WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Two stolen vehicles found with people sleeping inside

| Crime | West Seattle news

(Reader photo from Me-Kwa-Mooks response)

Police find stolen cars every day, in varying circumstances. Two this morning in West Seattle had similar circumstances – both were found with people asleep inside. A short time ago, one such “vehicle recovery” was a startling sight for people in the Me-Kwa-Mooks Park vicinity on Beach Drive – police moved in on the stolen vehicle with guns drawn after finding people inside (they told dispatch they had placed “Terminators” around the vehicle so those inside couldn’t try to make a getaway). Earlier, a stolen work truck was found near Delridge/Orchard; we were about to publish a Crime Watch report about it when we heard the recovery discussed on police radio, and the person who had sent us the stolen-vehicle report told us this vehicle also was found with people asleep inside. We know the truck was stolen on Puget Ridge, but otherwise, no further details in either incident yet, including whether any of the people found in the vehicles were arrested.

Also John May 24, 2024 (11:45 am)

Please throw them in prison…..

Derek May 24, 2024 (7:51 pm)

Uh no. It’s clear they don’t have a home. Can’t just fill prisons up. You going to personally pay for it?
- Ferns May 24, 2024 (11:09 pm)
  
  We do pay, through taxes. I’d rather pay for prison/daycare/public healthcare/social workers than have people’s cars stolen, the cost to recover them, plus rising auto insurance costs. I noticed these people didn’t steal tents to sleep in…
- ltfd May 25, 2024 (8:05 pm)
  
  Uh yes. It’s clear that they are car thieves.

Lauren May 24, 2024 (12:09 pm)

It’s so sad that people have to resort to stealing vehicles to have a place to sleep. Our society needs to come up with real solutions to homelessness.

run wild May 24, 2024 (12:52 pm)

Or, they were sleeping off a wild night of partying. We don’t know if they were without a house.
Insertname May 24, 2024 (1:21 pm)

You really think these individuals stole these vehicles to have a place to sleep? I’m thinking they passed out from the fentanyl they took after commiting these crimes.
- ltfd May 25, 2024 (8:06 pm)
  
  True.
B May 24, 2024 (1:26 pm)

Thank you for saying this. This was my first thought, on this cold and rainy day. Ensuring that everyone is sheltered is a matter of collective and political will.
- Jeepney May 24, 2024 (3:00 pm)
  
  And stealing other people’s property makes it justified?
  - Bbron May 24, 2024 (10:25 pm)
    
    yes. i guess you’d prefer people starve to death than steal food? when the social contract of a society fails to guarantee the safety and stability of one’s life, then stealing and other means of survival are entirely justified. and before any of the “sounds like you’ve never been stolen from” folk chirp at me: i have been mugged and had my home burgled, yet i can still think outside my own reactionary feelings to empathize with folks driven to do what society has labeled “crime”.
    - Why May 25, 2024 (2:15 am)
      
      @BBRON Thank you for seeing the bigger picture, it’s rare these days.
    - Claudia Williams May 25, 2024 (7:02 am)
      
      Thank you Bbron! No child when asked what they want to be when they grow up says they want to be homeless, a thief, or an addict. What’s happening is the result of our collective (in-)action and that includes giving individuals the power to govern and not hold them accountable. When will we wake up and demand that governing is for the people, not special interests?
    - Junction Neighbor May 25, 2024 (7:39 am)
      
      To be clear, no one is starving to death. You are being reactionary and going too far. Homelessness in May in Seattle does not equal death and therefore does not justify the theft of these vehicles as live saving. They want, need and deserve shelter but dont justify this to steal other people vehicles.
    - Niko May 25, 2024 (9:33 am)
      
      I’ve had 4 vehicles stolen from me and 1 person was even arrested sleeping in it. But it was never for shelter. It’s unacceptable and people justifying it is ridiculous. All that does is make more people think it’s ok because people like you are on their side in thinking it’s ok. I agree something should be done about homelessness, but stealing someone’s car in the name of homelessness is bulls**t, and hardly ever the case. It’s usually someone looking to tear it down and sell or use to rob other people. Stop feeling bad for car thieves. That’s part of the problem.
Danimal May 24, 2024 (1:43 pm)

True, but we also have to start a program of drug treatment and accountability for those we are going to help work their way out of homelessness. What if all of these people they found asleep have been offered housing and declined it or been booted from it, because they’re addicted to drugs (or lawlessness) and didn’t want to live by any housing rules, or worse, couldn’t live by housing rules? Throwing money and housing at the problem isn’t the only answer. Mandatory drug treatment, enforcement of hard drug possession, public use and sale laws, and accountability after help is offered and received – all of these must be part of the solution.
k May 24, 2024 (1:43 pm)

Agreed. Prioritizing housing the homeless will only have a positive impact across the board.
Eddie May 24, 2024 (1:54 pm)

Do you really believe these were stolen in order to have a place to sleep?
Skip May 24, 2024 (2:35 pm)

Prison will give them a roof over their heads, meals, and a bed.
- Lauren May 24, 2024 (4:06 pm)
  
  Some unhoused people do “choose” jail in order to get resources. The system doesn’t work.
- K May 25, 2024 (7:54 am)
  
  Prison will cost 10x what housing people in the free world will. That’s a huge price tag, just so you can feel superior.
JunctionResident May 24, 2024 (2:41 pm)

There are many other options besides stealing a vehicle to find shelter. Stop placing the victim card to these criminals.
- Lauren May 24, 2024 (4:14 pm)
  
  There are 2,850 beds in Seattle homeless shelters (https://council.seattle.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Lewis-Report-on-Homelessness-and-Housing.pdf). That number is from 2021, so round up to 3k if you like.There are over 11,000 unhoused people in Seattle.
  - WW Resident May 24, 2024 (6:43 pm)
    
    Then maybe you should start questioning where the over 100 million dollar annual budget for homelessness is going? We’ve had over a decade of funding these homeless non profits with basically no oversight and what’s to show for it?
    - Bbron May 24, 2024 (10:25 pm)
      
      you’re right! while it’s storming outside and people are freezing, instead of taking immediate action to save themselves. they should be protesting about budget transparency! that way, i don’t need to venture into the morally grey areas of life; just stick to my pleasant, ignorant white/black view on things :)
    - Jeepney May 25, 2024 (8:40 am)
      
      Your assumptions are not based in fact. Unless you know the true motives of the suspects in this case, you are merely speculating.
    - WW Resident May 26, 2024 (11:17 am)
      
      You can’t complain and whine about homeless people not getting shelter and then brush off the fact that Seattle spends over 100 million dollars annually and the fact that some of these “non profit” leaders are making over $200,000 a year. Your disconnect at complaining about homeless not having shelter while at the same time trying to scold me for the fact that there has been absolutely no oversight of how this money is being spent that might actually help get people off the streets is mind blowing. And you obviously don’t understand what black and white thinking is, because you’re demonstrating it
  - Andy May 24, 2024 (7:32 pm)
    
    So ~5,000 homeless without a shelter made the choice NOT to steal a work truck this week and somehow the thieves are the victims here? C’mon…The real victim – the truck owner – probably works and pays taxes. Taxes that help pay for the shelters we do have.
    - Bbron May 25, 2024 (4:15 am)
      
      lol what’s this “i prefer the homeless that don’t steal” like you even
      have a difference in level of concern for homeless folks anyway. pretty
      clear to only victimize the capital owner. yeah, those 5,000 folks not
      sleeping in stolen cars could likely be sleeping in those RVs or
      encampments that locals will complain about until they are swept. at
      least some of y’all i this thread are saying it with your full chest:
      y’all just downright hate that homeless folks exist, but won’t actually
      put in the effort to push for solving the underlying conditions; rather,
      y’all want to throw them in prison or keep them out of sight until they
      die from lack of resources.
    - K May 25, 2024 (7:56 am)
      
      Some of those people will die from exposure to the elements, but you keep enjoying that view from your high horse.
Spooled May 24, 2024 (3:08 pm)

Sounds like you have never had your car stolen. I guarantee you it will change your life.
- Lauren May 24, 2024 (4:06 pm)
  
  I have had my car stolen, out of my driveway. It was recovered, but the car seat was stolen (and seat belt cut) and there was meth residue found. It was all a huge pain.I still have empathy for someone who has to sleep in a car at night.
  - Bradley May 24, 2024 (5:08 pm)
    
    How go you know they were unhoused? Maybe they just passed out from their “night out”. No one resorts to stealing cars unless it’s for kicks or profit.
CarDriver May 24, 2024 (4:39 pm)

Lauren. How do you know that they only stole the car for a place to sleep? If you find someone who’s broken into your home who claim “because they wanted a place to sleep” I take it you wouldn’t call police-or press charges?
Surely May 24, 2024 (5:52 pm)

How do you know they are homeless? Such a bizarre assumption. Most stolen cars are not stolen because people are looking for a place to nap.
I love beer May 25, 2024 (9:44 am)

At this point I think it’s safe to say that EVERY city, state, and town has no good solution or plan for homeless. Posting comments in blogs let’s us share concerns, but while it’s reasonable to assume governments would handle this societal problem for everyone, look, on this issue they’ve failed us over and over. So I disagree with the premise that it’s OK for us to lament that governments ought to do better. I’ve given up as there’s not even enough cops to enforce basic laws. But I think it’s time for solutions, and especially solutions to the homeless. Got any?

John May 24, 2024 (12:28 pm)

Fantastic work SPD!

Sillygoose May 24, 2024 (1:07 pm)

They are more likely than not passed out from drugs!! Bravo SPD Bravo!!!

Seattlite May 24, 2024 (1:11 pm)

Has anyone else’s car insurance rates increased due to stolen vehicles, accidents caused by distracted drivers, accidents caused by uninsured drivers, etc.,? My car insurance increased 100% from last year’s annual premium amount due to the list above and also inflation? One must wonder who will finally decide enough is enough and actually solve this city’s increased crime problems. By the way, SPD does a phenomenal job even at its lowest point of police officer staffing.

Jay May 24, 2024 (1:45 pm)

So I was in a situation like this and handled it differently. I asked a homeowner for a blanket she’s not using anymore, knocked on the car window, woke up the occupant, asked her to leave, and gave her the blanket to stay warm. Didn’t need a gun, didn’t feel in danger. Nothing bad happened. No damage to the car. People breaking into or stealing cars to sleep in are not violent, it’s not like the Kia boys or people who steal cars to commit other crimes. I feel like private citizens generally handle these specific situations much better than SPD because we aren’t cowards or on power trips, we just want to resolve the situation and help out as best we can. Totally inappropriate response to a sleeping-in-stolen-car call. The cop in the photo is carrying an AR-15. Really? Shameful. And it’s not like I’m a pacifist, I do carry a concealed weapon.

Rhonda May 25, 2024 (1:46 am)

Jay, you have NO idea what information SPD had on those suspects and the stolen vehicle. It could’ve come back on their system as taken by force, a weapon involved, used in a violent crime, etc. SPD officers want to go home alive and do not exist to please your imagination.
- Pete May 25, 2024 (4:11 pm)
  
  Rhonda, you also have NO idea etc etc
  - Pete May 25, 2024 (7:57 pm)
    
    Pete, I’ve made more arrests than you’ll make 911 calls if you live to be 110.

Justin May 24, 2024 (6:17 pm)

Asleep at the wheel? More like asleep at the steal!

DeadEnder May 24, 2024 (7:08 pm)

What makes you think the people that were sleeping in the vehicles were the same folks who stole them? Sorry, but maybe I missed something there. Anyone desperate enough will try a door handle, and crawl in to seek shelter. It is not the same as a grand theft auto conviction.

Sarch May 24, 2024 (7:14 pm)

Why is it assumed that these thieves are homeless? People don’t usually steal cars just for a place to snooze. Bizarre thread

Bill May 25, 2024 (1:35 am)

Bizarre – but typical! —

R May 25, 2024 (12:50 am)

Stolen Vehicles no big deal, right? Wrong! A family member of mine who is an electrician had his work truck stolen a few months ago, the thieves cleaned out the truck (tools, connectors, the seats, etc.) was told by the law enforcement agency that they would not look for it. When it was report found on the side of the road with the license plates toss a few feet away said agency did not care. The vehicle was totaled, and the insurance company paid out thousands for replacement tools. Then a few weeks later my family members personal truck (30 years old) was stolen, the thieves took it up north found the next day damaged and the insurance company totaled it as well. Since no one is held accountable for the property damages rise, not everybody can afford to purchase replacement vehicles (replacement cost is about $20K for a 30-year-old truck). Stealing a vehicle to sleep is still stealing. We never know what type a situation the vehicle owner is in, they may have elderly parents to take care of, a child that is very ill or they themselves are ill and the vehicle that has been stolen is their lifeline. Life or death situation. Two wrongs don’t make a right

Alki resident May 25, 2024 (12:54 pm)

People aren’t “ resorting to stealing cars for a place to sleep”. They’re sleeping off of their high after a drug fueled robbery, theft or break in. There are over 48 cars a day stolen in King County alone. Some of those cars are used for drive bys, smash and grabs and much more sinister things. Try feeling sorry for the car owner who now has to figure out how to get to work and the store or seeing their family member daily in the hospital gravely ill. This financially takes a toll on the car owner.