WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Gas siphoning

One reader report tonight in West Seattle Crime Watch: It’s not surprising to hear about a case of gas siphoning, given the current prices. The victim, who wants to remain anonymous, says this happened between 10:30 and 10:50 am today “in the alley of the 3200 block, between Hanford and Hinds & 44th Ave SW and California Ave SW. … A man came onto our property and siphoned gas out of our truck.” They saw him as he left in an older gold Chevy Silverado, license plate starting with C539. The siphoner was described as white, “maybe in his 40’s or 50’s, short mustache, maybe short beard, dirty black hat with white writing/pic on front, wearing a light blue shirt or jacket, with a darker blue collar sticking out.” The victim said they were primarily contacting us so that others are aware this can happen.

tim June 3, 2022 (8:22 am)

Somebody’s been siphoning my gas too. Near Hiawatha. So I just leave the tank near empty. locking caps don’t fit.

Christopher June 3, 2022 (5:51 pm)

It’s always so frustrating to hear when the lowlifes manage to get away with impunity, especially when the crime is so brazen – in broad daylight with no fear of getting caught. It’s doubtful that the SPD has the resources to go after a small theft like this. But the aggregate of what they’re actually stealing is probably much more than this one incident. This truck was captured by my security cameras at exactly 10:45am on June 2. There were two guys in the truck, multiple gas cans in the bed, along with a number of presumably stolen bikes and other items.

Victim-of-the-Moment June 3, 2022 (10:24 pm)

Thanks, Christopher! Per conversations with
neighbors there have also been several other thefts, most in recent weeks, on
this block of 44th (alley and street): at least five catalytic converters, a
truck (reported on the Blog last week), and an out-of-state license
plate. The most brazen: in the case of two cat converters
the thieves drove a U-Haul in broad daylight and kept at it despite someone
spotting them, calling out, and taking pics.

One person mentioned someone he knew who’d spotted a thief in the act of
stealing his catalytic converter (this was somewhere else entirely); somehow
the man ended up looking into the thief’s car, where he saw two other catalytic
converters… and an assault rifle. Criminy.

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