West Seattle Crime Watch: Swinery smash-grab theft

Thanks to Brenda and to John Moore of Northwest Insurance Group (WSB sponsor) for sending in the tip after seeing the broken glass – Someone smashed The Swinery‘s front window overnight and made off with its cash register. We talked to The Swinery’s Garrett Doherty, who said there appeared to be a scattered trail of small change leading southbound. We’ve also checked with Southwest Precinct Lt. Norm James, who says the thief/thieves didn’t actually go into the shop – they managed to grab the register through the broken window. Though sometimes commercial burglaries come in waves, he says there hasn’t been an unusual number lately. (Last night he told the Alki Community Council that crime overall has been quieter in West Seattle lately; our report on the ACC meeting’s coming up later.) No arrest in this, yet.

celeste17 July 16, 2010 (12:13 pm)

Hope they catch the creeps that did this. And if its kids make the parents pay for the cost of the window.

WSB July 17, 2010 (1:19 pm)

For heaven’s sake, it’s like half the window. From inside:
https://westseattleblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/otherside.jpg
.
A longer report should be out in a few days.

Alki Resident July 16, 2010 (1:03 pm)

How do the kids learn if the parents pay for it?Id make my kid pay for any damage they do.

Wendy Hughes-Jelen July 16, 2010 (1:12 pm)

Wow I am really sorry to hear about this. We just made our first visit to The Swinery on Wednesday and enjoyed a very good Croque Monsieur. Sorry guys!

Amanda July 16, 2010 (1:19 pm)

Cursed! And curses! Hopefully they will catch the thief or thieves.

celeste17 July 16, 2010 (1:26 pm)

Thank You Alki I should have said that instead of the parents.

Mike in the Junction July 16, 2010 (1:28 pm)

I didn’t see anything in the story about kids taking it? They may need to be a bit smarter than leaving a cash register in plain view. Good products just weird stuff going on lately w/ this place.

KBear July 16, 2010 (1:51 pm)

Wow. The Swinery will resort to anything to maintain continuous WSB coverage! Which reminds me, I need some bacon dogs… Guess it worked!

annet July 16, 2010 (2:14 pm)

Sad to hear that someone was tempted enough to smash a window. Screw the next till to the counter and leave the bank drawer empty and open.

JennyB July 16, 2010 (2:28 pm)

How sad- we’ll be by this afternoon to show our support!

Sammie July 16, 2010 (2:42 pm)

Ditto to that KBear! I just got back from there for lunch and should have snagged some of the bacon dogs… I don’t know why I didn’t think of that. On a positive note: window is already fixed!

westie July 16, 2010 (2:55 pm)

Just had a bacon dog today with some Chow Chow relish that I got from the new produce market on Fauntleroy. Do it.
This stealing thing sucks. I was in just the other day and the gal told me there fridge units went out and they had to through all of their meat out. What a shame.

LanceR July 16, 2010 (3:23 pm)

I love the Swinery and sorry to hear of this setback.

While it may be not have been the situation, I certainly hope that the Swinery (and any other WSB businesses) try to avoid this situation in the future by making sure the cash drawer is emptied after closing down and LEFT OPEN which is usually a visual clue that it’s probably empty and not worth breaking in to get (not to mention, if they did break in, they may just leave the register if found empty, which can save money in equipment)

livingundertheWSbridge July 16, 2010 (3:26 pm)

I wonder if they had an alarm system put in place?

manolita July 16, 2010 (3:28 pm)

How terrible. Shame on the punks that did this.

Forest July 16, 2010 (3:52 pm)

Well, perhaps the thieves stole the cash register by reaching through the smashed front window without cutting themselves or entering the shop. A simpler explanation would be that they lifted the register from inside the shop, then simply smashed the front window and scattered a trail of coins after they’d exited by a door.

Cjboffoli July 16, 2010 (3:57 pm)

Wow. Just what this business DIDN’T need right now. Actually, I can’t think of one other local business that has their cash register sitting right in the front window. It seems some desperate person noticed. Best of luck to the SPD in catching the swine that did this.

coffee July 16, 2010 (5:03 pm)

cash registers should always be left empty with the drawer wide open at night time. That alone should deture the theft. And that’s regardless of the location of the register.

onceachef July 16, 2010 (6:51 pm)

Gee…all the crazy stuff that has happened with this place…I like the comment by Cjboffol – “Best of luck to the SPD in catching the swine that did this.” (pun intended?)…I hope they smoke ’em when they catch them…justice!

And yes…move the register!

Admiral Janeway July 16, 2010 (10:29 pm)

I don’t know if this is related, but B-town Burgers
had its cash register stolen on Thursday.

http://www.b-townblog.com/2010/07/16/b-town-biz-b-town-burgers-suffers-break-in-burglary/

Cheryl July 17, 2010 (7:21 am)

This isn’t the first business on CA to have their cash register robbed (Again & A Gain comes to mind & theirs was robbed twice!).
–
I realize West Seattle is a quiet & (generally) safe community, but are store owners REALLY that naive to think you can ever leave cash in a register, or anywhere on site, overnight? Either get a safe & have it bolted to the floor in a locked office or take cash drops DAILY to the bank. It’s never shocking to me that there are a$$holes out there looking for an opportunity to steal, but it does shock me that shop owners & home owners make it so darn easy for them to do so. An ounce of prevention…

That said, I’m very sorry the Swinery was ripped off!

LDH July 17, 2010 (9:45 am)

I don’t see anywhere in the post stating that the register had money in it. It mentioned small change. My assumption is that they smashed and grabbed- only to realize there was not much loot. I really hope that’s the case. I can’t imagine a shop owner leaving much more than small change in a register overnight. Especially because most folks pay with credit/debit card these days anyways, and keep just enough cash to make change in the rare event someone wants to pay with hard cold cash.