West Seattle Crime Watch: Car theft with a semi-happy ending

We got two notes about this car theft but, before we could publish an item, a third note came in, saying the car had been found. Now, here’s the fourth note – tying up the story neatly (and neighbors may want to know a car thief’s at work nearby):

My wife and I thought we’d let you know her Honda Accord was stolen last night (we live on 37th Ave SW between Myrtle and Willow [map]) but thankfully recovered about a mile north of us on 32nd Ave SW. No serious damage but my wife’s phone charger was stolen (they left her $150 sunglasses, whew!). The thieves left the car turned on and the engine running – not long after we called the police the car was reported by neighbors who thought it odd a strange car would be left outside their house running all morning. It still had plenty of gas in it, though, and my wife happily drove off to work and we parted ways with the nice officers who responded quickly, Hope and Morales.

RobertSeattle May 6, 2009 (3:05 pm)

The Title of this blog entry made me chuckle…

WSB May 6, 2009 (3:12 pm)

I was originally writing “happy ending” but you know, no car theft can be truly “happy.” And don’t get me started on other odd phrasings. Like, “a drug deal gone bad.” So where are the “drug deals gone good”? No wait, don’t answer that. And in my old business, someone always wanted to write “brutal murder” and I would yell, wearing my editor’s cap, “Like there’s a KIND murder?” But I digress. Back to the news … TR

Morgan May 6, 2009 (11:07 pm)

I would like to sincerely thank Hope and Morales for their help in recovering my car – as well as the alert neighbor who reported it running without an occupant in front of their house. They all truly saved the day. I was back in my car within two hours of reporting it stolen and on my way to work. As a medical provider it was very nice to be able to be there for my patients on time.

swimcat May 7, 2009 (9:35 am)

I live on this block- our block watch needs to become more active since this kind of stuff is going on. There are a lot of people in this neighborhood that are home during the day so we all need to watch out for each other!

ps- a club for your car might be a good purchase. My friends make fun of me for using one and it takes an extra minute to put it on and take it off, but I feel better since I do think it is a deterrent. I’m just glad your car was found so quickly- others aren’t so lucky :(

Mustafa May 7, 2009 (4:49 pm)

I hope the po-po’s will put a bait car around the area — the kind that has the engine running outside a convenience store, somebody jumps in, then by remote it locks itself and stops, creating a prison for the car thieves. Busted! I swear if you did that enough times, you’d catch the cavalier offenders and also put word out that it might not be good to steal a car because it might just be a roach motel car, for which you are goin’ down if you steal.

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