WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Prowler alert

| Crime | West Seattle news

From KC near the north end of Lincoln Park, this incident from right after her arrival home very early this morning:

I exited an Uber 20 or so feet from my door and as I was walking up I noticed a dark vehicle (resembled a 4-door Camry but I am not sure) driving down Lincoln Park Way toward Lowman Beach Park stop and turn slowly around in a U-turn fashion. I at first thought they must be a neighbor returning to my building as it appeared they were waiting for me to walk out of their way so they could pull into a spot, but they finished the turn and drove up the hill, I believe. I had stopped paying full attention by that time, but I did get a strange feeling. Whoever was driving or riding in the vehicle would’ve been able to get a good look at me.

I entered my house and was on my phone for a few minutes. The blinds were drawn but all lights were on in my unit and this would be very evident from the outside. This is one reason why I think this was not necessarily a burglary attempt but something creepier. Basically why would a random burglar try to get into one of the only residences with lights on? Less than 5 minutes after returning I heard crunching leaves outside my window. I walked closer and crouched behind my TV where I wouldn’t be visible and listened. I thought it was possibly a raccoon at first until I heard a man’s very heavy breathing. The footsteps stopped by my open window and the breathing continued. There is a lattice fence and foliage that blocked this from view if anyone were to look. I said very firmly “get the f$&k away” and immediately he retreated, in a very calm and quiet manner. His footsteps didn’t sound startled, he walked away quietly. I was on the line with 911 by this time stating my address and the circumstances (I dialed immediately after demanding he leave) I then heard a car door open and close very quietly close to my unit. My intuition unfortunately tells me the car I saw and this man were likely not coincidental. I should mention, however, I didn’t see anyone, I just heard them.

I’m still a bit shaken up, and just wanted to alert others to be extra vigilant with windows, locking doors, just being extra aware as they are coming back to and leaving home. Hopefully this is completely random, but I thought it wouldn’t hurt to mention, especially if something similar has happened recently and just wasn’t reported.

The incident number is 19-326111.

Jim P. September 1, 2019 (11:11 am)

Wow that is genuinely frightening. Glad you are OK and nothing bad went down.Might wish to look into locks for partly opened windows so they can’t be easily slid further open if you are on the ground floor.Let your neighbors and the building management know also. Stay safe.

dhg September 1, 2019 (12:20 pm)

You are awesome! Go with your gut feeling every time. Too many people discount what they feel and are sorry for it.

Craig September 1, 2019 (1:29 pm)

Creepy! Glad you are ok. I had something like this happen years ago in Admiral area, but they caught him. My girlfriend called me as I left her place (10pm) and said she saw someone standing outside in the bushes looking in at her, probably at us as on the couch. I came back and he was lurking around on the sidewalk, ignoring me. I called 911 and they zoomed in and nabbed the guy. Interestingly the police asked me if I wanted to talk to him. I said yes and they sat him on the patrol car hood and I spent 5 minutes yelling at him about being a peeping Tom and that we all know who he is now, and all the other things I could muster. We suspect he targeted my GF because he worked as a janitor at a bank outside of West Seattle she visited occasionally, so could have gotten her address.

DL September 1, 2019 (2:43 pm)

Wow! I’m glad I have protection at home in the form of an overly protective dog and a weapon.

WSobserver September 1, 2019 (3:24 pm)

Are you my downstairs neighbor?As you may have noticed I’m a nightowl, any kind of shenanigans at 3AM I will notice, and your door is just a few feet from my desk window. I don’t know you but we neighbors look out for each other. I keep an eye out.I saw a SPD car go down the street slowly in the early AM, perhaps as a response to your call? I also heard some some kerfuffling in the wee hours last night. That said, we’ve been here 11 years and summer weekend Saturday nights can have some interesting activities since Lowman is at the end of the street and Alki just beyond that.If anything happens in the future, call the police and then bang on the wall. We’ll hear it for sure.We would never let anything happen to one of our neighbors, I promise.