West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports: 1 stolen bicycle, 3 found bicycles, ‘bad news/good news’ car prowl

| Crime | West Seattle news

Four bicycles – stolen or abandoned/”found” – start off this West Seattle Crime Watch report:

VINTAGE BIKE STOLEN FROM SHED: From Marcella:

We live on the 6000 block of California Ave. Last week someone went through our cars in the middle of the night – didn’t get anything of value, mostly just looked through everything.

(Monday) morning, our shed has been broken into. The only think stolen was my bike – a vintage red/white/blue Huffy from the ’50s that my dad had refurbished. It is probably too small for anyone to ride or worth much money, but it was very meaningful to me. Please let me know if anyone sees it.

Now, three bicycles that have turned up, apparently abandoned, which tends to mean “stolen and dumped”:

FOUND NEAR A DUMPSTER: Connie says this bicycle turned up near a trash bin along Harbor Avenue:

FOUND ON 48TH SW: That’s where Erin found the next bike, “a Novara Forza, size small,” on Monday morning. Recognize it?

FOUND BY A BUSINESS: Rick says this bicycle has been near his West Seattle business for more than a week:

If any of those bicycles might be yours, let us know and we’ll connect you.

We also have one non-bicycle-related Crime Watch reader report:

‘BAD NEWS AND GOOD NEWS’ … is how Russ slugged this:

Bad news: someone prowled one of our cars on Saturday night in the 10200 block of 39th Ave. SW. (Shame on us for apparently leaving it unlocked.) Several items were missing, although nothing of particular economic or sentimental value.

Good news: a gentleman who lives of 31st Ave. SW appeared at our door after finding the stolen items dumped in his yard. Kudos to you, sir — although we regret we didn’t ask your name!

It appears that the thief (thieves?) decided that our possessions weren’t worth keeping; everything taken from our car was recovered.

However, there was one item that was not ours: a small black coin purse. (Update: See the photo in this WSB comment.) It’s completely empty, but someone out there may want it back. If so, they can e-mail me: rdy5591@gmail.com

And we’ll mention it one more time – TONIGHT is the monthly West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, best place to bring your neighborhood concerns/questions directly to Southwest Precinct leadership. WSCPC president Richard Miller also has booked SPD’s Chief Operating Officer Brian Maxey as the special guest, with a plan to discuss 911 operations. 7 pm, SW Precinct, 2300 SW Webster.

Amanda June 21, 2016 (12:02 pm)

Russ – Thanks for sharing. I live nearby on 100th & 37th. Last week, I found a guy lurking in my driveway. Looks like he was checking out my cars. I live down a long, private driveway (dead-end), so he had some nerve coming back here. Called the police, but they couldn’t locate anyone. Pretty sure these thieves (thief?) are familiar with our neighborhood and making his rounds. Good reminder to lock your doors!

nachobeaver June 21, 2016 (1:18 pm)

didnt someone report a lost/stolen blue and white diamondback bike not to long ago?? well thats the 3rd one down??

WSB June 21, 2016 (1:29 pm)

I just did an admin-end search and the most recent mention of Diamondback in any post here was a year ago …

cj June 22, 2016 (1:21 am)

Do we know who the thieves are? Where they live? Just seems like we have a lot these days.

Truthteller June 23, 2016 (2:20 pm)

Two weeks ago I was driving south on Belvidere and I see this guy on a bike riding slowly down the street in front of me. He was looking at every house on the west side of the street. I passed him and pulled up to my house. As he gets to me and my house he looks away. Like he’s minding his own business. The reason all this sticks out to me is he is very shady looking, but he’s riding a $2,000.00 bike. I know because at one time I looked into buying one.

Last week 6/14, I think I see the same guy(different bike) in the middle of the day on Walnut. I was pulled over on the side of the road texting. This time I really watch what he is doing on his red mountain bike and grey hoodie. He goes by me heading north. Comes back heading south. He’s doing the same thing. Looking at all the houses. I follow him and pull over at a house for sale pretending like I am looking at the yard. He goes by and gives me a look, turns west on Hinds. I wait and follow. I see him take a left on 42nd and he’s just gone. Disappeared. Maybe I am reading too much into it but I think he knew I was watching him and took off fast.

The reason any of this matters to me, is our cars are constantly gone through in our neighborhood. To the point of why bother calling the cops. I’m worried that these guys are getting so brazen they will just start coming in the front door. FYI my daughters car was broken into about 6 months ago and the thief left a single key on a Hello Kitty key fob. I think it’s a little game they are playing as this isn’t the first time I’ve heard of the thief leaving a calling card.

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