West Seattle Crime Watch: Mail theft; bike theft; car prowl

Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch tonight – first, from Beth, who wanted her neighbors to know about mail thieves at work:

This morning while I was out for a run, I noticed a bunch of mail in some bushes. It turns out it belonged to two of my neighbors. Most of it was fliers but there was one envelope that had been opened and discarded. We live on 37th between Andover and Dakota.

In the Admiral area, someone stole Ignacio‘s bike early Tuesday morning:

Element 42’s lower gated parking garage was cut open, thief pressed the interior button to open the garage door. He cut the bike lock cable with bolt cutters and stole my bike. It looks very similar to this bike. My apartment complex has the video. … It’s not the most expensive bike but it was a lot of money to me. (Police) reviewed the video and got a good look at the guy so I’m hopeful they’ll find a serial bike thief.

We told Ignacio we could add the video if it clearly shows the crime being committed – waiting to hear back.

Added 10:49 pm – here’s the video:

(The thief enters toward the start, then leaves at about 3:25.)

(Back to original report) And in Fauntleroy, Todd reports a car prowl in the 4500 block of SW Hemlock Way:

Sometime early Sunday 4/21 morning, someone went through my car, which I had stupidly left unlocked. They took a gym bag with a pair of shorts and gym shoes. They also took a black ā€œlaptopā€ style bag that is embroidered with ā€œKinect For Windowsā€ in purple thread. I point this out because I work at Microsoft with the Kinect Team, so I would personally know anyone that had that particular bag. And my bowling shoes were in it, and I really liked them. The crook was apparently not the brightest, as he/she/it didnā€™t take the CD Box set of Frank Sinatra, which would have been easy cash, and way easier to pawn than size 11 Asic running shoes and bowling shoes. The other two cars in my driveway were locked, and untouched. So, make sure to lock up.

14 Replies to "West Seattle Crime Watch: Mail theft; bike theft; car prowl"

  • dsa April 25, 2013 (12:27 am)

    That is a surprisingly weak security door.

  • AE April 25, 2013 (6:31 am)

    Bike thieves are generally morons – keep checking Craigslist and it might pop up.

  • Rumbles April 25, 2013 (9:24 am)

    Looks like he almost got jammed in the door as it started to go up. That would have been ironic!

  • homesweethome April 25, 2013 (9:40 am)

    We also live in a condo in Admiral — looks like someone tried to cut our parking gate open as well last night.

  • tickingtimebags April 25, 2013 (10:31 am)

    Man, I really wish he’d gotten stuck in the door and pinched between it and the ceiling until someone had to call the cops/paramedics to get him out. Would have made me feel so much better. I’ll keep a look out…

  • ws born & bred April 25, 2013 (12:45 pm)

    Interesting to read about these thieves breaking in and making out with relatively little. It doesn’t seem worth the risk. To add to the list of break ins last weekend, there was a home break in in Arbor Heights. No one was home and only a few small items stolen as the owner doesn’t own any expensive electronics or other easily pawned items. You would think a thief would at least want to look through a window to establish that there’s something worth stealing before breaking and entering.Of course stupidity will hopefully lead this person to be caught sooner rather than later.

  • Silly Goose April 25, 2013 (1:11 pm)

    This is also happening in the green lake area, except they are stealing cars out of the garages, get to the pawn shops now! I bet your bike is there!

  • Ignacio April 25, 2013 (1:43 pm)

    I got the bike back thanks to West Seattle Blog, Seattle Parks Dept. employees: Scott Roberts, Carol Baker (crew chief) and Sandra Demeritt.

    Apparently the guy just took the seat, bike computer, lights and a couple of small storage bags before dumping it in the bushes nearby. All in all, the loss was minimal and the recovery time was amazingly short. I was sure I was never going to see the bike again. HUGE THANKS again to West Seattle Blog, Seattle Parks Dept. and Element 42 Apts (for providing the video).

    Beyond the bike itself; the thing I appreciate the most is how West Seattle is a more connected community thanks to good people that run these organizations. I’ve only lived here for a couple of years and even when things go bad, it’s not all that bad because of the good people in the community that we live with. The good outnumber the bad and we always will.

    Thank you thank you thank you!
    Ignacio

    http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/407163_191317671015812_1445803822_n.jpg

  • higgins April 25, 2013 (1:54 pm)

    Same M.O. as the Avalon Way condo garage break-ins back in February and March. Police have a suspect in those burglaries. He has a warrant for his arrest. I will see if I can find a photo and name for him.

  • dsa April 25, 2013 (2:47 pm)

    Nice bike Ignacio, congratulations on getting it back.

  • miws April 25, 2013 (4:27 pm)

    Congrats on getting the bike back, Ignacio.

    .

    I agree that the good outnumber the bad, and in how WSB, the Parks Employees, and Element 42 had a part in this, proves just how valuable being part of a true community is.

    .

    Mike

  • Joe Grande April 25, 2013 (5:03 pm)

    There were at least 3 garage break in last night ,(Wednesday 4/24). Element 24, Sausalito and Luna Court on Avalon Way. It was the 4th break in at Luna Court in the past 3 months. I think the SPD are getting tired because today I couldn’t give them a copy of the scurry cameras footage. So far LunaCourt has lost 6 bikes the pictures are of a sknny white guy, early 20’s about 5-10.

  • T April 26, 2013 (2:27 am)

    You need to keep your bicycles in your home dwelling if possible. Short of a break in, that is how they will not get stolen. Bikes are easy to take, and easy opportunity crime.

  • Ignacio April 26, 2013 (8:50 am)

    Here’s the other video of when he comes back during the daytime. The garage door guys moved the switch out of reach so he’s unsuccessful this time but he does come back later this same day and crawls through the hole he cut.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtpXWgYIxGI

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