down 44th and noticed the parked navy Crown Victoria. Two young Hispanic males were standing outside of the car. We turned around to check out what they were up to since the dark sedan registered with us, but they were gone by the time we got turned around. Later this morning, we saw the same Crown Victoria slowly coming down the alley across from us. A few minutes later they came down the alley again.

They called 911 around noon, the tipster says. This comes as police citywide investigate a series of burglaries involving that type of car. We had asked them about a break-in Monday when, a burglary was interrupted in Gatewood, on SW Northrop. A neighborhood e-mail chain forwarded to us says the resident found “four black females” in her house, filling up backpacks with items. We don’t have word of anyone being questioned or arrested in this case but some of those on the e-mail chain said the MO sounded familiar, with a friend on SW Frontenac getting hit about a month ago, so we asked Capt. Paulsen if there’s a “pattern,” and he says there’s one happening citywide right now involving “large American types of vehicles that include women as lookouts/drivers … all of the precincts are sharing information in order to catch them.”

One more burglary note, though we don’t know if this plays into those series: Tuesday morning, police investigating a burglary got a “partial vehicle description” that led them to stop a suspect vehicle in the Sanislo Elementary vicinity (18th/Myrtle). Though “the vehicle was full of items that were possibly from other residential burglaries,” Capt. Paulsen says, they had to let the three people in the car go; the victim who reported the burglary couldn’t say for sure “that’s them.” He says they did have reason to impound the car, and, “We are hopeful that we will be able to identify who the items in the car belongs to. We think they may belong to an unreported burglary that happened earlier. Our Burglary Detectives are following up on that issue. If we can develop Probable Cause, we can obtain arrest warrants for these folks.”

In other crime trends, he says auto thefts are up slightly, but they have an idea who might be to blame for at least some of that. The most recent car theft reported here on WSB, in fact, has just ended with the victim’s car being found in Kent. We told you on Monday about Ky’s car being stolen in Fauntleroy; this morning, Ky got word it was found in Kent. The shoulder bag in the car when it was taken was NOT found, but “our son’s preschool art” was stll in the car. Ky has surveillance video that might help police solve the case and says it’s been turned over to them. He also has the purchase history from stolen cards and says one was used at Starbucks, joking ruefully to neighbors, “It is so stereotypically Seattle to stop by Starbucks for a morning pick-me-up after stealing a car.” (Ky reports the thief also rented a movie at a RedBox DVD rental kiosk.)

15 Replies to "West Seattle Crime Watch: Burglar(s) alert; stolen car found"

  • Orchard street November 23, 2011 (3:55 pm)

    I called the police on Tuesday morning to report black Lexus with blacked out windows dropping off a 18-22 African American male at the corner of 39th and Orchard. The person looked around, walking half block north up 39th, saw me watching from my car, turned back around, i turned around too, noticed he got on phone, black Lexus came back up street up the wring side,guy started running down to meet.

    License started vnm. I did call police but had bad connection from blue tooth .

  • lookingforlogic November 23, 2011 (4:34 pm)

    What method of entry was used to get into the houses?

  • Della November 23, 2011 (7:57 pm)

    This is unrelated to the story but our water is coming out of the taps here in Arbor Heights light brown color. Is this happening to anyone else? Is it safe to drink/bathe etc.? We’re new to Seattle, not sure if this is common when it rains as much as it has these last few days!

  • Alki Resident November 23, 2011 (8:35 pm)

    Hopefully these guys will go to the wrong house soon.

  • A November 23, 2011 (8:42 pm)

    Della, this happens to us every now and then in Belvidere. I heard its totally fine and that some pipes might have been closed off or worked on.

  • Kim November 23, 2011 (11:30 pm)

    I as well have reported 2 cars in the last 2 months left in the parking lot of our apt building. They were both ditched there I guess as an attempt to get rid of the cars. Fortunately we have surveillance cameras all around the building and caught the guys in the action. We’ve given the police copies of the footage and continue to just keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. I firmly believe that if something feels sketchy, call the cops.

  • jk November 24, 2011 (2:14 am)

    Della- Here’s some info from the city on why this happens / what to do-
    http://www.seattle.gov/util/Services/Water/Water_Quality/Taste,_Odor_&_Color_Problems/DISCOLORED_200312011623574.asp

    Not a big deal, but never hesitate to look up the seattle.gov site and call them if you feel uncomfortable. Welcome to Seattle!

  • george November 24, 2011 (11:54 am)

    Saw a black/dark navy Crown Vic (very policish looking) with the blacked out windows cruising our streets about 2-3 weeks ago. Thought it was suspicious and as we came to a unmarked intersection at the same time, I made him open his driver side window to acknowledge who would go thru first. 25, white male, clean shaven, redish blond hair, looked like a cop. The CV is a good cover for the bad guys who are hoping the neighbors just think its a cop car cruising around.

  • Arbor Heights Mom November 24, 2011 (1:03 pm)

    Thanks for the story, I feel like a jerk for not reporting seeing the same car on Thursday on 44th just West of California. I too thought the car looked out of place and there were two young (maybe teenagers?) men with very large baggy pants and oversized hoodies and caps walking Eastbound on 44th. I slowed to look at the car, and realized i was swerving. I corrected course but didn’t do what I should have and called the police. Thanks for the reminder I should do so, and will do so if I see them again.

  • Operstor November 25, 2011 (10:53 am)

    On my way to get coffee this morning I saw a CV (looked like red with green hood, similar to taxi’s but with spot light on driver side) with two B/M’s. The passanger was slouched really low in his seat while the driver had a big afro and constantly looking around as if lost. This was on the corner of 47th and Dakota. I couldn’t get my iphone out in time to take a pic but I did catch the plate (B964—)-hopefully my memory serves me right. This took place around 1030hrs. Hope it’s nothing

    • WSB November 25, 2011 (11:13 am)

      Oper – Please note we don’t publish full plate numbers, addresses, etc., in cases like this as they can easily be matched to actual people who may have done nothing wrong. We urge people to provide such information to police if they think crime is involved, since that’s who needs the information the most – thanks – TR

  • Gabriel November 25, 2011 (3:36 pm)

    Anyone had there mail stolen recently? I live around 14th and holden and I’ve come home to my mail all over the side walk at least 3 times in the last couple weeks. I’m pretty sure my mailperson isn’t randomly incompetent and someone is going through my mail. Luckily I pay all my bills online and no one is planning on sending me money for the holiday. It’s mostly annoying for me.

  • Operator November 26, 2011 (8:44 pm)

    Sorry about posting the plate, I should have known better.

  • Megan November 28, 2011 (11:14 am)

    Yep! Had a package stolen from my porch last Wednesday evening, 11/23, between 5:30-9pm. 11th Ave SW…watch for folks following UPS drivers.

  • M December 6, 2011 (10:21 pm)

    around summer time in burien near evergreen high school, watch our for two teenagers i beleive there working in a group of 3. one man knocked on door a day earlyer and a day later at the same time two males highschool both tall one was cacausian and kind of blond hair wearing a red beany hat and pimple face i think and another was dark black skin. i followed the white male and he disspeared a block away. white guy 6 feet plus black guy maybe 5 foot 8 plus i asked my neighbors and one of thier names was apparently. darius campbell or however you spell it and he went to cascade middle and now goes to evergreen, which was what a niegbor told me so watch our for these group of 3 in burien white center area.

Sorry, comment time is over.