West Seattle Crime Watch: Car stolen twice in one month

| Crime | West Seattle news

Have you seen Krystal‘s car? It has been stolen for the second time in about a month:

My 1996 2-door silver Honda Civic, license plate # 682 YGW, was stolen from the Admiral Junction at some point last night, 1/19/14. It has a dent on the driver’s-side rear wheel.

It was stolen mid-December from 52nd/Andover. Only one person was arrested and I am afraid the accomplice to the initial crime is responsible for the second theft as I had mail in the vehicle and they were aware of my home address.

In any case, if you see this car, please contact the police. I would greatly appreciate all of the help from my community in tracking down my car. Keep an eye out, West Seattle, and invest in a steering wheel lock! Thank You!

If you see it, call 911.

Beto January 20, 2014 (7:48 pm)

Hi, we had our 1998 Honda CRV stolen two years ago and we were told by insurance company that one key may open different Honda vehicles. If possible, when your car is found, use one of those clubs that are installed on the steering wheel. Ours was found about a month later not far from where we live and with minor damage. The only thing that was missing was the radio but the insurance paid for it. We also found a lot of junk mail on the back of the car. The thieves were also stealing mail. We had to sell it because we just have room for one car in the garage and we didn’t want to have the 1998 outside. Good luck and I hope yours is recovered too!

rw January 20, 2014 (8:52 pm)

Nineties Hondas are the easiest cars to steal. We know. Get a Club or similar locking device.

Zale January 20, 2014 (8:58 pm)

Sorry to hear this Krystal. We have an alarm on our car (though it really only works if you engage it. DOH!) If it had been engaged and they tried to steal the car instead of just the stereo and Garmin last night, they only would have made it a block or two. The alarm has a kill switch. Unfortunately it doesn’t mean it kills the thief. It shuts the engine off if the key isn’t in the ignition. Our Civic came with it installed. Maybe, once your car is returned to you, you could look into that option. Hoping you get your car back soon.

Juliet Smith January 20, 2014 (9:19 pm)

My Toyota was stolen twice. Each time I got it back because I had a high quality locking gas cap on it and they couldn’t put more gas in it after running out. I also bought a steering wheel club after that.

Car alarms are extremely bad neighbors. Unless you are willing to get out of bed and walk outside (and put yourself at risk) to check your car every time it goes off don’t bother with one. Alarms don’t deter thieves because they know no one responds to them. (The boy who cried wolf effect)

Also, when I’m away from home for several days I disconnect the ignition coil wire under the hood so the car won’t start. My brother showed me how to do that.

Eric1 January 20, 2014 (10:23 pm)

The original thief is probably responsible this theft too. His arrest was over a month ago. Far longer than the average jail stay for car theft in Seattle.
.
Aside from the bad joke, I am truly sorry about the theft. I realize that 1990’s Toyotas and Hondas are great cars (I gave up mine after a theft) but the thieves love them too much.

Laura January 20, 2014 (11:54 pm)

I agree car alarms can be pesky, however I think the blinking red light in the dash may cause someone to move on to an easier target. As for no one responding I can personally say that my husband set off the alarm in our Toyota when the panic button got pushed in his pocket and our neighbor flew out of his house to check it out. As for going outside to check on things, no worries, our 64 lb dog would love to.

Gatewood mom January 21, 2014 (7:11 am)

Eric1, if you are referring to the guy with the large arrest record arrested mid-December, he’s still in jail.

East Coast Cynic January 21, 2014 (8:36 am)

I second Laura in that I believe the flashing red light in the car dash in many cases causes potential thieves to move on to easier targets w/o alarms. And from previous experience with the club on a 91 Honda, that works pretty well too.

Laura January 21, 2014 (10:17 am)

I agree with East Coast about the club. I know people who say it isn’t worth it but I see it as just another obstacle to bypass. A friend just had her car recovered and when clubbed it was just fine but the night she left it off and in the back seat the car went missing for 2 months.

vanilla gorilla January 21, 2014 (12:08 pm)

steering clubs and break pedal stops do not work!! a thief can cut through one faster than you can say cut!!!
if you are truly concerned about your auto use a low jack system or tracking system such as on-star….you pay a monthly fee and you get notified when your auto is stolen.. then u can have them disable your auto at your request and give police coordinates to find it and hopefully get your car back before its to late!!! it may cost ya $$$ a month but it works!! With Hondas and Toyotas your insurance will usually gives better quotes too!!! for having it just because they are the most stolen cars in the states

Bee January 21, 2014 (6:31 pm)

They would have a very hard time cutting through the hard steel brake pedal stop we use. At least it deters them knowing the job will be much harder…..if they succeed at all. We used to hear they’d cut through the steering wheels and bypass the steering clubs and that is one reason we decided on the steel brake pedal. Still, the tracking system is a great plan. We’ll check that out. Thanks.

Eaglelover January 21, 2014 (7:56 pm)

Welllll….I read this and I live in the same area the OP lives and my red 1997 Civic HB was stolen last night. I club it 99% of the time now days. I sent WSB my info this morning and drove around a bit looking for the car tonight. Theives Suck!

Bee January 22, 2014 (5:56 am)

I forgot to also mention to set your car’s emergency brake & turn your tires. This is if they are trying to tow the car or load it up & it will either make it impossible to do or much harder. I believe this was in a police bulletin that WSB linked a while back. I am not positive on that though???? It was either WSB or a police bulletin sent to our neighborhood watch. The information is in Seattle.gov under auto theft prevention…I’m unable to link it…perhaps WSB can do that for everyone.

miws January 22, 2014 (9:06 am)

Bee, it looks like this may be the page you are referring to:

http://www.seattle.gov/police/prevention/auto/default.htm

Mike

moe February 4, 2014 (1:30 pm)

My 2000 Honda CRV was stolen from the street in front of my apt. in WS Christmas Eve….It was found by SPD on Christmas Day in So. Sea., stripped chop-shopped, and full of other people’s mail, trashy thief cd’s, and fast food garbage…..The entire front end, including hood and front bumper gone, all seats gone, battery, player and 25 years of cd’s gone….I asked, and WSB was good enough to post a pic of this around or just after Christmas as a BEWARE and WARNING……sounds like the carnage continues…

Sorry, comment time is over.