West Seattle Crime Watch: Car prowl x 2; business window fixed

| Crime | West Seattle news

Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes this morning – one from a car-prowl victim who discovered he wasn’t alone; second, a thank-you note from a business hit by a burglar – read on:

First note’s from Alex:

I live on SW Charlestown, 2 blocks west of California and (Thursday) morning I walked out to find my car had been broken into. The passenger’s side window had been smashed and they took my GPS and (god only knows why) my car’s manual. As I stood there making noises not words, 2 ladies, walking their dogs informed me there was another car just around the corner that had been broken into as well.

Called the cops, and tried to patch up the window with a garbage bag (not successfully). As I drove away I saw the other car. The bleeeeeps were out shopping in my neighborhood. I wish now I had taken a picture so I could send you.

Anyway, that’s it. Someone suggested I write you a note, maybe to alert other folks, but to tell you the truth, I don’t know how this sort of thing can be prevented.

Maybe not prevented, but dissuaded: Police have said over and over again, GPS devices are among the most popular targets of car prowlers, so if you have one, not only should you not leave it in your vehicle, you should also be sure you don’t leave visible hints – suction cups, etc.

Now, the thank-you note, from Gavin at Potter Construction (WSB sponsor):

A picture window at Potter Construction (5606 California Ave SW), broken in the wee hours several days ago by thieves who took a laptop computer, has been repaired. Thank you to the Seattle Police Department for their quick response to the crime, and to the many West Seattleites who expressed their concern.

LiveOnCharlestown April 16, 2010 (7:43 am)

Alex – I understand your frustration. My family lives on Charlestown, feet from your description. We regularly see people cruising up and down our alley ways and worry they are casing our homes. Become part of the block watch if you aren’t already. WSB can put you in touch with us. We need to watch out for each other!

miws April 16, 2010 (8:22 am)

Alex, just a thought regarding them taking the owner’s manual. I’m not certain, but I believe the manuals, at least at one time, may have had the key numbers printed in them, in order for the car owner to get replacement keys should theirs be lost.

Mike

flynlo April 16, 2010 (8:43 am)

Walked by a car in the ~7400 block of California Ave this AM at about 6:45 with a smashed in passenger side window.

Lola April 16, 2010 (9:19 am)

Unfortunatly the thiefs are getting more and more braisin. They stole my son’s seats right out of his car in our driveway. Unless you have a garage to keep your car in they are up for grabs by these theifs. I have even known garages to get broken into and the cars stolen right out of them. Sorry to hear about your break-in. I leave nothing in my car anymore as they have even stolen my prescription sun-glasses.

onceachef April 16, 2010 (9:47 am)

Hi Lola…no offense (I hope), but just wanted to mention (because I’m a grammar-spelling geek!) that “braisin’ as you used it, is spelled b-r-a-z-e-n…”braisin” is what you do to chicken :)

Alex April 16, 2010 (10:21 am)

Hi all! Thank you for your sympathy, and yes, I definitely had the suction cup up on my windshield. And I park on the street. I guess I’ve never had anything stolen before and West Seattle just seems so peaceful that I did have a sense of security well in place.

Mike, thank you for your comment! I hadn’t thought of that and I did call the dealer but they informed me they don’t do that anymore. I believe you’re right that at one point it was like you said.

I know of 3 people who have had this happen to them and they all lost their manuals as well. It puzzles me. It’s not that they are that expensive to replace either (I thought they might put them up on ebay?). It just contributes to the annoyance of it all.

kg April 16, 2010 (10:27 am)

Did Potter Construction have security window film or glass coating? If not will they be getting it to prevent future break in’s via windows?

T_Bickle April 16, 2010 (11:44 am)

wow onceachef.

miws April 16, 2010 (3:09 pm)

Hi Alex, well, I’m glad to hear that they don’t print the key numbers in the manuals anymore.

But, It’s been bugging me ever since reading about it. Wondering what the heck they’d want with the manual? If it isn’t for the key number(s), then what else? The VIN, so they could forge a title?

Anyway, I did some googling, and about the only thing that came up that seemed to apply to this situation, is that sometimes people will write down personal info inside the manual, stash receipts with credit card numbers in them, and so on.

So, hopefully that doesn’t apply in your case, but I guess it’s good to know, and yet another thing people have to worry about, considering all of those losers out there that think they are more important than everyone else, and think they’re entitled to other people’s property.

Mike

Seattle Logo Pro April 17, 2010 (9:29 am)

There has been a array of theft in out West Seattle. I had my whole car stolen on Sunday night;( (no broken glass) After talking to the Enterprise car rentel on 35th, they said that I was the 4th that day! Since then I’ve heard of quite a few since then, some even during the day. There is something going on, other than some punk kids joy riding. Let’s all make sure to report to the SPD, so they can see they WE have a problem here. Good luck to everyone!

missing NPR April 17, 2010 (7:08 pm)

Weds. morning Apr. 14 near 32nd SW and SW Cloverdale, I found my car broken into and the cd stereo missing. The car prowler also disconnected or broke controls to the air and heating, plus stole flashlights from a side pocket and walking shoes I kept under my driver’s seat. I discovered that both the bulb and some other crucial part of the interior light fixture were also broken by the thief.

Dallas April 17, 2010 (8:13 pm)

We were the owners around the corner. They probably targeted us since we had a phone dock mounted on the windshield. They searched the glove box and the armrest but didn’t seem to take anything. Or if they did it wasn’t anything that seemed important to us.

Well I’ll definitely be removing the phone dock when not in use. As for the neighbourhood watch, that sounds compelling,

tincanrocket April 19, 2010 (11:17 am)

I always have an eye out and and ear to the ground. I live in this area.

I am more than ready for thieves and burglars.

Craig April 25, 2010 (1:23 pm)

We’ve had both our cars broken into, and several other people on our block have also had their cars prowled, even with nothing of high value in the cars.

It seems pretty innocuous, but if you notice people at night walking down the street checking cars for locked doors it’s a safe bet they’ll be stealing something soon.

Sorry, comment time is over.