Before we get to the reports that have come in over the holiday weekend, the prevention info: In the photo, that’s Southwest Precinct crime-prevention coordinator Benjamin Kinlow. If you’re interested in setting up a Block Watch, or getting more information about prevention, he’s the guy you contact. We photographed him at a home in the southeastern corner of Gatewood last week; he was there at the request of neighbors who were concerned about burglaries in the area. He stressed that one powerful way to deter crime is for neighbors to know each other; being aware of what’s usual on your block helps you notice more quickly something that’s not. He also walked neighbors through making a map of their block with the names and addresses of residents clearly marked on the map. He said people need to give their neighbors permission to watch each others’ homes. You can contact him, to find out about Block Watch and/or neighborhood presentations, through the info on this page; you can also peruse prevention advice here. Meantime, we have reports of two car break-ins and a scooter theft, from three different West Seattle neighborhoods, ahead:

First – Jonathan shared a neighborhood report of a daylight break-in Sunday near 40th/Dakota (map) and says the same people have been hit twice in two months. According to the neighborhood e-mail bulletin he forwarded, the house was entered through an open window; the burglar/s found car keys and tried to steal the resident’s car, but: “Fortunately, driving was not their strong suit, and they wound up high-centering it on her curb.” Police are checking the resident’s garage-door opener for prints; the report documents three crimes – car theft, burglary and collision.

Another car break-in happened Thursday night at a house by Riverview Playfield (map); Catherine says the passenger window was smashed, but nothing was taken, and it didn’t even appear that the glove compartment had been searched. She adds it was one of at least two that night: “There was really nothing to take anyway. We noticed that down the street, a neighbor would be waking up to the same fate. We’re a little bit more than perturbed that someone else’s late night idiocy is costing us $200.”

Finally, John reports the theft of two scooters and a helmet: “a red scooter with the name Kathryn A on it and a blue scooter. My sister’s light pink helmet with dark pink stripes snapped onto it was also stolen.” He says they were stolen from a bike rack in a driveway near 36th/Othello (map).

If you see something suspicious happening right now, call 911; if you’re reporting something that’s long over, the SPD non-emergency number is 206-625-5011.