West Seattle Crime Watch: Four reader reports and reminders

| Crime | Safety | West Seattle news

Four West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports:

HIT-AND-RUN: Reported tonight by Emily:

I was walking my dog around the block near my house. Because it is twilight, I lit the bright green light that I attach to her leash. I was crossing Admiral at 63rd on the east side of the intersection, walking north. A woman driving a dark brown car (I think it was a Ford Taurus) was driving north on 63rd and turned right on to Admiral. She ran the stop sign, which unfortunately happens a lot at this intersection. When she saw me, she slammed on her brakes but slid into my legs. Thankfully I was not seriously hurt, but I can tell I will have some spectacular bruises tomorrow. What I’m most upset about is that the woman did not stop to see if I (or my dog) needed help.

MYSTERY CREDIT-CARD FRAUD: From Alan:

We just found out that our credit card had fraudulent purchases made on it (Wednesday). We were told that the card was scanned for the purchases, so the person made a copy of our card. One was for over $500 at Rite-Aid. We know the purchases were in Seattle, but we don’t know if they were in West Seattle. We do know that we haven’t charged anything outside of the West Seattle area in the last week. The furthest away were two restaurants in Georgetown and they are places we normally go. We did use our credit card twice yesterday and both places (one small restaurant and one large retailer – not Rite-Aid) were places we have not been before. The large retailer seems unlikely, as the card never left our view and it seems unlikely the checker could have had a copy device in the reader. Sadly, that makes us suspect the small restaurant. It is certainly possible that someone made the copy some time ago and is just now using it.

With shopping season upon us, I would encourage people to watch their accounts. I’m just happy that something about the charges being spotted by our credit card company. No loss to us, except for some trust.

(MONDAY UPDATE: See Alan’s comment – after comparing notes with someone who had something similar happen, he now suspects this happened OUTSIDE West Seattle after all.)

(back to original report) ‘NOT JUST PACKAGES BEING STOLEN‘: From Amanda:

Wanted to warn folks that it’s not just packages being stolen. I had $100 worth of grocery delivery taken from my porch early this morning. I’ve been an Amazon Fresh customer since the beginning (7 years?), and have never had anything stolen before. But when I went to get my deliver off the porch, all but one small bag of food was gone. The thievery must have taken place between 4 and 6 am.

She added in a postscript that Amazon refunded the full value, even though she told them it was a theft.

PACKAGE-THEFT SIDE NOTE: If it’s happened to you lately, please read this comment following our previous Crime Watch roundup.

CAR VANDALISM (OR PROWL?): Reported tonight by Bill:

My wife took our kids to the West Seattle YMCA and parked outside the front door on 36th Ave. SW with our Toyota Highlander. 4:30 PM. Returned at 5:45 PM to find the passenger side rear window smashed out. Nothing apparently missing. Just letting you know in case other reports come in about vandalism in that area.

He reported it online – which you can do with some categories of crime; the start page is here.

JanS November 28, 2014 (11:17 pm)

I stopped using Amazon Fresh (and a CSA) because they would leave groceries on the doorstep of my apt. bldg., and I had things stolen numerous times. If they can’t bring them inside to me, they don’t get my business. One can only hope that the perpetrators were indeed hungry and needed the food more than I did :(

JanS November 28, 2014 (11:19 pm)

Emily, I hope you reported to the police. At least, if they have a description, they can be on the lookout. Hope you heal quickly, and aren’t too sore tomorrow :(

Community Member November 28, 2014 (11:31 pm)

About the credit card – before you blame the small restaurant, consider whether you were due to get a replacement card in the mail.

Ag November 29, 2014 (12:34 am)

We were caught up in targets Home Depot and someone else’s (can’t recall which other major retailer it was) debacle last year. A lot of my cards were automatically replaced by the issuers when they noticed I’d shopped there and proactively swapped them out. The ONLY one not swapped out was used two weeks or so ago to order a handful of things overseas and in Maryland. Bank replaced that immediately. My point is it could have been last year, even, and they only duped it and began using it recently. But then if it’s all local spots where it was used, that sounds like you had a new one come and someone stole your mail. ;-)

Kristin November 29, 2014 (7:20 am)

Amazon Fresh does have an option you can select where they do “attended delivery”. Obviously it can be harder to plan around, but the delivery window is I think 2 hours for attended versus 4 for unattended, so that could be a good option!

Mike November 29, 2014 (7:25 am)

It’s good to get the notice out about the CC fraud. It’s not uncommon, we’ve had it happen and seeing this will make me take yet another look at our statement again today. Call your credit card company and report it ASAP. Many times these things happen in tandem with other peoples cards being stolen and used. The banks will cooperate with authorities to help track down the people. Reputable banks will allow you to contest the charges and make sure you don’t have to pay for it.
.
Amazon fresh, that’s one of many reasons I don’t use that service. It’s a great idea, but there are a lot of people that think it’s funny to take your food and toiletry items from your door step. Get a video camera setup for your doorstep or punch them in the face if you see them try to steal it at your door, that’s about all you can do to try and prevent it. I’d prefer the punch them in the face method, they typically won’t return then.
.
I love this
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Watch-Homeowner-tackles-burglar-on-front-lawn-282878031.html

Alan November 29, 2014 (8:27 am)

Community Member and Ag,

Note that I did not name the restaurant. I know that it could have been elsewhere and maybe some time ago.

I have a locking mailbox and have had no reason to receive new cards. My cards were not stolen, so someone had to have made a copy.

Kim November 29, 2014 (8:37 am)

Emily– we just had the conversation last night, as someone failed to stop at that corner well until they were past the sign. Ugh! I’m wondering if I should “practice” with our dogs by hanging out there more often, just to make people aware. I’ve seen someone blaze right through doing 35mph. Frightening. I’m sorry you we’re hurt.

Cathy November 29, 2014 (8:46 am)

I got hit with CC Fraud yesterday, was notified by card company and they cancelled the transaction and the card. Please don’t just wait for the statement, but check all the accounts on a regular basis. It’s a real pain and I hope the authorities can track them down.

shipwrecked_and_comatose November 29, 2014 (10:25 am)

Emily and Kim-I too have witnessed someone completely blowing that stop sign. I don’t know why, but it seems drivers get extra-distracted in that area. As a daily motorcycle commuter, I always assume EVERY driver will run EVERY stop sign and red light, ALL yield signs will be ignored, and NO ONE has any idea that you’re supposed to slow and yield to the right at uncontrolled intersections. This unfortunately might make a good mantra for pedestrians as well.

SJoy November 29, 2014 (11:33 am)

Several years ago my card was copied. I left it at my nail salon, a place I frequented often. Within a week I had thousands of dollars of charges from several shops in the mall and restaurants. I knew it was the owner but couldn’t prove it. The police also told me that I couldn’t accuse her or it would be slander. Thankfully the bank eventually refunded my money and gave me another card, but it was a pain both financially and emotionally. I very much felt betrayed by the owner as I had my nails done there for several years prior. I wouldn’t be surprised if she is still doing it. Just goes to show that you really can’t trust anyone.

Vincent Dakotah Langley November 29, 2014 (1:20 pm)

About that vandalism crime to an automobile at West Seattle’s YMCA: My long-time room-mate and I have lived in this Alaska Junction neighborhood or area for 15 years now (down on Fauntleroy Way, S.W.) and so we know that these vandalism crimes happen in this particular area of the West Seattle area, itself, all of the time. We’ve witnessed, in the past, several different times, a “pack” of teenagers who roam this area, usually at night when it is dark outside, and they spray everything up with grafitti and they steal bottles of liquor out of the stores around here that sell liquor — then, they come walking on down here to the Alki Masonic Temple on 40th Avenue, S.W. and drink that liquor while they are hanging around that Masonic Temple grounds or area. I walk our dog out there along 40th Avenue, S.W. right where that Masonic Temple is located. These teenagers will be right there sometimes, as well, drinking one of those stolen bottles of liquor, and, while doing that, they will be talking and laughing loudly, bragging to each other about all of the crimes that they have committed around here in this West Seattle area. It sounds to me like they have done really quite a lot of various crimes around here, from what I hear them talking and bragging to each other about — to say the very least!!! One time recently out here walking our dog, when these teenagers came along, out there by West Seattle’s Masonic Temple (sort of in front of it, on the sidewalk), these same teenagers, at first, were going to attack me. However, this time, anyway, they did not actually attack me. I do know for fact, though, that they have, in the past, attacked other elderly people out here in West Seattle’s Alaska Junction neighborhood or area, mostly in the Jefferson Square Shopping Center area, up in West Seattle’s 42nd Avenue and Alaska Street, S.W. area. Their “style”, so to speak, is “do it and run like heck”, laughing-and-laughing all the of way, as they run! We had an elderly friend in this area once (a man) who was killed up here by someone. The same teenagers that I am talking about in this comment of mine, when our elderly friend was still alive, used to taunt him, stalk him and physically attack him all of the time that we know of, just because he was a homeless person out here. He was a really very nice and very polite gentleman! Anyway, he is gone now, he has been for quite some time now. I wait all the time out here now, walking our dog, to possibly EVER hear this “pack” of teenagers bragging to each other — ESPECIALLY when they are down here in this area drinking again — bragging to each other about having killed this elderly gentleman. However, I really do not know whether or not they actually did that crime…

CMT November 29, 2014 (3:07 pm)

Alan, we had four back to back $500 Rite Aid charges on our card on Wednesday also! I would like to compare notes with you on where you had used your card previously to see where we shopped in common.

gia November 29, 2014 (3:48 pm)

back to back charges in rite aid for 500 dollars eac??? sounds like the rite aid clerk should have been a bit more cautious about this kind of purchases. I guess hindsight is 20/20. :(

Alan November 29, 2014 (3:50 pm)

CMT,

I would like to exchange info with you as well, but do not want to put contact info here. If Tracy would be so kind as to give you my email, that would be great. We actually had two $500 charges at Rite-aid, so it seems like it has to be the same person.

Tracy – thanks in advance.

LAintheJunction November 29, 2014 (3:58 pm)

Hi Tracy – I had a package stolen and would love to contact Officer DeBella as his comment in the other post requests, but he didn’t give his email address. Do you know how to be in touch without having to call 911? The package was stolen on or around Nov 18 so it’s certainly no emergency. Thanks!

WSB November 29, 2014 (3:58 pm)

I’ll see if I can find an e-mail address or point him otherwise to this comment.

CMT November 29, 2014 (4:53 pm)

Hi Tracy:WSB – how can I contact you directly to get Alan’s email address?

Shane November 29, 2014 (5:27 pm)

Had someone root through our garage and the car in it at some point yesterday afternoon. 9400 block of 21st SW. Didn’t take anything since we dont keep anything of worth in there. (Sure, have the seized push mower.) But wanted to get the word out in case others in the area have seen anything/one suspicious. Thanks

Vincent Dakotah Langley November 29, 2014 (5:38 pm)

Calling the Seattle Police Department here, by way of dialing “9-1-1”, works like this: It DOES NOT have to be an absolute or a “grave” emergency to call “9-1-1”. On the other hand, though, people SHOULD NOT be calling “9-1-1”, say, just for information — such as something like, “Where is the nearest pizza joint to where I live?” At the King County “com center” (communications center), once the “9-1-1” dispatchers there do receive a call from someone out here in the community, those incoming calls to “9-1-1” are immediately “prioritized”, the most urgent calls for emergency help being taken care of by the authorities first. So, whatever it is that you are calling “9-1-1” about, when it is not actually an immediate, property or life-threatening emergency, such as, say, an MVA (motor vehicle accident), or, say, a house fire, it might take really quite a while for someone to “get back to you”, say, from the Seattle Police Department, for example. That response time, on their part or parts varies sometimes widely, depending on how busy they are, out there in the field. To give you at least some idea, that response time for lower-priority, non-emergent calls to “9-1-1” may sometimes take several hours — like, say, perhaps 2 or 3 hours or so. Be nice to them at the King County Communications Center, once you are talking to one of their “9-1-1” dispatchers on the phone. They DO want to help you and they WILL help you! And, too, they record ALL of their incoming telephone calls, from members of the public.

Paul November 30, 2014 (11:26 am)

Alan: we live nearby on 16th and have had issues with stole cards. We had renewal card stolen twice (bank sent them out a month before the expiration). Since we invested in a large locking mailbox, no issues.

Alan November 30, 2014 (11:51 am)

Paul,

Thanks. I do have a locking box and have for years. My cards were not stolen. I had my cards (I have now shredded them) and new ones were not on the way. This is almost certainly a case of someone making a copy. CMT and I are going to share notes on our charges to narrow down where it happened and the notify our credit service and Rite-Aid. Between my account and CMT’s, Rite-Aid had over $3,000 in charges that they will not be paid for. They will probably be interested.

Alan December 1, 2014 (7:05 am)

UPDATE and APOLOGY,

I want to apologize to having suggested my credit card fraud likely originated in West Seattle. CMT and I were able to compare our credit card usage. None of our West Seattle charges matched. We did both eat on the same day, a couple of weeks ago, at a Tukwila restaurant, likely with the same server.

The main reason for my post still stands. Monitor your charges. I have a locking mailbox and a paper/credit card shredder that EVERYTHING goes through. Credit card thieves are out there. ’tis the season.

Sorry, comment time is over.