WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Garage burglar takes bicycles; bike stolen from bus; another catalytic converter gone

| Crime | West Seattle news

Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

GARAGE BURGLAR TAKES BICYCLES: DH sent the photos and report:

Around 3 am on Saturday, August 7th, we were victims of a burglar who broke into our locked condo garage and helped himself to our bikes, backpacking and camping gear, and suitcases full of clothes and shoes that were all packed into our car for our daughter’s drive over to WSU later that morning. A report has been filed with the Seattle Police department and a case # has been assigned.

Attached are the photos taken by our HOA security system. These do a good job of showing the burglar’s identifiable features.

I’m hoping these can be published in the Crime Watch section of the WSB with the goals of:
1) Asking if anyone knows this guy (if so, please notify the police)
2) Warning folks this guy is on loose, so protect your stuff or report him to the police if you see him lurking around

BIKE STOLEN FROM BUS: From Beth:

Bike stolen off Metro C-Line at approximately 9:45pm 8.9.21. Please be on the lookout for a Silver Allez Specialized road bike 56cm with multicolor handle bar wrap (green/yellow/red/black) or might be bare if they pull it off. Also has Grateful Dead Dancing Bear sticker on side. Reward if found!

ANOTHER CATALYTIC CONVERTER GONE: This report is from Neysa:

I wanted to share that my Honda Element’s catalytic converter was stolen from in front of my residence just two blocks south of the Fauntleroy Ferry docks. The theft happened sometime between Friday August 6th at 10:30 pm and Saturday August 7th at 10 am. I filed a police report. I have no leads or footage, but wanted to share to further alert those in the area of the ongoing cat thefts.

waikikigirl August 10, 2021 (7:46 pm)

Ironic his cap says “Respect” on it because he obviously has none.

FF August 10, 2021 (7:56 pm)

And he has a RESPECT cap on. Far from it dude!

RickB August 10, 2021 (8:28 pm)

Mariners legend Jay Buhner fallen on hard times. Sad.

Infantry72 August 10, 2021 (8:40 pm)

Oh, isn’t he just adorable. Mama must be so proud…

Mj August 10, 2021 (10:30 pm)

With a photograph of the perp stealing the bikes the thief needs to be caught, charged and held accountable. Enough already!

Derrick August 10, 2021 (10:58 pm)

So how would this play out if the candidate for city attorney who is against punishing any low level crimes is elected? What would happen if he were captured?

WSB August 10, 2021 (11:29 pm)

The City Attorney *does not have jurisdiction in felonies*. Felonies are prosecuted by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. The garage burglary is a felony.
https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9a.52
- StopCuttingDownTrees August 11, 2021 (1:20 am)
  
  Thank God.
- Wavy David August 11, 2021 (7:55 am)
  
  Despite this WSB correction, I think the question is still valid. Can we expect crimes like these to subside if the city is de-funding its police force while refusing to prosecute low-level crimes? Also, is it rational to anticipate city thieves will stop at only taking $749 dollars worth of stuff, per theft, in order to avoid felony charges in the increasingly unlikely event they get caught, charged, and actually prosecuted?
Brynn August 11, 2021 (6:55 am)

NTK isn’t against punishing low level crimes, she wants to decriminalized poverty. Her own words: https://ntk4justice.com/decriminalize-poverty
- Blinkyjoe August 11, 2021 (2:56 pm)
  
  Being poor isn’t a crime. Stealing, vandalism, camping/pooping/littering on public property and public drug use is.
  - anonyme August 11, 2021 (4:26 pm)
    
    Thank you, Blinkyjoe. That is exactly right. The entire “decriminalize poverty” argument is not only an empty one but an insult to those who are both poor and law-abiding. I am one of them. I am sick and tired of having low-income associated with a lack of accountability or ethics, which is exactly what this sanctimonious nonsense suggests.
Strange times August 12, 2021 (10:13 am)

I just had to check the link to see what in the world “NKT” means…is she trying to be the next AOC? hehe… I agree with Blinkyjoe, Anonyme and similar sentiments. Seattle is becoming bizzaro-world.

Check by the gym August 11, 2021 (7:39 am)

For the garage theft maybe do a drive by the homeless encampment by Nucor next to the gym. I workout there and have a view from above. Lots of bikes there.

MALOU August 11, 2021 (9:02 am)

Please check out on Barton and 16Th Ave they have a tons of bikes behind a pallet between two RV’s

S August 11, 2021 (9:58 am)

I know this is off topic but the van at 16th and Barton which is responsible for most of the debris/bikes regularly runs a power cord across Barton Street. I think the van owner is selling power to the neighboring RV across the street. This is a hazard given the amount of vehicle traffic on this street. I notified the City but nothing has been done. I’ve also lost hope on the 72-hour parking enforcement. Has anyone dealt or seen anything like this before?

Flo B August 11, 2021 (9:05 am)

WSB,others. What crimes are considered “low level” crimes and what elevates them to felony.

WSB August 11, 2021 (11:25 am)

Low-level is not an official term. You can see the city’s laws in the Seattle Municipal Code.

Jay August 11, 2021 (9:10 am)

I don’t know how he got in, but as a general FYI all garage doors have an emergency release cord, usually hanging a foot from the middle of the door. Thieves often break in using a coat hanger to pull the locking mechanism open. You can install a barrier between the door and the release blocking access, and install a barrier to stop them pressing the garage open button with the coat hanger as well. You can also zip-tie the mechanism shut, which makes it require too much force to open with a coat hanger horizontally but will break away and open if an escaping resident pulls downward on the cord.

Sillygoose August 11, 2021 (9:11 am)

I am so sorry this is aggravating!! Come down to 28th Ave SW and SW Andover street this morning they had a stack of suitcases and duffle bags along with stacks of bicycles.

Flo B August 11, 2021 (11:43 am)

Brynn. Read your link. If you think things are bad now lord help us if she win’s. YIKES!!!!

Brynn August 11, 2021 (2:16 pm)

Flo I never mentioned things being good or bad. I just posted a link of the NTK’s exact platform. A few people on this thread are using fear and misinformation to fit their personal narratives without even bothering to read what a candidate actually wants to do. Strange you think I wouldn’t have read my own link. Did you? If you did which part do you think is problematic? Be specific. If you didn’t read it I can only assume you made a snap judgement based off buzzwords and then asked the lord to help us. She isn’t running on letting bike and catalytic converter thieves not face punishment. As WSB has pointed out it wouldn’t be up to her anyway. Her platform includes the decriminalization of poverty, ending the war on drugs, funding victims services, and making sure EVERYONE feels safe around the police. Which part makes you think YIKES? Be specific. Vote for her or don’t but at least take two minutes to read the platform, reflect on your internal bias and make an informed decision.
- Wseattleite August 11, 2021 (3:25 pm)
  
  Brynn, I only need to read the first line before I can identify EXACTLY what I take issue with in her “stance”. “Stop prosecuting most misdemeanors”. The prose after the title provides more detail as to the issue I have with this concept. Doing wrong is wrong – regardless of race, social status, poverty level, etc. I am not ok not calling out bad behavior as bad behavior. Note the misdemeanors we are typically talking about are not stealing food in order to not starve to death. They are largely done to support other illegal activity such as drug use. I will continue to call bad behavior what it is, not excuse it. Thank you kindly for providing the link to be able to pinpoint the errors of that thinking without relying on buzzwords and bias.
- anonyme August 11, 2021 (4:31 pm)
  
  I don’t want criminals to feel safe around police, or drug addicts to be officially enabled by local government. This is not the decriminalization of poverty, it is literally the decriminalization of CRIME.

Joan August 11, 2021 (12:14 pm)

With all the garage break-ins, it seems condos need to beef up their garage doors and entrances. How maddening this can happen! Heartbreaking for that student who lost everything.

Alex S. August 11, 2021 (2:26 pm)

To the bike owners: get those bikes registered on Bike Index and watch OfferUp for them to appear for sale at 50% of what they are worth.

Chris K August 11, 2021 (9:57 pm)

I voted for NTK in the primary, and I’ll vote for her again. Locking people up in cages isn’t the answer. Stuff can be easily replaced; lives destroyed by our terrible justice system are not so easily replaced.

anonyme August 12, 2021 (6:41 am)

I am dismayed by the elitist arrogance of this response. It may come as a shock to you, but “stuff” is not easily replaced by everyone. Lots of people work hard to get what they have, and many are a paycheck away from homelessness. That bicycle that you dismiss as superfluous may be their transportation to work. Even if it is for pleasure only, who are you to decide that some drug-addicted low life has more of a right to it than the person who earned it? As for “lives destroyed” by our terrible justice system, those lives were destroyed long before the justice system, such as it is, stepped in. It’s time we stopped considering the lives of predatory criminals to be the only lives that matter. While there are definitely societal issues contributing to criminal behavior, the answer is not to punish the innocent.
Tyr1001 August 12, 2021 (8:33 am)

Except sometimes things cannot be easily replaced. I doubt thieves take the economic status of their victims into account when they pilfer, nor the emotional value of whatever they can get their hands on. I have worked my a** off to pick myself up out of my destitute childhood to get to where I am and continue to do so so that I can provide a better life for me and my own, not the guy blowing everything for a little fire in his veins
Thomas Andrew Wood August 12, 2021 (2:05 pm)

Your statement is so arrogant. Its exactly why were in this morass. Take a look around you .We’ve spent literally millions to help people.And nothing has changed! Everyday when you look at the news another shooting somebody has been assaulted a business has been burglarized. These are real and innocent people are being hurt. I suggest you read the opinion by the Federal Judge that has oversight on the SPD .He points the finger straight at the Council.
Alex S. August 13, 2021 (3:25 pm)

Behind every serial criminal there are enablers who help them ruin their lives and ours. The notion that a replacement is possible for something sentimental / a family heirloom or, say, a bike which somebody relies on to get to school or work – is absolutely ridiculous. Stop pretending predators are victims.

Auntie August 12, 2021 (10:50 am)

“Stuff can be easily replaced.” Really?? I should just let someone take something that I have worked hard to get because they think they need it more than me? And they won’t be prosecuted, under the aforementioned scenario? I don’t think so. These thieves aren’t stealing bikes to feed their children – they are more likely stealing them to sell and feed their addictions. What part of I worked to earn what I have and they didn’t is hard to understand? They need to be prosecuted.

Sorry, comment time is over.