ALKI TAGGING VANDALISM: We have chosen to subscribe to law enforcers’ belief that publishing photos of graffiti vandalism in its entirety does more harm than good, so the photo you see at left shows only the edges of two fluorescent-pink tags (picture’s left and bottom edges) scrawled on the new Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza pedestal last night. David Hutchinson from the Statue of Liberty Plaza Project has reported the vandalism to the Parks Department, saying, with hope, “This may be a good test of the anti-graffiti coating,” while adding, “This is just the latest incident in a recent outbreak of this type of activity at Alki.” He also included in his report to Parks four photos taken a few days ago showing even bigger tags painted on and around the Alki Bathhouse (on its siding, inside and outside restrooms, and on a utility box). We will follow up tomorrow on cleanup plans. By the way – here’s how to report graffiti/tag vandalism on public property.

1 WEST SEATTLE MURDER IN 2008: The statistic is official now that the year is over. 49-year-old Tracey Creamer, a Highland Park resident killed by her husband before he killed himself (first reported here May 5 though the Medical Examiner ultimately determined she was killed in mid-April), was the only West Seattle murder victim last year, among 28 citywide (each one catalogued in this P-I article today). In 2007, three murders happened in West Seattle; all three resulted in convictions, with the killers now serving time in prison (the last ’07 WS case was closed with a sentencing we covered just four weeks ago).

THEFT REPORT: The police report is of course the most important report you can make if crime happens to you, but we also publish reports here on WSB to help neighbors keep track of what’s happening where – and better to hear about it late than never – Scott in the 6000 block of 42nd SW (map) sent this note:

Week of December 8: Yakima bike rack with 3 bike trays, including an ATOC topper, was stolen off my Toyota Camry. The rack was 10 years old and probably worth less than $200. Unfortunately, the thieves also damaged the car’s rain gutters because two of the four rack towers were locked. Probably an $800 loss. Our first incident since moving to the neighborhood

Once we have posted crime reports here on the main page, we link them to the Crime Watch page, where you also will find the latest major Southwest Precinct reports posted on the Seattle Police SPDBlotter site, as well as some handy resource links about crime prevention and reporting. If a huge story is taking up the home page (as was the case during Snowmare ’08), you will see some crime reports appear on the CW page first.