West Seattle crime watch: Delridge car break-ins

| Crime | Delridge | West Seattle news

Just out of the inbox, from Stephanie (who lives slightly north of the Home Depot area of Delridge, for your frame of reference):

I was hoping you could post this as a warning to all those living on Delridge. I woke up this morning to my neighbor telling me her car and another neighbor’s car were broken into last night. The criminals broke the windows to get into the cars. It must have taken place early this AM since I came home late last night and saw nothing wrong with their cars. This is really upsetting that people would stoop this low to break into cars. So I guess all we can do is make sure our cars are locked, nothing is left in the car, and we watch out for one another.

ABC November 30, 2007 (1:10 pm)

And move out of the Delridge neighborhood!! That’s our plan!

k November 30, 2007 (1:27 pm)

ran into a policeman speaking to someone at a coffee shop this morning. he stated that car break ins increase dramatically this time of year. people want fast money. he was telling someone not to leave anything of value in your car overnight or in plain sight. there are teams of criminals who work specific areas, both neighborhoods and public parking lots. i know this is all common sense, but just a reminder.

Mike#2 November 30, 2007 (1:44 pm)

I would recommend leaving your glove box and other containers open so that thieves can see that you have nothing worth breaking your car. Your locks will not stop a thief. In general do not store valuables in your glove box. My gf’s glove box lock latch is made of plastic. It was very easily defeated by a thief. They did more damage than they were able to steal.

Mr. JT November 30, 2007 (2:15 pm)

Good start Mike#2.. take it a bit further and leave the doors unlocked and save your $200.00 locks and windows.

JumboJim November 30, 2007 (2:35 pm)

Careful you don’t run your battery down on these cold nights by leaving that glovebox open all night. If it has a light in it try disconnecting the bulb…

Pete November 30, 2007 (2:51 pm)

Why move out of Delridge? If you look at the most recent crime stats from SPD you will see that the SW Precinct has some of the lowest crime rates in the city of Seattle.The better idea is to form a block watch with your neighbors and help combat this problem.

V November 30, 2007 (3:19 pm)

I was one of the people whose car was broken into last night, and it didn’t really come as a surprise to me. Delridge is a rough road to live on.

The thieves clearly had the tools for breaking into vehicles (my window was not broken, but the door was jimmied), and they managed to abscond with my $400 stereo without problem. So, these are not just punk kids, these are semi-professionals.

I echo everyone else’s sentiments… watch your back and your neighbors too.

m November 30, 2007 (4:16 pm)

People that break into cars or steal cars suck. My Honda has been broken into so many times I lost count. I keep nothing in it anymore, but someone still felt the need to break into it to steal the SPARE TIRE one night. wtf?

A.A. November 30, 2007 (4:22 pm)

FYI 6900 Delridge is one of the highest car-prowl and car theft spots in the state. If you are within a block or two of that area, do everything you can to NOT park on Delridge. Given the # of smashed cars every morning due to drunk drivers, you couldn’t pay me enough to park on Delridge anyway, but definitely not in that couple of blocks.

Stan November 30, 2007 (6:11 pm)

I chased off a car thief as he was rummaging in my glove box just last week, on holden just up from home depot. Broad daylight. Scruffy crackhead type guy, not homeless looking.

5’8″ or 5’9″ white guy, black windbreaker jacket, short dark hair, short dark full beard. Broke in with a jimmy bar, ran off through a neighbor’s yard like he knew the area.

Neighbors confirm this guy has been prowling around the area for a while, with another crackhead, possibly his brother. Keep your eyes open.

The House November 30, 2007 (7:22 pm)

Doesn’t Delridge in Spanish mean “Of Crime”?

No, silly…it means “Of Ridge”.

Been There November 30, 2007 (7:30 pm)

Do yourself a favor: Park in a well-lit garage/carport/off-street parking space if you at all have access to such a space. Clean out your garage if the stuff currently parked there keeps your car out in the cold.

Don’t leave anything potentially, remotely of value in the vehicle, not even .25 cents worth of spare change. Keep any bags, mail, paperwork, etc. out of the passenger compartment. If visible, they may provide enough incentive for a vehicle prowl, or just be a bonus for a car thief on the prowl. Police frequently get reports of car prowls where someone trying to get at less than a dollarÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s worth of change broke out a window.

Find out from your community police team officer and insurance agent what your relative vehicle theft risk is. Ask about any incentive your insurance company is willing to provide for you to reduce your theft/vehicle prowl risk.

Install/use a “Club” or steering wheel lock/steering column lock/ ignition switch cut-off/low jack, or any other vehicle theft deterrence device.

If you are going to leave anything in a parked vehicle, stow it OUT OF SIGHT in the trunk BEFORE you arrive at the location where it will be parked and locked. This applies to while you are shopping, at work, or at home. Do not lull yourself into believing no one is watching while you put packages in, shut the doors and trunk and continue about your business. Particularly at this time of the year, people sit around waiting for you to provide them with clues as to where you are “hiding” your valuables.

People who steal cars do not always do so for resale value. Often, they take whatever is easiest to break into or hotwire, or they find a car with a part for the one they have sitting at home. If you have a valuable stereo or electronics in your vehicle or drive wheels favored by thieves and don’t want to be down at the precinct filling out paperwork sometime in the near future, know your risks and be prepared to protect your investment.

Mike Dady December 1, 2007 (6:29 am)

SPD Vehicle, Neighborhood and Personal Safety and Crime Prevention Guides:

http://www.seattle.gov/Police/Publications/Prevention/default.htm

Obtain hardcopies of these informative guides from Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Benjamin Kinlow (206) 684-7724 benjamin.kinlow@seattle.gov

Pass them around to your neighbors and give them away as Christmas gifts.

Pete December 1, 2007 (10:40 am)

Once again….be proactive and don’t let the bad guys win. Get involved and do something about the problem and not just sit back and complain about how bad things seem to be. It is the old broken window theory….if you do not immedicately fix the broken window you will soon see a seoond broken window and on and on. So be proactive, call 911 anytime you see something suspicious or something just does not look right to you, know yoru neighbors, know who belongs on your block and if you see someone that is doing something odd do something about it. Call your Coomunity Poice Team officer and see what help he can offer to deal with this problem. Beleive me with the new Neighborhood Policing Staffing model that is being introduced by SPD the squeaky wheel will be getting the oil. The more 911 calls you make about problems in your neighborhood the more attention SPD is going to be paying attnetion to it. Do not sit back and assume that someone else has called 911 about the issue teke action yourself. Only you can make a difference in our neighborhood.

Dustin December 5, 2007 (7:59 am)

Wife’s car was broken into last night (12-05-07). Same MO: window smashed, glove box rifled through, workout bag taken. Hope they enjoy the smelly clothes. This was in Arbor Heights (35th and Roxbury). Also noticed two neighbors have plastic over their car windows so assuming it’s a string of break-ins.

Anyone know a good auto glass place?

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