WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Bicycle theft on video; safety alert

| Crime | West Seattle news

Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

BICYCLES STOLEN: The screenshot above is from this security video sent by Zach after 2 bicycles were stolen from his home near Admiral/59th last Thursday:

He reports, “Thieves came into our garage (we left it open for a few hours) and they took both our bikes off the rack and loaded them into a truck and sped away. My bike is an REI City 1.1 hybrid in teal color and my wife’s is a Novara Fiona beach cruiser style in teal/white. A police report has been filed and the bikes have been reported stolen on BikeIndex.com.” The SPD report # is 21-110902.

SAFETY ALERT: A reader wants to alert neighbors about a suspicious driver following her as she walked in north Morgan Junction last night, pushing her bicycle at first: “A black sedan pulled up next to me slowly and was slowly driving right next to me keeping pace with me as I walked. I looked over and noticed the windows were pitch black. You couldn’t see into them at all. For the first second or two I didn’t think anything nefarious was happening and was expecting them to maybe roll down a window and ask for directions or something like that. But the car just kept slowly driving next to me and all of the sudden I felt like I might be in a bad situation so I walked faster and they followed and then I hopped on my bike and took off really fast.” The driver did not follow from that point. No further description of the car; she just wanted to get this out there in case it had happened to anyone else.

M May 11, 2021 (6:17 pm)

I am just so tired of the rampant property theft in Seattle (west coast cities in general)? It is so prevalent, I don’t think we would have space to jail offenders anyway even if there was agreement to do that.I don’t have answers. I am just tired.

Sam May 11, 2021 (6:37 pm)

Me too M. I was tired of it years ago.
Also John May 11, 2021 (7:15 pm)

M and Sam…. I have 4 words for you. “Escape From New York”.
- Pessoa May 12, 2021 (8:49 am)
  
  Kurt Russell’s eye patch, and a few musical riffs from “Halloween” provided some laughs in an otherwise unwatchable low budget “Escape from New York.” I get your point, but one can bemoan the prevalence of property crime without advocating for a city turned into a prison with movement and personal liberties restricted….hey, wait a minute.

Sam May 11, 2021 (6:39 pm)

Re safety alert, probably illegal tint if they were that dark in the front windows. Wish we had enough police to enforce traffic violations.

StopCuttingDownTrees May 11, 2021 (9:51 pm)

Dark tint on every side and rear window is legal in Washington.
- Alex S. May 12, 2021 (1:13 pm)
  
  No – that only applies to passenger and rear windows. Front side windows must allow more than 24% of light in. I wish local police and WSP would enforce this basic law in the era of road rage, hit & runs, vehicle thefts, drive-bys and increasing car-nage that kills innocent bicyclist and pedestrians. Jet black windows (including windshields) are favored by criminals staking out our houses, and stalkers like the creep who followed this woman. But, of course, loud radical activists have made it nearly impossible for police to enforce laws that were written to provide us with common sense traffic safety. Our roads continue to become increasingly lawless & dangerous, as criminals don’t even need to put plates or window permits on their cars anymore.
  - StopCuttingDownTrees May 12, 2021 (5:21 pm)
    
    Yes, but 24% on factory glass at night is almost l impossible to see through from the outside and is effectively nearly opaque. There is also a very wide window of exemption for anyone who is cited with 25% or darker tint via a note from a physician or who EVER carries a passenger with photo-sensitivity issues. Keep in mind that in many states ANY tint, even 5%, is prohibited under any circumstance. Per the RCW:
    
    ”
    A greater degree of light reduction is permitted on all windows and the top 6 inches of windshields operated by or carrying as a passenger a person who possesses a written medical exemption from a licensed physician.
- rick-ws May 12, 2021 (8:24 pm)
  
  No more than 50% light transmission blocking.
Linda Ruffer May 24, 2021 (9:17 am)

Agree. Have noticed a number of vehicles with super dark tinted windows parked in odd places. At the very least, it becomes a traffic hazard because you can’t tell whether the other driver sees you, or where their attention is focused. It also creeps me out.

Kh May 12, 2021 (2:47 pm)

Im almost positive that truck in the video is on Andover across from the west seattle health club. Its parked among the numerous RVs and scattered with dozens of bikes. The truck parked there looks like a dodge dakota, matt black/green painted, dark windows. Good luck