West Seattle Crime Watch: Genesee training; burglary; auto theft

Two notes this afternoon: First, the explanation for an alarming sight at the closed Genesee Hill Elementary campus last night. We got calls, e-mails, and tweets from people who saw police tape, cars, and even what one person thought was a body. Absent any other indications of an actual crime, we were fairly sure it was training, which happens there from time to time, and finally, we got confirmation from Southwest Precinct Lt. Ron Rasmussen that it was indeed a “training class.” We’ve received advance alerts before but didn’t this time. Meantime, we have a burglary report today – read on (also, added 4:31 pm, a vehicle-theft report):

From Ian:

Last night, I encountered my neighbor outside and learned that her family’s home (on the 5400 block of 35th Ave SW, between Brandon and Findlay) was ransacked that afternoon. The thieves broke in to the back of the house from the alley behind, and took laptop computers, gold jewelry, and apparently, passports (though police suspected they would ditch the passports). This hadn’t happened on my block in the four years I’ve lived here, so it’s it’s unsettling for all of us, since one’s home is supposed to be his sanctuary. It’s a sobering reminder to try to keep homes as secure as we can and reduce temptations for potential thieves.

Remember, you can come hear the latest crime trends firsthand – and, if you want to, bring up crime/safety concerns in your neighborhood – when the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council resumes its monthly meetings, starting tonight, 7 pm, Southwest Precinct meeting room (Delridge/Webster), with a special guest discussing identity theft.

ADDED 4:32 PM: One more Crime Watch report just came in, from Jack:

Our son’s 1993 Toyota 4-Runner was stolen yesterday from the park and ride at Avalon and Spokane St (under the WS freeway, across from the steel mill). You’d think they would have picked something a little less conspicuous, it’s bright red, with a lift kit and over sized tires w/black wheels, it also has a 16″ diameter Fox Racing decal in the back window. Its well seasoned, and dirty. The Lic # is 104 VEL, and it was stolen on Monday 9/19, sometime between 4:30 AM, and 3:00 PM, but most likely before 7:00 AM. We’re hoping someone just needed to get somewhere and left it parked (it had less than a qtr tank of gas), So, we’re asking our West Seattle Blog neighbors to keep an eye out. And yes, there is a police report filed.

7 Replies to "West Seattle Crime Watch: Genesee training; burglary; auto theft"

  • Alki resident September 20, 2011 (4:40 pm)

    What was all the police responding to this afternoon in the Admiral area?Cops speeding and blaring sirens for quite some time.

    • WSB September 20, 2011 (5:14 pm)

      Nothing on our radar … and I was talking with someone at SPD not that long ago, who said things had been relatively quiet. – TR

  • mimi September 20, 2011 (5:13 pm)

    Last week we and our neighbor both had tools stolen from our property (my shed, his fenced yard) we guess it had to be morning after 9am. This was from the Alley between Oregon and Genesee. There has been a mustard colored 4 door older small sedan driving thru the alley. The man asked if the neighbor if they had any scrap metal?? very suspicious.

  • Marie September 20, 2011 (6:24 pm)

    Mimi–what street are you on that crosses with Genesee and Oregon where you’ve had recent thefts?

  • Bryen September 20, 2011 (8:49 pm)

    I had an encounter on Monday (yesterday) morning around 11:00a where two suspicious young black men came to my door (35th & Juneau) asking to do yard work; as I came to the door they were looking through my windows to see if anyone was home. As i came to the door I had a second thought about opening the door and asked them to leave; they were far from looking like any gardeners or landscapers.

  • mimi September 21, 2011 (3:36 pm)

    Marie, we live on 39th and the neighbors live on 40th. They went thru our alley, which is less visible.

  • fanofFSPD September 22, 2011 (8:46 am)

    the 4 runner has been found it was on good ol delridge :)

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