Crime Watch reader report: Bike theft at high-school orientation

We mentioned this morning that today marked the start of freshman orientation at West Seattle High School. Linda and Joey Vargas e-mailed tonight to say one thing went awfully wrong for the freshman in their family – but maybe you can help solve the crime:

My son left his bike inside the front door of WSHS for less than 2 minutes to turn his back and sign something. When he turned around his bike was gone. It was his first experience at a full day of high school. He was surrounded by friends and of course some freshman he didn’t know. There were also some adults in the hallway. He’s crushed, it was his transportation, his sport. It was 3 months old. Please keep an eye out for it. We will be looking at the camera footage tomorrow of the hallway, we have also filed a police report. The bike is a brown DK BMX bike. His pegs were both on the left side only front and back. We purchased it at Alki Bike and Board.

mellaw6565 August 19, 2008 (8:07 pm)

Sorry, but its common sense to buy a bike lock and use it everywhere these days.

La August 19, 2008 (9:42 pm)

Have some compassion m-6565. It’s a hard lesson the kid has already learned.

GenHillOne August 19, 2008 (9:50 pm)

Mean people suck. I’m glad to hear the school has tape!

t August 19, 2008 (11:05 pm)

Word, La. Who would think that “inside the front door of WSHS” is where you need to be whipping out the steel cables…

mellaw6565 August 19, 2008 (11:11 pm)

I’m a teacher in the public schools – things get stolen ALL the time. We tell our students never to leave things unsecure because it is a public building and many people come/go. You would think that parents would be teaching their children the same lesson, especially with something that was brand new and special to him.

I’m sorry it happened to him, but the real world sucks and I hope he learns to better protect his valuable items in the future. Next time it could be his first car, or iPod, or cell phone, or cd, etc. etc….

GenHillOne August 20, 2008 (12:19 am)

Seriously, mellaw? A little empathy might be nice. I’m sure this boy had a lot going on with his first day at the HS, seeing his friends, etc. Accidents happen. For goodness sakes, you recently lost your cockatiel out a slider and weren’t scolded for opening a door while your bird was out – which I think we cerebrally know isn’t a good idea, but no one hopes you “learned a lesson.”

West Seattle Art Attack August 20, 2008 (12:48 am)

A public school teacher that believes the “real world sucks?” That’s a great thing to teach our kids. . . . pathetic. The “real world” is what you make it. . . .

mellaw6565 August 20, 2008 (12:51 am)

Actually, I think a lot of people hope I learned my lesson and some said so – it was a stupid thing for me to do and I publicly accepted responsibility for my stupidity in leaving the door open. That’s the way I am – I “walk the walk” – If I’m wrong I’ll take responsibility for it.

However, the OP above is lamenting about a brand new bike that was stolen in a public building with many, many people coming and going during Orientation. What’s happened to personal responsibility and teaching your kids to take care of their things? Maybe they did and he made a mistake, but it sounded to me like it could have been avoidable.

I said at least 2x that I was sorry it happened to him – my point was directed more to the parents who were astonished at the act at a high school rather than recognizing that not having it locked was an invitation to the crime. I truly hope the boy gets his bike back AND that his parents buy him a good lock for the school year.

mellaw6565 August 20, 2008 (12:55 am)

West Seattle – I don’t teach the kids that. I try and prepare them for these types of obstacles that they will encounter and rise above them.

My comment was referring to crime, which does suck in the real world. Please don’t take my comments out of context and attack me – that’s what’s pathetic.

JanS August 20, 2008 (2:11 am)

he turned his back for maybe 2 minutes(who amongst us really thinks that something will be taken in that small amount of time?)…a shame he didn’t keep his hand on said bike while he turned to sign something. The poor kid…I feel for him. And whoever took it? That’s who sucks. Oh, to have an ideal world where your first day at school isn’t marred by another first time student whose parents have failed him. That’s who the comments should be directed at.And I hope that if they find who did it, the kid gets expelled.JMHO.

But..it’s not only kids who need to be taught. Female adults who shop for groceries and leave their purse in the cart while they turn their back to bag some produce etc., or go halfway down the aisle to look for something and leave the cart unattended for only a minute or two. So.. I don’t think that we should be jumping all over this kid and his parents, although I’m sure it’s a lesson learned now. Hope he gets it back.

West Seattle Art Attack August 20, 2008 (3:07 am)

Peace mellaw6565. I shouldn’t have used the word pathetic and I should not have concluded that you convey a “real world sucks” philosophy to your students – that wasn’t fair. Sorry for the attack. I’ll pony up $10 toward a new bike for the kid if you will. That will go a little way toward ensuring the selfish act of one individual can be cancelled out by several selfless acts. . . . . on second thought, since you are an underpaid and probably overworked teacher I’ll put in $15 if you put in $5 ;-)

P August 20, 2008 (6:42 am)

I had to do a delivery at WSHS last year, and I have to admit, I walked in a door and roamed the halls for a good 5 minutes trying to located the office and not a single person asked me what I was doing, where I was going, or who I was looking for. It actually made me wonder how safe the school was. I do not have children, but I thought about all the children in the school and how unsafe or easy it would be for something to happen while the building is open. I expected to encounter someone asking me what I was doing or where I was going but nobody. I finally opened a door and asked someone sitting in a small office. I can understand how something like this can happen, and I feel for the student. First day is daunting enough.

beachdrivegirl August 20, 2008 (8:32 am)

Iw ould do that to West seattle Art Attack … i’ll put in $15 if mellaw will put in their $5…anyone else?

Cait August 20, 2008 (8:49 am)

I’m surprised that we aren’t placing more blame on school security if theft is such a huge problem. I’m so glad to hear there are cameras now though, that seems like a step in the right direction. I can tell you as a somewhat recent graduate (’04!) that the security is pretty much out to lunch at that school and that things like this are not uncommon.

I think freshman come in with a sense that there are going to be security people watching out and watching over you when you’re there, and you soon realize that they may try to make you think that they are there watching your every move, but they’re never watching the guy that’s stealing your stuff. Not that they can be everywhere at once, but if this problem is so endemic let’s make sure theft is on high disciplinary priority.

Let’s spread the “if you steal things, we’ll get you on camera and you’ll be punished” message instead of the “watch your back, everyone is out to get you” message. Though both are necessary I just think it’s a little unbalanced at the moment. Freshman are scared enough already.

MAS August 20, 2008 (9:17 am)

I guess it can’t hurt to say here that there is a whole category of theft that depends on the thinking “It should be safe here, for a few seconds.” What the potential victim isn’t aware of is that there’s someone lurking, waiting for the chance, and when it comes along they are prepared – so that the act is over in 10 or 15 seconds.

This is how cars with their motor running are taken from the driveway in winter, valuables in a car are taken while the owner feeds a meter (especially with our new “two trip” meters where you have to walk down the block, buy a tab and then return – do you lock your car while getting the tab??) and laptops are stolen in airports.

In defense of school security, protecting the safety of students is not the same job as protecting their valuables. It’s not that you can’t do both, it’s that with limited resources if you have to make choices – you choose safety. The other choice to make is prevention versus accountability, and it’s even more driven by resources. Preventing crime (as an active measure, not a societal one) is very very expensive in comparison to trying to make sure criminals are accountable (say though video-tape.)

All that said, I didn’t go to school here, so I don’t know if Seattle public schools are open or closed campuses. Things are a lot simpler with closed campuses.

Cait August 20, 2008 (9:27 am)

I think closing the campus would solve a lot of problems. And if I thought that the security at that school had their priorities in the right spots I would be quicker to defend them – but you’re right. It’s a tough job. It’s just easy, with all the other major problems they seem to be over-looking in the past few years to add something more to the criticism pile.

My hope is that despite whatever mischief may be going on that all the students feel safe when the come to school, whatever that may mean to them, so they continue to show up.

Irukandji August 20, 2008 (9:41 am)

I’ll put in $15.

Holly August 20, 2008 (9:58 am)

I’ll give the kid $15 dollars. I remember my freshman orientation years ago, it was horrible and I am so glad I never have to go through that again.

mellaw6565 August 20, 2008 (10:43 am)

West seattle – I’ll accept the apology for the “pathetic” remark but not sure if the $5 remark wasn’t also a slam. Don’t presume to know my finances, although teachers are woefully underpaid for what they do.

If there is a formal drive to raise money, I will certainly donate.

And MAS – exactly my point. If someone leaves something valuable out and then it gets stolen, why isn’t there some personal responsibility for that? We live in a very different world from years ago – it just is common sense these days to lock up your valuables, even for a few seconds or minutes. If someone puts there laptop on a chair in an airport to walk over to the trash can and someone swipes it – are they going to blame airport security or their own stupidity?

That is why schools have rules against bringing electronics, valuable jewelry, etc…. to school. If this young man went to Madison, I know he was taught about locking up his bike and leaving valuables at home. They go over this at the beginning of every school year. Why would he think high school is any different?

andrea August 20, 2008 (11:17 am)

i will certainly put money in too. where can we send it/deposit it? are you still out there Vargas family? so sorry to hear about the loss of your bike…there are some meanies out there, but I hope this bad experience doesn’t derail your excitement and the enjoyment of all that HS has to offer you!

mellaw6565 August 20, 2008 (11:49 am)

I’d be willing to chip in a bike lock too!

Mr. JT August 20, 2008 (12:35 pm)

The kids is lucky he didn’t get it jacked while he was riding it.

Cait August 20, 2008 (1:28 pm)

Not that I don’t feel bad for the kid, but don’t you think your money would be better spent on a kid who’s never had a bike? Let’s get him a bike lock instead.

Irukandji August 20, 2008 (5:49 pm)

Perhaps we can set a little something up at Alki Bike & Board. Talk with Apples or Stu. Maybe talk with the boy’s parents to see if this is something that would really help them. What would THEY like for their son to learn from this experience?

There are so many good causes to donate to. If this kid’s experience touches you, reach out to help. If you want to send money to an organization that helps other kids, go for it. We do what we can in a way that is meaningful for each of us.

TR – do you have contact info for the family? Can we be of any help to them or their son?

mellaw6565 August 20, 2008 (8:05 pm)

My point exactly Cait – but I got attacked for that sentiment!

Iruk – when my brother’s BMX bike got stolen oh so many years ago, my parents made him do extra chores and lawn mowing, etc… to earn 1/2 the amount to replace his bike. I talked to him last night and he said it was a learning experience because it taught him to take better care of his things and that his 2nd bike (because he paid for part of it) was more valuable to him than the first one. So maybe that’s an idea for the parents too.

pedal nulu August 20, 2008 (8:06 pm)

Bikes are not allowed inside the front door of WSHS. Could the bike have been confiscated? Did Stu and Alki Bike and Board place a business card with his customer’s name inside the seat stem?

Lisa August 20, 2008 (8:33 pm)

I am calling WSHS right now to leave a msg. My son just announced that it was weird “at orientation today he saw a brown mtn bike in a stall in one of the bathrooms”. HMMMMM. He doesn’t remember which bathroom…only the 2nd day in the school for him. I can’t believe NO one else would have seen this. Surely they know about it by now. After he told me this story…remembering this coverage I came to check and shore nuff…the bike taken is described as brown!

GenHillOne August 20, 2008 (10:16 pm)

Wow, do they do that pedal nulu? I’m going to have to go check ours – treasure hunt!

GenHillOne August 21, 2008 (7:18 pm)

Way to put the pieces together, Lisa – and great that your son told you about something “weird” at school!

West Seattle Art Attack August 22, 2008 (12:30 am)

I give up. I have decided I do not like green eggs and ham or mellaw6565. I threw an olive branch out there, put my tail between my legs and apologized, offered up some hard earned money to help the kid and get accused of slamming someone because I acknowledged that their chosen profession was typically considered underpaid for what they do. I do not give a rip about anyone’s finances, least of all some person I have never met. I’m through with this thread.

I am glad the bike was found. Everyone should be happy. I will continue to read the blog because I love it.

On a lighter note – it’s really cool that so many people offered to pony up some money for a new bike – that’s what West Seattle is all about.

Ms Pam August 22, 2008 (10:42 am)

I am sickened that no one around this kid (the day that it was taken)who obviously saw it happen didn’t give a yell or a “hey, that isn’t your bike?”. I get tired of teens being unwilling to speak up and stand up against wrongful actions because they are afraid of looking “uncool”. What is uncoool is allowing the punks to win, AGAIN! Sheeesh… Next time it just may be YOUR cell phone or backpack.

Sorry, comment time is over.