Home › Forums › Open Discussion › What’s with all the increase in CRIME in WS ?
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August 17, 2009 at 5:19 pm #591947
johnnyblegsMemberI sent this along to the editor yesterday, but I wanted to put something out in this forum to create some discussion between my West Seattle neighbors. What can be done with what seems to me an increase in WS crime? How can we help each other?
Yesterday, around 1pm, my wife and I were getting ready to go to the Farmer’s Market. The front door was propped open. I was in and out of the back doing laundry in the basement. My wife was in the next room on the computer. Our front door is about 15 feet from the sidewalk and less than 100 feet from SW Oregon. Someone walked into our house and grabbed my wife’s purse off of a chair 7 feet from the door. Luckily my wife noticed right away. We canceled all the cards before anyone had a chance to use them and called the police. I mentioned the crime increase in the neighborhood and he told me that there must be something that is attracting bad people to the area.
In retrospect…bad idea to leave a purse by the open door, but it’s our house! Leaving our door open while we live so close to the street, but it was a beautiful day! I know we live in “the city” and it shouldn’t surprise me that this happens, but I seem to read something like this every day on the WS Blog. What can we do as a neighborhood to try to prevent this in the future? I don’t like living in fear in my own neighborhood. I love West Seattle but now we are really paranoid.
August 17, 2009 at 5:39 pm #674918
cjboffoliParticipantjohnnyblegs: Very sorry to hear you had this experience. I’m also uncomfortable with the apparent level of crime in Seattle. I lived in NYC for years without any problems. But 6 months after I moved to West Seattle I had a break-in attempt at my house.
I’m not sure if the apparently high property crime rate here is a reflection of demographics, drug habits promoting theft, insufficient law enforcement resources or ineffective courts. Other here may propose other metrics. Though if what I have read in the WSB is accurate, the crime rate isn’t necessarily increasing. Your perception may be that crime is more common than it is simply because the WSB does such an effective job of covering it.
With all of that said, this is a large urban city not a small town. Keeping your door closed and locked seems a reasonable preventative measure. I have been astonished to see people around here leaving their cars running (especially during the recent heat wave when they wanted to have the A/C on) while they pop into a store for something. Not only is this wasteful and excessively polluting but it is reckless.
Especially when crime comes to your door the problem can seem worse than it is. It must have felt violating to know that someone walked right into your house. But try to keep things in perspective. It is probably unreasonable to live in paranoia and fear. Just exercise common sense and reasonable caution and you should be fine.
August 17, 2009 at 6:34 pm #674919
SuzigirlMemberBetter community reporting can lead to the sense of an increase of crime when the stats the police have don’t reflect an increase. It’s been mentioned before here that certain types of crime are on the decline.
August 17, 2009 at 7:11 pm #674920
vincentMemberAugust 17, 2009 at 7:38 pm #674921
KenParticipantI leave my door open for ventilation but my screen door is heavy and steel.
http://www.acehardwaresuperstore.com/columbia-magnum-steel-security-door-p-46854.html?ref=42
Because I live in a city.
Crimes of opportunity require … opportunity.
August 17, 2009 at 8:14 pm #674922
SueParticipantThe house we rent has the same type of steel screens that Ken mentioned above. It’s great to be able to leave the door open for ventilation, but still be securely locked.
August 17, 2009 at 9:23 pm #674923
lighthouseParticipantcjboffoli wrote: Though if what I have read in the WSB is accurate, the crime rate isn’t necessarily increasing. Your perception may be that crime is more common than it is simply because the WSB does such an effective job of covering it.
Unfortunately, the SPD stats show that crime is generally on the increase:
http://www.cityofseattle.net/police/Crime/STATS.HTM
http://www.cityofseattle.net/police/Crime/2009_PrecinctCrime.htm
The SPD tracks major crimes as “violent” crime (homicide, rape, robbery, assault) or “property” crime (burglary, larceny, vehicle theft).
City-wide, compared to the same period in 2008, homicide, rape and vehicle theft are down but the other crime types are all up. (Source: http://www.cityofseattle.net/police/Crime/09_Stats/09_YTD_MajorCrimes.pdf)
SW precinct isn’t doing any better. This is copied and pasted directly from the SPD crime trends PDF for the SW precinct:
“””
As the table below indicates, Southwest Precinct is posting an increase in Major Crimes for the first four months of 2009 when compared with the same period in 2008. Unlike the other precincts, however, the overall crime rise is being driven more by increases in Property Crimes than by Violent Crimes.
Among Property Crimes, both burglaries and larceny/thefts are up, compared to a year ago. Southwest Precinct is also the only precinct posting an increase in vehicle thefts.
While Southwest Precinct has relatively fewer Violent Crimes compared to the other precincts, increases have been posted in both robberies and aggravated assaults.
“””
(Source: http://www.cityofseattle.net/police/Crime/TrendReport/Southwest/09_SW_Trend1.pdf)
August 18, 2009 at 12:02 am #674924
JiggersMemberVincent you nailed it. More desperation for folks who need to survive. Oppurtunity is always on the minds of desperate individuals.
August 18, 2009 at 12:52 am #674925
GinaParticipantYup, I have the same kind of security doors as Ken and Sue.
Great to be able to leave door open for ventilation, even at night. Have bars on bathroom window, too, can air that out 24/7. Also have bars on basement windows. And a locking mailbox.
Alarm systems are good if you are at home all the time, seems that if people aren’t home, the alarm is ignored. An alarm is only as good as the monitoring company. The longer it takes someone to break in, the more likely they are to give up.
August 18, 2009 at 5:46 am #674926
AlcinaParticipantAn increase in crime often has little to do with a downturn in the economy. There is a huge body of research that shows that simply isn’t the case. There are so many factors that impact crime rates, trying to make generalizations like blaming the economy simply isn’t useful or valid.
Here are several articles about the economy and crime rates from both conservative and liberal sources:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-wilson8-2009jan08,0,1034978.story
http://www.heritage.org/press/commentary/ed111500a.cfm
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97234406
August 18, 2009 at 6:46 am #674927
HMC RichParticipantOur two vehicles were gone through last night. It usually happens on the weekends for us. This isn’t the first time. As far as I know they didn’t find anything of interest.
It is our fault for leaving the vehicles mistakenly unlocked. It is their fault for being low life vandals and scum. One time in South Seattle, I caught a kid in an asian gang trying to steal my car. His parents denied it and said he was a good kid. At least the SPD knew the license and home from that time on.
Another time in the U-District I was attacked by a gang. I was younger and should of kept my mouth shut. Later when I got some of my more unsavory buddies to go teach them a lesson, they drove by and flashed a gun. Too bad for them and lucky for me a cop was driving behind them and caught them. Sometimes there is a cop around when you need them. In the end, I hoped the main person who was arrested cleaned up their act.
August 18, 2009 at 8:32 am #674928
JeannieParticipantI find it difficult to blame the economy. It’s a matter of morals and conscience. Even if you’re broke, you’re not likely to become a dirtbag criminal if you have decent moral standards. We need stronger law enforcement – home break-ins are not minor occurrences that should be shrugged off. We also need smarter approaches to this so-called “war on drugs” – which has been a massive debacle. We need parents to give a damn about where their kids are, and if they can’t handle the responsibility, they shouldn’t have kids.
August 18, 2009 at 8:20 pm #674929
JeannieParticipantAnd a perfect example just surfaced today – the infamous Skyelar Scumbag. Believe me, the economy is not to blame for his criminal acts. How pathetic that he can’t be locked up for a long, long time.
August 18, 2009 at 8:36 pm #674930
flowerpetalMemberI would agree with you Jeannie that morals and conscience are important factors. The economy is a factor too. Years of criminal analysis and criminal history support that.
I imagine most parents have high hopes for their newborns and don’t believe that their kids are going to grow into a life of crime.
I do believe calling people “dirtbags” and “scumbags” does nothing but perpetuate the chasm. Those words made me wince. Obviously they are not little angels, but dirtbag and scumbag seems harmful.
August 18, 2009 at 9:32 pm #674931
johnnyblegsMemberFlowerpetal, I have no problem calling the dirtbag who walked into my house a scumbag because s/he is. It’s not perpetuating the problem. Calling names or not calling names doesn’t make the problem worse or go away. Taking something that isn’t yours is a basic rule that your parents (hopefully) taught you was the wrong thing to do; and s/he hasn’t been following the law most of their life. Blaming the economy isn’t really fair. I got laid off in May, and currently unemployed, but I don’t spend idle time casing out places to steal things. I spend it trying to find a job like most of the unemployed out there.
Another thing that I’ve noticed in my neighborhood is the lack of being real neighbors and watching out for each other. I don’t consider my neighborhood a bad area. Does anyone out there currently have some kind of Neighborhood Block Watch Program on their block? What would someone do to get one going in their neighborhood?
August 18, 2009 at 10:00 pm #674932
CMParticipantjohnnyblegs, go here to get the info:
http://www.seattle.gov/police/programs/Blockwatch/default.htm
Ben Kinlow is the SW precinct rep and a nice, helpful guy.
August 18, 2009 at 10:31 pm #674933
johnnyblegsMemberThank you for the link CM. I just emailed him to get one going. You seem to know who Ben is. Do you have one in your neighborhood?
I remember it when I was a kid; didn’t know it was a program that was still going on. Interesting info there as well…after all the success it’s had since 1972 only 30% of Seattle neighborhoods are involved – but still better than the 8 – 11% national average.
August 18, 2009 at 10:50 pm #674934
flowerpetalMemberJohnnyblegs, my apologies for forgetting that you were the original poster whose wife’s purse was stolen. I might view things differently under that circumstance.
Yes, my parents did teach my to not take other people’s things. They also taught me not to use name calling; and their teachings gave me compassion; an understanding of prison ministry, and justice.
I trust that you and your family are safe and protected. Neighborhood watches are wonderful things.
August 19, 2009 at 4:39 am #674935
kParticipantwe moved from west seattle to palm springs a year ago. the crime is HORRIBLE here too. daytime robberies at gun point, people accosting you when you get out of your car in your driveway, robberies of major businesses during the day and late at night. it’s the economy. there is a prevailing feeling of “every man for himself”. not the feeling we all need right now. now is the time to support each other. not so. people are desperate right now. it comes with the territory. it’s sad. it still won’t prevent us from moving back though. we miss it there!
August 19, 2009 at 4:44 am #674936
flowerpetalMemberMany of us remember your departure from West Seattle. I’m sorry that is sounds scary there too. You would of course be welcomed back to WS anytime you and your loved ones can make it.
August 19, 2009 at 4:51 am #674937
kParticipantthanks flowerpetal. it’s because of folks like you that we miss west seattle. we miss living in a real neighborhood with great people like you and the west seattle blog contingent. i still read this every single day.
August 19, 2009 at 6:45 am #674938
angelescrestParticipantI have a question.
Today driving along Beach Drive, I noticed a guy walking down one of the side streets, and it gave me a “ker-ching” feeling, a pause. Yes, he was dressed kind of gangy: long white tee-shirt, shaved head, whatever. But, it was the way he was looking at the house he was passing. Something did not feel right–and yet, was he doing anything wrong? Was I supposed to trail him? Call the police to say what? That his gaze and gait were suspicious?
We are supposed to keep our eyes open, but what do you do with an uncomfortable feeling?
August 19, 2009 at 9:10 am #674939
JeannieParticipantSorry – criminals are scumbags. Let’s start being more sensitive to the feelings of the victims, for heaven’s sake. My heart does not bleed for those poor, poor scumbags (waaaaah!) and creeps who have no respect for honest people’s property. A scumbag is a scumbag. Please don’t try to emasculate the English language.
August 19, 2009 at 4:08 pm #674940
flowerpetalMemberJeannie, I thought it was clear in my response at #18 that I was being more sensitive to the victim of this crime, for heaven’s sake.
August 20, 2009 at 3:43 am #674941
ellenaterMemberjohnnyblegs,
we have a neighborhood watch in Gatewood. Once a year there is a potluck and any crimes or other neighborhood news is sent around via email. I would encourage you to introduce yourself to your neighbors, let them know what happened, and start a block watch. In addition to the security screen, etc, I think creating a community is really the best thing you can do for future protection.
Sorry for your wife’s loss! That is a horrible feeling of violation!!
Good luck.
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