West Seattle Crime Watch: Neighbor’s tip leads to burglary arrest

A 30-year-old man is now in jail for investigation of burglary, thanks to what Seattle Police describe as “an alert neighbor” who called 911 this morning after seeing a stranger “lurking” before vanishing into a yard. From the report on SPD Blotter:

This morning just shortly after 9:00 am, a woman saw an unknown male roaming around in her neighbor’s yard in the 3700 block of SW Donovan St, she then heard the sound of glass breaking. The woman immediately called 911 and gave an excellent description and direction of travel as the suspect was leaving her neighbor’s yard.

Officers were close by and quickly responded. They located the suspect in the immediate vicinity. The suspect was identified and detained for an outstanding warrant. He was subsequently identified by the caller as the subject in her friend’s yard. Officers determined that the suspect attempted to gain entry by breaking the window on the north side door.

P.S. We don’t know whether this neighborhood has a Block Watch but whether you do or don’t, if you’re interested in banding together to prevent/fight crime, here’s one more reminder that the West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network meets at 6:30 tonight, Southwest Precinct (Webster west of Delridge).

rick January 22, 2013 (1:07 pm)

Yesss!

resident3 January 22, 2013 (1:10 pm)

Thank you for paying attention!

Morgan Junction Resident January 22, 2013 (1:34 pm)

About an hour ago I had a guy on a mountain bike 50ish ride/walk in between mine and my neighbors house. He started to stash his bike in my neighbors bushes and took out a little bag all the while looking around at the street and at the house. I immediately called 911 and gave the description of the dude while he looked around and stashed the bike. He must of got spooked because he pulled his bike out and rode across my yard and down to the street all while I was on the phone with dispatchers.

50 yo white male long graying hair in a ponytail, black leather coat with a gray hoodie underneath, blue jeans, wearing a black backpack riding a white mountain bike, he may have a little black canvas bag in his hand.

WS rats in a cage January 22, 2013 (2:00 pm)

Keep up the good work. We have to keep making it difficult for these hoodlums to break in. Hopefully, eventually, word will get out that WS is a tough place to do that kind of business.

Eric January 22, 2013 (2:14 pm)

Love it!!!

and MJR, there is a guy in the Westwood area that matches that description. I see him quite often. There’s a roaming motor home in the area that I think he might be tied to. It parks by the post office for a while, then parks on the east side sometimes. I’ll be keeping more of a keen eye out.

AD January 22, 2013 (3:56 pm)

@Morgan Junction Resident…I believe the guy that you described came into our office just a moment ago to use our phone. He smelt of booze and was actually carrying a bottle of wine in a blue canvas bag. Something seemed fishy about him the moment he walked in our office.

Beth January 22, 2013 (4:34 pm)

Just an update- I was able to view videos of the guys that used my credit card from the purse that was stolen on Friday at 35th and 100th. One of the cars was a red and white pickup, looked kind of like this (too blurry to see make, model or license plate, unfortunately):

Second car was a nondescript blue sedan. Both driven by Caucasian males wearing otherwise nondescript clothing. If anyone wants to pass that along to the block captains in case they know anyone with a red and white pickup that’s been acting a little shady- or anyone that saw anything on 35th near 100th, I’d much appreciate it!

Beth January 22, 2013 (4:35 pm)

Ahh- here’s a link to a photo of what the pickup looked like:

http://www.diecastfast.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/50877.jpg

West Seattle Hipster January 22, 2013 (5:12 pm)

Good looking out to the neighbor.

zoinks January 22, 2013 (5:15 pm)

Beth, do you have a screen grab from that video that has the pickup in it? Did it have a canopy?

James Mahler January 22, 2013 (5:35 pm)

I wonder if this suspect is related to the two incidences that happened last week in Sunrise Heights?

ladybell January 22, 2013 (5:58 pm)

I saw the same guy several weeks ago, on a bike, peering into an old motor home that usually parks in the Holy Family Church parking lot. I noticed him on his bike driving on my dead end street,looking like he was casing homes,cars. I followed him as he rode up to the old motor home,but he didn’t go inside. He looked around 50yrs of age, and just seemed like he was up to no good.

Greenpeace January 22, 2013 (6:42 pm)

Great job, thanks to this alert neighbor!!

Beth January 22, 2013 (8:03 pm)

No canopy, and no screen grab, yet. I didn’t have my camera with me when I saw the video, but will try to get access again tomorrow.

SunriseHeights January 23, 2013 (6:35 am)

We are the house robbed on 28th last week. They used two our credit cards at the pump at the shell station on Roxbury presumably to fill up two vehicles since it was about $60 each. Police have been alerted to credit card use.

Marlene January 23, 2013 (11:38 am)

Regarding the thief who used your card at the gas pump: When my wallet was stolen and I called my credit card company to cancel the card, the customer service rep told me that thieves first use the cards at gas pumps to see if the cards are still valid: that way, they don’t have any contact with a person.

SunriseHeights January 23, 2013 (1:50 pm)

Yeah. That’s as far as they got because we must have gotten home not long after they left and the cards were canceled pretty quickly.

SunriseHeights January 23, 2013 (1:51 pm)

That’s as far as they got. We must have gotten home not long after they left and the cards were canceled pretty quickly.

Beth January 23, 2013 (2:53 pm)

Ours were canceled within 30 minutes of the first use – as soon as I found the car broken into and my purse stolen, I went in the house to IM my husband to cancel the cards while I called the police.

Sorry, comment time is over.