If recent Hill burglary reports have a lesson to teach, it’s to make sure your bike is secure, even if it is inside your building. Here’s a quick roundup of recent thefts:
Jule 20, 18th and John
Thieves climbed through the back yard window without using force, possibly due to a broken window lock. They made off with a bicycle, video game system and jewelry that were inside.
July 21, 13th Ave E and Mercer
Bike was stolen from the first level of a house shared by several people. The doors of the residence had typically been left unlocked, so the victim thinks the thief may have simply walked in, stolen the bike and left without needing to use force.
July 21, 16th Ave E and Harrison
Thief gained access to a garage with a warped door that cannot be shut. The thief made off with a bicycle and an iPod from the unlocked vehicle.
July 23, 15th and Howell
Bike stolen from residence garage after the door may have been left open all night due to a malfunctioning garage door opener.
And, now, for a couple that are not bike-related:
July 25, 21st Ave E and Republican
Thieves broke into the old Meany Middle School building around 9:30 a.m., smashing a window on the lower level to gain access. The thieves then stole three Mac computers, clipping the chains connecting them to the desk. They also left two lying on the ground near the broken window. The old Meany building is shared by two schools, NOVA and the Secondary Bilingual Orientation Center.
July 28, 23rd Ave E and Republican
Thieves broke into the basement of a residence and stole an Acer laptop, a stainless steel necklace, a Social Security card and $400 in change that was in a Crown Royal bag.
Hard statistics, and frequently in posts on CHS, we are told that crime incidence is down. But it sure doesn’t seem that way, perhaps because we now have access to more crime reports.
“Perception” that Capitol Hill has alot of crime incidents is more important than all the stats in the world, because it is a strong influence in how we feel about our neighborhood.
Stats might show crime is down, but they’re only recorded stats if SPD shows up and takes a report. The many crimes that don’t get a response or a police report don’t count and might make it look like there is less crime.
At least once every couple weeks the retaining wall by my apartment building is tagged, along with any flat surface that’s easy to get to down the length of Melrose Avenue. It’s crime, but nobody bothers to report it anymore because the police don’t respond.
The thing I noticed about this list is a LOT of unlocked doors. You can’t ensure your stuff is 110% secure, but you can certainly make it look less attractive than what’s in close proximity.
Thanks to the great work by the East Precinct, the bike stolen from the unlocked garage on 16th Ae E was recovered and returned a week later. It was missing the back wheel but otherwise in good nick. Thanks again to the East Precinct and to the officer who took the trouble to return the bike to us.
7/29/11 Lock was cut an my bike was stolen from of the bike racks outside the main entrance to Seattle central community college. Black font fender with a vittoria zafiro pro front tire and a vittoria Rubino on the rear. Carbon forks, an apple sticker on the front.
Just wondering … What kind of lock did you have?
Good points, Tom. Yes, graffiti is a crime, but unfortunately there is alot of tolerance of it on Capitol Hill. Not only is it trashy, but it helps create an atmosphere where other crimes flourish….ever heard of the “broken windows theory”?
The SPD will only respond to a graffiti incident if it’s “in progress” and there is some possibility the vandals will be caught. But even then they are long gone by the time police officers arrive on the scene. However, it’s very easy and quick, using an online form, to report graffiti….see below. If it’s on public property, the City will clean it up, eventually. If it’s on private property, the property owner will be notified and can be fined if he/she fails to remove the graffiti.
http://www2.seattle.gov/util/forms/graffiti/graffitiForm.asp
I haven’t compared this against previous year’s data, but here’s a listing of residential burglaries in the C3 Police district of Seattle. (East of 23rd Ave E.)
https://data.seattle.gov/Crime/Zone-C3-Residential-Burglarie