Tag Archives: theft

Crime Notes: Burglary escape sounds like an action film

The damage left behind when the Cherokee rammed its way out. Photo by Rob.
The damage left behind when the Cherokee rammed its way out. Photo by Rob.
Rob near 15th and Spokane writes about what had to be a dramatic and brazen daylight burglary (emphasis mine):

Our house was burglarized Tuesday some time around mid-day. They appear to have entered through a window we thought was too high from the ground, or even a ladder, to make possible. They took two laptops, and our 32″ LCD TV in the living room (probably peeked through front door / window blinds and saw that, motivating the break-in). To top the whole thing off, they then stole my silver ’01 Jeep Cherokee out of the locked garage, ramming it through the closed garage door. Fortunately nobody was home or hurt, but we are very shaken up.

That sort of exit had to attract some attention. If you have any information about this break-in that could be helpful, if you were in the area of 15th and Spokane and saw anything yesterday, please contact the Seattle Police Department. Also, keep an eye out for a silver Jeep Cherokee with 60th anniversary edition badges and 5-spoke alloy wheels, plate number A58145Z; when found, it may be useful for collecting fingerprint evidence. I’d imagine there’d also have to be a bit of scratching-up on it, having driven through a garage door.

Updated with photo from Rob.

Beacon Bits: Tunnel views, golf memories, and closed wading pools

Plant thieves target Lewis Park

Pink flags marked new plantings in Lewis Park a few weeks ago. Photo by Wendi.
Pink flags marked new plantings in Lewis Park a few weeks ago. Photo by Wendi.
Native plants and shrubs were recently stolen from Lewis Park, a small park at the north tip of Beacon Hill near the PacMed/Amazon building and the Jose Rizal Bridge. The plants were planted by volunteers who have been reconstructing this park recently, with support from the City.

Vinh Nguyen has been spearheading this project, and reports that on May 28, volunteers found that more than a dozen plants had disappeared from the park, including lady ferns, red flower currants, and evergreen Oregon irises. While parks are public property, the plants within them are not free for the taking, and stealing them is a crime. If anyone knows anything about this crime, please call 911.

If you would like to help with the reconstruction of the park, please join other volunteers at the Friends of Lewis Park work party every Sunday, 9:00 am -1:00 pm. Tools and gloves are provided.

Beacon Bits: bear apparel, a plant pillager, and a permit

  • We may have only had a fake bear on Beacon Hill for one day last week, but that was enough for Behi Bonsai to create a Beacon Hill Bear t-shirt.
  • Awhile ago we posted about the plant pilferer recorded by security cameras while stealing people’s shrubs. Neighbor April reports that several neighbors have identified the man as someone who lives near 16th Avenue South and South College Street. A police officer watched the security video, and spoke to the man, who denied stealing the plants. April says “Unfortunately, that probably is as far as it will go — it would be very unlikely that he is actually going to be charged with the theft unless more evidence is provided by others.” If your garden is also victimized, please file a police report.
  • The folks at First Choice car wash at 2507 Beacon Avenue South have filed for a construction permit to “Establish use of a portion of commercial building as an auto detailing service, per plan.” The building continues to be zoned NC2P-40, which means that, according to the city land use code, “Drive-in or drive-thru businesses are prohibited” at the site.

Thief stealing plants from Beacon Hill gardens

Spring is here, and Beaconians’ thoughts are turning to gardening — but at least one person around here has turned his thoughts to theft. Two posters on the mailing list have reported thefts of shrubs, trees, and flowers from neighborhood gardens.

One neighbor, April, reported on Monday, “We had two shrubs stolen a little after midnight on Sunday, our neighbor had several newly planted shrubs stolen recently and El Centro has had some flowers that were donated to them stolen.”

Another neighbor, Cat, added today, “On April 21 – 22, 2009 four of the recent plants I had put in the ground in front of my fence on 16th Ave S were stolen. Last weekend my neighbor on Bayview had another large plant stolen. She has also had a tree stolen, some pavers, and other small plants taken from the side of her yard. The Cesar Chavez memorial garden at El Centro de la Raza has also had plant thefts. The thief is watching and making sure to target houses that have just recently planted new shrubs or trees so he could be local.”

This is not necessarily a new situation around the Hill. Garden thefts have been happening in the area for the last year or so, including a theft of two large planters from in front of The Beacon condominiums near the Red Apple last September.

The current series of thefts are generally occurring at night, between 11:00 pm and midnight. A suspect has been photographed by security cameras; he’s a middle-aged balding man who smokes.

Has your garden been a victim of this thief or thieves?

Beacon Bits: crocheted art, construction photographs, and fighting crime with coffee

Crocheting by Mandy Greer, for the project "Mater Matrix Mother and Medium", an interactive, process-based art installation. Photo by Jennifer Zwick.
Crocheting by Mandy Greer, for the project "Mater Matrix Mother and Medium", an interactive, process-based art installation. Photo by Jennifer Zwick.
  • Artist Mandy Greer is creating Mater Matrix Mother and Medium, a “process-based temporary public art installation” that uses recycled fabric and yarn along with the volunteer help of many hands to build the installation. You can help crochet this artwork at the Beacon Hill Library on May 24 — all skill levels welcome! Details are here.
  • Peter de Lory, the Photographer in Residence for the Sound Transit Central Link light rail project, has posted some interesting recent pictures of the Beacon Hill and Mount Baker stations under construction. (Go here, click “Visit the gallery now”, and choose March 2009 to see the slide show. Flash required.)
  • Beacon Hill neighbor Lorraine reports on the mailing list: “I was waiting at the northbound bus stop at Beacon and Hanford (yesterday) morning
    when a guy tried to grab my phone from me. I held on tight and whacked him with my coffee thermos and he ran off. Then I followed him and watched him get in his small, black pickup truck and take off.” The unsuccessful thief was white, with short brown hair and brown facial hair, about 5’9″ and 180 pounds, wearing a short-sleeved, plaid shirt with a collar and pale blue jeans. Lorraine adds, “The guy asked me a few questions and what time it was before he grabbed my phone. I had turned the phone to show him the time after he acted like he hadn’t heard me. So, lesson learned. Please be alert at those bus stops, everybody!”