WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Package taken, grab-and-run style

| Crime | Gatewood | West Seattle news

Last night at the Pigeon Point Neighborhood Council‘s meeting (full story to come), Southwest Precinct operations commander Lt. Steve Strand was asked how to prevent package theft. His reply: “Don’t have them delivered to your home!” The video above, sent by Chris, shows one more reason why: “Caught a porch pirate on video (Monday) stealing an Amazon package off my doorstep, around 15 minutes before I got home.” This happened in Gatewood, near 35th/Thistle; report # is 20-051869.

Elton February 11, 2020 (1:13 pm)

With UPS, at least, you can enroll in MyChoice for free and have packages delivered to an access point where you can pick them up. Of course, if you use Amazon not everything goes through UPS and so you’re left to using Amazon Lockers or having them delivered to a Fresh pickup spot like the one in SoDo. Sad that we can’t have packages delivered to our homes anymore.

newnative February 11, 2020 (2:10 pm)

We should have someone drive around in a van, dropping off “packages” on porches that are filled with “just desserts” for these types of thieves.

WSB February 11, 2020 (2:19 pm)

Lt. Strand also suggested putting the empty boxes back out on the porch.

Under_Achiever February 11, 2020 (2:55 pm)

As practical as the Lieutenant’s advice is, it is troubling to me that we’ve eroded to the point of his advice being practical.

PATRICK February 11, 2020 (3:16 pm)

I believe, like in most criminal activity, a very small percentage off people are responsible for this type of crime. If we actually had a reasonable number of police officers on the force, a steady operation of ‘stings’ to catch them, coupled with active prosecution and firm sentencing, this issue would be greatly reduced within a couple months time. All we need is a council and mayor to show leadership and take this city back for the law abiding citizens. Unfortunately, that would require backbone to stand up to the small vocal extremists and stop leading based upon personal ideology. Something that is in short supply with the current area politicians.

Sixbuck February 11, 2020 (4:06 pm)

Wow!! Well said!! You nailed it.
ABLIFER50 February 11, 2020 (4:52 pm)

patrick… I agree with the first 3/4 ur message. Then… it sounds exactly like ur talking about our (your) current prez
- PATRICK February 12, 2020 (8:43 am)
  
  Abilfer…..Odd, I double checked and do not see anywhere that I mentioned any political affiliations. Perhaps you have difficulty differentiating between what are local and federal issues. Please explain how the current president and the city council are both related to the poor job our current city leadership is showing.
heartless February 11, 2020 (6:44 pm)

I’m about as liberal as they come, and completely agree that we need more cops, and that they need longer, better training and more pay.

As for some of the rest, not so much. The firm sentencing you mention (which I take to mean lengthy prison sentences, correct me if I’m wrong) is a bad idea and has absolutely no evidence behind it. It causes more crime, and costs more money–simple as that. You want to spend more taxpayer money, and have zero reduction in crime? Then push for longer jail terms–otherwise look to the evidence and re-think your position.

But in general I’m all with you. You find a group “small vocal extremists” who promote property theft? Stand up to ’em!
- PATRICK February 12, 2020 (8:13 am)
  
  Heartless…..thanks for the constructive, thought out feedback. Actually, regarding the ‘firm sentencing’…….I do not necessarily mean lengthy sentencing right from the start. I am not for laying the hammer down in all cases. But I do believe that our current prosecution is non existent for much crime in our city. I would support continued enforcement of the law, and as these same criminals are caught over and over again, the jail sentence increases. Then, along with serving sentences, they can be taught/offered alternatives to leading a life without resorting to crime. While the initial first couple years of costs may increase, this could easily be covered by transferring some of the massive money wasted in the current homeless industry. Much of the increase in crime that we all know exists, is due to the drug vagrancy portion of the community. I would rather keep the law abiding community safe and clean and rehabilitate the drug addicted with treatment and job training while serving sentences for crime.
Wseattleite February 11, 2020 (9:22 pm)

Well said Patrick. My only additional contribution would be to encourage citizens to take an active role in being part of the solution. I have all too often seen people witnessing this kind of crime by wringing their hands and hoping the police show up soon, or resigned to the idea that nothing can be done. In person I have seen this victim attitude adopted on multiple occasions with no reasonable premise behind it. Stand up in defense of the law. Stand up in defense of what is yours’. Stand up in defense of what is right. Confront those trying to take what that is not theirs. At the end of the day, there will never be enough police guardians to eliminate all such violations on law abiding citizens rights, but the populace as a whole does have that ability if each individual stands behind what society has deemed as acceptable behavior. If you have not the courage to confront the bad people face to face, then use your voting power to empower those that will. Please resign from accepting victimhood. Take back your reality.

flimflam February 11, 2020 (4:47 pm)

great advice, “don’t have packages delivered to your home” – thanks!

Jay February 11, 2020 (5:38 pm)

This team was on a streak. Saw video on nextdoor, same kid picking a package from another house.

Never Used Amazon February 11, 2020 (5:48 pm)

Thanks Officer Obvious!

dsa February 11, 2020 (5:55 pm)

The focus is not working the way it should. Notice how clear it gets in the last few seconds. Fine, but that is too far away to see her. Is this fault user serviceable?

Yma February 11, 2020 (5:59 pm)

It’d Be really nice if these package deliverers would ring my fricken doorbell. No – I can’t hear when you knock & I certainly can’t hear when you just drop things off. I’ve complained to USPS ( they responded well), UPS (crap shoot – might knock, no doorbell) , & Amazon delivery (also crap shoot).

1994 February 11, 2020 (8:25 pm)

Amazon has lockers in many locations, 7-11 at 35th & Barton, the car repair place on Roxbury across the from the Salvadoran Bakery, Safeway on Roxbury and I bet there are more locations in W Seattle. The Amazon web site offers the locker locations nearest you – they are super easy to use as long as they are offered with your Amazon purchase.

Barbara Armo February 11, 2020 (9:19 pm)

Can you request a locker delivery when you order? Rite Aid is very convenient.

LK February 11, 2020 (11:04 pm)

It’s got to be drugs…what a nuisance.

Dl February 12, 2020 (2:30 am)

Why not request everyone to take their old amazon boxes, poop in the box, seal the box to prevent any leakage, and then place the boxes on the front porch ready to be picked up?

Shadowtripper February 12, 2020 (8:30 am)

Well how about this novel idea? We allow street camera in our City! The perpetrators would have been identified by license plate number, better photo ID, arrested, booked and released before they repeated the porch thief again the following day. This nonsense about invasion of privacy with camera’s in todays world is ridiculous, we already have cameras on most doorsteps and around many business and residential homes. Let’s use current technology to identify these few thieves who repeatedly steal our property knowing the chances of getting caught are near zero. Heck the driver knows that just parking in the street doesn’t identify the vehicle and sending a minor to the steps reduces any chances of sentencing the thief. All we are doing is allowing these the few that smash our car windows, steal our packages and violate our civil rights to continue doing so unabated. If I had tackled that child stealing my package from my porch, I probably would have been jailed for assault and sued. Cameras would be a small budget compared to adding several more officers that wouldn’t have time to followup on these robberies.

KT February 12, 2020 (9:48 am)

Besides not having packages delivered to your door, too bad Lt Strand didn’t comment on what SPS is doing about this? My guess is nothing.

bob davis February 14, 2020 (9:29 am)

i think i saw this crew working my street earlier in the week (38th and henderson) – same gold camry – same foot-person. i was just getting out of my car to take a pic of them but didn’t get the shot in time.

Sorry, comment time is over.