West Seattle Crime Watch: Tire slashers hit two streets

We’ve had multiple reports of a tire-slashing rampage on at least two streets southwest of Admiral overnight:

Karen on 48th SW sent the photo and reports, “We woke to find several cars with punctured tires today on our street. Three in our section of the block and at least three to the north. Our neighbors and I are reporting to the police via online reporting. Some of us were lucky and only had one puncture others had two. AAA said there is a slash in the tire. Looks like they hit cars from Stevens to Hinds so far.” [map]

Then Emily reported: “The tires on my car and a few of my neighbors’ on my block were slashed last night. 47th Ave between Hinds and Spokane. Jerks.”

And Jennie reported seeing “numerous cars with flat tires as I was riding my bike on my way to work this morning. Along 48th Ave SW, they were all between Stevens and Hanford. Then on 47th between Hanford and Spokane. I’d say I saw at least a dozen flat/deflated tires and some cars even had two.”

If it happened to you too, be sure to file a police report. You can do it online by going here. And if you witnessed anything potentially related to this – call it in.

26 Replies to "West Seattle Crime Watch: Tire slashers hit two streets"

  • Paul Robertson August 1, 2016 (4:10 pm)

    There are several cars on 47th and Charleston that had tires slashed and doors keyed as well

  • flimflam August 1, 2016 (4:25 pm)

    wow. that’s really the only thing this person(s) could think of to do? someone needs a hobby. lame.

  • Lindsey Craig August 1, 2016 (4:27 pm)

    I thought I had just blown a tire on my way to work. My car was in my driveway on 47th & Charlestown. :(

  • Alki Resident August 1, 2016 (4:29 pm)

    Unflippinbelievable

  • South Park Sassy August 1, 2016 (4:35 pm)

    This is why we can’t have nice things…

  • Lindsey Craig August 1, 2016 (4:47 pm)

    With as many people that might have been affected, perhaps someone in the neighborhood caught them on a video camera. I wish ours was pointing outside!

    • Mike August 1, 2016 (10:15 pm)

      For those that were impacted, it would be a great idea to go door to door and ask if anyone has potential security footage that captured the events, they can download and provide it to SPD.  Depending on the number of tires slashed and damage done to paint on the cars, it could be a felony if they can convict the person responsible.  It’s most likely some underage kid, which means they’ll get a stern look and a notice on their record.  Everyone else in society has to pay the price for this persons actions.  However, keep in mind if you do catch the person on your property and they have a knife, it’s a weapon.  If you can, get away and call 911, try to get a good description of the person.  I keep a baseball bat at the front and back door of my house just in case.

  • Charlie August 1, 2016 (5:38 pm)

    I saw too men prowling last night when I was driving home wonder if they could have done it 

  • Becky Peil August 1, 2016 (5:53 pm)

     I read on the West Seattle mom’s group about a group of youngsters that ave been roaming around the admiral district Safeway late at night.. Perhaps there is a connection?

    • WSB August 1, 2016 (6:05 pm)

      Lindsey’s point is important – anybody in the area with surveillance video that might have caught something, please take a look. As for guessing … loitering in the Hiawatha/Safeway area has long been on local police’s radar; it’s been discussed at the Admiral Neighborhood Association police briefings. And as for “two men prowling” – if you think someone is committing a crime – depending on what you mean by prowling – please call 911! And any time you call 911 when something is happening *now* please stress that it’s happening now, which can make a difference in dispatching, depending on what else they’re handling – TR

  • Anonymous August 1, 2016 (6:53 pm)

    That group that hangs out at Safeway often walk to Hanford stairs one block north of Madison Middle School.  In talking with neighbors today we feel that there is a drug dealer  right in the area of the vandalism – selling to middle and high school aged kids.  We recognize them on the stairs and at Safeway and at school.

  • G Man August 1, 2016 (10:11 pm)

    I live very close to this area and the streets are so dark, I’ve never seen such a populated area with no street lights, why can’t they put more up?

    • Mike August 1, 2016 (10:17 pm)

      Know someone that works at City Light?  That’s about the only way to get them to do anything other than collect your money.

      • Bill Bob August 2, 2016 (8:29 am)

        Street lights do not prevent crime. This topic has been studied thoroughly across the globe. There are many case studies that show the addition of lights and no reduction in crime. In some cases, crime went up in well lit areas. Pointing fingers at anyone other than the punks, parents of the punks or adults with mental/anger issues is only spreading more negativity. 

  • SSS August 1, 2016 (10:46 pm)

    Interesting considering that I also awoke to a deflated tire. I thought it was a little low but it was actually down about half way and they couldn’t find a nail or leak. However we are by Camp Long. 

  • Mark August 1, 2016 (10:48 pm)

    It is time for the City to start aggresively finding punishing and make the perpetrators pay restitution.

     I recently had my bike stolen and cops took a report, bfd.  It is time for the cops and City prosecutor to punish and make the perpetrators pay restitution.  

    I feel for people that got violated and hope no one missed work, doctors appointment or kids karate practice due to the vandels.

  • quiet admiral neighbor August 2, 2016 (6:40 am)

    if there is security footage of the suspects it would be great to see it here.  i was at the hamilton viewpoint last week while some kids were lighting fireworks and throwing them into the ravine.  my partner went over eventually and politely asked them to stop and they responded extremely aggressively.  i took pictures and threatened to call the police so they would back off–5 on 2 wasn’t sounding so great…  if those that appear in security footage concerning the tire slashing look like the kids i caught on camera, i’d be happy to hand over the pictures…

    • Mike August 2, 2016 (7:18 am)

      you should give a copy to SPD anyhow with your description of the events and time/place.  Those could be the same ones blowing up crap all over West Seattle.  If that ravine caught fire, that’s putting neighbors at risk along with reduction in vegetation which can cause the slope to fall onto the road below.

  • Anonymous August 2, 2016 (8:46 am)

     I have worked with the police and they really want you to call when you see things like kids throwing fireworks off a bridge, and not approach on your own. Please remember what happened recently to the gentleman on the west Seattle Bridge when he tried to confront some kids. 

     A lot of people think what they see is not serious enough to call, but you still should. The police prioritize and may not show up if other things are going on,  but they still want you to call so they have a record.

  • MsD August 2, 2016 (12:23 pm)

    I’m guessing the people doing this are under-aged and know there will be no repercussions from the police, courts or parents.  

  • R August 2, 2016 (7:15 pm)

    Maybe it’s time we all put cameras up on our porches and start catching these guys. It would be a small investment in the long run. 

    • PR August 7, 2016 (10:49 am)

      That is what I am doing, seams like a platform is needed to be able to maximize the effectiveness.

  • Mark August 2, 2016 (8:05 pm)

    Catch and release needs to change to catch and hold.  During holding mandatory work, litter pickup in bright orange overalls for example.  It is time criminals/vandels know that they will be caught and prosecuted and be made to do time for crime.

  • A Neighbor August 4, 2016 (12:27 am)

    One of the kids I see on the stairs by Madison carries a knife that hangs on his belt. I always wondered why this middle schooler carried a long knife. He lives on 47th.

  • Emily August 5, 2016 (2:48 pm)

    Picking back up on this, FYI on one 47th Ave block alone we’ve had in past three weeks the tire slashings and four cars’ windows bashed and items stolen. I left a voice mail for community liaison cop and no return call in three days now. In my voice mail I said I was a concerned citizen who wanted to know what I could do to make the perps feel like our block wasn’t easy pickings. This kind of community interest should be something that’s encouraged, not ignored. I’m disappointed I haven’t gotten a call back. Day after the tire slashings my husband found a big, open ziploc bag of weed (didn’t look like the kind you buy in a rec store) on the sidewalk on our block—like someone ditched it in a hurry. Yes weed is legal but I thought its presence amongst all this might be helpful in IDing a perp and/or connecting dots between this recent uptick in crime on our block. I’d tell the cops this…if they would call me back. My point is: If you are pissed or concerned about all this, please consider calling the comm liaison in your area. Perhaps if enough people call, we’ll prompt a response from the police. 

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