Three West Seattle Crime Watch notes tonight. We start with a story that unfolded over the past hour or so:
In a Monday WSCW roundup, we mentioned two stolen cars that SPD had put the word out about via @getyourcarback – we hadn’t heard at the time from either car’s owner, but since dispatchers broadcast the information and said the vehicles were missing in “William sector” (western West Seattle), we republished the Twitter reports. Later in the day, the blue Civic’s owner, Paul, e-mailed us to say that was his car. Fast forward to about an hour ago, when Barb in Gatewood texted us to say she was catching up tonight on WSB stories and realized that the unfamiliar car that had been in front of her house since yesterday was Paul’s. She called police; they arrived; Paul headed there from his house near Fauntleroy Park, about a mile away. He called as we were writing this, saying it seems to be in OK shape – ransacked, but the baby stroller and car seat were still there, and it runs OK: “I’m shocked that it was stolen, and shocked to have it back.” (And he says: Thanks, Barb!)
We also have a followup tonight in the saga of the stolen car found Monday afternoon when it crashed into a Highland Park fence.
We requested and obtained the police report today. The suspect arrested a few blocks away is just 13 years old; the report starts with the basics reported here Monday, that he was followed and detained by a witness a few blocks away. Police say that after being read his rights, he confessed to stealing the car because he found it with a key in its ignition. He started driving around and eventually was speeding in the 8100 block of 11th SW, then lost control and went up over the sidewalk and planting strip and into the fence and ivy – “threading,” as the report put it, between a fire hydrant and the parked motorcycle belonging to the witness who chased and caught him running away. The report says the suspect was booked into the Youth Services Center for investigation of auto theft, and that police were recommending additional charges of hit-and-run and property damage. We will follow up to find out if the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office formally charges him.
Finally, a case of vandalism in a local parking lot – while a teacher was picking up treats. Keith writes:
My wife’s car was keyed this morning at the Roxbury Safeway down near White Center. So frustrating. She makes only teacher pay and works hard for a living. This happened while picking up cookies for her class as a gift. She wrote on Facebook this morning, ‘My car got keyed this morning at Safeway. I am so sad. But I guess the day can only get better.’
This isn’t big time property damage, but an unnecessary reckless act. She always allows adequate space for other cars around her, this made no sense.
Before we published this, Keith wrote with an addendum, “It isn’t just the car door. They keyed the whole side length of the car from the taillight all down to the front. There was no vehicle either side of her car when she arrived, or left.”
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