West Seattle Crime Watch: Car stolen for the third time; burglars photographed; break-in tried; package taken; license-plate theft

| Crime | West Seattle news

~~Four~~ Five reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

STOLEN CAR: Kirk‘s car has been stolen, again:

My 1994 Honda Civic Hatchback was stolen from my condo parking lot on California Ave. SW (just south of The Junction), sometime between 10:30 p.m. Dec. 25 and 8:00 a.m. Dec. 26. It is a greenish color. This is the third time that car has been stolen in West Seattle over a course of about 15 years.

Its plate is ADY3889. As advised via @getyourcarback – where SPD tweets all vehicle-theft reports (though not with locations, unfortunately, which is why reader reports are vital so we hear about and can publish West Seattle thefts) – call 911 if you see it.

RECOGNIZE THESE BURGLARS? Maria has these screen grabs from surveillance video of burglars who broke into her “private fenced carport” on 26th SW in Westwood, including one Grinch-ily clad in a Santa hat:

Maria says they stole “clothes, shoes, camping gear, pots and pans.” If you have any info on their identities, the SPD case number is 15-443118.

BREAK-IN ATTEMPT: Liz near 31st/Elmgrove says someone was “rather violently” rattling/pulling at the doorknob of the “converted garage” at their house around 11:30 last night. Turning on a light apparently scared them away.

PACKAGE THEFT: From Tricia:

Neighbors in the 3800 block of Charlestown, please be aware that a package was stolen from my front porch. It was a food shipment from Blue Apron. Strange thing to steal because it is only ingredients for meal preparation, but evidently the thieves take anything they see on a porch. I’ve reported the package stolen, but want my neighbors to be aware.

P.S. If your neighborhood doesn’t have a Block Watch – here’s how to start one. And once you do, get involved with the West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network, which resumes monthly meetings in January.

ADDED 5:03 PM – LICENSE PLATE THEFT: Greg sent this very early Christmas morning (late Christmas Eve), and we missed it until Diane‘s comment below:

I just filed a police report as my back plate with tab was apparently stolen while parked in my alley spot behind 42nd, 2600 block near Safeway/Hiawatha. It likely happened over the past 24-48 hours.

Plate theft is more common than you might think – as pointed out here a year ago – so know your number and keep an eye on it.

lookingforlogic December 26, 2015 (3:47 pm)

Once a thief is successful they will return again and again. So if your neighbor was robbed the thieves will return to your profitable neighborhood again and again. It is helpful if all of the neighbors prevent thefts. Put away ladders, get rid of scrap metal, secure gates (I padlocked mine), lights, empty vehicles. I worked at a large property and after we got hit once they were relentless.

Diane December 26, 2015 (3:54 pm)

a friend of mine in Admiral had his license plate stolen off his car on xmas eve day; can you please include that in this story; his info should be in your email box; this is very concerning as we live in the same neighborhood; and other neighbors in Admiral may want to be alerted to license plates thefts, to be on the look-out
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it’s also listed on your crime watch page; https://westseattleblog.com/crime-watch/
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the theft occurred during the day on xmas eve; but it took a while for him to get access to report online and then wait for police to contact him for full report; thus the late night-time stamp
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SeattlePD William1 @SeattlePDW1
Beat:W1, LICENSE PLATE THEFT OR LOSS at 26XX BLOCK OF 42 AV SW reported on 12/25/2015 3:23 AM, Call# 15000444863

Gina December 26, 2015 (4:43 pm)

There was a loose license plate in the middle of Admiral Way that I picked up and placed on the sw corner of 45th. The tabs were 12/15.

NW December 26, 2015 (4:48 pm)

Make it a point myself if I see package delivered in my neighborhood if package is not retrieved and it’s middle of the day most everyone at work go and leave note on door and return home with the package. Take action to prevent this is my block.

WSB December 26, 2015 (5:03 pm)

Thanks, Diane, I found Greg’s note, sent early Christmas morning. It doesn’t have a plate # though, which would be helpful (maybe it’s the one Gina found!), so I e-mailed him back; am adding to this in the meantime. – TR

onion December 26, 2015 (5:08 pm)

Kirk, I hope you get your car back. If you do — and this goes for all other owners of early to mid-Nineties vintage Hondas — invest in a Club. These cars are popular with punks for a reason, namely they are ridiculously easy to steal. We discovered that with our 94 Accord. But no problems since we bought a Club.

Greg December 26, 2015 (5:16 pm)

Thanks All! Gina, I will check it out if it’s still around, but my tabs were 10/16. Fortunately, I was able to get them replaced at King County Admin Licensing office before they closed on Christmas Eve. The license plate: AJY8390; it is now cancelled due to the replacement. I wasn’t able to get through to the non-emergency number until late 12/24 and they have to send an officer out for this type of theft (can’t file this online) – I think he came around midnight. He said it is common for thieves to steal plates and put them on stolen cars – same make, model, etc. He also commented that Hondas and Subarus have been targeted recently; mine is a Subaru. Thanks again, and let’s be on the lookout.

Eric December 26, 2015 (6:03 pm)

I’m not positive, but I think I’ve seen that white guy down at Westwood Village before with a sign asking for money.

junctioneer December 26, 2015 (6:48 pm)

I’m pretty sure someone was trying to enter my house last night around 9:30pm in north admiral. It sounded like someone was jiggling a key around very forcefully in our front door lock, presumably picking or bumping the lock? I, fortunately or unfortunately, made a lot of noise coming to the door and walked around outside but didn’t see anything by the time I got there, which is why I’m not quite sure what it was and can’t be confident it was someone picking my lock. In hindsight I should have called the police. What happens after calling the police in these situations? Do you have to make some sort of report even though nothing happened? Or do they just acknowledge it and maybe patrol the area a bit?

WSB December 26, 2015 (7:19 pm)

Yes, it would be reported as an attempted burglary. And generally they would look around the area. Attempted break-ins at occupied residences tend to indicate the perp is particularly brazen – despite popular belief, more burglaries happen during the day, when the burglars don’t expect anyone to be home.

Mary December 26, 2015 (8:04 pm)

My friend got her van stolen in apt garage this last Tuesday. There was a car break in the same night. Area of SW ALASKA AND 42nd ave SW

JanS December 26, 2015 (10:45 pm)

@Diane…thanks for sharing that…I live just down the street..ack! I hear people out in the alley at all hours of the night. I’m a night owl, so always look out, hoping that whoever will notice someone watching. It’s kinda dark, and I really can’t see all that much, though..never enough to be able to recognize anyone….but they don’t know that…

Jim December 27, 2015 (7:48 am)

Our place was burgled a couple of weeks ago and they wiped us out of our coats. Wonder if these are related?

Cid December 27, 2015 (8:59 am)

Our friends’ first night in their condo on Christmas Eve someone broke into the garage area and stole his bagpipe! Surely it will turn up at a pawn shop. SPD has a report, but here is a detailed description:
“Silver/aluminum hardshell case with custom cut foam interior fit to the bagpipe and humidifier and hygrometer installed in the lid. Kintail 2000 bagpipe with “full ivory” and blackwood rings around the ferrules. Blue pipe bag cover. Two Dunbar chanters – one blackwood and one polypenco (black plastic). One chanter has a cap with Elliott Bay Pipe Band sticker. Book of sheet music with Elliott Bay Pipe Band sticker on front, piper’s “third hand”. I had my business card in there, but that’s probably been removed.”

Chris December 27, 2015 (10:08 am)

If someone is looking for their lost or stolen 10′-12′ stepladder, it is now being used by the homeless encampment under the east end of the Admiral/Fairview bridge. Watched one of the guys jump over the railing on Thursday and looked over to see the ladder bungied chain link fence underneath.

Neighbor December 27, 2015 (11:35 am)

It’s so nice to know the folks living under the bridge are using what neighbors are leaving around! If there is one area that seems to be a haven for most of our petty crimes it’s under the bridge or those who have set up along the west side of the Admiral hill. Glad they cleaned up the yurt camp that was growing daily earlier this month but another across from City View has taken its place.
It sure would be nice if all the development funded more police officers and services. West Seattle is really being overwhelmed.
Our new City Council rep should make all of things a priority.

Dawsonst December 27, 2015 (1:23 pm)

Both our cars rummaged last night. Item taken include a green Dakine builders pack with yellow zippers, fiskars folding saw and platypus 2-liter reservoir. Green mountain hardware rain coat, and bag with Technica skiboots and dragon goggles, likely with mountain 2 sound tag still on them. This happened on Dawson west of the Junction.

Kay K December 27, 2015 (9:40 pm)

Interestingly someone entered our yard today sometime and stole one of our Christmas lights – the funky little LED bulb thing that Home Depot was selling this year that projects colored lights on the side of the house.

A couple of my neighbors bought them too, and I’ve noticed theirs appear to be gone as well …
perhaps this is some sort of new “hot” item to grab for some reason (like having black light parties in your basement).