WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Scooter stolen at school; abandoned-likely-stolen Kia Soul

| Crime | West Seattle news

Two reader reports:

SCOOTER STOLEN AT SCHOOL: From Jody:

Yesterday while my son was at school (Madison Middle School) his electric scooter was stolen while locked on the school’s bike rack. This happened sometime between 8:50 am and 12:20 pm. I am assuming it will be dumped once the battery dies so thought I would put this out there in case a reader sees it. Or a student arrives home with it. The school did check their surveillance video and they state they show it there one minute and gone the next without ever seeing anyone near it. They state it just ‘vanished.’

The scooter is shown in the photo; we have a followup question out for a little more descriptive information. UPDATE:

It is a Navic T5, it has a grey base, black handle, with yellow rims. It is also foldable but currently has black electrical tape over the folding latch as it kept opening while in motion.
I just confirmed with the school the surveillance video shows it went missing at 10:05 am.
I filed a police report and it shows it is pending. The tracking number is T24006814.

ABANDONED-LIKELY-STOLEN SOUL: From Tim:

We discovered an abandoned vehicle obstructing the roadway in High Point this morning and called Parking Enforcement… where we were told first contact would be 7-10 days, and given Report #24-00080981. They transferred us to the Seattle Police non-emergency line, but after waiting nearly an hour on hold we have to get on with our day.

The Kia Soul, cream/off-white, has a broken passenger window and damaged ignition. It is parked on SW Morgan St alongside (a house in the 6400 block of) 29th Ave SW. The car was left over a foot away from the curb, facing the wrong direction and across from another large vehicle. We are concerned that emergency vehicles will not be able to pass through if needed, as other cars are barely getting through or opting to turn another way.

UPDATE: It’s since been moved.

Just call 911 for now April 2, 2024 (2:18 pm)

Just reminder that the Seattle Police Department non-emergency number is in essence currently non-functional as the call out department (aka 911) has move out of SPD and into a new city department. Just call 911 and you will be routed appropriately. You are not taking up the space of someone else with an emergency. Just call 911.

Reporter April 2, 2024 (6:29 pm)

We actually called 911 at one point today and they transferred us to the non emergency line where we sat on hold for 30min for a second time before hanging up. Doesn’t inspire confidence or allow for most people who are just trying to be good citizens but can’t afford to wait on hold for hours.
- Odd son April 2, 2024 (7:38 pm)
  
  Agree reporter. I’ve had long wait times 30-45 minutes when I have called over the last 4-5 years. I have historically had long wait times since the late 2000s. When I have expressed concern, I get a variety of reasons: new class being trained, can’t find employees, etc.
AMD April 2, 2024 (8:00 pm)

Non-emergency and 911 go to the same call center. The number you call just prioritizes it.

waikikigirl April 2, 2024 (3:27 pm)

On a different note, we were driving by the Meineke/VFW hall in WC earlier and noticed the SFD there, and they were up on the roof??? Fire??? water was running out on the ground level.Also noticed the parking lot was cleaned up from all the garbage in back, I believe the volunteers from the Alki clean-up did it—also another ???

WSB April 2, 2024 (4:15 pm)

Where is the Meineke/VFW Hall in White Center? SFD generally doesn’t serve WC as that’s in unincorporated King County, which is the North Highline Fire District’s jurisdiction, unless you mean the ex-Meineke at 17th/Roxbury (no VFW there, though)?
- waikikigirl April 2, 2024 (5:57 pm)
  
  My mistake it was a North Highline FD and yes, the ex-Meineke at 17th/Roxbury. Isn’t the building to the north of the Meineke is or was a VFW Hall at one time? Either way the FD was on top of both buildings and just wondered why. Thank you!
  - WSB April 2, 2024 (6:33 pm)
    
    On that side of the street, it’s SFD. Since those buildings are both slated for demolition when the big development gets going on that corner, might have been training – no incidents on either 17th or Roxbury on the SFD log, but training wouldn’t appear there.

Fyi April 2, 2024 (4:01 pm)

Do we know around when the car was abandoned so that we can check if we saw someone at that time? One of the alleged kia Bz lives around.

Tim April 2, 2024 (6:36 pm)

Hi Fyi, we don’t know when it was left, just found it in the way this morning around 8:30AM. It was gone before 11AM. It would have likely not hit our radar had it not been obstructing the road.

M April 2, 2024 (5:34 pm)

Is there any info on if the Kia picked up by a tow company or owner? I live nearby and about 20 minutes ago while walking I saw a cream colored Kia Soul tearing through the neighborhood with someone hanging out the passenger window. I didn’t get a look at the plates unfortunately and it might just be a coincidence. As someone who had there Kia Soul stolen this time last year I hope it’s back in safe hands.

Bolo April 2, 2024 (7:01 pm)

If the passenger was a young male and driver also appeared to be young male it’s possible the same boys who were joyriding recklessly in the area previously. Those boys almost ran over several pedestrians. If someone was riding this cream Kia I doubt it was the owner who was taking it for a spin with a busted window.How hard is it for spd to actually do some detecting and identify the people doing this?
Confused conspiracy theorist April 2, 2024 (7:06 pm)

If you saw it around 5 then it probably wasn’t towed so I agree fyi mentioned the thief/thieves are living in the area where it was dumped.
Jason April 2, 2024 (7:31 pm)

Hi, this appears to be my wife’s car that was taken last night. A good friend just noticed this post. Oh , I wish I had seen this earlier and able to respond. Thank all for reporting and have notified the police.
Alki resident April 2, 2024 (8:15 pm)

I was on Trenton this afternoon going west and they came barreling behind me laying on their horn. A kid was sitting in the door jam hanging on. They went onto oncoming traffic to go around me. They turned suddenly to go down 30th or 31st towards Thistle. I kept going as I didn’t want to witness a tragedy. The entire baseball team standing at the fence of the play field witnessed it too.
- MercyMoi April 3, 2024 (6:01 am)
  
  I saw the car at 5:45pm yesterday heading East on Brandon between 30th and 26th – that outlet to Delridge from High Point. I was driving West and noticed the cream Kia coming toward me with the front passenger sitting in the window. They didn’t seem to be tearing around or speeding at that point which is why the passenger (white, young male with dark hair, or at least a dark hoodie up?) looked particularly odd – they were just sitting in the window frame, patting the roof while the car rolled.
  - Alki resident April 3, 2024 (10:15 am)
    
    Yep he was patting the roof. Hard to believe he made it that far without crashing as erratic as they were near Westwood. Sounds like police never found them either.

KayK April 2, 2024 (5:58 pm)

We’ve had good prompt success reporting those stolen dumped vehicles using the Find it Fix It app!

Sheila April 2, 2024 (7:16 pm)

I know whose car this is! Their car was stolen overnight. Anyone know where it is now??

Bolo April 2, 2024 (7:52 pm)

It’s probably in High Point. If you drive around the arterial near the park pond or where it was dumped.
Tim April 2, 2024 (9:00 pm)

Hi Sheila,I just walked a couple blocks around the location it was seen this morning and did not see it. I’m sorry the police did not identify it as stolen when we attempted to report it as such this morning and recover it for the owner. There is another car nearby (NE corner of 29th Ave SW at SW Morgan St) that has been tagged by Parking Enforcement today. A grey Hyundai Sonata with a broken window and expired license plates (BMA6287) if anyone else is looking for their stolen vehicle! As victims of 2 vehicle thefts within the last 15 months, perhaps we’re just a little more aware and keeping an eye out.
Hp April 2, 2024 (9:50 pm)

It’s probably in the high point area. Check the streets where it was dumped or by the pond and park.

Jason April 2, 2024 (7:43 pm)

fyi… the cops have been notified of my wife’s car being located. Waiting to see if they have any new information.

SLJ April 3, 2024 (7:35 am)

We just got air tags for our cars. At least we can find our car if it’s stolen and dumped somewhere.

Mark H April 3, 2024 (10:27 am)

That kids can steal cars, dangerous heavy machinery worth tens of thousands, without consequence, is going to lead to society embracing fascism. Wait and watch for it. It’s not long out.

Sorry, comment time is over.