West Seattle Crime Watch: Burglary victim’s advice

Karen‘s house was hit by burglars – and she is sharing not only the report, but also prevention advice from police:

Our home was broken into (Friday) afternoon around 1:30pm. We are on 31st between Elmgrove and Thistle. They pried open a locked kitchen window. Our neighbor, on Elmgrove, about this time, saw a black, fairly new sports car with tinted windows parked on the block. Saw a 20-30ish white male with scruffy unshaven face, black hair, 6 feet, 170 pounds, get out of the car and walk down our block. A female, red hair, late 20’s, average size, remained in the car until she saw the neighbor looking her way, jumped into the driver’s seat and then drove away down our block. They took a computer, jewelry and cash. A few moments later, a silver BMW with 4 doors and tinted windows pulled up on Elmgrove parked outside of the neighbor’s house. She called the police and reported the vehicles because it seemed odd. Please report anything odd you see in your neighborhood! Our neighbor had great instincts. Also, don’t assume that locks on your windows will deter a thief. The police recommended we add wood blocks to every window track.

Find more burglary-prevention advice from SPD by going here.

13 Replies to "West Seattle Crime Watch: Burglary victim's advice"

  • yo November 17, 2012 (11:15 am)

    Speculating, but this sounds like people with a drug problem desperate for cash.

  • Alki Resident November 17, 2012 (12:01 pm)

    Taking pictures of the cars also freaks these people out. Do it right in front of them, you’ll never see them again.

  • Curiouser November 17, 2012 (1:52 pm)

    Were these windows ones that slide horizontally?
    .
    If you have double-hung windows, you can drill a hole in the frame at as somewhat downward angle and place a large bolt into the hole. Older locks on double-hung windows are easy to open, or if they are very old, the wood might be rotten enough to just force them open. (I was able to break into my own house that way when locked out.)
    .
    On the photo subject: I saw a parked truck I didn’t recognize and a woman was taking pictures of my next door neighbor’s house with a very large lens. When I started taking pictures of her, she saw me and was surprised. Turns out she was taking pictures of birds! :)

  • L.A. November 17, 2012 (4:54 pm)

    Wasn’t there a silver BMW with tinted windows in thar robbery beating at an atmosphere in Seattle this past week?

  • rmp November 17, 2012 (7:26 pm)

    Just what I was remembering L.A.!!! I think that black car needs it’s picture taken! It will probably be making the rounds! Or I should say already is making the rounds!

  • Miles November 17, 2012 (8:00 pm)

    I just got a dropcam for my place for $150 and plan to get another. If the victim had one installed at the time of the robbery, those theiving a-holes would be busted right now.

  • B November 18, 2012 (5:19 am)

    This sounds similar to what happened at out house on 32nd and Barton on Thursday the 15th. Some time during the day (between9:30-3:30) our bedroom locked window was pried open. They took laptop, jewelry and Wii game controllers. Didn’t see any cars or people.

  • B November 18, 2012 (5:20 am)

    This sounds similar to what happened at out house on 32nd and Barton on Thursday the 15th. Some time during the day (between9:30-3:30) our bedroom locked window was pried open. They took laptop, jewelry and Wii game controllers. Didn’t see any cars or people. Sounds like a very similar break in.

  • Faceless November 18, 2012 (8:56 am)

    The house on Elmgrove & 34th SW is a drug house. They have been distributing for many years with high traffic, multiple cars in and out during the day. You might want to start monitoring to see if the bmw reappears.

  • also faceless November 18, 2012 (3:46 pm)

    Faceless,

    I always suspected something illicit happening around 34th and Elmgrove due to the types of vehicles parked there over the years. If there is strong evidence, or suspicion of drug dealing at a particular address, please let the police know. In fact, I would be happy to talk to each and every neighbor on that street that there is a drug house there and for them to keep a close watch on any illegal activity. Even just parking their car on the planting strip, or playing music too loud after 10PM, or any small infraction, just to make their lives a little miserable. I have some friends on the other side of 35th that did that very thing and eventually drove them out. We don’t need to tolerate drug dealers in our neighborhood. It belongs to law abiding citizens, not druggies. Besides, I think you are right, there is a good chance that the break ins in the neighborhood could probably be traced back to that house.

  • Nancy November 18, 2012 (4:50 pm)

    I’ve seen a very similar newer, black vehicle with very darkly tinted windows in recent days. It was parked on SW Thistle St, between 10th Ave SW and 12th Ave SW, by the park that is contiguous with Highland Park Elementary school.

  • Faceless November 19, 2012 (11:22 am)

    check your log book – police have been notified. Also there is a suspicious older white ford Ranger pick up truck. The panel on the back gate of the truck is silver. He was casing the alley between Thistle and Elmgrove between 35th and 34th last Thursday the 15th. Lots of movement in the alley north of Elmgrove

  • K November 26, 2012 (12:03 am)

    I was walking the dog for a family that I house sit for on Thursday the 15th. I was walking around 31st ave between noon and 1pm, I saw a new black VW Passat with a male and female just sitting in the car.

Sorry, comment time is over.