West Seattle Crime Watch: Another Gatewood two-time target

| Crime | Gatewood | West Seattle news

From Laura, who lives along Othello in Gatewood (vicinity map):

Wanted to let you know that my car (2008 RAV4) was victimized for the second time in two weeks. Sometime between 10 p.m. (Sunday) night and (Monday) at noon, the rear windshield was shattered. It wasn’t broken out, so the thieves/vandals didn’t get anything — this time.

Last week, several cars on our street were tossed. My navigation system was stolen. I unintentionally left the car unlocked and they got the GPS. This time, nothing was stolen but the damage is far greater. In hindsight, I wish I had left it unlocked. Other neighbors had their car entered and rummaged….

As we’ve reported here before, police say GPS’s are particularly prized by car prowlers, who will even be drawn to a hint of a GPS, like a suction cup on a windshield.

cjboffoli July 7, 2009 (12:43 am)

I wonder who is fencing all of the stolen GPS units.

datamuse July 7, 2009 (6:17 am)

Good question. They all gotta be going somewhere…

swimcat July 7, 2009 (6:51 am)

This is why I love my google phone- it has GPS in it so I don’t need to worry about leaving anything out for thieves to look for. It’s crazy that a suction cup on the window would be enough for a thief to break into your car.

ps- that stinks about your RAV4. I live in your ‘hood so its never fun to hear about these crappy things happening to neighbors.

AMB July 7, 2009 (8:45 am)

I talked to the police yesterday about our GPS being taken out of our car. (It was posted in the July 3 roundup here on the WSB.) They said that GPS units are incredibly popular with thieves right now, and even suction cup marks on your windshield can prompt a break-in. They have no idea where all these GPSs are going. The cop said there must be some store selling hot GPSs. I asked him where it was so I could upgrade.

JenV July 7, 2009 (11:37 am)

I started leaving my doors unlocked. If someone really wants the crap in my car, they can have it. It’s easier than paying for a replacement window. Sad, but true.
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All the GPS units are probably at local pawn shops – they don’t care about taking stolen material. That would be the first place I would check. Sorry to hear this has happened to you twice, Laura!

4th Generation Born-N-Raised July 7, 2009 (11:57 am)

Craigslist. EBay. Lots of hot merchandise there, AMB.

old timer July 7, 2009 (1:41 pm)

All this GPS theft.
Gotta wonder how the world operated without them.
Those glittery things we reach for have a way of biting.

PSPS July 7, 2009 (2:04 pm)

Yes, Craigslist and Ebay are today’s fencing operations. If you’re fast enough, you can usually find the ad for what’s stolen from you on one or the other. The ad is removed quickly once the sale is made, so you have to be quick.
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A friend had an expensive saddle stolen out of her barn near North Bend last summer and it showed up on EBay later the same day.

37Ray July 9, 2009 (1:46 pm)

CRAIGSLIST – search it any given day and you will see such items listed that are clearly stolen (assumption based on things like camera phone pics of the item with yanked wires, missing accessories, very suspect descriptions etc etc)