Thanks to the texter who sent the photo and tip: For at least the third time in less than two months, someone has broken windows at the West Seattle Junction KeyBank. (Our previous reports are here and here.) We don’t know if police have apprehended anyone – we’ll have to check on that later this morning – but radio communication indicated arrangements were being made to get the windows boarded up.
We have better things to do and are not interested in creepy 1984 stuff. That’s google’s turf.
I just hate reading a story like this. It’s so senseless, and damages so much more than just a storefront; it violates simple civility, while diminishing us all in the process. That being said though, I noticed a couple of things immediately in the photo that, if dealt with, may help. The first is the walking board. I don’t know if it was used as a bludgeon against the glass, but even if it wasn’t, it is what one would call an attractive nuisance. Pull it inside after business hours, not just fold it up and leave in place. Better yet, free the space up on a very, very busy pedestrian corner and ditch the walking board entirely. The second thing I noticed was the “NO SKATEBOARDING” sign. Everything about that screams ‘vandalize me’ to a teenager filled with…err…um….vinegar shall we say? Find a better solution than some blunt authoritarian sign, preferably one that isn’t a sign at all…maybe landscaping, planters, bollards, chained up junkyard dog, anything but that sign that is practically begging for a reprisal. I hope none of what I have said causes folks to stress, as I’m not trying to make moral or design judgments at all, just being pragmatic. I just hope it stops no matter what the ultimate solution is. Cheers!
The funny thing is that skateboarders are definitely not the problem on that corner.
Reasons we need to patrols and police around in the junction, the “regulars”(some of the addicts who refuse help and so on) are getting more and more bold, we’ve had more dangerous ones around latley too.they sit in front of the QFC and in the park all day and night drinking,smoking(which isn’t allowed in the park and wafts to windows bad)yelling, stealing from he stores off and on or worse.things always get the worst at night in the area around 10pm-3am
A couple evenings ago, I noticed one of the local transient men who’s often having outbursts and episodes of mental or drug induced instability, pacing back and forth in front of those windows, gesturing at nothing and yelling at no one. He’d previously been sleeping next to the garbage and recycling can on that same corner. He seemed very unstable and ready to rupture at something – anything. Of course, I have no idea if he’s responsible… but I can say, I was so relieved that I was in my vehicle with the doors locked rather than waiting to cross at the walk all ways or waiting for a bus. While I’m not a customer or fan of Key Bank, this is a super crappy thing for any business to deal with continually.
I have to think the bank will be repaid by investing in shatterproof windows. There’s some pretty hard to crash laminated glass to be had now.One other thing: Tempered glass is touchy sometimes If it is stressed wrong or handled improperly in installation it can shatter spontaneously at random times down the road.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spontaneous_glass_breakage
The junction clearly needs more businesses to put up surveillance. These businesses are victims, and they need to fortify themselves. In order to apprehend the animals who keep doing this, we need evidence.Car plates/descriptions, anything the SPD can use. Cameras are the best defense after hours, for these establishments (after locks/pull-down cages/alarms.
We do not need to dehumanize the perpetrators. The word criminals would have sufficed.
Right on, Bricks and Video should help with the situation, and oh yeh Bullet Proof Glass…
Roll-up shutters would be a quick solution. It works in Vancouver, why not in good ol’ Seattle.
From the Jan’s Beauty Supply to the West Seattle Nursery who were both robbed within the past few months, when asked if they had alarms, I was told they do not turn them on as they get charged when they go off for no reason. Not sure what the solution is but all of these crimes need to be dealt with. Make sure you all vote to Revamp the City Council so we can get back to protecting our city.
This is not some kind of Seattle-unique law. Google:
fines for false burglary alarms
Municipalities coast to coast charge them.
Here’s the info on our city’s 15-year-old program:
https://www.seattle.gov/police/community-policing/false-alarm-program
I think all they need is a sign that says “NO SKATEBOARDING OR WINDOW BREAKING.” Problem solved.
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