Just days after hosting a Crown Hill crime prevention meeting, Catherine Weatbrook of the Crown Hill Business Association sent us the following note:
Seems we have two groups of prowlers making the rounds up here – one group has a skeleton key or other means of getting in without triggering alarms or breaking windows. The other group breaks windows. Frequently targeted by the skeleton key group are GPS units. All reports I have are since 6/13, all within about 12 blocks of each other. 3 cars in a 10 house dead-end street got hit the night of 6/15. I know of 15 cars hit since then. Somewhere there’s someone selling a lot of pretty new GPS units – cheap.
3 cars in a 10-house dead-end street all left their GPS units in the car on the same night?
Not blaming the victim — this theft sucks — but that just seems a bit odd.
Thanks for the report. Be on the lookout folks, let's put them out of business.
I wonder if the SPD uses decoy cars. I've seen them be highly effective in apprehending and prosecuting, as they are armed with video and silent alarm systems. Anyway, vigilance is warranted at the minimum.
They (someone) got my GPS last year. Smashed in the driver's side window, went through the window, grabbed my GPS out of the glove box, back out through the window. They knew not to open the locked door. Unfortunately, I had forgotten to wash off the suction cup mount ring off the inside of windshield.
I would never again use a suction cup mount.
I am near Salmon Bay Park…
I don't have a car so I don't know if this is part of the problem. I'm sure somebody will tell me if I'm wrong. Are the dead street lamps getting repaired? I still see a lot of long, dark patches where anybody can be doing anything.
Can anyone post where exactly the prowls happened?
It used to be eight track tape decks…I have seen electronic stuff like that for sale at those outdoor flea markets held at the old drive-in movie theaters.
Saw one of my neighbors' windows had been smashed yesterday morning on 63rd.
They may be looking for GPS units but they'll take whatever they can get!
They ransacked my vehicle despite no fancy electronics!
Whittier area.
Same night as the Plant Bandits were pulling shrubs on the same street! It's just not my Grandmothers Ballard anymore.
Maybe they need the GPS to figure out where the plants are going…
My husband lost a pair of prescription sunglasses from the dashboard last Thursday afternoon at the Holman QFC parking lot. Broken in the window and grabbed the glasses case out of the console. Both were expensive to replace.
Hey all, my car was broken into last night. Rear driver side window smashed and a laptop stolen (our fault, we should have remembered to bring it in). Nothing else was touched. Kind of lame because we just moved into the neighborhood — nice welcome. We live in Sunset Hill around 32nd and 60th. The car alarm didn't go off either. We sleep upstairs right above where our car was parked. I can't believe we didn't hear anything. One of our neighbors was walking by and said that car breakins don't happen in our neighborhood. Ugh.
precisely. where are the boundries?
They happen in every neighborhood. My mom's (Greenwood) building has underground parking. They used to get break ins all the time. It doesn't happen as often at her building these days but I'm sure it still happens in Greenwood too.
I'm sorry to hear about the bad welcome, though.
I live in Fremont. My car was broken into Sunday night 6/14 and my GPS, among other things, was stolen. Luckily (maybe?) I had locked the car but left the windows down a little because it's been so hot so they broke in through the window without actually breaking it–
We live on 25NW bet 75 + 77. Two prowls and a car stolen – all last week!
Hey Kirk,I live in Sunset Hill and I had my car broken into twice. Yes, it does happen here
where was this in Crown Hill? I live near Crown Hill and would love to know.
Car prowls have always been around Ballard, but I had no idea there was such a rash of them, especially now when the crime seems to be coming to an end. Wow!!
I'll never understand why people leave valuables sitting in plain sight in their car. Everyday when I walk down the street I see GPS units, iPods, cell phones, shopping bags, etc. just sitting on car seats and dashboards. Seriously people, get a freaking clue. It takes all of 5 seconds for someone to smash your window and grab your stuff. As we used to say in the Army: “Unsecured is unwanted”
As to where these items are being sold, my money is on e-Bay. e-Bay is an ideal place to fence stolen property and many police departments lack the resources or time to pursue e-Bay cases because they often cross multiple jurisdictions.
Maybe if we had fewer meter maids generating revenue for the city and more beat cops actually patrolling neighborhoods to prevent crime we wouldn't be having as many of crimes.
Thanks for the post. If anyone can post more locations (specific cross streets instead of neighborhood names), that would be greatly appreciated. Also, were all these GPS units the store-bought / plugin type? Or were any of them factory built-in to the consoles?
I had my car broken into on Sunset Hill about 4 years ago, ironically right after we moved in too. The stole the stereo. We live close to the railroad overpass and 60th/36th ave… it definitely happens in our neighborhood, just not often.
How does that make any sense? Less revenue means less cops. Plus, there is no way that there could ever be enough beat cops to prevent car prowls. What would be the point of spending millions to protect a few people's hundred dollar gps units?
The cheapest, most effective, and easiest way to prevent car prowls is to quit leaving stuff in your cars. If everyone did this, there would be zero car prowls. Maybe we should pass an ordinance against leaving personal electronics in vehicles. If something gets stolen, you should have to pay a fee for wasting the police's time filing a report for your insurance.
I always make it a point to leave my car unlocked when it is in my driveway. This always helps me remember to leave it empty. My only incident ever was about 15 years ago when some punk (probably a kid) stole the cigarette lighter out of the ashtray. No broken glass though, and no huge loss.
Thank you King of Ballard. Its one of those “duh” things.
Slightly off topic, but I locked my keys (and the stuff I needed for work?!) in a rental car last week. Called the locksmith and dude calls me from the parking lot, I walk outside and he's already got the car and the trunk open.
He used a slim-jim to open the car and reached through the pass thru into the trunk and opened it. Took like less than a minute.
I guess my point is why can't the crooks be just a little bit more professional about it and actually get a slim-jim and just break into the damn cars peacefully without breaking a window or prying out a door lock?
That way if we just don't leave anything in the car we're cool, and if they take the whole car well that's what insurance is for.
We're told they were west of 14th, north of 85th, if that helps.
I would imagine they break windows and crawl in to avoid setting off car alarms. not all have the blinking lights when armed.
Nothing pisses me off more than arrogant people that A: say this never happens in my neighborhood. B: just stop leaving things in YOUR vehicle. So does this apply to home break-ins too? Should we all just move to prevent theft? Selling everthing we own as to not have to worry? How freaking foolish. Let's all look in the mirror and blame ourselves then. How stupid. According to the king we should merely leave OUR vehicles unlocked, and another law would end this crime. Ever speed on the freeway buddy? King you're an idiot. It's not all just about U. It's about taking back OUR hoods from punks/gangs etc. Ballard is not utopia. And with your attitude it never will be. Maybe Safeway should have a free bin of steaks, lobster, wine to end shoplifting too eh? Dreamers……………
Thank you, Norwegian! The last time I had my car broken into they bent the door and then broke the window. What had I left in the car? A gym bag. And it was 9;00 AM here in Sunset Hill. When I was burgled, they somehow used a screwdriver to get by the deadbolt. For the guy who seaid “that's what insurance is for” , that attitude is childish. My car is 15 years old and the Bluebook on it wouldn't buy me a bicycle, but for me it is serviceable. BTW, my $250 window bill was NOT entirely covered by insurance.
I agree, we need to take back our hood from criminals.
I live around 32nd and 57th, and my car was broken into on Sunday in the alley. I don't have a GPS, but I had a messenger bag in the back (thankfully empty) that they grabbed. The car alarm went off, and my neighbor said she spotted a guy wearing a large camo sweatshirt run into a car and drive away. Looks like the prowlers didn't stop at Crown Hill and kept going south… Be on the look-out.
“What would be the point of spending millions to protect a few people's hundred dollar gps units?”
To say nothing of why should the rest of us pay more money to protect the property belonging to people too stupid to protect it themselves? Sorry but I have zero sympathy for anyone dumb enough to leave valuable items in plain sight in your car.
I agree that anyone who has a clearly visible item stolen from their car shouldn't be allowed to waste the time of the police. Sort of like how people who insist on drinking and driving shouldn't have the paramedics called to save them from their own stupidity.
“B: just stop leaving things in YOUR vehicle. So does this apply to home break-ins too?”
One big difference: the stuff in your house isn't in plain view for everyone to see and it's much harder to bust a window on a home and quickly grab something of value. Sorry but people need to get a brain, show some initiative and take some *reasonable* precautions. Not leaving valuables in plain view in your car IS a *reasonable* precaution. I suppose you think we should just expect the cops to always be present and looking out for everyone? Oh and we shouldn't have to pay any taxes for that service? You talk about taking back our hoods? OK genius, how exactly are you proposing to do that? Going to start some lynch mobs? Maybe start chasing people with bats because they don't look right for the neighborhood? What's your brilliant solution?
I also had a CORD OF WOOD stolen out of the carport. Now, I ask you…what exactly could I have done to lock THAT up?
Also, window was $350, not $250.
The scum will break into a car even if nothing is visible. It doesn’t help if you leave any kind of backpack or tool kit in the car. In the past, some neighbors have lost their book bag of UW homework – try selling that on eBay. These bad guys need to get clubbed once in a while. They are such useless bums.
Why do people need a GPS unit anyway?
Because they aren't from here and need directions?
I agree! There's nothing East of Phinney Ridge worth seeing anyway.
Anyone want to set up a bait car in Crown Hill?
I have a computer camera I could set up hidden with a long network cable. It is motion sensing and should be able to get quality video of someone. I wouldn't want my car windows broken so I would put something desirable on the dash and leave unlocked.
Any suggestions what would be irresistable but disposable bait?
A couple 40's of Olde English 800
If you pay for full coverage insurance, in the extremely unlikely event that your car is stolen, it would be kind of stupid not to file a claim right?
If you don't carry insurance and your car is stolen you will have to use the money that you saved by not having insurance and buy a new car.
If you think we can “take back our neighborhood ” and have zero chance of having your car stolen, you're dreaming.
Lastly , the $250 broken window is EXACTLY why I don't lock my car.
A messenger bag that looks like it might contain a laptop. Worked for me…
Nothing much happens to the criminals when they are caught. They should be beaten to a pulp then they might think twice before taking something that doesn't belong to them.
We need to start lobbying for harder sentancing not more excuses for bad behaviour. Keep the scum out of Ballard. I am all for a prison here as it will bring more jobs and keep the criminals off the street.
One word for the tweakers. BLAT! That's the sound my 30 odd 6 makes when the round hits.
No it won't, in prison they will learn better, faster, slicker ways to break in.
The answer is to allow limited theft deterrent systems. I propose to allow razor blades glued to the back of the radio with an appropriate warning label on the front for you mechanic, and fishing hooks placed on the back of the power inverter or permanently installed GPS unit.
With both of these systems, the only requirement in addition to the installation is to post a warning sticker on the Drivers side window, to alert the mechanic or other personnel that there is this system on board. I doubt too many thieves will check.
These to things would cut the crime in half. Even wearing thick leather gloves, the appropriate fishing hooks will penetrate. You can also use nails sharpened on a grinder, they don't catch in the skin, but cause damage.
This is not currently legal, but it should be. Write to your state legislator.
I would imagine they break windows and crawl in to avoid setting off car alarms. not all have the blinking lights when armed….