WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Car prowler; 2 dumped bicycles; more

| Crime | West Seattle news

Three Crime Watch notes:

CAR PROWLER: From a Sylvan Heights resident:

This man was seen in the Sylvan Heights neighborhood at 3:30 am. By the time the police had arrived he was gone. He was attempting to get into this car for at least 15 minutes.

DUMPED BICYCLES: From the dumped-and-likely-stolen file:

Found these two bikes dumped by the bus stop at Trenton and 16th today:

They’ve checked Bike Index – neither is registered. They’ll be checking with police too, but in the meantime, if you recognize either let us know and we’ll connect you.

SUSPECTED GUNFIRE INVESTIGATED: We don’t always receive police reports on suspected gunfire that goes unconfirmed, but we did on this one that happened just after 2 am today, so in case you heard it too: “Multiple callers reported hearing gunshots in the 4500 block of Beach Drive SW. Officers located two unidentified witnesses who reported hearing shots being fired and vehicles speeding away. No victims, shell casings, or evidence were located.”

Auntie May 22, 2021 (7:42 pm)

Why would it take police 15 minutes to get from Delridge & Orchard up to Sylvan Heights (less than a mile)? Unless they weren’t called when this guy was first noticed…

WSB May 22, 2021 (8:07 pm)

Police are not sitting around the precinct waiting to be dispatched. They’re coming from another call somewhere in West Seattle or South Park – when the dispatcher is able to send them.
- Auntie May 22, 2021 (9:06 pm)
  
  Oh, right. I forgot about that sign on the door of the Southwest Precinct that pretty much says, “we’re closed – go away.” Nobody home…If there was adequate funding, we might be able to have a police presence in the area when we need it.
  - WSB May 22, 2021 (10:01 pm)
    
    Even when fully staffed, they’re not dispatched from the precinct. Except at the start of shift – when there are usually calls waiting as they get out of roll call. If you’re referring to an actual sign (I haven’t been to the precinct since before the pandemic), it would be a reference to the lobby closure.
WW Resident May 22, 2021 (8:35 pm)

Over 200 officers have left the department since last year, that’s why it takes so long
Anne May 22, 2021 (9:38 pm)

You really think officers are just sitting around inside the precinct — waiting to be told “ you’re up”???

Randy May 22, 2021 (8:30 pm)

A proverb about this.Proverbs 20:11Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

wendell May 22, 2021 (8:48 pm)

15 minutes to boost a car. Time for a new career, maybe a circus clown?

Auntie May 22, 2021 (8:59 pm)

That’s so sad. We need to REfund the police, not DEfund the police. I know a car prowl is not the most urgent of crimes, but we should have better response times, and would if we had adequate staffing. Thanks, Seattle leadership.

DBurger May 23, 2021 (7:52 am)

Seattle police officers make more than most police officers in the country. The overtime they get paid for, sometimes for ridiculous things, is astounding. Rank and file officers make more than their leaders do; some made upwards of $300,000 a year. That’s inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars. Also, a significant number of officers have been fired for bad conduct. I’m just fine with that. Not to mention, I don’t need my police to be highly militarized units and I don’t need them to be facing half the situations they are forced to face, without the proper training to deal with the situations. That’s a waste of my and your money. Defund the police is about moving some money to other programs to deal with those situations using appropriately trained people, not elimination of the police department. Police should be a last resort in many situations.
- westseattleite May 23, 2021 (1:34 pm)
  
  Like active car theft?
  - Dburger May 30, 2021 (7:50 am)
    
    Nowhere did I say active occurring car prowls should be ignored. I was simply making a point about defunding the police, which by the way is a horrible phrase if you’re trying to get people to understand and agree with addressing current issues facing our society. The police exist to respond to situations where people are actively breaking the law. Last I checked it’s illegal to steal from someone, hence an actively occurring theft would warrant a police response.

Sorry, comment time is over.