By Sam Davis, UW Newslab
Commercial crime has become an increasing concern in Ballard based on city data, with incidents of burglaries and break-ins affecting local businesses across the neighborhood.
Ballard experienced 181 property crime burglaries this year as of the week of May 4, according to the Seattle Police Dashboard. That is a 6% increase in incidents over last year, adding to the concerns of rising crime in this area.
City leaders and community organizations are stepping in to address this issue, according to Ballard Alliance executive director Mike Stewart.
He mentioned in an emailed statement that the Safety Team at Ballard Alliance is working directly with businesses to improve security conditions in hopes of reducing break-ins.
“Our safety director has been conducting on-site evaluations of businesses’ current physical security infrastructure and making recommendations for improvements,” Stewart said.
Stewart also mentioned Ballard Alliance is working on helping businesses properly report their incidents to the SPD by guiding businesses through the reporting process. Stewart said that this ensures incidents are documented and shared with police to support follow-up investigations.
“Our role has been to assist crime victims by helping them properly report the incidents to the police,” Stewart said. “We also help ensure video evidence and witness statements are collected and delivered to SPD.”
Seattle City Council member Dan Strauss has also been working closely with targeted businesses and the Seattle Police Department to help create effective plans.
He mentioned that supporting small businesses and improving public safety has become a key focus of his work with the city.
“Crimes against our small businesses are completely unacceptable,” Strauss said. “It’s our job as the city to create a climate where small businesses can thrive.”
One resource available to businesses is city reimbursement programs aimed at helping impacted businesses. The Storefront Repair Fund provides up to $3,000 for property damage repairs, while the Storefront Security Fund offers up to $6,000 to help cover the cost of security improvements intended to prevent future incidents.
Reimbursements help businesses recover losses, but they usually don’t cover the full cost of repair bills.
“Theft results in a small payday for thieves but can cost small businesses tens of thousands of dollars,” Strauss said.
While city leaders and community organizations have discussed these safety measures and potential solutions to address the issue, it’s already impacting businesses in the area.
Outsider BBQ & Beer Garden, located at 4010 NW Leary Way, was vandalized in December, just days before Christmas.
Someone shattered the glass through the front door and damaged the company’s cargo vans, causing an estimated $5,000 in damage, said owner Onur Gulbay. He said they were very fortunate to handle these problems without closing their shop, but it was still a challenging experience for the business.
“[Businesses in Ballard] are not just running a business, we are trying to create a community,” Gulbay said. “These kinds of things make us all a little frustrated.”
After this incident, Gulbay installed new alarm systems that cost around $1,000 and added stronger fences around the pit area, the place where they cook their meat. Overnight shifts have also been added to provide additional security and monitoring during the night.
Gulbay also said collective action with the city is necessary to prevent further losses in city revenue.
“We are going to lose together or we’re going to win together,” Gulbay said. “If you lose business here, you will lose interest and revenue, so we must act together.”
About a mile down the road, Mean Sandwich (1510 NW Leary Way) is facing similar frustrations. The business was broken into on April 27 after a window was smashed and someone attempted to pry open the door with a crowbar.
According to manager Skyler Russell, the total damages were estimated at around $600. Russell also said incidents like these are becoming increasingly frustrating for businesses in Ballard.
“It’s daunting to be on the edge while running a business,” Russell said. “You have to have your head on a swivel at all times.”
Despite the recent break-in, Russell said the business is not currently planning to beef up security measures, explaining that the shop still wants to feel welcoming to the community rather than “look like a prison front.” They are a cashless storefront, in hopes that discourages theft and prevents further losses from break-ins, Russell said.
He believes that proper funding and attention to individuals struggling in the community, such as those who are homeless, would go a long way toward improving overall safety in Ballard.
“I think that anything that we can do to help people better themselves and give them the opportunity to better themselves, you’ll find that you’ll have less people on the streets,” Russell said.
The same night that Mean Sandwich was broken into, burglars hit 5 Guys and Ballard Coffee Co.
Looking ahead, Strauss said efforts from the city and community organizations to support impacted businesses remain a priority.
“If you are a small business and you need help, reach out to my office,” Strauss said. “We are here to help you navigate when crime has occurred.”
The Ballard Alliance is also encouraging residents and business owners within the Ballard Improvement Area to call 911 to report suspicious activity and crimes as they happen. According to the Alliance, SPD’s data-driven response model allocates resources based on 911 call volume and the types of emergencies reported citywide.
The Ballard Alliance says calls made to the non-emergency line are not tracked in the same way and can result in delayed response times. After filing a 911 report and receiving a case number, the Alliance is also asking businesses to share that information with its Clean & Safe Team Director, Jamie Smith (jamie@ballardalliance.com), so incidents can be tracked and followed up on with police and outreach partners.
Photo: Sam Davis