WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Burglars, car prowler, and suspected skimming

Four reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch today:

BUILDING BURGLARY: From DS:

Wanted to make my neighbors aware that we’ve had further issues at our walk-up apartment building at 2420 54th PL SW. This morning I found that one of two basement storage rooms had been broken into and most of the latches to appx. a dozen individual storage units have been cut or pried open. I’m guessing the break in occurred last night or early this morning.

On January 1 of this year, my wife posted to the WSB that someone had cut a heavy cable bike lock and stolen her nice 29’er bike from three feet outside of our front door.

Our apartment complex is owned by Cornell & Associates; I’ve attempted to let our building manager and the company HQ know but haven’t heard back from either. It’s obvious that we have a security issue—I just wanted to let our neighbors know that they need to be careful.

ALSO ON ALKI: From Kelsey in the 3000 block of 61st SW:

On Sunday morning at 3 am a man attempted to break into my home while I was home. I want to make sure that my neighbors are aware of the situation and on the look out for suspicious activity.

The police came to my home right away and searched the area for the man that had opened both my front and back gate and attempted to enter the house while I was home. He ran when I came upstairs with my dog, but I was able to get a good description of him as he was across the street under a street lamp once I got to the window. He had stolen a package from my neighbor on the street behind me, and left the empty box on my property.

The police followed up with me last night in person to let me know that another officer was called out to Beach Drive early Monday morning because of a report of a man throwing bottles and rocks into the water. He fit the exact description that I had given, and was given a warning. He has had multiple run ins with these sorts of issues according to the officer.

The officer let me know that they may try and connect him with my incident, and to make sure to let my neighborhood know what is going on.

He is a man in his late 20s, early 30s, transient, white with dark hair and wears a dark firefighter jacket with a reflective stripe across the shoulders.

(Added) Police incident # is 2018-024988.

CAR PROWLER IN ADMIRAL: Just after 11 pm last night, Conrad reported a car prowler to the police, in the 45th SW/SW Stevens area – a “male in a dark black or green SUV with no tail lights and one brake light … driving around trying car doors with his window down. I saw him open one door to a neighbor’s car. Be alert and lock your car doors!”

POSSIBLY SCAMMED BY A SKIMMER: From Maggie, who has filed a police report:

I found my debit card number and pin to be stolen. I think it happened at the Shell gas station on the corner of Alaska and Fauntleroy on Thursday night. Someone tried to use it in Florida today and luckily fraud prevention picked it up. Tried to call the gas station to tell them but the number is disconnected. Wanted to warn other people so it doesn’t happen to them. Found out by having a $2.50 charge for “Atm inquiry out of network” charge on both my checking and savings account. No other place I shopped could have had this.

This crime has been on the rise nationwide, according to this online story that also includes tips on how to try to detect skimmers, though experts warn there’s no foolproof way.

9 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Burglars, car prowler, and suspected skimming"

  • Guy Olson January 23, 2018 (4:53 pm)

    Two teens were arrested this afternoon on Alki. The arrest happened on Alki and Marine Ave. The police pulled a bunch of hand tools out of one of the teens jacket.

  • Lil Wash January 23, 2018 (9:51 pm)

    Does Kelsey have an incident number? One of the 10 squatters living in the vacant house across from mine matches the description of the 30s white male that is always wearing a reflective striped black firefighter coat.

    • WSB January 23, 2018 (10:08 pm)

      I usually ask but didn’t this time. Meantime, SPD tweeted earlier tonight – ironically, just after I left the Block Watch Captains Network meeting at the precinct – that they were looking for a car prowl suspect in West Seattle wearing a King County Fire jacket. Minutes later, they tweeted that they’d made an arrest. They didn’t say where, but I hope to find out more in the morning

    • kelsey January 24, 2018 (11:12 am)

      I wanted to make sure you saw my comment below with the incident number

      the incident number for the attempted break in was 2018.24988

  • jissy January 23, 2018 (10:11 pm)

    I saw this guy walking yesterday, can’t remember if it was in WC or WS though — I thought it odd he looked like he was carrying all his possessions in several bags but was wearing this firefighter coat.

  • Kelsey January 24, 2018 (7:48 am)

    the incident number for the attempted break in was 2018.24988

  • ALKI January 24, 2018 (12:20 pm)

    Kelsey,

    I’ve had many run ins with this guy. He wears a firemen jacket and pushes a shopping cart. We have had to call 911 on him more then once! He is not fully there, we suspect drugs. He attacked our neighbor on 60th early in the morning hours a couple months ago. On Christmas Eve he broke into our neighbors storage unit after they had moved. He was trying to live in there. Cops  came and then left him in the alley to continue stealing and loitering.  A few Neighbors told the police that he was in fact the person we have seen steeling many times and trespassing on private property. They still didn’t do a thing.  A neighbor closer to the beach on 60th said he saw the man attempting to get onto his roof!! Lock all of your windows. The cops wont do a thing( I believe its because they haven’t “witnessed” the illegal activity first hand). Its getting out of hand. I’ve  also seen him walk up and down 63rd door checking cars to see if he can get easy access. 

  • Nick January 31, 2018 (2:14 pm)

    Just caught him digging through our dumpsters on 63rd Ave SW.  He did so during the summer as well.  Gave him a warning in the summer.  Called 911 immediately today as I read about the attempted house break-in.  Police never showed up and he just strolled away to continue his usual activities.  Same guy with the firefighter jacket.  Will send the blog photos soon.

    • Nick January 31, 2018 (2:53 pm)

      Update: Police called back 10-15 mins. after he had left (about 20-25 mins. after I first contacted them) and asked if he was “just digging through the trash?”  I told them he was, but reiterated the attempted break-in last week — they simply said feel free to call us again if he returns!

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