WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Bedroom burglary attempt; car break-ins

| Crime | West Seattle news

Two reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

BURGLARY ATTEMPT: A North Delridge resident whose home was targeted by a would-be burglar emailed us this report:

I have been trying to spread the word because it is pretty frightening and now I can’t sleep.

(Monday) morning, around 12:45 am, someone attempted to enter a downstairs bedroom from the window. The bedroom was occupied and the entry point was inside our fenced yard. The house and yard was lit and it would have been clear there were people inside. The occupant of the bedroom awoke and confronted them and they left. She said it was a heavyset light-skinned man with brown hair and a beard wearing a leather jacket and jeans. He appeared to be in his 40s. He did not appear intoxicated. Police came, but didn’t find anything.

We later noticed the intruder had moved a furniture item to the window to help get in. It would be difficult to guess that this window existed from outside the fence and we suspect the house must have been cased earlier.

Additional lights and cameras are now up, but I’m not sure when we’ll be able to sleep again.

We are located in North Delridge near 26th and Hudson.

CAR BREAK-INS: Two readers reported seeing the aftermath of break-ins along Beach Drive, including Peggy, who emailed to report: “At least 4 cars were broken into along Beach Drive between Constellation Park and La Rustica on Sunday night, and a couple more on Monday night. Folks should be careful not to keep valuables (or anything) in their cars, particularly in plain sight.”

Lucy November 28, 2023 (3:00 pm)

This is very scary. As a woman who lives alone, my worst nightmare. So, I have a firearm, and I have been trained how to use it and I practice. It seems I alone, am responsible for my safety in an increasingly lawless society. Yikes.

pelicans November 29, 2023 (1:37 am)

Yes, you are.

Parentof2 November 28, 2023 (3:32 pm)

Saw a car early this morning at 630 with broken windows on 40th near the Masonic Temple.

Steph November 28, 2023 (5:33 pm)

Did the police get fingerprints? Did they try?I’m so sorry for what you are going through. Thanks for the warning.Been there. I had triple locks, cameras, dogs, weapons, but it is still hard to sleep after this happens and you realize how vulnerable we are. You have to sleep. I heartily recommend Irwin’s Power to Sleep. Natural and effective.If you don’t sleep your health will deteriorate terribly.I support curfews!

Pelicans November 28, 2023 (11:33 pm)

You know, I’ve been passionate about the Great Lincoln Park Pickleball Debate, and have even posted (once) about it. But, as a recent victim of crime who has trouble sleeping, I not only feel your sense of violation of your personal sanctity, I share huge frustration at how commonplace and ignored by law enforcement investigators crime has become. There seems to be a big collective yawn, at least in comment threads on the WSB site, about these recent crimes. Until it happens to you or your loved ones, it’s not as personal. How much more widespread will it have to become before law enforcement, prosecutors and courts take notice? Before citizens make an uproar about changing sentencing guidelines?

sick of SPD November 29, 2023 (9:27 am)

This. Police aren’t interested in doing their jobs, even though they all make over 100k a year. I don’t know what the solution is. Over the years, a couple in our neighborhood were caught more than TEN TIMES in possession of a stolen vehicle, which is a class B felony, and they were never arrested or charged. Why stop stealing cars? They’d just tell the cops “oh gee, I bought it on craigslist no idea it was stolen” and the cops just shrugged and moved along. Federal oversight has not made SPD better in the last ten years. They just say “staffing” everytime anyone complains. Our neighbor shot our house. The bullet hole pointed straight at his front door. Did the cops even knock on his door and ask him about it? Nope! I’d be shocked if they dusted for fingerprints in this case.
- Byron James December 1, 2023 (10:43 am)
  
  You don’t know what the solution is. You also don’t know what the problem is.
Alki resident November 29, 2023 (1:41 pm)

Law enforcement isn’t ignoring anybody. We’ve lost over 600 officers and they can’t be everywhere.

Pelicans November 29, 2023 (12:04 am)

Steph, At least youth curfews. I grew up with them and they were no big deal. There was no way we wanted to be stopped by the cops, whether on foot, bicycle or in a vehicle, and brought home.It equaled grounding for a year…

Lucy November 29, 2023 (6:31 am)

Any law enforcement stopping kids for being out past curfew runs a high risk of being greeted with guns drawn and shots fired. Young people do not respect law enforcement the way we do.

N November 29, 2023 (1:53 am)

I am disabled and live alone. I sometimes forget to lock my front door. I had taken a nap and I guess I didn’t lock it before I went to bed at night. So around 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday the 28th of November. Someone had opened my front door. I yelled and this person left. I jumped up from bed shut the door and locked it immediately. I did not see the person. I only heard the person. Now I am double checking to see if my door is locked. And yes I am having trouble sleeping too. Sorry for what you were going through. You are not alone.

pelicans November 29, 2023 (3:16 am)

Dear N,Please tape a checklist on your door above your doorknob:KEYSCELLPHONEIDDOORS LOCKEDWINDOWS LOCKEDHEAT OFFFIREPLACE OFFETC,

WS resident November 29, 2023 (9:08 am)

One thing I started to do when I’m home alone over night is I sleep with my car fob near my bed. If you have a fob there should be a panic button. Practice it. I figured if I hear someone breaking into the house I will hit the panic button and maybe scare the person away or atleast let neighbors know something is up. It’s better than nothing .

CMK November 29, 2023 (11:34 am)

Our car was one of the cars broken into on Beach Drive. Beyond the broken glass, there is damage and dents around several windows where it looks like they were leveraging a crowbar or similar to try to break the glass. We discovered it in the morning on the way out to my husband’s cancer surgery follow-up, where it turns out he still has cancer. It was a terrible day. The glass estimate alone is $450.00. When criminals commit these crimes, they are not “victimless”. We already have a lot of bills to pay for his surgery and treatments. On top of this a “neighbor” had our car towed for leaving it on the street on Beach Drive for over 72 hours (we live on the street too… but never mind that) while he had and then recovered from surgery a few months ago. We were shocked when we went to use the car and it wasn’t there. At first, we thought it was stolen, but it turns out they called the police over and over until they came and towed it. The policeman was apologetic when explaining this to us. The person had left an anonymous note complaining that they wanted to park in front of their unit and it wasn’t fair that our car was in one of the street spots where they wanted to park. They asked us to park up or down the block, but not in front of their building unit. But we didn’t get that message. So- we had to go down to the tow yard and pay a huge fine, and pick it up. That was a slap in the face by this entitled “neighbor”. I am a third-generation West-Seattlite, and it is a travesty to see and experience what has happened to our once-lovely and neighborly town. We are moving out as soon as possible, once my husband’s radiation is done. It is very stressful and very sad.

CARGUY November 30, 2023 (8:50 am)

That really sucks. The dents would probably be more to rpair than the glass. If you have full coverage insurance give them a call. For Street parking, it is for everyone and vehicles left over 72hrs are considered abandoned. Many cities have a law like this. I see this happen all the time but a note is always left there first before the tow. If you left it there for months I see no reason why the parking police would not think it’s abandoned. There are lots you can pay for for long term parking. I was the neighbor who almost called in an abandoned car that was left halfway over my driveway making it dangerous to enter/exit. It was there for a week and I decided “I’ll wait until the end of the day to Call” to my surprise a young mother and child came that afternoon and drove off…. That would have been a pig pain for them I’m sure. If you’re leaving for a vacation or long term. Make sure your car is parked appropriately.
SK November 30, 2023 (2:45 pm)

@CMK, so sorry to read this and I hope your husband will recover soon. It sounds like you had a really bad couple of days. Know that there are neighbors with compassion here – I wish to think this neighbor wouldn’t have reacted the way they did knowing what you and your family are currently going through.

Neighbor T. November 29, 2023 (3:42 pm)

Hum, very strange interaction happened at our house with someone who is light skinned, facial hair, heavy-set around 11:30 am today. Sorry head was covered by two hoods, so I cannot say anything about hair color. The situation was so strange that I took pictures of this loiterer. Long story short, I would love to share my pictures in the case that it’s the same person. Just thinking out loud and looking to be a good neighbor.

Francisco November 29, 2023 (10:31 pm)

Yes please. I would love to get this information to the police if it’s the same person. This is seriously ultra creepy behavior and I fear will only escalate into something worse if not apprehended. This person needs to be off the streets immediately.

Sorry, comment time is over.