WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Stolen silver Elantra; Little Free Library emptyings (anyone else?); dumped bag of opened packages

| Crime | West Seattle news

Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

STOLEN SILVER ELANTRA: Megan’s 2012 silver Hyundai Elantra was stolen in North Admiral between Saturday and Wednesday. License plate BKY4563; distinctive feature, “the taillights are melted from a fire in 2020.” If you find it, call 911 and refer to police report 25-144801.

LITTLE FREE LIBRARY EMPTYINGS: Betty wonders if this has happened to anyone else with a Little Free Library:

For the second time in a week, i awoke to find that every book, except one Dickens novel, was taken from my little free library in Gatewood overnight. I am puzzled and annoyed. Even used books are costly to replace. I am curious if this has been happening to other little-library stewards.

DUMPED PACKAGE BAG: Charlene saw this at 13th/Holly:

If you’re a package-theft victim in the area, you might go take a look, though another photo (with no hint of names or addresses) suggested everything in the bag had been opened.

Eric at Pegasus Book Exchange May 29, 2025 (11:48 am)

Betty, we’ll hook you up with tons of free books for your LFL, give us a call or come by and we got you

Pete May 29, 2025 (12:00 pm)

You guys are the best!
Cathy May 29, 2025 (10:58 pm)

Eric- you and everyone at Pegasus Books are wonderful. So grateful to have you all (and the books!) in our community.
Ryan May 30, 2025 (9:07 am)

This is such a wonderful, community focused response. Thanks for everything Pegasus Books brings to West Seattle.

Eddie May 29, 2025 (11:58 am)

A Little Free Library on Glenn Way near SW Oregon completely disappeared in the last week-ish. Doesnt appear it was torn out, you’d almost think it had never been there. Odd.

SIE May 30, 2025 (7:18 pm)

Little Free Library, Glenn Way & Oregon St will, hopefully, return after fencing of garden is completed. Fencing is due to vandalism & abusive behaviors of persons camping in garden.
- Eddie June 1, 2025 (4:42 pm)
  
  Thanks. Looking forward to its return.

CorvidFan May 29, 2025 (12:09 pm)

Thanks for hosting a Little Free Library, it’s such a positive act of community and stewardship. For affordable used books, you might try the Goodwill Outlet (1765 6th Ave S). If I recall correctly books are 69 cents there. I mean it still adds up, but it’s cheaper than the “regular” Goodwill. I love the Bins!

Karen May 29, 2025 (12:30 pm)

We removed our LFL after repeated theft and vandalism. A neighbor found the hardcover books I had loaded the previous day around the corner, on then ground and wet.

another pete May 29, 2025 (1:19 pm)

Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?

Tbird May 29, 2025 (9:29 pm)

Nice one, Scrooge.

Al May 29, 2025 (1:41 pm)

Hi, what’s in the bag that was found. My stuff was taken please see what’s inside. Thanks Al

AK May 29, 2025 (3:45 pm)

Ahhh that is crappy about the library. My husband takes and gives books to the little libraries when he is out walking our dog. I can’t understand people who take the little joys we have and destroy or steal them.

Gina May 29, 2025 (5:23 pm)

I cleared a shelf of a LFL in Gatewood which had been neglected for so long that water soaked books had dried into a moldy mass of pulp.

Brian May 29, 2025 (5:57 pm)

I understand being annoyed when the books are just dumped on the ground but if people are actually taking the books isn’t that the whole point?

BlairJ May 29, 2025 (7:36 pm)

They’re supposed to put other books into the LFL to replace the ones they took.
- WS Res June 1, 2025 (8:08 pm)
  
  “A Little Free Library is a free book-sharing box where anyone may take a book or share a book. They function on the honor system. You do not need to share a book in order to take one.”

Jamie May 29, 2025 (6:13 pm)

I’ve had an LFL for a few years in West Seattle. Mostly it’s fine, but we’ve had a few vandalism issues and maybe two incidents of it being cleared over the years. I assume it’s people in need selling the books and try to just move on since it happens pretty rarely.

Bibliohog? May 29, 2025 (7:04 pm)

I agree with Brian.
If I stop to peruse a ‘little free library,’ I assume the books are free and take as many as interest me (just like the public libraries that don’t call themselves free).
Should I return the books I took?
Maybe someone can explain the etiquette?

Eddie May 29, 2025 (7:55 pm)

“Take a Book, Leave a Book”
- Eddie May 29, 2025 (8:18 pm)
  
  And it’s even simpler than the above: “Don’t be a Dick”If you borrow books bring them back or drop them in another little library. If you have books you’re done with, drop them off for someone else to enjoy.We’ve also enjoyed and returned a number of jigsaw puzzles at the little library’s too.
- WS Res June 1, 2025 (8:09 pm)
  
  “A Little Free Library is a free book-sharing box where anyone may take a book or share a book. They function on the honor system. You do not need to share a book in order to take one.”
Lauren June 1, 2025 (7:10 am)

If someone expects it to be “take a book, leave a book,” it should say so on the box ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I agree it’s crappy to take ALL the books multiple times, but I also think it’s fine to peruse and take a few as Bibliohog says.
- WS Res June 1, 2025 (8:09 pm)
  
  It’s not a rule. From the LFL page: “A Little Free Library is a free book-sharing box where anyone may take a book or share a book. They function on the honor system. You do not need to share a book in order to take one.”

dangman May 29, 2025 (8:05 pm)

Someone also tore down the little Treasures for kids spot on Beach Drive between Lowman Beach and Lincoln Park. :( I saw so many kids enjoying that for years!