WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: More catalytic converters stolen; bike theft

Three thefts in West Seattle Crime Watch – first, two more reports of catalytic converters being taken:

CC THEFT #1: From Peter:

I’m writing to report that my catalytic converter was stolen last night from my 22 year old car in my driveway in the Fauntleroy/Lincoln Park area.

We’ve got a followup out to ask what kind of car. (Update: 1999 Chevy Cavalier.)

CC THEFT #2: From Dayton:

At 12:30 am on Monday, April 4th, my wife and I heard some sounds of metal being cut. Thinking at first that this was a business causing after-hours noise, my wife went outside our house to investigate. She saw a car stopped in the road on 17th Ave. SW [3800 block] with a driver behind the wheel. She then heard metal-cutting sounds from underneath an ’80s Land Rover Discovery which belongs to one of our neighbors. When she was looking to find out what was happening, a big man stepped out from between two cars, scaring her, so she ran in and alerted me. As I was leaving the house, we saw two men jump into the car, which backed down to exit the cul-de-sac and sped off. We tried to see the license plate, but were unsuccessful. When we went back to look at the Land Rover, we could see that both catalytic converters had been sawed off. A broken Sawzall blade was under the car. Unable to get a good look at the car, the best description I can give is that it is a late-model, 5-door mini SUV with roughly the same outline of a Ford Ecosport, dark blue or black in color. It had an oversized black rack on the top of the type which can be used for a rooftop tent.

BIKE THEFT: Be on the lookout for Steve‘s stolen bike:

I had a bike stolen last night from my garage that I had not yet locked for the night at about 11 pm, in Morgan Junction. It was a nice full suspension Diamondback. Let me know if you see it. I’ve not seen many in WS that have the orange rear triangle.

21 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: More catalytic converters stolen; bike theft"

  • Mike April 5, 2022 (4:43 pm)

    This is terrible–for an older vehicle, the cost of repairs may be more than the car is worth. The ongoing epidemic of cat thefts shows what a failed city Seattle has become.

    • WSB April 5, 2022 (5:36 pm)

      Catalytic-converter theft is in no way a Seattle-specific crime. Just go to https://news.google.com and put in “catalytic converter.” Right now the news stories above the fold of the page are from:
      -LA
      -Denver
      -Boston
      -Elmira, NY
      -Weld County, Wyoming
      -Houston

      • Sam April 5, 2022 (6:12 pm)

        ? Those other cities having problems too does not negate the original comment

    • Amy April 5, 2022 (8:33 pm)

      Having property crime indicates a city is failing? If so, please show me a city that isn’t. 

      • Sam April 6, 2022 (7:05 am)

        Many are

    • Rob April 6, 2022 (7:49 am)

      We haven’t yet reached the level of hell that New Orleans occupies (I speak from 7 collective years worth of experience in that “place”), thus we are not as far gone as one may think. There’s still time to turn this city around.

  • Auntie April 5, 2022 (6:06 pm)

    Re stolen bike – you might want to cruise by the encampment over by Nucor. Saw a guy spray-painting a couple of bikes white over there the other day. Somehow I doubt that he went and bought those bikes and just decided he wanted a white bike or two rather than their original color…

    • Matt April 6, 2022 (12:44 pm)

      I drive by that encampment every day, it’s crazy how many stolen bikes are there. Since they aren’t mine I can’t report to SPD.Maybe readers should start sending pics of bikes that appear stolen, so owners can track them down?

      • Bryan April 7, 2022 (6:52 am)

        There are 2 FB pages where stolen bikes should be listed, PNW Stolen bikes, and Seattle stolen bikes.  When listed, many of us go down and try to recover them.  I have recovered many bikes from that encampment.  It’s completely out of control.People should also list bikes on Bike Index.  And if you see nice bikes down there, not yet painted or stripped, search Bike Index and contact the owner.

  • 1994 April 5, 2022 (8:24 pm)

    Too bad all cars can’t be lowered closer to the ground once you put it in park. or have some sharp fang like things drop down to prevent these creepers from going under your car and ruining it! Even OLD cars aren’t safe from these creepers.  Or maybe something that would give them an electrical shock upon scooting under a car and touching its bottom side….far fetched ideas but these creepers are relentless in getting at the bottom of your car.

    • WS Res April 6, 2022 (9:22 am)

      You don’t need Batmobile mods. Go get a $200 CAT shield at the Muffler Shoppe in White Center. I can’t believe people read this blog enough to know that theft is an issue, but don’t go get this simple, effective fix installed. Maybe it isn’t violent enough?

  • waughtown April 5, 2022 (9:23 pm)

    If my catalytic converter is stolen, I’m not replacing it.  My car will just have to pollute.  Until this so called climate concerned city gets it’s act together on property crime, there is no point in paying for repairs.  By the way, you can’t convince me this city and it’s residents truly care about the environment—–I have never lived in a city that tolerates the overwhelming amount of litter and filth…..not to mention the graffiti that is here in Seattle.  I’m sorry to inform you, but most cities in the U.S. are much much cleaner and safer.  In the last 5 plus years, Seattle has taken on the look (and feel) of a third world city.  Catalytic converter theft is just another symptom of the overall decay of Seattle. It breaks my heart to see it.

    • Chris D April 5, 2022 (10:31 pm)

      There’s no arguing this, but I’m sure someone will try. 

    • WS Res April 6, 2022 (9:20 am)

      Please feel free to leave for one of these other cities that supposedly doesn’t have graffiti and catalytic converter theft.  I mean there’s literally a comment from WSB just a few comments up pointing out that this is a problem everywhere.

      • waughtown April 6, 2022 (12:18 pm)

        If you think L.A., Denver, and Elmira, NY constitute “everywhere” then it is easy to understand the small minded thinking that is setting the policy in Seattle.  You recommend going to White Center to have a cage installed around your catalytic converter.  What do you recommend for protecting yourself from being hit in the head with a baseball bat when venturing downtown?  A bike helmet?  Would that be strong enough to withstand the blow?  Wait…..didn’t the city council deem bike helmets racist?  That makes sense, but what about the danger when walking downtown?  Would that shop in White Center create a protective cage to wear over one’s head?  Worth considering.  We certainly don’t want to consider holding these criminals accountable.   Noooooooooo.   Much better to put cages around everything.  By the way, WS Res, you stay here.  Don’t move to a safer city, I don’t want you voting there.

        • WSB April 6, 2022 (1:50 pm)

          Yes, it is truly EVERYWHERE. I just cited those locations from what Google’s news aggregator put above the fold at that moment. If you had done that search amd scrolled down, you would have found myriad other states. Today, in order, with catalytic converter as the non-Boolean search term:

          Connecticut
          California
          Colorado
          Texas
          Massachusetts
          Ohio
          Louisiana
          Minnesota
          Iowa
          Wyoming
          Nebraska

          And it goes on, that’s just where I had to stop. The headlines are depressingly similar – ring busted, shots fired during theft, more. If you find a place where it’s not happening, perhaps we can learn from it.

          P.S. No, the city council did not deem bicycle helmets racist. The county health board deemed the enforcement of the helmet law racist.
          https://publichealthinsider.com/2022/02/17/with-a-commitment-to-equity-board-of-health-updates-king-countys-bike-helmet-policy/

    • PasserBy April 6, 2022 (3:30 pm)

      Very well said.

  • West April 6, 2022 (12:40 pm)

    HB 1815 is supposed to help prevent this.  Is it in effect yet?  https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1815&Initiative=false&Year=2021

  • Lindsey April 6, 2022 (3:55 pm)

    STEVE I JUST SAW YOUR BIKE. Thanks for the picture, it’s very distinctive. It’s being ridden northbound on 26th Ave SW by a guy from the homeless encampment on 25th/Juneau.  

    • Steve April 6, 2022 (7:48 pm)

      Thanks for that tip.   I went by both 25th/Juneau and Nucor.  Nothing …… yet.  :-)

      • Lindsey April 7, 2022 (5:24 pm)

        STEVE! Your bike is at 5633 26th Ave SW. The people who live there/crash there are not friendly. Approach with caution.

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