West Seattle Crime Watch: Three cases of vandalism

Two loud booms rattled people in the heart of The Junction around 1 am, including WSB contributor Katie Meyer, who checked it out. According to what she learned at the scene and what we heard via scanner – somebody set off fireworks in the portable restroom by the bus shelter on the south side of SW Alaska, just west of California. Police and fire checked it out; the latter reported, there was certainly smoke, but no real fire and no significant damage.

Ahead, two other vandalism cases:

The egg-equipped vandals were at it again around 7 pm Saturday. From Cindy:

My house got egged – impact sounded like rapid-fire shots of some sort but thankfully it was nothing more than eggs. … While a minor matter, it was frightening and, of course, I don’t know if this was random or if my house was specifically targeted. I did find an empty
egg carton discarded in front near the sidewalk. I am in the block north of the West Seattle Library.

And in the Morgan Junction area, this happened to Jona early Saturday evening:

My neighbor and I had a window on each of our cars smashed in about an hour ago. We live near Fontanelle and Fauntleroy. There are no witnesses but we did encounter a couple in a white van asking for money at the gas station who said they needed it to get to vashon and then drove away towards California.

mookie October 23, 2011 (3:41 am)

Last week, a friend of mine on Gatewood hill discovered that her car – which was parked in her driveway – had its back window smashed out.

Dave V October 23, 2011 (5:35 am)

Thanks. I heard that explosion in the junction and was wondering what happened. It was VERY loud.

bridge to somewhere October 23, 2011 (9:12 am)

Aren’t there supposed to be SPD officers on foot in the junction on the weekends?

WSB October 23, 2011 (9:45 am)

Not that I know of … in fact, in a story we’ll finally publish today, the mayor met with some local businessfolks earlier this week and one of the complaints was that the Junction misses the two quasi-“beat cops” that used to work the area.

Gina October 23, 2011 (9:29 am)

I was on a walk this morning on 42nd near Ferry and noticed that a green classic LTD had the windshield and side windows smashed in with a landscape rock. Police were observing a car being towed in the same block, wonder if this was related.

Rachel October 23, 2011 (9:55 am)

Our car was broken into last night and a GPS unit and a large box of pasta samples was stolen. We live on Fauntleroy in Morgan Junction and the car was parked in our driveway.

Ralph October 23, 2011 (11:03 am)

Note how quickly the criminal activity re-appeared once we lost our two quasi-“beat cops”. That was not a coincidence. They were two of the hardest working cops you’ll find in SPD.

Jiggers October 23, 2011 (11:15 am)

That parking lot is a haven for any kind of crime on any given night. I’ve known people who’s cars have been stolen there. That area needs more lighting and possibly cameras installed at strategic locales.Police certainly isn’t there enough.

Jona October 23, 2011 (11:16 am)

With regards to the cops, when I called to report my neighbor and I had our windows down they told me that they don’t send cops because it happens so often and it’s not worth their time. What I hadn’t realized is that my neighbor called and requested an officer and the officer never showed. This isn’t the first time this has happened to people in our building and with what feels like an increase in crime within the neighborhood in general I’m left wondering what law enforcement is doing…

sandy October 23, 2011 (6:48 pm)

not to get totally off track of story, but those bus stop stations are sooooooooooooo ugly and weird looking with the metal artwork attached on top…and then the porta pottie right there…? can’t the city come up with something a little more modern and classy and build some REAL bathrooms!!!!!? This is Seattle!!!!

bridge to somewhere October 23, 2011 (7:28 pm)

@wsb: thanks. i do think the SPD had folks assigned on foot for a while after the steve b. shooting. even if they didn’t, i think beat cops are an EXCELLENT idea–it’s a great way to deter crime, and what’s more, it better connects the neighborhood to the police as folks get to know them.

Lindsay October 23, 2011 (10:12 pm)

This past thursday night our neighbor’s car was broken into. The burglar’s didn’t steal anything because they were spooked by neighbor’s. We live right down from the Alaska/California junction in the 4600 block.

Adro October 24, 2011 (9:06 am)

Unfortunatley the police can’t really do anything if your car window gets busted out. They aren’t going to dust for prints and if anything was stolen it’s probably too little of an amount for the police to waste tax dollars on locating and/or recovering the stolen items. The key is prevention: car alarms, street lights, community awareness, and increased police presence.

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