WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Theft temporarily closes coffee stand, and 3 more reader reports

| Crime | West Seattle news

TEMPORARILY CLOSED BY THEFT: West Bay Coffee and Smoothies (2255 Harbor Avenue SW) has been hit again, and this time they’re temporarily closed as a result. Proprietor Jennifer reports:

At 6 pm on Wednesday night we lost power. Thinking it must be a power outage in the neighborhood, but looking around, it was just us.

Waiting till Seattle City Light opened (7:30 am), they couldn’t find any problems either, and said check your breaker.
By 1 pm, I was still not able to be open for business, I got a call from Seattle City Light saying something wasn’t quite right and we’re sending a technician out. And this is what we found: The whole power meter completely stolen off the building and all the wiring leading to the shop had been ripped out and gone! All the cut wire was exposed and in the rain.

Jennifer says the building owner “isn’t willing to help us once again” – you might recall the saga of the broken water pipes last winter – and her 15-year small business is on a month-to-month, “so I’m on my own once again to figure out if I want to stay. … I understand the property is for sale but it has been for years, and in the meantime we’re still here and thriving more than ever! Sales are up the last 3 years thanks to this amazing community. Plus I have the best team! I’m so appreciative for them being so supportive during these challenging times. So we closed for a bit until we figure out what’s next to do. Currently waiting for our Seattle City Light rep to give us the next step.” And if you have any information about the meter/wiring theft, the SPD incident # is 2022-923739.

CAR HARDTOP THEFT ATTEMPT: Via email:

On October 29 (between 2 to 3 PM), I parked my car in the parking lot at West Seattle Home Depot (7345 Delridge Wy SW). I was in the store for approximately 15 minutes. After I exited the store and approached my car, a witness told me that three men had broken the passenger-side window and attempted with a heavy manual object (likely used to steal catalytic converters) to remove my Miata convertible hardtop. Because no VIN or other identifiers exist on removable hardtops that require simple unlatching and removal once a car is broken into, I have special locks in place that they were not able to remove and take the hardtop (my car has been broken into 5 times in 13 yr living in West Seattle).

The tool they used cut metal as the latches are sawed in half. However, in addition to the broken window, they did extensive damage to the interior of the car by trying to remove the hardtop, including breaking all latches and damaging the structures that attach the hardtop. Brazen given it was attempted in a public store parking lot.

WOULD-BE PACKAGE/MAIL THIEF? If anyone along SW Yancy east of Avalon Way is missing packages/mail, Calista reports this sighting before noon on Thursday: A man following a USPS letter carrier who was making his rounds, going up to homes right after the letter carrier had been there. After watching the man for a while, she says she alerted the carrier – she didn’t have a phone with her to call 911 – so she’s hopeful he called police. The carrier drove off and Calista did too, but she says she saw an approaching Amazon truck in her rear-view mirror.

(added) ANYBODY MISSING A TRUCK CANOPY? David says this was dumped in his alley:

I would like to report a truck canopy that was left in our alley sometime in the past 24 hours. It’s located between SW Cloverdale on the north and SW Trenton on the south between 32nd AVE SW and 34th AVE SW (there is no 33rd in this area – that is the alley). if anyone could make use of it please feel free to stop by and pick it up.

Brian November 4, 2022 (4:45 pm)

In this case it makes way more sense to refer to this person as a “land owner” and not a “building owner” if they’re not even interested in providing utilities after an incident like this occurs.

bolo November 4, 2022 (5:12 pm)

RE: The wiring for West Bay Coffee and Smoothies. Along some of my bicycle routes I see evidence of wire theft weekly. Constant fresh large mounds of wire insulation (results after stripping out the copper conductor) piled up at the cul-de-sac at the north end of West Marginal Pl. near the edge of the low bridge cycle trail. And wonder why strings of streetlights are inoperative, from Pioneer Square to Delridge. They eventually get fixed, then knocked out of commission again. SCL response is “Thanks for reporting, we already know about the outages, it’s copper wire theft again.”

Anyway you might be able to identify the fresh insulation scraps there to matchup with the remaining wiring at your system (IIRC, there should be date codes?), enough to get the police to investigate? Just a thought.

bill November 4, 2022 (8:47 pm)

Yep, two weeks ago I biked by a guy stripping insulation off wire on West Marginal Pl. New wire on big several-hundred-foot spools! He had at least three spools. It seems unlikely he could turn a profit buying wire and recycling it. Anyone missing big spools of wire? Here’s an idea: The city just straight-up pays West Seattle Recycling what they are earning for recycling copper wire, and West Seattle Recycling stops accepting walk-in copper without an accompanying business license and demolition permit. The city and businesses save money on labor to replace stolen wire and the lights stay on. Win-win.
- JS November 5, 2022 (9:11 am)
  
  Or you could just take the “amazing” profits they are turning over and invest in some security. Don’t use my tax dollars to pay for someone else’s negligence.
  - MyThruppence November 6, 2022 (8:25 am)
    
    Having wire stolen from conduit, vehicles, or supply points, which was to be used for public conveyance, is now negligence by the city for allowing the wire to be stolen in the first place? Puhlease! This must be how thieves think. Thieves logic?
  - Jennifer November 6, 2022 (9:40 pm)
    
    Security for an electricity meter?

Jack November 4, 2022 (8:06 pm)

Sorry to hear about your Miata being damaged, so glad you still have your hardtop. My Miatas hardtop was stolen almost a year ago not far from that Home Depot. I cannot afford to replace it. I had considered getting locks for it. Wish that I had.

Brandy November 4, 2022 (10:33 pm)

Right next to the precinct too…

Azimuth November 4, 2022 (11:24 pm)

Hope you can get the police to do something about your hard top. They right next door! That lot usually has one of those towers with lights and cameras, apparently that isn’t much of a deterrent.

MyThruppence November 5, 2022 (7:02 am)

The tower things are not owned or operated by SPD. People should be asking Home Depot why they have not improved their parking lot security, beyond merely having elevated cameras film the crimes for review later. Yes it sucks, but it is a large private lot, and the SPD has enough on its plate whether it is right next door or not.

Jeepney November 5, 2022 (10:33 am)

Who/why would anyone steal a power meter and wiring???

Balderdash November 5, 2022 (10:36 am)

The parking lot, at home depot, at 3 in the afternoon. Three guys with tools messing with your car. That is bolder than bold.

Mj November 5, 2022 (12:27 pm)

Jeepney – copper is about $3.60 a pound now and unscrupulous metal recyclers buy the stolen copper. This is very annoying and in the case of street lights being out a safety issue. It’s way past time to throw both the enabling recyclers and thieves behind bars for a very long time!