WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Early-morning burglary attempt; dumped purse/bag

| Crime | Fauntleroy | Gatewood | West Seattle news

Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:

BURGLARY ATTEMPT: From Mitchell:

Friday morning, April 27th at around 5:35 a.m., a man tried getting into my house. He was pushing on the windows and tried to open the sliding glass doors located on the back of my house. I called the police and shortly after I watched the person walk off my property down Fauntleroy SW. Police responded, but said they couldn’t do much as the person did not enter the home and they did not see him in the area.

My home is about a block from Gatewood Elementary on Fauntleroy Way SW. Closest street intersection: SW Mills St. and Fauntleroy Way SW. If you could post a notice to the community, that would be appreciated. Maybe just a note to keep windows and doors locked even as we move into the warmer months.

STOLEN AND DUMPED PURSE? Not far south of there, later in the day on Friday, Tom found potentially stolen/dumped items:

Walking the dog around 5 PM on 4/27 and spotted a purse that appears to have been tossed in the bushes near the corner of SW Cloverdale St and Fauntleroy Pl SW. Contains a pair of shoes, a sports bra, and a receipt. Owner can contact me at TL98136@gmail.com.

We asked Tom if he had taken possession of the items – he went back for them and the jacket/yoga pants in the purse (which he thought might also be a gym bag) were gone, but he has everything else, so if you’re missing something in that area, contact him.

Me April 29, 2018 (9:14 am)

I hope they get this guy. Before he dose get inside a home to do any thing he wants

John April 29, 2018 (9:31 am)

Mitchell, if you want to send me your email to johnrhopkins26@hotmail.com, I will add you to an email list we use in the immediate neighborhood to inform each other of these things.

Jim P. April 29, 2018 (3:07 pm)

” Police responded, but said they couldn’t do much as the person did not enter the home and they did not see him in the area.”

Well, isn’t *that* comforting? “Call us back after he forcibly enters your home and maybe does physical harm to you and we’ll see what we can do.”

I don’t expect something like this to have an all points bulletin and police called in to form a search cordon but that certainly seems a cavalier way to respond to someone whose life just got turned upside down and will now never quite be as free of fear as before.

It must certainly embolden criminals around here. “Hey Fred, let’s go scope out houses, cops won’t bother us unless we actually force an entry it seems so it’s OK to “check” for unlocked doors and windows apparently.”

I am appalled.

Erithan - frustrated April 29, 2018 (6:33 pm)

I have had 911 directly tell me they can’t do anything until something is criminally happening(even when it’s obvious something is about to happen/a situation needs a check in).like Somone getting hurt etc.

short version: being pro active against crimes apparently isn’t allowed…..

So sick of the crime in the area and seeing the same people getting away with the same crap day after day… where is the deterrent?

sorry for wording migraine.

carole April 29, 2018 (8:23 pm)

Wouldn’t this be considered trespass on private property? Or attempted residential burglary?

WSB April 29, 2018 (8:27 pm)

It would have been considered attempted burglary …if the person had been found and if the resident could identify them. This was dispatched; I was up and working and heard it. But if police look in the area and can’t find the person, what else are they supposed to do? Unless there is something much, much worse going on (oh, say, homicide), they respond to incidents like this quickly and if there is some trail or sighting, the search can go on for quite some time. – TR

Jon May 2, 2018 (3:02 am)

Sorry you had to experience the true fact of the world that so many in Seattle are afraid to admit (and are actively marching in the streets to celebrate not being allowed to do anything about it, I guess): you’re on your own.

I’ve reported assaults-in-progress only to watch them end with the attacker escaping without so much as a talking to. Response times are a joke. I’ve been the one counting down seconds like minutes. Don’t depends on others — become dependable and prepare for unfortunate scenarios.

If you can afford a well-known trained Shepard dog, a reliable firearm, a good flashlight, and time to train for a potential home invasion, those would probably be good places to start.

Glad you came out unscathed that time. Don’t count on that being your only near-miss.

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