WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Man stabbed; tires vandalized; mail stolen; car prowled

| Crime | West Seattle news

1:55 PM: Three West Seattle Crime Watch reports so far today:

MAN STABBED: A man in his early 60s was taken to the hospital in stable condition with an abdominal wound after what was reported as a stabbing in the Transitional Resources lobby at 2970 SW Avalon Way just before 9:30 am today. We don’t have details on the circumstances but a suspect was reported to be in custody and the scene cleared within an hour.

TIRES VANDALIZED: We’ve received two reports of multiple tire slashings this weekend – near Lowman Beach, and along California SW north of Morgan Junction. (Added – One victim’s security video from just before 5:30 pm Saturday:)

(Also added – one more report received since publishing this: “Three cars had their tires slashed along Fauntleroy Place SW. All of them were along the road and not tucked up in driveways.”)

MAIL STOLEN: Jennifer in Arbor Heights reported that on Saturday afternoon, “I just had a surprise visit from a neighbor a couple blocks away who was out delivering all the stolen mail that was stuffed into his neighbor’s mailbox. He said there was mail from all over the neighborhood.”

2:56 PM: One more report just in:

CAR PROWLED: From Taylor: “Just wanted to alert the neighbors that our car was prowled in our alley driveway at some point in the last 48 hours. We’re on 41st Ave SW near the dead end at Genesee. Nothing was taken but compartments were open and things from the console were on the driver’s seat. They must have been looking for cash because they didn’t take my binoculars or my son’s bike. Won’t ever forget to make sure it’s locked again.”

Pessoa January 3, 2021 (4:12 pm)

You can’t really say you’re a West Seattle resident until you’ve been prowled at least once. It’s so absurdly commonplace. I began leaving my car doors open and no valuables inside, though, after a car in front of my house had the windows smashed out.

Jason January 3, 2021 (5:23 pm)
- Agree- my truck is prowled at least once a year. Almost made it through 2020 but nope- prowled last week. Took garage remote- luckily not programmed.
WalnutAve January 3, 2021 (6:03 pm)

Exaggerate much? I’ve lived in west Seattle for 10 years, have never had my car prowled. The 12 years prior living on Phinney Ridge, my cars were prowled at least once per year. It can happen in any neighborhood, in any city/county, west Seattle is nothing special.
- Pessoa January 3, 2021 (7:21 pm)
  
  Defensive much? You realize that I’m not literally claiming that 80,000 people have had their vehicle vandalized, including you, right? I’m making a observation based on my experiences and those in my neighborhood and extrapolating a conclusion about the frequency of car prowling. Maybe it’s correct, maybe not. But you’ve given me only one reference point – your experience.
  - walnutave January 4, 2021 (8:44 am)
    
    Not defensive, just annoyed with the constant “Seattle is Dying” hysteria, which your post feeds. Being a recent transplant from LA like you pointed out here, I’d genuinely be curious to hear your experience on the matter.
    - Pessoa January 4, 2021 (10:44 am)
      
      Whenever I hear “genuinely” from someone in Seattle my antenna’s go up. You might be one of those exceptions – and probably are – but I’ve learned to be cautious because that phrase is often Seattle code for not being really interested at all. For whatever reason, people here are as opaque and inscrutable as a fog on Elliott Bay. Anyway, I do not have a take on Seattle is Dying, per se, though it seems a bit of a histrionic claim. Every city deals with it’s own set of issues, though the entire West Coast, from SD to Seattle is overwhelmed with homelessness, from city to small towns. No need to refresh anyone on homelessness in LA where some encampments are so huge they are only a post office and police dept short of a being declared a town. Property crimes seem to quite elevated in the Seattle area, though.
    - John W January 4, 2021 (3:59 pm)
      
      Welcome to West Seattle walnutave.Seattleites as you must be realizing have a less laissez-faire attitude than Southern California where I spent twenty years.Born and raised in West Seattle, when I returned to settle down in 96, I was dismayed to be told I was no longer a Seattleite.Seattle may be known for its ‘chill to newcomers, but vocal entitlement is a local sport.

Matt P January 3, 2021 (6:01 pm)

Now there’s someone just casually walking around slashing tires. Awesome.

WSB January 3, 2021 (6:17 pm)

One person who contacted us thinks there might have been an arrest; the person who sent the video mentioned a fast police response. I won’t be able to follow up until tomorrow.
bolo January 3, 2021 (8:44 pm)

Probably more than casually. It’s pretty hard to slash tires. I once tried to cut a junk tire to make huarache sandales with tire soles, had to give up before I cut off my thumb.
- John W January 4, 2021 (12:29 am)
  
  “Slash tires” is the common phrase, but as the video shows, it is more like stabbing or poking with a sharp object. The sidewalls of the tires are the vulnerable part because they are much thinner than the treads that have reinforcing bands.
  I had a tire poked mid-day while I was in Fresh Flours Coffee shop getting coffee.
  The sidewall damage is also not repairable, no patching so the whole tire has to be replaced.
  To my chagrin, such damage is generally not covered by tire puncture warranties.

Rita January 3, 2021 (8:18 pm)

Just discovered my car tire was also slashed – between 3:30pm -7:00pm Saturday night- I was parked on Findley St at 5600 block & California Ave SW.

Mj January 3, 2021 (10:42 pm)

People are already stressed out and having your tires slashed is terrible. What would be really great to see is the perp or perps caught and made to pay the cost of new tires for all the tires they damaged!

WS Taxpayer January 4, 2021 (9:56 am)

And to boot…since it was an all-wheel drive car, having 1 slashed means you get to replace ALL 4 tires, not just one…GRRRR. On a Lexus that is a $2500 bill for some jack@$$ with an ego problem.

adam January 4, 2021 (11:52 am)

lol no it doesnt
- bb7 January 4, 2021 (5:58 pm)
  
  I am a mechanic, I would highly suggest replacing all 4 tires on an awd vehicle. Having one new tire and having the rest be used causes uneven wear to the other tires along with the wheel bearings and bushings in the suspension. If you can afford it you should 100% replace all 4 tires.

sgs January 4, 2021 (11:25 am)

Interesting to hear this. Our tire, and tires of our neighbor’s two cars were flat the other week. We found a nail in ours, so think we just drove over one, It’s just weird that 3 cars parked in a row would have flat tires on the street side in the matter of one day. Just west of Alaska Junction.

bolo January 4, 2021 (12:00 pm)

Any construction or roofing activities nearby? Oftentimes nails, screws, and huge staples scatter and are not always cleaned up. My tires have been victims of this.

Lee January 4, 2021 (1:46 pm)

My wife woke up this morning and found our vans tires slashed in our driveway on the Allie off 42nd. Earlier this year we had our window smashed out and they stole a bag with nothing in it. What an ass of a person does something like this?

22blades January 4, 2021 (1:58 pm)

Just spent an afternoon changing out the lock cylinder on our pickup because someone took a screwdriver to try and get in…. both sides. Two hours work to take out the door interior & entire window mechanism for just one side. Nothing stolen because there’s nothing in it.

Slash Hater January 4, 2021 (3:26 pm)

Several other vehicles had tires slashed same night. Corner of Findley and 44th.

1994 January 4, 2021 (10:05 pm)

Maybe the tire popper/poker is a person who hates cars? Or drumming up business for a tire shop they work at? Or just an angry person out to cause others aggravation and money?

Mich F January 5, 2021 (2:16 pm)

Meanwhile, thanks to the person who found and made sure that mail was delivered. Went to the post office when it didn’t show up after it was reported to me in the 12/22 informed delivery email I’d signed up for. The USPS says to wait a week before reporting it. When we went in to ask why our PO Box was locked (short answer, don’t stay away from the PO during a pandemic, they’ll give it away — or their machine will give it away, “no human is involved”) we also reported the missing mail from the week before, and the Westwood manager told us that the scans weren’t made at the Westwood station, so it might just take longer. Apparently not. This requires a complaint to the local postmaster (for the record; I doubt it’ll do any good). But there was an important item in that mail that luckily didn’t find its way into the hands of a criminal, so I hope whomever took it, postal employee or not, is found, convicted, and sentenced to a good long term. And once again, thank you good West Seattle Samaritan.

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