The Seattle Police Department’s west precinct crime prevention coordinator Francisco Tello sent the following update on local crime activity to neighborhood block watch captains Wednesday:

More good news! Alert neighbors are reporting suspicious activity, excellent work is being done by responding officers and West detectives have been stellar. Let’s continue with being observant and reporting suspicious behavior. Do not let your guard down.

On Thursday, August 4, 2011 at approximately 7:27 a.m. officers responded to a report by a citizen of a suspicious white male walking up to two separate residences and trying the door knobs on West Highland Drive. The suspicious male was described as wearing a black hat, black clothing and carrying a red backpack.

Responding officer stopped a person matching that description on the 1200 block of Queen Anne Ave N between Comstock Street and Highland Drive. The officer advised the suspect that he was contacted because he matched a description given of a possible burglar. While waiting for arrival of a backup officer, the suspect was instructed to sit. The officer asked the suspect why he was walking around residences. Suspect stated that he was thirsty and was just looking for water. The officer asked the suspect why he did not ask a local business for a  glass of water or use the water fountain up the street at the intersection of Queen Anne Ave N and Galer. The suspect was unable to provide an answer. Further investigation by the officer revealed that the suspect was in possession of a large amount of U. S. paper currency and coins. The backup officer arrived and continued with the investigation. Checking the status of the identification of the suspect revealed that the suspect had previously been arrested for burglary. Other contents of the backpack included smaller electronics. The suspect was taken into custody and brought to the West Precinct where detectives continued the investigation, and discovered that the electronics were taken from a reported car prowl nearby. West Precinct detectives are requesting theft charges on the case.

If you suspect that your property was among the items found through this arrest, contact Officer Tello at (206) 684-4730.

The Seattle Police Department West Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Francisco Tello sent out this email to members of the community today notifying them of recent burglary activity in the Queen Anne and Magnolia area and providing tips on how to respond and prevent home break-in crime.

Recently there has been some burglary activity on Queen Anne and Magnolia that we like to alert you about.  Some of the burglaries have been non-forced (walk-ins ) the burglar has gained entry by an unsecured door or window.  The forced entries ones, the suspect(s) breaks small window next to front or rear door and unlocks the door to gain entry. Once inside takes laptops, TV’s, checks and miscellaneous items.  All burglaries have been on un-occupied houses between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM. The burglaries and other crime types can be viewed on our “Crime Reporting Map” If you have not visited our “Crime Reporting Map” web site you can accesses it  at http://web5.seattle.gov/mnm/policereports.aspx To view the Police reports you have to subscribe, the incidents listed with a “narrative” will have more detail.  A person of interest related to this activity is a Caucasian male 30-40 years old 5’7 to 6’ tall thin build, scruffy unshaven facial hair.  Dark clothing with a backpack.   Suspicious circumstances reported, a person matching that description knocked at a residence.   The home owner did not answered the front door right away and the person seemed startled when the home owner  open the door.  The person asked the home owner for directions to Interbay.  The home owner asked what part of  Interbay the person could not answer and left right away.  The home owner thought that the person acted suspicious.  About 15 minutes later a burglary was reported several blocks away.  A note about the suspicious circumstances, the house that was targeted is the only house on the block with shrubbery that obstructs clear view from the street.

Our Crime Analysis Detective is aware of the activity as well as the District Officers.  The District Officers are extra attentive to suspicious behaviors, and West Precinct Detectives are actively working the cases.  You can assist us by making sure your doors and windows are secured, work with your neighbors to watch your residence if you are going to be away. Trust your instincts and  report suspicious behaviors or persons to 9-1-1.  A note about calling 9-1-1, when you call 9-1-1 you will be talking to an operator, the operator does not dispatch Officers.  Depending on the nature and priority of the call the operator will be relaying information to a dispatcher.  The operator will ask you questions, please follow the operators questions, it may seem that nothing is happening but again depending on the priority of the call a dispatcher will be relaying information to the responding Officers.  Practice describing people, when calling 9-1-1 in case of an incident good description and direction of travel of the fleeing suspect(s) will be of great help to the responding Officers.  If there is an alley behind your residence, put your address on the alley side as well, this will assist responding Officers locate the correct residence should they approach from the alley..  If you are interested on more prevention tips visit our Seattle Police Department web site.

City officials may soon be cracking down on prostitution activities in the stretch of land just east of Seattle Center – the area known as “The Track” along Mercer between 5th Ave N, Lenora, and Westlake, which has become a prime target for gang activity and recruitment into prostitution, according to a report by SeattleCrime.

Documents from the City Attorney’s Office, obtained by SeattleCrime, indicate that officials are interested in creating a new Stay Out of Area of Prostitution (S.O.A.P.) zone in the area. From SeattleCrime:

The S.O.A.P. zones allow courts to require people charged with prostitution to stay out of high-prostitution areas–primarily around downtown–while they await trial or following their release from jail.

The city already has seven S.O.A.P. zones set up around town. According to the report, officials would remove the zone around E Pine to Pike from 10th Ave to 9th Ave., and create a new zone around The Track, where several gang members involved in pimping young women were arrested last year.

Staff from the City Attorney’s Office are scheduled to appear in front of a judge to ask for the S.O.A.P. zone expansion on Friday. We’ll keep you posted as we learn more. You can read the full story at SeattleCrime.

The West Precinct of the Seattle Police Department has recently reinvigorated its foot patrol team in an attempt to both curb crime, and build lasting relationships with the communities they police and the neighbors that live and work in them. Take a look at KOMO4′s story on the newly expanded SPD walking beat:

Capt. Joe Kessler, who took over the West Precinct back in October, reinstated the foot patrol unit, dedicating some 32 officers to walking beats in communities within the precinct, up from one eight-officer team in years before, according to KOMO4.

What do you think about the expansion of the foot patrol program? Do you think the Queen Anne community will benefit from having dedicating officers on regular walking beats, or do you think SPD should be putting its resources into other programs and services to better serve the neighborhood?

Yesterday we received this note from Seattle Police Department Crime Prevention officer Terrie Johnston. She reviews the police incident reports on a daily basis, and while doing so noticed an alarming trend over the last week in our area:

Today upon reviewing the reported crime for Queen Anne and Magnolia, I noticed that in the past 7 days there were three vehicles stolen from Magnolia (Volvo SW; Toyota Highlander and an Acura Integra) and 4 vehicles stolen from Queen Anne (2 Subaru Legacys; KIA Rio; and a BMW).  This is in addition to a theft of a license plate on Queen Anne, and several car prowls.  I found that number of incidents to be abnormally high.  I phoned the Auto Theft Sergeant and he said  the number of Auto Thefts in Seattle are down, and have been decreasing steadily.  In fact, we are at nearly 1/3 of the number of Auto Thefts which occurred in 2005.  However, we agreed that there are some simple things we can do to try and prevent becoming a victim of auto theft.

This sergeant reports that he uses a steering wheel locking device on every car he owns, and he uses the device, every time he parks his car.  These devices act as a good visual deterrent.  They are just one more thing the thief has to disable in an attempt to steal the vehicle. There are also a variety of locking metal devices that can disable everything from your gearshift, gas pedal, brake pedal, hood, tires, etc.

Johnston also suggests a few other tips for keeping your cars safe from prowls and thefts. “If you have a garage, use it. Park your car in there!” she writes. “Keep the garage and any other doors leading into the garage locked, and keep car doors locked inside the garage.”

According to Johnston, two-thirds of all auto thefts occur at night. Because of this, installing motion-sensitive lighting around car ports, driveways, parking areas and alleyways may help deter thieves from targeting those cars. She also recommends that residents leave their front porch lights on from dusk until dawn.

Cars are often stolen for their parts (including airbags). It can take an expert thief as little as seven seconds and one screwdriver to break into a vehicle, and less than one minute to drive away.  Please be vigilant for strangers on your block, trying door handles, looking into vehicles.  You can call 9-1-1 to report suspicious activity.

In a community newsletter sent out on Tuesday, Seattle Police Department crime prevention officer Terrie Johnston advised the community on how to help keep your home from being a target in an all-too-common residential burglary. From the newsletter:

The most common way used to force entry through a door with a wooden jamb is to kick it open. When a door is kicked in, the frame usually splinters and gives way, allowing the burglar to enter.  The weakest point is almost always the strike plate that holds the latch or lock bolt in place. The average door strike plate is secured only to the doorframe molding. These lightweight moldings are often tacked on to the doorframe and can be torn away with a firm kick.  Increasingly, we’ve noticed a trend of burglars increasingly using pry tools at doors to gain entry into homes.

To help fortify your home against intruders, SPD suggests reinforcing your exterior doors and deadbolt locks through a few minor upgrades that can be done at home. Read the full list of suggestions in the newsletter (.pdf).

The Seattle Police Department’s west precinct may be losing its crime prevention coordinator come April 1, but until then Terrie Johnston is continuing with her monthly crime and burglary recaps for the community. Check our her full letter to the community regarding crime in Queen Anne this December here:

Hi, I wanted to share information I gleaned from residential burglaries reported this month of December.  It is not unusual to see slight increases in property crimes during the holidays. Why might this happen?  People are often scurrying about shopping, going to parties, etc.  and our social calendars can become fuller at year’s end.  That can mean we don’t pay full attention to security and safety.  Add to that, many people go out of town during the season; school is out; and there are gifts everywhere (in cars; under the tree; sitting on front porches).  You get the picture.  So let’s look at some of the significant points for December’s burglaries so far.

The majority of the burglaries still occured during the daytime hours of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. A common method of entry was using something in the yard to gain access to the windows, i.e. a garbage can was turned upside down to reach a window; an outside stool was strategically placed under a window and used as stairs; the victim’s step-ladder was used to gain access to the 2^nd floor balcony where the thieves entered through an unlocked sliding door.  In a few burglaries, entry was believed to have been made through the dog door.  Several entries were made through unlocked windows.  One victim went for a short run and left the front door unlocked and came home to a completed burglary. Thieves came into an unlocked  garage door and stole all the food from the freezer;  another victim reported that he fell asleep with his front door unlocked.  This allowed the crook(s) to enter, remove the vehicle’s remote from the ashtray on the table by the front door.  That car was then prowled.  In another burglary, a concealed side door was kicked in, shattering the door frame.  In one incident, the home owners returned mid-day and discovered the burglars in their home.

Here are some of the items reported stolen this month: 9 mm pistol; laptops, money, cameras; heavy stereo speakers; 42” flat screen TV; electronics, jewelry & sewing machine, and wrapped Christmas gifts.  It’s hard to imagine how some of those bigger items were removed unseen.  Was more than one thief involved?  Did they use a car?  A look out?  Please do not hesitate to call 9-1-1 if on your block you see unknown people, with heavy backpacks or a stuffed pillow case (as was done in a burglary last week) acting suspiciously or unknown cars in your neighbor’s driveway when they are gone.  Trust your gut!

My tips: Use the locks and latches you have.  Be religious about locking up, even if you are only going to be away for a brief time.   Keep shrubbery pruned back so neighbors can see onto your property.  Get a house sitter if you will be away.  Start or rekindle your Block Watch so your neighbors can be invited to watch out for your home when you cannot be there.  Lock up or store out-of-sight any ladders, sawhorses, etc.  Close your blinds in the rooms where there are desirable electronics when you are away.   Do not hesitate to report anything suspicious to 9-1-1, even if it isn’t an emergency.  Call me if you would like a free home security survey conducted.  Thank you for sharing this information with your neighbors and Block Watch contacts.

For more information contact Terrie directly at the Seattle Police Crime Prevention number, 206-684-4741, or via email at Terrie.Johnston@seattle.gov.

One of our readers, who wishes to remain anonymous, wrote it to report an incident that happened at around 11:15 p.m. last night near Queen Anne Ave N and W Armour Street.

A girl was walking by herself and in an apparent attempt was knocked down by a guy all dressed in black with a black hood. Apparently he tried to take her bag. His attempt was unsuccessful and he ran west towards Rogers Park. The police came within minutes and not sure what the outcome was… Just a reminder to our neighbors to keep a watchful eye out and to be vigilant.

Last March, after a violent mugging of another young woman, members of the Uptown community gathered to create a new, proactive block watch program. More information on how to get involved in community crime prevention and block watches here.

Yesterday we reported that several women in the neighborhood have been suspiciously approached and propositioned by a strange man who was later found to be driving a stolen vehicle. Based on reports from many women who encountered this man, now referred to as the “Queen Anne Creeper”, SPD was able to locate and arrest him, and is asking any women who may have been approached by him but never reported the incident to come forward. In a letter addressed to the community yesterday, crime prevention officer Terrie Johnston wrote:

Many Block Watch captains & contacts contacted me over the past 3 days to confirm reports of a white male with a goatee driving around Queen Anne and approaching women, (some with children) and asking for directions to Magnolia. In some of the instances he made suggestive, and inappropriate sexual comments to the women. You may have read about this individual in local blogs. A patrol officer, Off. Alstrin attempted to keep the neighbors informed about this guy, and information about the incidents was shared with West Precinct personnel. Here’s the great part! I shared many of your tips (phone calls and emails)  with Offs. Hockett and Warner of our Comm. Police Team. Through their excellent follow-up skills, and using your tips they were able to identify the suspect and he was arrested. Now asking for directions is not a crime, so what’s the big deal? Well, he was definitely unnerving the women he contacted, and he was acting suspiciously. But through the keen observations made by community members, it was learned that he was in a stolen vehicle. We came to find out he is under DOC [Department of Corrections] supervision, and we trust the judge will be interested in his recent activities. The CPT officers credit, in large part, the good information and tips that you called or emailed me about, as assisting them w/getting positive identification on him, witness statements about the stolen vehicle, etc.

Johnston asks anyone who recalls being approached by this individual to contact Officer David Hockett at (206) 684-7720 or email Erik Warner at erik.warner@seattle.gov and make a statement. Johnston added:

We would like to document as many of the incidents as possible for potential prosecution. Many women called to say they regretted they never called 9-1-1 when they were approached by this individual, so this is another reminder that if something feels weird, or suspicious to you-please trust your gut and call it in to 911. 911 is not only for reporting emergencies, but for reporting suspicious behaviors, people, vehicles, etc. Thanks for caring so much about your neighborhood, and for sharing info with your neighbors.

Seattle Police Crime Prevention officers can be reached at (206) 684-4741.

One Lower Queen Anne woman, Camille, was assaulted outside her apartment late last Tuesday night, having her bag snatched only after she was repeatedly kicked in the face and chest by the assailant.

Many neighbors who heard her screaming during the ordeal, and many more who live in the area, were so moved by Camille’s story and concerned with the growing prevalence of violent crime in Uptown as of late–especially in the area between the Counterbalance and the entrance to Lower Kinnear Park on Roy that is very poorly lit–that they’ve decided to organize a new Block Watch program to connect neighbors and hopefully prevent future assaults like this one.

Reader J.P. Flores, who is spearheading the effort, wrote in the comments,

I am fairly new to the area (10 months or so) But I love my Neighborhood. I haven’t seen anything about a Neighborhood Watch in this (Specifically from Counterbalance Park to Kinnear Park along Roy where most of the recent disturbances have been happening) And I would like to propose one. I am married and I don’t like that I have to worry about my wife walking to the store or even from the car to our apartment. I know there are a lot of other young couples in our community who I am sure feel the same way. I would also urge the businesses in this area (On The Boards, The Sitting Room etc..) to participate as it is their community as well. Shall we do something about it? Let’s make this neighborhood safe for our kids and all those who live in this beautiful part of town.

J.P. has agreed to organize the Block Watch if he can find enough interested parties, and hopefully local businesses, to participate. If you’d like to take park in the Counterbalance to Kinnear Block Watch, contact J.P. at jflor84@gmail.com or comment below.

For more information on Block Watches or to find one in your area, contact SPD Crime Prevention officer Contact Terrie Johnston at (206) 684-4741 or terrie.johnston@seattle.gov. If businesses in the area would like more information on what they can do to encourage public safety, they can contactFran Tello at (206) 684-4730 or francisco.tello@seattle.gov. Read up on ways to get involved with community crime prevention here and here.

In response to several break-ins and burglaries in Queen Anne (see here, here and here) and Magnolia since the start of the new year, SPD Crime Prevention Coordinator Terrie Johnston wrote in with a few tips for protecting yourself, and your home, from crime. She wrote,

Lessons learned from them could be to use the locks and latches you have. Many of the entries are being made through doors or windows left open or unlocked (for the nanny, for the dogs, etc). If you have an alarm system, activate it, as at least a few of the burglarized homes had alarm systems which were not turned on. If you do discover your home has been burglarized, please do not clean up the crime scene. We need to be able to get usable information to lead to the prosecution of the criminals. Lastly, please do not hesitate to report suspicious activity to 9-1-1, even if what you are reporting is not an emergency.

As always, Terrie is a available for free home security surveys and Block Watch group organizations. She’s booked through the end of the month, but is happy to arrange appointments in February or answer questions via phone (206-684-4741) or email (terrie.johnston@seattle.gov).

Now that Thanksgiving weekend has passed, the holiday season has officially kicked off! And with the spike in shopping comes an expected spike in crime, so the Seattle Police Department is offering these tips for personal safety and crime prevention during the holidays. Their pointers include everything from safety precautions to take while shopping and using automated teller machines, to how to prevent car prowls, a sight we’ve seen on the hill quite frequently these days. SPD holiday safety tips:

CAR PROWL PREVENTION
• When you exit or enter your parked vehicle, take a moment to look around the area.
• Turn off and lock your car whenever you have to walk away from it. This includes at gas pumps, ATM machines, etc. Never leave your car idling.
• Before leaving your parked car, always remove the keys, roll up the windows and lock the car.
• Leave No Valuables in Your Car. Never leave valuables in your car. Items of little or no value to you still look inviting to a thief. Even pocket change is enough of an enticement for some thieves.
• If you must leave valuables in your car (say you’re out shopping and still have some stops to make), make sure that nothing of value is within plain view. Place items in your car trunk out of sight. Do this when you get to your car, rather than waiting until you park at your next stop.  Often, people will arrive at their destination and then put items in the trunk. They’ve just shown anyone who may be around that they just put valuables in the trunk and then walked away from their vehicles. So, if you are going to put something in your trunk, place it in before you get to your destination so you don’t show everyone that you’ve just put valuables in your trunk.
• Don’t leave accessories visible in your car. You may have taken the Laptop or IPod in with you, but if you leave the USB cables for your laptop or earbuds for the IPod in the back seat, the offender may think those items are in the car and break in anyway.
• Think about how the GPS is mounted in your car. If the mounting for the GPS is visible, the thief may think the GPS is in the glove box or under the seat and may break in to try to get it.  Have removable mounting for the GPS and put that out of sight as well.
• If possible, store your car in a closed and locked garage. Make a habit of locking your garage door and car doors.
• If your car is stored in a carport or parked near your house, leave your exterior lights on throughout the night.
• If you park on the street, choose a well-lit, open space even if it means adding additional street/yard lighting & trimming back trees/bushes that block your view of your vehicle.
• If you park in a paid lot, use lots that have attendants.
• Consider replacing the light fixture closest to your car with a motion detector unit. Motion detectors are a good psychological deterrents since the normal assumption of a person seeing a light come on is that someone has seen them. Additionally, the light makes the prowler or thief more visible.
• You may want to consider an alarm system for the car. An alarm will not prevent anyone from gaining entry or damaging the car, but the noise of the alarm will draw attention to the car and therefore to the thief. Additionally, many alarm systems have a blinking red light mounted on the dash. That visible indicator may be a deterrent to would be thieves.

PERSONAL SAFETY WHILE HOLIDAY SHOPPING
• Take a friend along when doing holiday shopping. Using the buddy system reduces your chances of being a victim of robbery.
• When paying by cash, only take out the amount needed and keep the remainder out of view.  It’s always a good idea to carry minimal amounts of cash, regardless of the time of year.
• Always maintain positive Control over your items. Don’t tempt a thief by leaving your purse, wallet or packages unattended. It only takes a second to grab them.
• Beware of strangers who bump, shove or get too close. Pickpockets may use these diversions to lift your wallet.
• Be cautious of those you don’t know who offer to carry bags and packages for you. Depending on where you shop, store personnel or mall security may offer assistance in carrying packages to your car or escorting you to your vehicle.
• If you have to return to your car to store purchases, place them in the trunk out of sight. Do this when you get to your car, rather than waiting until you park at your next stop. Gifts and other valuables should never be left in clear view.
• Before returning to your car, make sure you’re not over-burdened with packages. Have your car keys in hand to avoid “searching” for them when you reach your car.

WHEN USING AN AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINE
• Only take out the amount you need, rather than the maximum you can get.
• Don’t walk away from the cash machine counting your money. That’s an invitation to someone who may not have the best of intentions in mind.
• Secure your money and your bankcard or credit card back in your wallet or pocket before leaving the ATM.
• Beware of strangers hanging around the ATM. Wait until they leave, or consider using an alternate cash machine. You should report suspicious people to bank personnel, mall security and/or police.
• Using the ATM inside a major grocery store might be a better alternative to using one on the street, especially during hours of darkness.
• Always keep your PIN number separate from your bank and/or credit card.

Yesterday we posted information a reader provided about recent and frequent car prowls in the parking lot of the apartment complex where he lives. Over the last month there have been several reports of break-ins and robberies on the hill. Today we received an email from another reader reporting suspicious activity. Brian, who lives on the east side of the hill, witnessed two men in a parked car seemingly casing the neighborhood near Taylor Ave N and and Lee St. He writes,

I came home Thursday ~4:30 to find two unfamiliar men parked in my neighbor’s spot. They
backed out slowly and then crept down the alley, stopping frequently on the way out. My neighbor observed the same car, same behavior later that evening. I went for a walk shortly thereafter and found them parked on the next block, lighting up in their car. Needless to say, quite a pattern of suspicious behavior from people/car I don’t recognize from the neighborhood.

Brian called in the information, but has not yet heard back from the police. If you see anything suspicious going on, talk to your neighbors about it, find out if there’s a Block Watch program nearby, and if need be, contact Seattle Police Department Crime Prevention Officer Terrie Johnston at (206) 684-4741 or terrie.johnston@seattle.gov. Thanks to Brian for the tip!

One of our readers, virtualized, wrote in our forum yesterday that they saw a stranger leaving their backyard in the middle of the night. They wrote,

In the early morning hours (4 am) of 9/18 I caught a glimpse of someone just leaving my fenced backyard. Later that morning when walking my dog I noticed that almost all of the gates along the alley into my neighbors’ yards were open so I think someone was casing the neighborhood. This happened in the 3400 block of 12th and 13th Ave W. It’s time to be vigilant!

According to the Seattle Police Department, there are hundreds of Block Watch groups on Queen Anne. See our crime prevention story for more information on how to get involved.

If you have more information on this sighting, or have experienced a similar situation, leave a comment, participate in the forum, or email us at tips@queenanneview.com.