CRIME WATCH: Package thieves, including a repeater; sign mystery

In West Seattle (and vicinity) Crime Watch:

WESTWOOD REPEAT PACKAGE THIEF: What you see in this security video isn’t the usual quick look at a theft. Toward the start, you see someone remove a package from the porch; then you see another delivery; then about 5:15 in, you see the same person back to remove that package. Stacey, who sent the link, explains:

Our family had the nice UPS driver come by last night around 8 pm to tell us that a thief was prowling the Westwood area stealing packages. You can see in this video clip a guy with an odd hat and puffy jacket grab a small package and later come back for our Old Navy package which was hidden in a milk box. The UPS man said he was chasing this guy down with over a dozen packages.

A very Good Samaritan brought us back our ripped open Old Navy bag. Keep an eye out for this guy. And anyone in the Westwood area, look to make sure you got your packages the last two days.

BEACH DRIVE PACKAGE THIEF: The photos and report are from Nina:

I live on the 5600 Block of Beach Drive. On 11/1 at 10:58 AM, this woman stole a package off our porch 4 minutes after it was dropped off.

She was following the delivery truck through the neighborhood. I have filed a police report but thought the neighbors in West Seattle should be warned. Police Case Number 2017-910072

SIGN MYSTERY: Do you know what happened to this sign at 4th SW and SW 108th? Vandalism? Crash?

Mark Ufkes, who led the White Center Chamber of Commerce when this and similar signs were installed, sent the photo and notes, “Wish we knew who did this, to help us make it right. The sign alone cost the Chamber over $2,000.”

13 Replies to "CRIME WATCH: Package thieves, including a repeater; sign mystery"

  • ❤️ November 3, 2017 (9:46 pm)

    Kudos to the UPS guy!

  • AMD November 4, 2017 (6:45 am)

    Is the WC Chamber doing any fundraising to replace/fix the sign?  I really appreciated the new signs when they showed up and would be love to help get it looking spiffy again.

  • Anne November 4, 2017 (8:59 am)

    This looks to be a very big & profitable holiday season for the package theft “ business”

     So very organized & seemingly unafraid. Thieves just get in their cars & follow UPS/FEDEX/USPS around- a big thanks to those carriers for their vigilance- but they really can’t do much more than ring your bell when they leave a package- unless they can notify police or their own dispatcher if they notice they’re being followed.

    One thing- that we have done is sign up for My UPS. Anything we order- that gets delivered by them – we get tracking info emailed to us. It shows time frame- we can track where in that time frame our delivery is. Also- a big plus- as soon as it gets delivered & I mean almost instantaneously- we get an email that it has been delivered.

    We have been in the house when the bell rings- see the UPS driver entering info on his device- by the time he’s at the bottom of our stairs we have the email. 

    We are lucky in that our porch is up a lot of stairs & hidden from view- theives can’t just drive by & spot packages on the porch. Our mailbox however is down at street level – so mail & small packages that can fit into the box are vulnerable for sure.

    We do try to keep our eyes open-if we see deliveries in our neighborhood- to watch for cars following. All the houses across the street from us have porches right off the sidewalk- easy  targets for these thieves.


  • NSAlki November 4, 2017 (12:49 pm)

    You know, it wouldn’t be that hard for a plainclothes cop to follow the UPS truck and bust some of these people. They are so brazen because they know the city will do nothing. It is a relatively easy problem to solve, but we don’t have the political will to do it.

  • artsea November 4, 2017 (2:07 pm)

    My suggestion for stopping ALL crime is to make the penalty….if caught and convicted….so severe that people will be deterred from ever doing it.  Can you imagine if a package thief knew they would automatically be sentenced to ten years in prison if caught and convicted?  Much worse for more serious crimes.  40 years for rape, etc.  And no early release.  It has gotten so the penalties for almost all criminal convictions are no deterrent at all.

    • NSAlki November 4, 2017 (5:55 pm)

      The belief that you will be caught does a lot more to deter crime than the severity of the punishment. This has been shown in many studies. Here’s a National Institute of Justice article on the subject: https://nij.gov/five-things/pages/deterrence.aspx

      Not to mention that our prisons are already over capacity. The cost of housing offenders is significant.

      • Concerned November 4, 2017 (7:10 pm)

        From your article :

        Opinions or points of view expressed on this site represent a consensus of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. 

  • Emily B November 5, 2017 (7:09 am)

    I live on 4th and 108th and last Sunday  (10/29) a car crashed into the sign in the early morning when there was very heavy fog. Big police response so I’m sure if you contact the King County Sherrifs office they can give you more information. 

    • WSB November 5, 2017 (7:23 am)

      Thanks! I did mention to Mark that since we don’t get a lot of word from south of the city-county line (and incidents are not logged automatically the same way they are in the city limits, so we don’t have a way of tracking), it would be worth asking KCSO.

  • Joy November 5, 2017 (4:01 pm)

    As a WSH GRADUATE I SOMETIMES WANDER 2 this site. Regarding package delivery….. I have a secure screen & a doorbell. It is a good delivery if my doorbell gets rung or even a polite knock @ time of delivery. What is wrong with common sense?  There are lots of things that will fit between screen & the solid door. People with mobility issues usually cannot sprint to the door. Maybe we could offer a bribe,  like a piece of leftover candy? I now live in Spokane Valley and this seems 2 – B a year long problem.

  • face less November 5, 2017 (8:39 pm)

    Mark Ufkes- if you are reading this thread, I am sorry about your sign. I can build you another sign at no cost. Maybe some of the local contractors have extra supplies they can donate and I will do the build for you.


    Cheers

  • Mark Ufkes November 5, 2017 (9:57 pm)

    face less

    I can be reached at MarkUfkes@comcast.net.  As a Scoutmaster, I can find some Scouts to help. 

    Mark Ufkes 

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