WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Plates, prowls, pickup…

| Crime | West Seattle news

Four reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

LICENSE-PLATE THEFT: This is a particularly sneaky crime – sometimes plates will be stolen and replaced, and you might not even notice the switch. This reader did:

I just wanted to let the community know that I had my license plates stolen from my 2005 Honda Accord on Saturday night (while we were home). This was on 38th Ave SW. Nothing else was taken or damaged.

CAR PROWL #1: Blair says this happened in the 7700 block of 46th SW late Sunday or early Monday:

Someone evidently broke into our car and searched for valuables – contents of glove box and console were emptied onto seat. The car was parked in our driveway. Nothing appears to be missing as we don’t leave anything valuable in our cars.

There is no visible damage to the door or window. We have been hearing of car prowls where people use a remote to unlock the doors somehow so we are thinking they were able to unlock our doors electronically somehow, which is of course alarming.

CAR PROWL #2: From Bailey:

Our car was broken into on the night of 11/22 on 31st & Elmgrove. Parked in the driveway in front of the house. Not sure if we left it unlocked or if door was opened by other means. Everything was rifled through, but only things that appears to be missing is our national parks pass and two pairs of sunglasses (about $350 total so that’s a bummer).

STOLEN TRUCK FOUND: Update from Carrie, whose stolen pickup truck was reported here Sunday – it was found in North Admiral, 49th and Hill, with ignition damage.

Thanks again to everyone sharing Crime Watch reports so your neighbors all around the peninsula know more about what’s happening – hope crime does NOT happen to you, but if it does, once you’ve reported it to police (911 if it’s happening now or just happened), let us know … 206-293-6302 if breaking, editor@westseattleblog.com if not — thank you.

Lola November 29, 2016 (2:07 pm)

My brother-in-law had his plates stolen and replaced. He was pulled over with guns and forced to lay down on the cement till they relized that he was not the guy they were looking for. They had replaced them with plates that were linked to a crime.

WSB November 29, 2016 (2:27 pm)

That’s another good reason to check your plates … auto theft is a “felony stop” crime that is generally handled exactly as you describe, at gunpoint. So if someone stole a car and swapped its plates with yours, you are at risk of being pulled over that way.

Wsea November 29, 2016 (4:37 pm)

Our Lexus is broken into once a year and they get in with a remote somehow since there is no broken glass or locks. We never have values in the car for this reason. My older car never gets touched. Go figure.

i almost caught the guy this year a couple months ago. His time is almost up.

RFM November 30, 2016 (10:33 am)

FYI…’tis the season. I had my Chevy Tahoe broken into and window smashed yesterday around 4pm in the southwest parking lot at Westcrest dog park. At least one other car got their window smashed at the same time and place.

Abby November 30, 2016 (6:13 pm)

My plates stolen last night, front and back. Replaced back only. I only noticed because I have specialized plates. The the replaced plate was the same make and model…go figure…..what’s the point???