West Seattle Crime Watch: Yet more package/mail thefts

If you still have something coming via postal or package delivery … take note, we’ve received four more package/mail-theft reports today/tonight alone. See them ahead, along with another theft report (shoplifters bolting a store tonight):

From LuAnn:

I live across from Lincoln park and this afternoon a woman walked up to my front
porch and stole a package that had just been delivered by the mailman. I actually
saw her approach because my dog was barking and I’d gotten up to quiet him. She was
walking up the sidewalk, and I had made eye contact with her . However, she was
gone by the time I got to the front door. I was suspicious because she had a hood
on and her lower face was covered by a scarf or muffler. I drove around the block
looking for her and saw the mailman. I asked if he had left anything on my porch
and he’d left a large package there within the hour. Just wanted to get the word
out that thieves are targeting our area…..

From Ryan:

I came home today 12/18, and discovered my enamel mug set package broken into w/
the contents stolen along with 2 other packages from my neighbors. The property mgmt in my apt bldg located in the 5400 block on California Ave SW has contacted the local Post office here in West Seattle.

From Eric:

Thought you might like to know, we had an Amazon box stolen from in front of our house (55th Ave SW and SW Genesee St.) on Monday. The Postal Service delivered the box containing a photo printer at approximately 2:15 pm on Monday, December 15, 2014, according to Amazon and USPS tracking information. The package was gone by the time we arrived home at approximately 2:30 pm that same day. We filed an online police report with SPD. Amazon was kind enough to send a replacement (this time to my office!)

This report was posted as a comment on an earlier unrelated Crime Watch story:

Just need to add my address on 38th Ave SW and Stevens to the list of people losing packages to thieves. My wife received the delivery notification that the present was delivered at 3:29 and left at the front door this afternoon. No package when I got home at 4:10.

And finally, the shoplifting report – Sarah saw “2 persons driving a big nice SUV lic APD—- grab a basket of items at Trader Joe’s and run at the door. Shocker: they were stealing alcohol.” (We heard police dispatched to this while we were out checking on something a couple hours ago. Sarah didn’t mention the SUV’s color but we have a followup question out and will update if we hear.)

24 Replies to "West Seattle Crime Watch: Yet more package/mail thefts"

  • WTF December 18, 2014 (10:50 pm)

    I was at Trader Joe’s when this happened, unbelievable. Also today, at Marshall’s another one of W Seattles finest ran out of the store with 3 handbags. If you see

  • pw45 December 18, 2014 (11:21 pm)

    Every year, never fails, people acting all surprised when this starts happening.

    • WSB December 18, 2014 (11:25 pm)

      I don’t think it’s surprise as much as disappointment.

  • JanS December 19, 2014 (12:35 am)

    about a week and a half ago, I got the notice that a small package I had ordered had been delivered, but alas, no package. I called Amazon, and the person I spoke with told me to wait 24 hours, as for some reason, he said, sometimes the “delivered” message gets there ahead of the actual delivery. Sure enough, I waited 24 hours, fully confident that I’d have to call back, and lo, and behold, there was my package, in my mailbox, inside my secure building. Befuddled, I was.

  • Lonnie December 19, 2014 (2:19 am)

    I’ve been having horrible luck with my packages and mail since October. Before changing my mailbox to a lock box, I’ve had credit cards stolen and charged up. Packages have been stolen numerous times. Just this past Saturday 3 more packages were stolen.

  • Eric December 19, 2014 (4:57 am)

    The news had various footage from home security cameras and from what I saw, for the most part, the people stealing these packages didn’t look like a “career criminal”. They looked like they could be a neighbor or someone you work with. Most of them were pretty well put together, some drove a nicer car than mine. I find that more disturbing, because it seems to be a trend of a crime of opportunity and more and more, some people are in general becoming self centered, entitled POS.

  • Arnold December 19, 2014 (7:42 am)

    What a bunch of Scrooges. I have to say though, anybody still attempting to have packages delivered to their homes really need to find a better way to do online business. If you must order online, have it sent to a secure location, or even the post office. The worst part is SPD, USPS and neighbors aren’t catching these nerds. I wouldn’t rely on anybody but myself to make sure I don’t become a victim…there’s no excuse for this! Enough gambling with these punks, at least until the holidays are over.

  • Wes C. Adle December 19, 2014 (8:29 am)

    My neighbor had several Amazon boxes taken from their porch on Tuesday afternoon. My wife noticed the boxes and contemplated bringing them into our house. She paused too long. Amazon refunded the entire order I was told.

  • Elizh December 19, 2014 (11:04 am)

    Note that Amazon now provides the alternative of secure delivery to an Amazon Locker in West Seattle, located in the 7-11 stores in Admiral or Delridge.

    • WSB December 19, 2014 (11:12 am)

      Thanks! Came up in previous comment discussions but a good reminder here too. – TR

  • C December 19, 2014 (1:27 pm)

    FYI, someone emptied my mail box at 39th and Morgan earlier this week. I found mail on the ground and in a bush.

  • Cody December 19, 2014 (3:43 pm)

    I had a package stolen from the front porch on California and Rose last Friday. Getting all packages sent to my work from now on. Stealing is bad karma people!

  • mer December 19, 2014 (6:28 pm)

    Who are these people?

  • sophista-tiki December 19, 2014 (6:36 pm)

    Just a question about the Amazon Locker Delivery,,,, to the 7 11 on Delridge,,,, isn’t that shifty thug hang out central??? yea that sounds super safe, instead of stealing it from your porch they’ll just hang around out front and jack it from you in the parking lot.

  • Aj December 19, 2014 (10:30 pm)

    @tiki – The lockers from amazon are much safer than having an item sit on your doorstep all day. Why u a hater? Bet u have never even tried it.

  • m December 19, 2014 (10:59 pm)

    No, sophista-tiki, not everyone @ that 7-11 is a shifty thug…or any kind of thug.

  • lowman neighbor December 20, 2014 (5:16 am)

    I haven’t lost any packages but it is shocking that the delivery men don’t even bother to ring the door bell when they drop a package. We work at home and there is always one of us here . and many times a package gets dropped and No knock no ring, nothing.

  • mar December 20, 2014 (6:00 am)

    Sophista-tiki: That’s a stupid comment. Are you really comparing stealing from nobody by taking things off a porch to robbing a person face to face?

  • 2muchcrime December 20, 2014 (6:19 am)

    Too many people in West Seattle now. Expect more crime in 2015. Leaving the state in July. I’ve had it.

  • anita andre December 20, 2014 (7:59 am)

    Dear People in West & S.W Seattle,

    My kids had their packages stolen too, 2 years ago. THE best & safest thing is. To go get all your Holiday packages @ your Post Office. Do not have delivered zero at your home door step. Happy Holidays to Everyone, You will be so so much happier.

  • A. Kiehn December 20, 2014 (9:38 am)

    Yo,

    To our Bro and Sis in West Seattle Ballard has also had problems with package theft! City wide problem this time of year.

    One suggestion have packages delivered to UPS store or Post Office box. I think UPS store charges $5 per delivery.

  • Aj December 20, 2014 (11:39 am)

    There are Amazon Lockers in Ballard, too. No charge to use them, and the Amazon order waits for you for three days to come get it. If you can’t get it for some reason, Amazon will get it and give you a full refund.

  • Zack Lenihan December 20, 2014 (11:20 pm)

    Our neighbor in Highland Park had a package stolen off the porch (13th Ave SW and Barton). Another neighbor reported that the thief was trailing the delivery truck and snatching up packages after the delivery truck drove off.

  • Allison December 25, 2014 (3:39 pm)

    Unfortunately it appears we also had two packages taken from our porch on Belvidere Ave in Admiral. We had a call with relatives today and found out that my mother-in-law had sent gifts and some family heirlooms (Husband’s baby book and other things). When the tracking was looked up, FedEx showed a delivery on 12/18 around noon. Its so disappointing that someone would a) steal someone’s packages and b) just throw away sentimental objects that have no value at all to the thief. We’ll definitely be reminding friends and family to insure packages or let us know when they are coming so we can arrange for pick-up ourselves.

Sorry, comment time is over.