West Seattle Crime Watch: Burglary encore in Admiral

| Crime | West Seattle news

Pauline e-mailed to say that while she’s relatively new to the neighborhood, she has had an overly warm welcome from the criminal element – read on:

My house (Manning and 42nd SW) [map] has been broken into twice now. The first time (May 6, 8am – 1pm) they took two laptops, a book bag and an ipod. I assumed that this was kids who came through the back window.

We secured all of the windows with trip locks that allowed them to open only 3 inches.

Except for the back door window.

So, last Friday (July 17, 1pm – 4pm) they came back for the last ancient computer, my lawn mower, and my roommates jewelry. We’re all obviously upset. I believe that the thieves waited for me to file an insurance claim to replace my laptop (literally only thing of value taken the first time), and tried to steal it again.

My neighbors have lived here for 25 years and they say that this is extremely unusual. Detective Bauer came by today to do some additional fingerprinting. He was extremely professional and I appreciated his prompt response.

Basically, please post a note that if you’ve been broken into recently please be extra vigilant because apparently someone is making the rounds twice.

Dave July 21, 2009 (10:04 am)

Do you know for sure that it was through a window? Have the locks been changed – could it be someone with a key?

Carole July 21, 2009 (11:15 am)

The map is off by blocks – pointing to Admiral/42nd, not Manning/42nd

alki_2008 July 21, 2009 (11:28 am)

Are you in a rental unit? If so, then it might be worthwhile to check with the landlord to make sure they changed the locks. Prior tenants could’ve made copies of the keys…even if they have the “do not duplicate” stamped on them.

WSB July 21, 2009 (11:35 am)

Carole, fixing, thanks!

Ron July 21, 2009 (11:38 am)

I HAD MY HOUSE BROKEN INTO LAST YEAR, 47TH AVE AND ADMIRAL WAY. THIS WAS A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, MAYBE NOT SO MUCH NOW. THIS RISE IN CRIME IS THE RESULT OF IDIOT LIBERALS AND THEIR SOCIAL ENGINEERING, SUBSIDIZED HOUSING, URBAN VILLAGES AND ALL THE CRAP THAT COMES WITH IT. THEY DREAM OF A DIVERSE UTOPIA OF CULTURE, LIFESTYLE, INCOME BUT END UP WITH BROKEN NEIGHBORHOODS, WHEN WILL THEY LEARN. LIBERALISM IS A MENTAL DISORDER.

glendafrench July 21, 2009 (11:57 am)

Thanks Ron for the well thought out post on how liberalism is a mental disorder. The ALL CAPS form of your comment really underscored the deep and well reasoned points you were bringing up.

Pauline, sorry this was your intro to this neighborhood. It is pretty unusual.

And sorry about Ron.

Mark July 21, 2009 (12:17 pm)

Ron,

Pastor Ken Hutcherson just called, he said they have room for you in Kirkland. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

miws July 21, 2009 (12:58 pm)

Ron, I’ve been wondering for years and years what the heck was wrong with me! Now, due to your kindness, I know!

You have not only saved me a ton of money, from paying for a psychiatrist, but the embarrassement of doing so as well!

Mike

Jersey Jill July 21, 2009 (12:58 pm)

I agree with Ron this urban Village crap has to stop!! As a 5th generation West Seattle resident I can assure you it has only taken a turn for the worst. As for you saying That the Admiral is a good area. I repeat what an officer told us, “there are no safe area’s in Seattle” then he proceeded to ask us why we would ever want to raise our children in West Seattle!!!

sam July 21, 2009 (1:12 pm)

accusing someone of insurance fraud ? wow

maybe there’s something else going on, but that’s the first time I’ve seen that accusation of a burglary victim here.

(also- if I’m a mentally ill liberal, can I file for disability ?)

Jersey Jill July 21, 2009 (1:15 pm)

good one sam!! let me know if you can I will stand in line with you and who will be right in front of us in line the burglarys with stolen ID!! Laughing

Koni July 21, 2009 (1:43 pm)

Yikes people! Here is a burglary … not funny if it happens once, let alone twice. Unfortunately, with the economy the way it is (not Obama’s fault, he inherited it ;) many people seem to be turning to crime to meet the bills. The only thing we can really do is watch out for each other and be vigilant about our own homes and cars. Maybe we should leave politics and victim blaming (and weird accusations) out of it ;)

JenV July 21, 2009 (2:16 pm)

Ron = WHARRGARBL!

Mark July 21, 2009 (2:53 pm)

Better yet, lets hope the burglars next stop is this Liberals home in North Admiral. Nothing worse than a frightened conservative like Ron.

Mookie July 21, 2009 (2:58 pm)

JenV – Thanks for the LOL. :-)

Robert July 21, 2009 (3:08 pm)

Ron – you are supposed to take the meds ORALLY – they are not suppositories.

MargL July 21, 2009 (3:28 pm)

JenV – that made me giggle. Then I googled it and it got even better! I have to find a tissue to wipe my eyes.

JanS July 21, 2009 (3:32 pm)

Pauline…I’m so very sorry this happened to you twice. And I’m equally sorry for the attitude of some of our neighbor’s…seems that Ron is having a bad day.His planets are surely out of alignment. And Christopher, I’m trying to figure out if you are just sayin’ or being sarcastic. It’s not like you to just accuse someone like that. I’m surprised.

coffee July 21, 2009 (5:11 pm)

Also, with the hot spell we are having, I am seeing TONS of windows wide open and its very clear nobody is home. Not a very good idea. I know its not nice outside with the heat, but we all have to be extra careful. And now is a great time to meet your neighbors and get to know each other.

miws July 21, 2009 (5:25 pm)

I, too, had to Google “WHARRGARBL”.

I think my favorite definition is #5 from the Urban Dictionary! :D

Mike

Megan July 21, 2009 (5:43 pm)

Ron is a loser troll. What a cowardly comment to make when someone had their privacy and safety violated. If you move out of West Seattle, Ron, you certainly WON’T be missed.

Christopher Boffoli July 21, 2009 (7:28 pm)

sam and JanS: For the record the comment that mentioned insurance fraud was not mine but the work of a troll who has been signing my name to his posts lately. Another WSB reader was kind enough to alert me to it and the comment has been removed.

Gina July 21, 2009 (7:57 pm)

Had 3 bicycles stolen from garage in Admiral when Nixon was president. My parents’ gas tank was siphoned twice, and two lawn mowers were also stolen. Not all at once, but from about 1968-1973.

All from a garage with the door down. Nowadays in Admiral, if I forget to put the door down overnight, nothing is taken.

To me, with 48 years in the area, there have been quite a few scary things that have happened around here over the years. The parents had family here from 1918, and to here them tell it, West Seattle went to hell in a handbasket when the soldiers were camping at Hiawatha!

Tim July 21, 2009 (8:12 pm)

Please don’t blame the economy for a rise in crime. It comes across like you are excusing the crime. It’s less about people needing to make ends meat, and more about them being too lazy to fund their standard of living by their own frugality and hard work. Many people have to cut their budgets, but they don’t all go out and rob their neighbors. These are selfish people who don’t respect themselves or others. I won’t be sad to read when one of them breaks into the wrong house and takes a bullet in the face.

pauline July 21, 2009 (8:45 pm)

Thanks everyone. I changed the locks before I even moved in. I still think that it was kids and that my house is some kind of learning ground now. I’ve lived in Oakland with bars on my windows and never had problems like this. I’ve also lived in Japan where the doors didn’t lock with no problems. Crime (and bored kids) are opportunistic. Its a chore to be vigilant but vigilance and saying hi to the neighbors is better than bars and circling helicopters any day.

JanS July 21, 2009 (11:41 pm)

Christopher…thanks for clarifying…the first thing I noticed was that I couldn’t click on your name. And it definitely didn’t sound like you at all :)

JanS July 21, 2009 (11:45 pm)

Gina…soldiers at Hiawatha? I think I heard that before, maybe from you, even. Yeah…it’s been a steady decline since then…poor Ron…

Gina July 22, 2009 (4:06 am)

http://www.pan.ci.seattle.wa.us/seattle/parks/history/HiawathaPF.pdf

Scroll down the pdf, has some information about soldiers at Hiawatha. Was a magnet for children from Lafayette, and girls from West Seattle High School, according to legend.

miws July 22, 2009 (12:12 pm)

Thanks for the link, Gina!

My Mom graduated from WSH, in probably 1946. So, she may have been one of those high school girls clamoring around the soldiers! ;)

Mike

Michael July 22, 2009 (1:31 pm)

When seconds count, Seattle Police will be there in several minutes!!

Steve P July 22, 2009 (2:32 pm)

Have you considered a dog Pauline? Dogs are wonderful companions and very effective at deviating nefarious intent. Just don’t get a small one, I recommend a German Shepard.

pauline July 22, 2009 (11:24 pm)

I actually work in Tacoma so I’m not home enough to be a responsible pet owner. I have been considering a cougar… independent but scarier than the average tom cat.

robertojose July 23, 2009 (4:45 pm)

Every day I work with juvenile offenders. These criminals know they can commit dozens of non-violent property crimes and rarely be committed to juvenile detention. Most of them come from families where Welfare Mom is also criminally inclined. Daddy is often in prison. Only when they commit violent weapons-related crimes do they face the possibility of criminal sanction. Then, the most time they will do is 30 days. The Washington State Legislature created this environment of juvenile lawlessness. And for the most part, the Seattle Police Department has a mandate to focus on violent crime. You need to protect yourself and your families. The cops can’t do it all. Besides, the police officers already know the juvenile offender will just be released back to their criminally-influenced Welfare Mom who probably has a criminal record of her own.

Jessica August 6, 2009 (9:46 pm)

I was just reading this blog and we got broken into on 42 and andover on july 17 about 12pm
who ever did it broke into our garage and took a lot of exspensive tools. they dumped out a garbage bag and must thrown all of our tools in it. I thought it was weird it was the same day and we only live a few blocks from the other house that got broken into.

Sorry, comment time is over.