WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Prowlers caught & not, package & plant thefts, more…

Seven notes in tonight’s West Seattle Crime Watch roundup:

BURGLARY REPORTEDLY INTERRUPTED: From the scanner – officers rushed to a home in the 3500 block of Admiral Way SW tonight after a report that a resident was “holding down” someone described as a burglar. We have no access to followup information tonight but will be checking with police tomorrow.

BURGLARY SUSPECT ARRAIGNED: 29-year-old Garrett Cimmery, the burglary suspect arrested at Hiawatha Playfield two and a half weeks ago, was back in court today for arraignment on charges related to a home burglary near Me-Kwa-Mooks Park. He pleaded not guilty and remains out on bail as the case proceeds.

PACKAGE THIEF ON VIDEO: From Stacey:

Unfortunately there was some package thefts in the Westwood area today around 3 pm. Multiple homes were visited by this tweaker on Trenton through Cloverdale, then they opened all the packages and dumped the empty boxes in an alley down the street. The guy enters through the alleys in West Seattle and has a silver Ford Explorer.

He only got a rocketship tent, which can be replaced.

PROWLERS STOPPED BY POLICE: From Sue:

Seola Beach was cased today by a couple in a beat-up red Chevy pickup. They drove up at 4 pm, parked in front of a neighbor’s house and the woman boldly went down their stairs in broad daylight, looking in the windows. He stayed in the truck while she came down the beach, into two other backyards and then back to Seola Lane. We have had a lot of problems down here and three neighbors watched, recorded, and asked them questions (stalling while the police came). They took off and were stopped by the police at Seola Beach Drive and 106th.

Sue says her neighbors reported at least one of the suspects was taken into custody for outstanding warrants.

CAR PROWLED AGAIN: Kevin says this is the 4th time he’s been hit:

We had 2 vehicles broken into late Monday night, early Tuesday morning 45th and Hill in Admiral. Both vehicles parked on street in well-lit visible area. As reported by others, it appears to be by an electronic device. Both vehicles were locked and neither had signs of forced entry. Ransacked and some tools stolen that had been left in vehicle overnight after returning late from trip.

CAR PROWLERS, INTERRUPTED: From Mike in North Admiral:

I live on the 1600 block of Palm Ave. At 6:50 this morning I found a young Caucasian male in the driver seat of my car (parked on the street). He was pulling papers out of my glove compartment. The young man got out of the car saying “you got me.” I stood in front of him and demanded he drop everything he was holding. He eventually dropped everything on the grass parking strip. He then pressed his chest against me and said “you better let me go, there are 3 of us.” I stepped out of his way and he left, walking north on Admiral and periodically whistling. I called the police. Then as I began chasing my papers that were blowing down the street, a car halfway down the block pulled out and speed away heading south on Palm. The police arrived promptly, took a report and collected evidence.

PLANT THEFT, AGAIN: From Phoebe in the 3000 block of 37th SW:

Someone decided that my Picea Orientalis Skylands needed to be taken from my parking strip on Thanksgiving or the day after (we noticed it was gone on that Saturday)

I would love to get it back (not an expensive plant but was special order) and have folks keep an eye out for it. The West Seattle Nursery only got in a couple this last spring.

No photo, but we found this online. Phoebe says hers was smaller – less than three feet tall.

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.

20 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Prowlers caught & not, package & plant thefts, more..."

  • gatewood neighbor December 1, 2016 (12:01 am)

    Stacey,

    How can you tell that he is a tweaker :-)

    This is some BS and I am sorry that it happened to you and the family.  Liz and I are more than willing to buy your kids a rocketship tent is you need!!!

  • JanS December 1, 2016 (12:36 am)

    Looking forward to the followup on the suspect being held down on 3500 block of Admiral…

    :D

  • Double Dub Resident December 1, 2016 (5:31 am)

    I think we shouldn’t rush to judgment and call this guy a tweaker.  We should be more sensitive and  concerned to the feelings of these POS,  rather than the actual victims of the crimes 

    • Rick Cook December 1, 2016 (8:43 am)

      Yeah,a hot beverage and a hug. Then hand over your car keys and bank account info.  That’ll make it all righteous.

  • AMD December 1, 2016 (6:19 am)

    Re: the cars being broken into electronically…  If you have a vehicle that automatically unlocks when you approach it, thieves can use signal amplifiers to increase the range of the signal your key fob is producing.  It’s not necessarily a separate device, it’s a device that allows them to use YOUR fob to get into your car.  So if there’s an option to store your fob much further away from your car, that may help.  Alternatively, you can store them in a location that blocks the signal all together (like your freezer).

  • Danny December 1, 2016 (6:25 am)

    Looks like a zombie from Walking Dead…

    How creepy would that be to see this guy standing on your door steps…

  • Gina December 1, 2016 (7:30 am)

    Would storing the the fob in a container lined with foil block the signal? 

  • waikikigirl December 1, 2016 (8:16 am)

    AMD…storing it in your freezer wouldn’t that after time “wreck” your key fob?  I’m asking because I wouldn’t know, my car isn’t new enough to have one of those new fangled things! (11yrs old) :~)

    That video kind of makes me feel sorry for the person…to be that strung out on drugs (I’m assuming) to be twitching like that and to stoop that low to steal packages to feed his habit. 

    • AMD December 1, 2016 (5:23 pm)

      I don’t know about that as a long-term plan.  I would consider it a good idea to tide you over until a warmer long-term solution was found (because who wants to grab frozen keys to unlock their car when it’s already freezing outside?).  There seems to be good suggestions for long-term solutions in this thread already.  : )

  • e-five December 1, 2016 (9:58 am)

    You can buy RFID Signal Blocker Pouches/Bags/Containers.  Here’s an example on Amazon where reviewer have claimed it worked:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ITRBV54/ref=s9_acsd_hps_bw_c_x_3_w


    • e-five December 1, 2016 (10:00 am)

      There are lots of similar products on the market.  

  • KimiRF1 December 1, 2016 (10:32 am)

    AMD, I have done some reading on this and it’s actually the other way around.

    The device thieves use amplifies the broadcast signal from the transmitter at the car, greatly expanding the proximity of the security “zone” from a few feet (at the door) to dozens. The goal is to reach your key hanging on the hook by your door so it can get authorization from the key to unlock the doors.

    The good thing is that with the latest push-button cars, it wont allow the car to start because the radio must sense the key within a foot or two of transmitter before it will start the car. Surely a good thief has tools to get around this but it’s much tougher.

    Either way, as you say, storing the key further away from the car is good advice. You can also purchase and store them in a faraday bag that blocks RF signals. A low-tech solution is to wrap the key in aluminum foil or “pouch”. Storing in the freezer has the same effect but I would be concerned with reduced battery life and the affect of moisture on the electronics. Replacement keys are not cheap!

  • Vanessa December 1, 2016 (11:15 am)

    what is a tweaker?

  • Double Dub Resident December 1, 2016 (12:08 pm)

    @Vanessa,  

    A tweaker is someone who uses hard stimulant  drugs,  most likely meth.   As a result  from using such drugs the person  loses motor skills, gets adrenaline burnout, and   fries their brain.

    As a result their movements are Twitchy and spasmatic and their thought processes become drug focused.  

    It’s why crack heads were called chickens or clucks because their body movements resembled that of a chicken.  

  • steve December 1, 2016 (1:54 pm)

    Tweaker. I had to look it up too. Damn. I have Parkinsons, and am quite twitchy at times. No wonder strangers back off from me.   :(   frustrated.

    Sorry Mike, about the creep in your car. I wish I coulda been there for ya, we coulda thumped him good.  I might have parkinsons, but after a threat like that, my right would have gladly pulverized his face to mush. take care.

  • Westside45 December 1, 2016 (5:10 pm)

    You could probably put the fob in your microwave instead of the freezer.

    • Rick Cook December 2, 2016 (7:02 am)

      Be sure to remember that when you re-heat your coffee.

  • JRC December 6, 2016 (10:16 am)

    Andrew! Regarding your post about having a BBQ propane tank and cooler stolen from your yard off Lander. We live on Lander and early last Saturday morning had a portable BBQ stolen. Several weeks earlier we had a rocking chair stolen. Both were on our porch. The thief had to disconnect the BBQ which would have taken a few minutes.  I will make a police report.  Spreading the word to our Lander neighbors that anything – even of negligible value – may be a target if left outside.   Thanks WSB.

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