WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Thief steals component of Highland Park Elementary play structure

| Crime | Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

What you see in the foreground of that photo is new netting for a play structure at Highland Park Elementary. You won’t see it there today – because somebody stole it between 6 pm last night and 6 am today. HPE’s Patti Bunting explains, “Someone cut the lock off the gate and dragged the netting off the playground using some sort of cart.” And that wouldn’t have been easy – she says the plastic-fiber rope is “so heavy the installation company was planning on using their front loader to move it.” That installation WAS supposed to happen within days. If you see the stolen netting, please contact the school – plbunting@seattleschools.org – we’ll add the police-report number when it’s available.

ADDED THURSDAY: The stolen netting is worth $17,000. Police report number is 24-933987.

GC June 26, 2024 (12:35 pm)

How sad to steal from kids

Falcon June 26, 2024 (12:54 pm)

Reply

It’s pathetic. What even does one do with that much rope for a specific purpose. And to go through the whole process of cutting the lock to get in there with your vehicle to load it up. I’m baffled by the thought process of this.

HP resident June 26, 2024 (1:53 pm)

This is so disheartening. Crossing my fingers that it is returned soon. Kids deserve high-quality play equipment!

BDJ June 26, 2024 (11:11 pm)

If anyone noticed new netting on another play structure, it might be this one that was stolen. Someone had to make some advance plans to move and load that into a vehicle. Clearly they were very intent in stealing it. Ugh. I feel sorry for all the kids.