Three West Seattle Crime Watch reports tonight, starting with video of a package-taker who reportedly was in for a surprise:

‘LITTER BOX’ PACKAGE TAKEN: Megan says her surveillance-camera video shows a woman taking a box from her porch in Greenbridge (near 8th/Roxbury), with a surprise inside: Used kitty litter. The bait box was taken just after noon today, according to Megan, who says neighbors report seeing this woman in the area before.

Two more Crime Watch reports to share tonight:

BIKE STOLEN: Josh reports a black Trek 830 Mountain Track mountain bike with red shocks on the front was stolen from under the deck/carport at his home on a dead-end street near Lincoln Park. He initially noticed because “one of the motion sensor lights was out. It was unscrewed, which made me believe someone was trying to get to our cars.” The cars were fine, he reports, but the bike was gone.

CAR PROWL: After our long list of car prowls in Crime Watch here last night, Steve wanted to make sure the one that happened to him two weeks ago was on the record here too (it’s long since been reported to police): “Night of Jan. 25 into morning of Tues., Jan. 26, perps smashed out passenger-side front window of my Audi and took my 64-gig iPad mini and didn’t touch anything else.” This happened in the 10000 block of California SW in Arbor Heights.

CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL NEXT WEEK: Just another reminder that you can talk with police, and hear their updates on local crime trends, during the next West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, 7 pm Tuesday (February 16th) at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster).

(UPDATED 6 PM with added reader report of window shootings overnight)

ORIGINAL REPORT, 4:44 PM: In West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon – half a dozen reader reports:

HIT-RUN IN SCHOOL ZONE: Robin sent the photo of a vehicle found abandoned after what started as a hit-run and continued as a near-collision in the crosswalk outside the Louisa Boren STEM/Arbor Heights Elementary building at 5950 Delridge on Tuesday afternoon. Wendy tells the story of the near-collision:

The family that was almost struck in the crosswalk was me, my two kids, and a friend. We were crossing as directed by our crossing guard and I heard someone blaring their horn on Delridge (south of the crosswalk). It looked like two cars had rear-ended when out if no where a man can flying down the turn lane, narrowly missing us. The STEM crossing guard started yelling for us to watch out- and I’m grateful for her attentive eyes.

We checked with SPD; the full report on this isn’t available yet, but traffic investigators spent quite some time on it Tuesday; an SPD spokesperson tells us the car was found, unoccupied. If you have any information, contact SPD and refer to case #16000048247.

Next – it was a busy night for car prowlers:

THREE ON ONE BLOCK: From Jeff:

I just want to send an FYI of at least 3 car prowls on the 5300 block, between Andover and Dakota, between 10:00 pm [corrected] Feb. 9th and 7:00 am Feb. 10th. All three cars are parked in the street, about a house length apart. Prowler went in through the street side doors. No one said if anything of real value was gone. Pretty certain I locked my daughter’s car. Other neighbors thought they had locked theirs as well.

TRUCK BREAK-IN: From SH:

My work truck back passenger window was smashed out early this morning between 3 am and 5 am. Nothing stolen. Do not keep any thing of value in the truck. Might have scared them away when I got up. Location 5000 block of 49th Ave SW. Just want to get the word out.

CAR BREAK-IN: From Wil:

Last “night”, ie probably early this morning, 2/10, our gray Toyota Prius had its contents rifled through along the 4900 block of SW Bruce St. (Bruce St is a 2 block long road just south of Dawson, between 49th and 51st, FYI). So far, only my wife’s makeup bag is missing. It appeared another car along Bruce St but closer to 49th Ave had a window broken out when my wife drove past this morning.

ANOTHER ONE ON BRUCE ST.: From Erin:

Just wanted to share with the neighbors to be extra vigilant. My car near 49th & Bruce was broken into late night on 2/9 or early morning 2/10. The thief took a teal and black messenger bag containing important, irreplaceable work documents. In the unlikely event you heard something, or saw something or know anything about the incident, it would be greatly appreciated.

And a reminder about scammers:

SCAM CALL: From C:

Heavily accented caller says your Visa was charged $2000, and if not your charge, they will cancel card and send new one. Of course, they then want last four digits and expiration date “to confirm you are the card holder.” JUST HANG UP!

ADDED 6 PM: Just in from David:

Five cars on Sunset Avenue had their windows shot out with a BB gun last night between 3am and 4am. Property was stolen from several of them. Two males in a white four door sedan. Police responded and have a description.

This follows a string of window-shootings a week and a half ago in various West Seattle neighborhoods.

We’ve been checking daily with Seattle Police regarding fraud allegations against Tracy Dart, the West Seattleite who is alleged to have lied about her reported three-time cancer fight. (Here’s our report from last week.) Back on Friday, a WSB commenter claimed to have filed a case (read the comment here); we tried to confirm with SPD, but they said the fraud unit was already closed for the day and they had no information about any possible case, yet. We checked again two hours ago, and while no information had arrived yet, we just got this followup from Det. Patrick Michaud:

… We now have an open case on this matter. Detectives have received several tips from community members that we are reviewing as a part of an ongoing case. I can’t go into detail about where the case stands at this point, but we are asking anyone with information to please call 206-625-5011 and speak with an officer.

Neither Dart nor her family has spoken publicly yet; we have reached out with repeated requests for comment. More to come …

The photo’s from Adam at 50th and Charlestown. He reports:

Writing to let you know that someone smashed my wife’s car with a huge rock sometime between last night and this morning. We woke up to find the pictured damage. We have no idea who would do this. No attempt to steal anything as far as we can tell — just pure vandalism.

We’ve filed a police report and called insurance, but given the rash of vandalism in WS lately, it would be nice to catch the people doing this.

The “rash of vandalism” has included other incidents on their block, Adam adds. We’ve had multiple reports in the past eight days, starting a week ago with car- and house-window-shooting/breaking incidents in multiple West Seattle neighborhoods. Our first reports were a week ago Sunday, followed by more last Monday.

Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes tonight:

BUS DRIVER HIT: A texter asked about a police investigation at a Route 21 bus on northbound 35th SW just north of Morgan around dusk. The dispatch was for a report that somebody had punched the driver on the bus. No medic dispatch, so the injury apparently wasn’t major; we don’t know if anyone was taken into custody.

PACKAGE THEFT: A police report is now on file for a theft in the 8200 block of California SW in Gatewood. A neighbor tells WSB that they saw it happen around 4:30 pm Friday, describing a white male backing a gold KIA SUV into the driveway, grabbing the package, and tossing it into the hatchback before taking off.

9:54 AM: A terrifying close call for a Gatewood family early today: A woman tells WSB she was asleep with her 5-year-old child when a man broke into their home and tried to get into bed with them, attempting to molest her in the process. She is recovering from surgery. The intruder fled and the victim says police arrested a suspect. This happened after 3 am near 39th and Morgan. We’re working to find out more and will update with any further details.

10:26 AM: Police have just posted a few more details via SPD Blotter:

Officers arrested a man after a woman called 911 Saturday morning when she woke to a burglar in her bedroom.

The victim was sound asleep in her home in the 6500 block of 39 Ave SW around 3:30 this morning when she felt someone touch her face. The victim woke, and assuming it was her husband, asked what was going on. The the woman heard a reply that was not her husband and tried to turn on the nightstand light. The suspect fled out of the home, taking the woman’s cell phone with him.

Officers quickly arrived and found the suspect in an nearby alley. The victim confirmed that officers had arrested the correct person. Officers determined the suspect entered the home through an unlocked back door before making his way to the bedroom.

Officers booked the suspect into King County Jail for investigation of burglary.

In West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:

TRUCK STOLEN IN THE JUNCTION: Beau‘s brother just moved back to West Seattle and was staying with their mom when his truck was taken from a street parking space:

The vehicle that was taken is a 1980 black Ford F150 truck with Washington plate # 16650cv it was parked at SW Oregon St and 40th AVE SW and was taken sometime between Monday evening 2/1/16 (after 7pm) and today 2/3/16 (before 3 pm). A police report was filed and it was also confirmed by the police department and their database that the vehicle had not been towed. Please contact Beau at 406-431-6792 or the police with any information.

MORE BROKEN WINDOWS: Following our Sunday and Monday reports on windows (mostly cars) broken out around the peninsula, we heard from two more people today – a caller who said a driver’s-side window was taken out while her car was parked by the tennis courts alongside Whale Tail Park in Alki, and Laurie R., who wrote:

Between 8:30 – 8:45 last night, our driver’s side rear window was smashed. We’re in Sunrise Heights, on the corner of 32nd & Elmgrove. My sister was outside on the porch when it happened and saw a small silver car speed away. She called 911 and the police arrived about 10 minutes later to take a report.

We asked Southwest Precinct Capt. Pierre Davis today if these were considered related; he said detectives hadn’t heard about that many yet, wondering if maybe the reports are in the online queue. So keep reporting them, if they happen.

WAS THIS LOOT? Jovelyn found a “black Eddie Bauer diaper bag filled with supplies and an inhaler” near 29th and Brandon – no ID, dumped in a ditch. The bag also had an invoice book that didn’t belong on the bag but did belong to somebody in the 9700 block of 12th SW whose car had been broken into. Sound familiar? Please comment.

(WSB photo)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Looking north down the sidewalk in front of Sleepers in Seattle, you wouldn’t notice the spot unless it was pointed out to you.

This morning, the owners of the shop at 4741 California SW used graffiti remover to get rid of a swastika written onto the sidewalk.

“We get tagged all the time, but not like this,” Max Alcabes, son of owners Carlos and Meryl Alcabes, said as we stood on the sidewalk, looking at the spot.

Here’s a photo provided by the Alcabes, taken before they removed it. (Our policy is generally not to fully show this type of vandalism unless requested by police for investigative purposes.) It wasn’t huge or bold. That’s not the point. It would have had the same effect even if it were tiny:

“We’re a Jewish family.”

Meryl had made note of that, calling us after reporting it to police and the regional Anti-Defamation League office. We happened to be in The Junction at the time, and went over to talk to her husband and son at the shop.

They say this is the second time it’s happened in less than half a year. The Alcabes didn’t report it the first time, but, Max says, “Twice in a year, it’s not random.”

He said he walked The Junction looking to see if the same kind of symbol had been marked anywhere else. He didn’t see anything – just what was marked outside the shop that serves as a showroom for their business, which they’ve owned for 25 years.

Here are the city and county codes for malicious harassment – the terminology used for a hate crime. If you have any information, contact Seattle Police.

ADDED TUESDAY NIGHT: Meryl Alcabes tells us that after seeing this story, people stopped in all day to offer support; she comments below, “Thank you so much for the support we are getting from all of you, our West Seattle neighbors.”

Police have been searching in the California/Charlestown area after a reported armed robbery at an address that checks to the 7-11. According to scanner traffic, this is reported to have happened around 2:30 am. A K-9 unit was called to help search. The robber, last seen westbound on Charlestown, is reported to have had a dark bandana over his face, 5’8″, black jacket, blue jeans, sawed-off shotgun that may have been fired during the holdup. No injury reported.

Last night, we reported on vandalism in Gatewood, a car window apparently shot out by BBs. Since then, via comments and e-mail, we’ve heard of more window vandalism. For one, Aaron sent the photo at right, from the 4000 block of 21st SW on Pigeon Point:

He said, “Sometime between 8 and 10 (Sunday) three windows on the driver’s side of my truck (including canopy) were shot out by a BB gun. They also did quite a bit of body and paint damage to the side of the truck, I think they hit it about 15 times. Just wanted people to be on the lookout for idiots driving around with a BB gun wrecking other people’s stuff.”

Commenters reported incidents in areas including:
-7700 block 32nd SW
-Genesee (house window)
-4000 block 26th SW
-5600 block 26th SW

Via e-mail, Joellie reported that the rear glass was broken out of her purple PT Cruiser between 2 pm and 7 pm today in the 7300 block of 35th SW [map]. She says it’s the second time in a year it’s happened to her vehicle.

And just as we were finishing this, Sean left a comment on last night’s story, saying someone shot at their window in Seaview, 45th and Findlay, about two hours ago. If you see or hear anything potentially related, please call 911 right away – and get as good a description as you can.

Two car-prowl reports and a bicycle theft in West Seattle Crime Watch:

BEACH DRIVE: Kevin reports, “On my run this a.m around 8 or so I came across a black Mercedes convertible with a smashed window and CDs all over the ground.” He says it was in the 5600 block of Beach Drive. He tried reporting it to 911 but they explained the policy that the victim has to make the report – so if you’re in that area with a vehicle parked on the street, you might want to take a look.

GENESEE: Anna reports a car break-in on 45th SW between Andover and Dakota on Friday night: “They took two DVD players and two pairs of sunglasses. They also left a bunch of stuff on our stairs that wasn’t ours including A fire extinguisher and what looked like a car safety kit. The police took those items as evidence.”

BICYCLE THEFT ON VIDEO: Not far from there, Donnie caught a bicycle thief on video, on the west side of California/Andover early Thursday:

If you’ve seen a silver Redline bicycle with a green/black seat, that might be Donnie’s.

Something for Crime Watch? Report it to the police first – then you can e-mail us at editor@westseattleblog.com. If breaking news, after alerting 911, text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!

Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes this afternoon:

‘CITY LIGHT’ SCAM CALL HITS ANOTHER LOCAL BUSINESS: Amber at Freshy’s wanted to get the word out after hearing from the scam callers who claim they’re from City Light and you (usually a business) have to pay a bill immediately or lose your power:

They said my funds weren’t appropriated correctly and a technician was coming out in 30 min to shut off my business power. I had to call someone else and they said it would happen if I didn’t pay and then a technician called and said he would be there ASAP and was going to turn it off. Then they said it wouldn’t be able to come back on till Monday. I had to call someone else who said I had to pay the balance (which they knew the amount) and that they would reimburse later. I said that it was paid and that it has cleared my bank and he said that it was just “misappropriated.” I was so freaked I almost paid… Then I called the police and they said this was an ongoing scam. I called the guy back and said that I reported his number and the technician’s number and he said “chill bitch, chill”…then hung up. Maybe put the word out to businesses so they don’t have a near heart attack like me!

Our previous reports on recipients of these scam calls include this one from a year ago and several others. The city’s put out warnings including this one.

34TH SW CAR BREAK-IN: Matt‘s Jeep was broken into late Monday or early Tuesday in the 5900 block of 34th SW [map]. “I had a duffle with cold weather gear, a jack, and a bag of accessories for the winch that were taken out of the back. It was parked directly in front of the house. The 5900 block of 34th has had a high incidence of minor property crime, car prowls, utility theft, and police call outs over the last 18 months.”

P.S. Our report on last night’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meeting is in the works. Big topic: Police staffing.