Two West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports – one, an alert for local businesses about an potentially prolific shoplifter; second, yet another report of a mysterious doorbell ring that in this case preceded a crime – read on:
First, Tracy at Twilight Gallery in The Junction wants to be sure other local businesses are on the lookout for this shoplifter:
Yesterday about 4 pm – a woman came into the shop, took about $300 worth of jewelry and I confronted her on California Ave and got my merch back.
She is about 50 years old, long brown hair, gray at the roots, glasses with a long black wool coat. She looks Eastern European with a slight accent. I’ve seen her before and I suspect she’s stolen from me before.
She was in West Seattle Optix when I found her and she threw the merchandise into the ashtray in front of West 5 as I followed her. She then headed toward CLICK!. We called over there but she was not in the store. I filed a police report and gave a description. I have seen her before. I will be installing cameras this week because I can’t begin to tell you how much stuff she had in her pockets. A real pro, this one.
Also, when I went through the jewelry she stole, I noticed that a pair of earrings were NOT from my store. They are gold and black dangle leaves. I can stop by some of the local shops to see if they belong to anyone.
Tracy has filed a report with police.
SECOND: A doorbell ring in the middle of the night, with no one apparently there, might not be your imagination or a prank. Last night we heard scanner traffic about another mystery ring, at least the third one we’ve heard of in the past week; today, a reader shared a report from his neighborhood e-mail list. We’re not using it verbatim since it did not come directly from the victim, but it happened in the North Admiral area around 11:30 pm. The doorbell rang; it wasn’t answered; then, writes the victim, someone “broke the glass panel to our outside door and unlocked the door.” The would-be burglar was subsequently chased off but also had apparently unscrewed the light bulbs in fixtures behind the house. This is the third time in a week we’ve heard of the mystery doorbell ring; first one was in Seaview, mentioned in this WSCW update last week; second one came to us from Admiral, via an e-mail question.
Police say that you should not simply ignore a doorknock or doorbell ring, whatever the hour, because it might indeed be a potential burglar – you don’t have to answer it, but making it clear someone is home (perhaps shouting “Can’t come to the door right now!”) could prevent a break-in attempt.
ONE MORE REMINDER: Neighborhood crime-prevention info and more at West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network tonight, 6:30 pm at the Southwest Precinct, Delridge/Webster.
| 28 COMMENTS