West Seattle Crime Watch: 4 reports, including ‘determined’ burglar

Four West Seattle Crime Watch notes this afternoon: First, a WSB Forums post with details on stolen fishing gear, taken from someone who came here to join the big fishing rush at Lincoln Park – the friend who reported it hopes you might spot it on Craigslist or at a pawn shop and report it to police. Read the post here. Ahead, three reports including a burglary whose victim thought the culprit might have used a sledgehammer:

Hal e-mailed the burglary report:

My house in Arbor Heights was burglarized on Thursday. The house is on 35th Ave near 110th St. [map]

It happened while I was at work during the day. I think it was one person who did it. He was determined to get in. He came in through a door in the carport. It’s a metal clad door with a strong dead bold. He hit the door with something powerful enough to destroy the door and frame. I think it required a sledgehammer and must have been very loud. It looks like he hit it about eight or ten times.

They took a few things and all my medications. I think they were looking for drugs because they left all my electronic equipment, computer and guitars. I had received medications by mail the day before and I wonder if there is a connection.

There is a police report.

Alex‘s car was broken into near The Junction:

We live on 40th Ave SW between Alaska and Oregon. [map] They took my gps, broke locks and alarm system.

Alex hadn’t called the police before contacting us (but has now) – as we remind everyone, PLEASE report everything to SPD. Even if only so they can have better records of what’s really happening, when determining where to patrol, etc. – and you never know when they might arrest someone for something else, and be able to trace her/him to your case, providing there’s a report on file.

Finally, a case of illegal dumping, reported earlier this week by K:

Last week someone dumped a dresser, a reclining chair and a big tv in a wood case on our parking strip near 48th and Spokane. [map] I know it wasn’t our neighbor because I asked and anyway, he would have put it on the corner if he wanted it gone. The recliner was taken within a day but the other stuff has been there a week. (We’ve called the city but the recording says it can take up to 10 days for them to respond.)

Tonight at about 11:00 pm, I heard someone pull up outside the house and the sound of young men’s voices. Then I heard a loud smash and one of the men say “oh s@&t”, laugh and get back into the car, which left in a hurry. I saw them drive off but couldn’t see much, it was so dark.

Turns out they turned the tv over into the street and then took a dresser drawer and smashed my neighbor’s car windshield.

13 Replies to "West Seattle Crime Watch: 4 reports, including 'determined' burglar"

  • onceachef August 12, 2011 (4:14 pm)

    Sorry about the damage to the car…it’s maddening that people just leave their sh## on the street corner…it’s your junk so take it to the dump OR donate it…but don’t leave it on the street! What am I thinking…people who do this (leave stuff on corners) don’t read this blog or care what’s said.

  • John August 12, 2011 (5:16 pm)

    They do it in my neighborhood too. They put a “FREE” sign on it and think that makes it OK. If you want to give something away list it on Seattle freecycle and if someone wants it they will pick it up.

  • p. August 12, 2011 (5:44 pm)

    I caught someone going through my vehicle at the 5400 block of California Ave. in the ally on the east side of the street at 1:30 am on Wednesday night. Luckily for me he just got started when I surprised him. (took a couple dollars in spare change) I chased this late 20’s early 30’s white male down the ally screaming at him. I never caught him though as I have probably missed a few too many workouts these past few years…too much jiggle now that I am older. The crappy part is that he called me “bro” when I started chasing him. “bro”?

  • KeithN August 12, 2011 (6:39 pm)

    actually putting stuff serves a purpose – it’s free for someone else to use it. I live on a corner and nearly everything finds a new home within a matter of hours and those that need it welcome a freebie. If it doesn’t go then it goes to the dump. don’t judge what’s going on.

    On the other hand for the person who’s car was smashed that is terrible and hopefully the people who did it eventually will pay for their stupid behavior.

  • Pat August 12, 2011 (7:16 pm)

    We have left good stuff on parking strip with FREE sign on and it was taken immediately. We left a patio table, overstuffed chair, and flower pots. We would remove anything not taken by evening. I feel it is recycling and see nothing wrong with it.

  • dreck August 12, 2011 (8:10 pm)

    the police does not give a sh*t of west seattle, they just come here to give speeding ticket to people ridding bycicle :
    https://westseattleblog.com/2011/07/west-seattle-speeders-spd-stops-a-42-mph-bicyclist

    during summer time (which is now) there is a huge amount of people heading to ws and to alki, there is no police presence all the day long but we have gang members all the day long …there’s people speeding everyday on 59th and there is a school there, I guess they are just waiting for a kid to be killed…

  • MB August 12, 2011 (8:40 pm)

    Nothing wrong with it as long as it’s on YOUR parking strip!

  • RG August 13, 2011 (6:34 am)

    I’ve often said I wish the police would come to the other side of Admiral to catch speeders. 59th and Admiral is especially dangerous.
    .
    Trying to turn left onto Admiral after picking up your kid from school is dangerous; you look left, you look right, and see no cars coming. When you think it’s safe to turn out into the turn lane there’s a car blasting up the hill, honking at you. They’re going 45 so they weren’t even there when you deemed it safe to turn.
    .
    This area got even more dangerous since the city got rid of the school crossing guard to save a few bucks. (A couple of hours in the morning and afternoon, the city couldn’t pay for that? Really?)
    .
    Furthermore, regardless of whether school is in session or not, there are kids around this area all year long. There’s the preschool, community center, two playgrounds, and the ball fields.
    .
    Oh, and those speedbumps are laughable; completely useless. The people who come down to party at Alki (1.5 blocks from the beach) fly over them for sport.
    .
    Sorry to be OT but I just feel so frustrated about the speeding around the neighborhood and nothing is ever done about it. Dreck is right, when a child gets mowed down then maybe something will be done.

  • JoAnne August 13, 2011 (10:48 am)

    I have had packages stolen from my mailbox, and I believe criminals will make extra effort if they think you have a package containing drugs. I guess they either go around peeking into mailboxes or they are watching from somewhere in the neighborhood. Possibly a worker of some kind.

    We have also had a worker from a nearby project walk into our fenced back yard. I wish mail handlers would always wear uniforms, but ours often don’t. I did report it to the Postmaster General.

  • Christopher August 13, 2011 (11:20 am)

    I have no objection to putting usable things on the curb because they’re usually gone quickly. However too many losers put out total garbage that even charities wouldn’t take. They are not making it available to someone that needs it. They are dumping their garbage for the rest of us to deal with.

  • Kevin August 13, 2011 (12:45 pm)

    I completely agree with another post here about the police and West Seattle. I moved away from West Seattle after 13 years. I loved it there, but the SPD doesn’t give a rat’s ass about West Seattle. I had someone trash my yard and shatter windows when I lived there. I had to call the SPD FOUR Times before the IDIOTS finally arrived. They are stupid and a waste of time!

  • Steve S. August 13, 2011 (12:54 pm)

    If you’re going to put something out, first put it on YOUR OWN strip, then place an ad in the free section of Craigslist. Oh and make sure it’s not truly junk. CRT monitors and TV’s will not be picked up; no one wants those anymore.

    • WSB August 13, 2011 (1:01 pm)

      We have a freebies/deals/sales section in the WSB Forums – a little more targeted than Craigslist, but certainly they’re worth a try too :)

Sorry, comment time is over.