WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: More south West Seattle burglaries; mail theft

8:49 PM: This past week, we have reported (here and here) on an increase in burglaries, primarily on the south end of the peninsula. Since last night, four more have been reported – 8200 block of Northrop (above) reported this afternoon, 8500 block of 39th SW reported this evening, and two on Delridge Way (8100 and 8400 blocks) late last night. We don’t have details of any as we haven’t heard directly from the victims, and we won’t be able to request report narratives until tomorrow, but it’s a reminder to be extra-watchful for any suspicious activity in your neighborhood, especially in the daytime, which is when most burglaries happen.

ADDED 9:06 PM: Just in from John – “We had multiple mailboxes broken into up in Arbor Heights in the 100xx block of 39th Ave SW on Monday sometime between 5:00 and 8:30 PM.” It’s been reported to police and the Postal Inspection Service, John adds.

17 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: More south West Seattle burglaries; mail theft"

  • zaogardening November 25, 2019 (9:50 pm)

    Hey, this is Ben Oleson with the green Subaru reported stolen here on the blog on Saturday. Tonight, in dramatic fashion, Bellevue police recovered it for us, with a car chase and everything.  We just got it back.  I haven’t really gone through it yet, it’s pretty gross, but there’s lots of merchandise and definitely several credit card bills and other bits of mail from the 8200/8500/Arbor Heights neighborhood. I will head down there and deliver what I can tomorrow.

    • WSB November 25, 2019 (10:03 pm)

      Thanks for the update! Will try to hunt down more details tomorrow from BPD.

    • Subiluv November 26, 2019 (9:51 am)

      Congrats on getting your subi back! I was surprised to see a newer model stolen and assume it’s keyless entry? Thief used relay device? Just curious because I worry about mine getting stolen and keep my keys in faraday bags when not driving. 

  • West Seattle Guy November 25, 2019 (11:04 pm)

    I’m interested in hearing how they gain entry (open windows? Broken windows? Pried open doors?)

    • Fauntleroy Resident November 26, 2019 (1:31 am)

      When my house was broken into last year, he gained entry by kicking in my (locked and dead bolted) front door. There was 1 boot print right next to the door knob. 

      • Christi December 2, 2019 (5:16 pm)

        Bet this is the same guy that kicked in my locked and deadbolted front door Monday, Nov. 25th. I think we were able to recover a palm print. Fingers crossed that we stop this guy!

    • Scott November 26, 2019 (8:59 am)

      And is it still that easy to hot wire a car?  Is this what they do to get it started?  I know, I’m a total dummy when it comes to cars.

  • Westwood neighbor November 26, 2019 (5:47 am)

    There was also car prowl early Sunday morning at 32nd and Trenton. Not much was taken as I have learned from prior experiences. I just reported it online, thanks for the link. 

  • WW Resident November 26, 2019 (6:06 am)

    With the amount of cameras in neighborhoods, I’m surprised there’s no snap shots anywhere

  • Silent Bob November 26, 2019 (9:24 am)

    A few months ago at my apartment building (on 35th near Henderson) our mail/laundry room was broken into. They really wanted those quarters, I guess, because they destroyed the coin units in the process, making the machines inoperable. They accessed the room by breaking off a lock box that had a key (used for contractors, etc. to access the building) and just used the key after they got the box open. It happened in the middle of the night when we were all sleeping, no one heard a thing.  I imagine they had planned this, since I had seen a screen window of that same room pried off a couple weeks before. There are also people who walk the alleys along 35th going through apartment dumpsters (day or night). I’ve stopped putting anything with personal info in my garbage or recycling and now dispose of that all at work. 

  • anonyme November 26, 2019 (10:57 am)

    39th Ave in Arbor Heights is a frequent target for mail thieves.  Lots of drive-up mailboxes with no locks.  The PO is partly to blame as they have resisted door-to-door delivery as opposed to driving routes.  I’ve had neighbors who tried to change the location of their mailbox due to security issues and the PO won’t budge.  Locking mailboxes help, but thieves are so bold now that locks are no deterrent either.  I’ve never lived in a place that makes it so easy to be a criminal.

    • Alex S. November 26, 2019 (11:35 am)

      Yep: until thieves are actually held accountable for their actions and “career” choice, the crime rate will only increase. Now, they serve a couple days in jail, skip their hearing, and simply get arrested again and again weeks or months later.   We currently have a city attorney and a bunch of clueless municipal court and district court judges who view these serial perps (most are addicts) as the victims.  As opposed to the ACTUAL victims of crime. 

      • Jim P. November 26, 2019 (12:56 pm)

        Personal accountability is not fashionable.  Even people with 70(!) arrests aren’t really to blame.https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/lead-seattles-pioneering-jail-diversion-program-is-about-to-get-twice-as-much-city-funding/Now if this program works, cool, but we are still left with the debris that 70+ criminal acts have strewn across the landscape and nowhere does this program mention any sort of restitution to the people harmed or the community.Detectives will generally tell you that the majority of crime is committed by a small group of *really* hard working criminals, such as the gentleman in the article up there.  So getting such off the streets by whatever method works is going to have a leveraged effect.I am and remain dubious about the “feel good” projects but we need to try them if they show real results.

      • Bree December 3, 2019 (11:56 pm)

        That is the problem, our leaders have stepped back and are not doing their job.  We are on our own.  Law enforcement are prevented from keeping law and order.

  • leelee November 26, 2019 (3:17 pm)

    subiluv. My sisters newer crv was broken into on Queen Anne a while back. It was locked. They actually got spd to come out and take a report(!). The officer said there are electronic devices for sale on the internet that will let you unlock and start newer car’s. “Modern” crook’s would probably have a hard time figureing out how to hot wire

  • PLB November 27, 2019 (9:31 pm)

    Any new details available about this burglary at 8200 block of Northrop?

    • CJS December 2, 2019 (5:19 pm)

      Checking with neighbors to see if any car or person was caught on camera since this occurred during daytime hours. House was ransacked.  All jewelry taken. Police report filed.

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