Precinct Public Safety Newsletter

June 18, 2009

Dear Community Friends,

Night Out is now ready for online registration at http://www.seattle.gov/police/nightout/default.htm.

Summertime Security Tips

During warm weather months, we often see an increase in burglary and theft.  Reasons for this include:

q       Windows at residences left open for ventilation when residents are not home.

q       Unattended open garages while residents are working in the yard or have briefly left the home.

q       Unattended personal belongings while at a park or other recreational venues.

q       Unattended personal belongings visible in our vehicles.

We want to remind you about the potential for an increase in burglary and theft and provide you with concrete steps you can take to reduce your vulnerability.  Please share these tips with your neighbors.

Close And Lock Windows; Limit How Far They Can Be Opened

q       Always close and lock windows whenever away from the home.  If you choose to ventilate your home when you are not home because of the heat, be aware that you are vulnerable and an easy target for the burglar.

q       If you leave windows open enough for ventilation, secure with less than 4” opening with a dowel.  Some windows have stops installed on the inside track, which help prevent the window from being opened too far.  However, some of these are not very sturdy and can be opened given the right amount of force.  Augment those stops with a dowel.  For double hung windows, use sash pins to better secure the windows. 

Lock Your Doors

Install good quality dead bolt locks with at least a 1” throw on all exterior doors.

q       Replace the existing screws in the strike plates and two screws per hinge with 3-4 inch screws.  This will secure the doorframe to the 2×4 framing of the house.  This makes it much more difficult for a person to force open a properly locked door.

Working In The Yard

If working in the yard in the front or back of the home:

q       Do not leave your front door open and/or unlocked.  Close and lock garage and storage unit that is out of your line of sight.  Be mindful of what is in plain view to anyone who may walk or drive by. 

Secure Tools and Ladders

q       Secure all tools, including ladders, so they cannot be used to gain entry into your home or that of a neighbor.

Make it appear that your home is occupied. 

q       You can do this by having timers set within the home that will turn lights on and off.  You may want to consider timers for your exterior lights or photocell attachments (which activate when it gets dark and go off when it becomes light) and motion sensors.

If Away For An Extended Period Of Time

q       Ask a friend or trusted neighbor to watch your home and collect your mail and your newspaper.  If they see suspicious activity, they will know to call 911 for you. 

q       Call Police 625-5011 and ask for a “Request to Watch” for your home while on vacation

Do Not Leave Personal Belongings Unattended

Whether they are in a shopping cart or on a picnic blanket, always maintain positive control over your belongings.  Never leave personal belongings unattended in your vehicle. 

Seattle

has an incredibly high rate of theft of personal property from vehicles, particularly at public parks.

Resources To Keep You Informed

Police Blotter, http://spdblotter.seattle.gov/

Subscribe to SPD: Crime Blotter http://feeds.feedburner.com/SeattlePoliceSouthwestPrecinct

Police Blotter, Megan Sheppard,

West Seattle

Herald

http://www.westseattleherald.com/news/police%20blotter/

West Seattle

Blog, Tracy Record, Editor

http://westseattleblog.com/blog/?page_id=4988

Seattle Police Department main web page

http://www.seattle.gov/police/

Southwest Precinct Web-page

http://www.seattle.gov/police/Precincts/Southwest/default.htm

Seattle

Police Crime Statistics

http://www.cityofseattle.net/police/crime/stats.htm

For More Information Call: Benjamin Kinlow,

Crime Prevention Coordinator, (206) 684-7724 or email benjamin.kinlow@seattle.gov.  Check out www.seattle.gov/police/precincts/southwest/prevention.htm

West Seattle Blog has a disturbing story about how a man (mis)represented himself as an employee of Comcast when knocking on a door at 7pm last night at Beach Drive and Douglas Place.

Read the entire story by clicking here.

Warm summer nights breeds opportunity for criminals when doors and windows are left open.  In this case, Chris from Beach Drive was taking a nap when the stranger awoke him knocking on the door.  I do encourage you to read the entire post at West Seattle Blog and to call the Police when you suspect something's not right.

Tis the season for water rescues.   Seattle Fire Department's Ladder 11 was just at Mee Kwa Mooks running a rescue drill.

 

 

Southwest Precinct Public Safety Newsletter

 

March 31, 2009

 

Dear Community Friends,

 

Recent Burglary Arrests

In recent weeks, Southwest Precinct officers have made significant burglary arrests.  In one case, a neighbor saw burglars leaving the victim’s house and running into another house on the block.  Based on an alert neighbor’s observation the police were able to make an arrest.  In other words, watchful neighbors can help the police catch burglars.  When Police catch suspicious persons of interest in the area near a burglary, they are thankful to have watchful neighbors who can identify the suspect/s as the burglar/s.  Suspects are detained by officers and identified by witnesses. 

 

After burglars are arrested and the number of burglaries drops, we can assume they are responsible for some of the past burglaries.  Arrested burglars may confess to one or two burglaries, but most will not confess, so our detectives have to prove they were in the victim’s house.  The recent arrests will help us close the books on a few burglaries. 

 

We want to emphasize that these burglars were caught because of alert and involved neighbors. 

·         Those who saw suspicious people walking into a neighbor’s backyard and called 911.

·         Neighbors who actually saw the burglars in their neighbor’s home and called 911.

·         Neighbors who were willing to go with police to positively identify the suspects they saw.

 

These recent arrests prove that vigilance works.  Be observant and pay attention to what’s happening in your neighborhood and who’s out and about in your area.  For those of you who work from home or are home during daylight hours, take a look around every now and then and see what’s happening on your street and alley.  Being conspicuously alert makes potential offenders nervous and will tend to make them seek a place where they have less risk of being seen, identified or caught.

 

We want to thank you for helping us get these burglars off the street.

 

Home Security Tips

·         Close and lock all doors and windows (even second story windows) when you are away from home.

·         Trim shrubbery around the exterior of your home or business to improve lines of sight (to make it easier for your neighbors to see activity at your place).

·         Reinforcement of the doorframe by replacing the screws in the strike plates and one screw per hinge with 3 to 4-inch wood screws.

·         For French doors, ensure they have floor and ceiling bolts that extend at least one inch into the floor and the upper doorframe, respectively.

·         Secure all tools – including ladders – to ensure they cannot be used to gain entry into your (or someone else’s) home.  Use a chain and padlock to secure the ladders (not just to themselves); secure them to a post/railing/banister, etc.

·         Engrave your valuables with your driver’s license number so that it can be identified in the event of theft.  Engraving property is also a deterrent; if thieves see the property is engraved, they are less likely to take it.  For those items you cannot engrave, take a photo so you can positively identify them.  This includes GPS systems, IPods, digital cameras, etc.; not just TVs, DVRs and laptops.  Whether you engrave the item or take a picture of it, record the serial number of the item for positive identification.  Make an inventory list of your valuable items; keep it someplace secure.

 

Resources To Keep You Informed

Police Blotter, http://spdblotter.seattle.gov/

Subscribe to SPD: Crime Blotter http://feeds.feedburner.com/SeattlePoliceSouthwestPrecinct

Police Blotter, Megan Sheppard,

West Seattle

Herald

http://www.westseattleherald.com/news/police%20blotter/

West Seattle

Blog, Tracy Record, Editor

http://westseattleblog.com/blog/?page_id=4988

Seattle Police Department main web page

http://www.seattle.gov/police/

Southwest Precinct Web-page

http://www.seattle.gov/police/Precincts/Southwest/default.htm

Seattle

Police Crime Statistics

http://www.cityofseattle.net/police/crime/stats.htm

 

For More Information Call: Benjamin Kinlow,

Crime Prevention Coordinator, (206) 684-7724 or email benjamin.kinlow@seattle.gov.  Check out www.seattle.gov/police/precincts/southwest/prevention.htm

A West Seattle Blog reader is trying to find out what happened to her friend who was in a bicycle accident around 4100 and Beach Drive on Friday.

"He flipped over his handlebars, hit pavement, cracked his helmet, and, fortunately (given what could’ve resulted), is escaping with a broken collarbone and a concussion that has given him a headache but will eventually go away. Because of the concussion he doesn’t really remember what happened before or during (or for that matter, immediately after) the accident."

For more info, read the rest at WSB by clicking here.

 

I received theses tip from Beach Drive Neighbors:

Around the corner of Jacobsen and Beach Drive, a few police officers stopped by her house this afternoon  [2/12] and asked if she had noticed anyone "casing" their house or had there been any unusual activity near her house. She had just woke from a nap and was surprised to see them but alert enough to tell them that she did have an unusual experience last night [2/11]. A couple young men came to her door at 7pm selling windows, when she said she was not interested they asked for cookies, when she said she had none they asked for a glass of water, she closed the door and got them a water cup to go. When she returned with the cup one man was there and the other was not…

another neighbor reports that:

they stopped by his house as well and clearly were not window sales people.

Just a reminder that we need to look out for each other.  If you notice anything suspicious, call 9-1-1.

A big thanks to the neighbor who notified me of this activity.

Get your copy by clicking here:Download Southwest Precinct Public Safety_Newsletter January 7 2009