West Seattle Crime Watch: Hit-run ‘karma wins!’; dog parks targeted?

Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch – first, a hit-and-run solved by the husband of the victim. She writes:

I woke up (Saturday) morning to find my car had been sideswiped overnight. I park on the street because I have no driveway (39th & Hinds). The genius lost a very distinctive wheel hub. I called the police and an officer came within 30 mins. While they were on their way, my husband canvassed the neighborhood and FOUND THE CAR! Just a block away. Unbelievable. The officer headed right up there after I told her where it was. Two criminal citations later and justice is served. Karma wins!! Oh and yes, they have insurance. I am just glad they didn’t hurt anyone!

Second report, about a car break-in at Westcrest Off-Leash Park – and extra information thanks to victim vigilance in tracking down who was using her stolen card:

Just wanted to let everyone know that I had a car prowl and my purse stolen out of my trunk at Westcrest Dog Park on Tuesday, September 18th between 2:00 and 3:00. Because they did not steal my expensive golf clubs in my trunk (that have since been removed with anything else of value in my car) and a camera lense in my car, I think they must have been sitting and watching me from a parked vehicle. There was a suspicious silverish mauve colored van with tinted windows and a vertical rectangular window parked very close to my car and I think they might have been sitting in there watching for me to leave to go to the small-dog area of the park. I was parked in the lot closest to the kids’ play area and small dog unleashed dog area. They attempted to use my debit card at the Shell station on Roxbury by the Safeway and again at the QFC in Normandy Park.

I was able to get the exact time that the card was scanned from my bank and the QFC and Oficer Norris at the Normandy Park Police was able to see their camera footage and the perp. He is about African Amercian, bald with black sport sun glasses propped on his head, 40ish, heavy set with a middle-aged gut, wearing all Adidas athletic clothes with a cap sleeved black shirt with while stripes and black Adidas sweats with white stripes and looks like Adidas Soccer sandals and a large sport watch with silver trim on his left wrist. In the picture he doesn’t look like a criminal….more like the Dad of a kid that your kid might play football with….don’t be fooled….he is a chronic offender and your things are not safe.

I spoke with the staff at the Shell station and they say that this guy is known to them (but not by name) and is a known alcohol user, druggie and criminal. The staff person has the impression that this is “a bad guy and he has been to jail many times”. He has been instructed to call the police if he comes into the Shell Station. I have informed both Seattle PD and Normandy Park PD. Apparently the perp comes in the Shell station with someone else, so he has another criminal in tow.

I also spoke with (a deputy) at King County Sheriff’s office and he states that his wife’s purse was recently stolen at an athletic field in the area and he is looking for a red Jeep associated with that crime. Apparently there is a ring of thieves that are targeting dog parks and ball fields in the area.

Please let them know if you have any additional information so that we can catch these thieves and protect our community……and don’t leave anything of value in your car…..including your trunk.

We’ve been talking lately about Crime Watch reports meant to empower, not scare… so here’s a link to a comment in which we shared some links you might find helpful.

11 Replies to "West Seattle Crime Watch: Hit-run 'karma wins!'; dog parks targeted?"

  • Nemobean September 23, 2012 (1:26 pm)

    Proof of insurance doesn’t always mean it is current. I was rear ended and the woman had proof of insurance but it turned out she didn’t make her quarterly payment so her insurance was lapsed…guess who had to pay for all of the damage…yep me and it went against my driving record because I claimed it on my insurance.

  • Alki Resident September 23, 2012 (1:34 pm)

    I don’t go to dog parks but seems to me WestCrest has been a target for a very long time.When will cameras be installed before something crazy happens and nobody witnesses it?

  • Safety September 23, 2012 (3:18 pm)

    Westcrest never felt safe to me. I stopped going years ago when they moved the dog park off the field and down the hill. With the wooded area I felt like if I went alone I could easily be attacked with no way to get help as its so remote. There were always questionable things going on in the wooded area too.

  • Silly Goose September 23, 2012 (3:30 pm)

    I agree the last time we took our small dog to West Crest there were men in the trail area’s having sex as well as women and men having sex in cars. We felt so distrubed that this was going on we left right away. Never to return again in 3 years.

  • birder September 23, 2012 (5:27 pm)

    Trails have been reclaimed. Come back and have a stroll…but if you are so citified that a restored forest habitat freaks you out, better stay inside.   More room for us brave and hardy types to enjoy the pileated woodpeckers and rabbits…and other friendly, animal-loving neighbors who jog and walk there fearlessly.  I am teasing you, but go back and see the awesome work Nature Consortium and Earthcorps have done on these trails.   A true gem of West Seattle which WILL be overridden by lowlifes as it was in the past, if good people don’t walk or jog there because they believe it to be the same as three plus years ago! The undesirables have pretty
    much moved on.  It is beautiful in those woods
    Especially the groves of native madrones…,centuries old…fall mornings are glorious on the Westcrest trails.

    Today at the dog park, a mysterious donor  put a box of free dog toys, accessories and food in the lower parking lot to benefit many dog owners they didn’t know.  

    The good outweighs the bad in the park. Karma working, perhaps.

  • Silly Goose September 23, 2012 (6:24 pm)

    Thank you birder for the current update, I will try this park again.

  • dogparkgoer September 23, 2012 (8:39 pm)

    Thank you birder. It’s a beautiful trail and while I sometimes feel nervous about going alone, I have only ever had positive experiences with pleasant people. I hope more good people continue to enjoy it and keep a look out for others.

  • Parkgoer September 24, 2012 (11:40 am)

    We use this park and trails all of the time too, and it has changed remarkably over the last few years and I agree it is a Gem for Area. Don’t let a few bad apples ruin it for you.

  • jw September 25, 2012 (11:04 am)

    Glad to hear there are improvements, but for owners of dogs that don’t do well in off leash parks, these areas are still not safe because dog owners seem to think it’s an extension of the off leash park and continually let their dogs off leash (same for lincoln park). Owners of leashed dogs and law abiding citizens still have to navigate AROUND these selfish individuals and can’t enjoy the parks we help pay for. We have leash laws for a reason – and OFF leash parks for reasons as well. My great respect for fellow law abiding dog owners – my ongoing frustration and disappointment for those who are not. You help make the world a much smaller place for the rest of us – and our dogs, which is the saddest part.

  • datamuse September 26, 2012 (10:58 am)

    I stopped jogging the Westcrest trails for the same reason, jw. Got tired of being snarled at, chased, and in one case nearly bitten.

  • Kevin m September 29, 2012 (11:07 pm)

    try the wilderness area behind Pathfinder for off leash; but please pack out your dog waste or Iwill report you to SPD

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