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1. solu
   Member Profile

   young black male going door to door, definately does not look official. I don't think it warrants a police report since there is no evidence really but it is super fishy go door to door this late at night. I just thought I'd let people know.

   Posted 5 months ago #         

2. singularname
   Member Profile

   What does an official young black male look like? And would an unofficial one warrant a police report? Thanks for letting us know.

   Posted 5 months ago #         

3. solu
   Member Profile

   I dunno, with some sort of documents at least. I guess it was stupid to post this.

   Posted 5 months ago #         

4. Cait
   Member Profile

   

   Solu - no it wasn't. Singularname - "unofficial" and "black male" were not related here.

   Solu - just heard a presentation from SPD spokesman in regards to this. When in doubt AT LEAST call and report it. It helps them determine a pattern of activity if something DOES happen. What you saw could end up being very helpful if this was in fact casing and at this hour, it certainly sounds like it.

   Posted 5 months ago #         

5. singularname
   Member Profile

   Cait ... Absolutely related. My questions still stand. I would normally hope you never find yourself in a situation where a neighbor doesn't recognize you, or you might be in an unfamiliar neighborhood, looking for an address, or your cat, or just taking a walk, and have a cop car come blinding you with headlights and intimidation because someone called you in as "unofficial," but given your instinct is to do that to someone else (given the information provided above), sounds like you could use such an experience.

   Posted 5 months ago #         

6. Cait
   Member Profile

   

   Boy did you ask the wrong person. I just DID have this happen to me. A homeowner we didn't know had to bust in a window to get into his house the other day and it looked really suspicious. We called it in and the police came out to check it out. The next day he came over and thanked us and said that he was glad to know that his neighbors were looking out for him even if we did end up scaring the bejeezus out of each other.

   I'm sorry, I don't just speak for myself here. Getting startled by a police officer when I'm doing something legit is worth having alert and caring neighbors, as it clearly was for my neighbor. People assuming that everyone is doing something legit when they're out at night is what lets people get away with casing houses. THAT'S THE WHOLE PREMISE OF CASING. Don't go overboard but if it feels wrong, call it in. And SPD is behind me on this 100%, I hate to tell you.

   The point I WAS making in regards to your unrelated comment above was that for you to link the suspicious nature of what she mentioned with the unrelated issue of the race of the person doing it is ridiculous. Go pick a fight somewhere else, Solu is just trying to do the right thing. Calling the police to report this at this stage isn't going to end in anyone getting "intimidated" but it will help create a pattern that will help on the off chance someone's house gets broken in to. Do you think the cops are going to drop everything and look for every person fitting that description right now? Based on nothing? Step back and think about this before you go attacking the OP or me. It's counterproductive. Not that I think it was your intention to come on here and be productive.

   Posted 5 months ago #         

7. Cait
   Member Profile

   

   As for ME being deemed "suspicious" when I wasn't - that's happened to me too. Got figured out quickly and I was on my merry way.

   Posted 5 months ago #         

8. Diane
   Member Profile

   

   this location is very close to me, so I appreciate the post; I live in a ‘secure’ building, but we’ve had unauthorized suspicious persons gaining access to inside, most likely from ‘nice’ neighbors letting someone in the door as they buzz themselves in, assuming the person has a good reason for entering, like visiting a tenant, but that should not be happening; we’ve also had an intruder posing as delivery person repeatedly; sometimes people in Seattle are too nice, lack the common sense to make sure creepy crooks don’t get into places they should not be; I agree with Cait, watching out for neighbors is a very good thing; and to not give out personal information about your neighbors to strangers, like, so & so is not home (might as well lay out the red carpet for creepy crook to go steal whatever they want)
   ~
   our precinct officers keep telling us over and over and over to call 911 if we see anything suspicious

   Posted 5 months ago #         

9. singularname
   Member Profile

   Cait ... Witnessing someone you don't know busting in the window of one your neighbor's houses and *seeing* an unoffical young black man going door to door, whatever that means, is a difference beyond day and night. Get some perspective. The fact you would accuse me of an attack in posting is evidence of your overreaction.

   Posted 5 months ago #         

10. JanS
    Member Profile

    

    look at it this way...the OP thought it suspicious. If the OP had just said that someone was suspected of casing, everyone would want a description. The color of the skin, to me , was descriptive. Only. There have been a lot of reports of this type of activity lately. The SPD wants you to report suspicious activity. One should never, ever be belittled for doing just that. Singular name, I understand what you're saying, but I do believe you're making a big deal where it's not really warranted. Yours was the overreaction, IMHO...

    Posted 5 months ago #         

11. amalia
    Member Profile

    Solu, THANK YOU for posting. Feel free to ignore the inevitable hyper-critique.

    Posted 5 months ago #         

12. happywalker
    Member Profile

    

    Maybe singularname was just having a "bad" day or something. Black male, white male, black female, or white female going door to door anytime or anywhere, looking unofficial or suspicious at any hour isn't necessaraly a good thing. Especially this time of the year and reading the crime watch news on the blog etc. I think solu was just trying to alert their neighbors on the blog to BE AWARE.

    Posted 5 months ago #         

13. Halyn
    Member Profile

    Anyone going door to door after dark should be regarded with wariness at least, if not outright suspicion. Persons with legitimate reasons for canvassing do so in the daylight hours. The OP was absolutely right to post this; in fact, I was actually about to start a thread myself, as I had to call the police about possible casing activity in my neighborhood last night, 30th in the vicinity of Westwood.
    It's the holidays. Along with pretty lights and eggnog, we get more burglaries. Everyone should be more alert, and I will never be angry at a neighbor for listening to their gut and calling the cops if they think something doesn't add up.

    Posted 5 months ago #         

14. charlabob
    Member Profile

    

    Singular name, thanks for the gentle reminder that we should all think about why we deem someone suspicious. That doesn't mean we shouldn't report truly suspicious activity, but I do think we should avoid anything knee jerk.

    Posted 5 months ago #         

15. solu
    Member Profile

    Singular, sorry if it reads like "I saw a black guy watch out". Here are my other reasons for suspicion: Stranger at my door, time of day, no uniform, no documents for signiture or sales. When they knocked on my door they stood with their back turned so I couldn't see their face. This was very suspicious and since the only description I can give is that they are a young black male that is what I posted. I know it isn't much which is why I didn't call the cops, but I figure I'd at least let some people in the neighborhood know.

    Posted 5 months ago #         

16. WSB
    Member Profile

    

    The forum is great but please also - anybody else reading this - send these reports to us editor@westseattleblog.com, as we can get more eyeballs on it via the home page too. I didn't see this till just now. And yes, much as it is sad that we have to be suspicious first rather than last, police repeat it over and over again - as we have reported in news coverage, there have been "teams" of burglars working the area, and the first step is always to approach a house, see if anyone's home, try the door if not. And if someone is a commercial solicitor, they MUST have a permit and ID. Period. If they don't, big red flag right there. - TR

    Posted 5 months ago #         

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