Police Blotter 12/15/11

A crime rash of another kind

Last week KOMO reported on one of its websites that Madison Park has been experiencing a "rash" of burglaries over the past few weeks. That was news to us, since the Seattle Police had reported only one such break-in during the four-week period ending 12/15.  We quizzed KOMO about its report and found that the station had apparently confused our neighborhood with Montlake and/or Madison Valley (it's just so confusing, after all, since all three neighborhoods exist in the same general vicinity and share the very same first letter of their names). Suffice it to say that the number of home break-ins in Madison Park has actually been at an unusually low level.  Let's keep it that way.

What the neighborhood is experiencing is a "rash" of car prowls: 16 cars in the past month, which must be some kind of record.  Before we get to the list of break-ins, perhaps a refresher in how to minimize the chances of having your car broken into might be in order:  1) lock your vehicle--and if it is in a garage, lock the garage door as well, 2) don't leave valuables in the vehicle that are visible to passersby, and 3) park in a well-lighted area if it's not possible to secure your vehicle in a garage.  The Seattle Police Department's tips on avoiding car prowls are available here.

Here's where car break-ins occurred for the one-month period ending December 15:  On the 2400 block of 41st Avenue E., the 2000 block of McGilvra Boulevard E. and on the 600 block of 36th Avenue E. on November 18; on the 2300 block of McGilvra Boulevard E. on November 20; on the 3100 block of E. Madison Street (two cars) on November 24; at the intersection of 43rd Avenue E. and E. Lynn Street on November 29; on the 2000 block of McGilvra Boulevard E. on December 1 (two cars); on the 2000 block of 43rd Avenue E. on December 3; on the 1800 block of McGilvra Boulevard E. and at the intersection of 43rd Avenue E. and E. Galer Street on December 5; on the 1400 block of 42nd Avenue E. and the 1000 block of McGilvra Boulevard E. on December 7; and on the 2000 block of 43rd Avenue E. on December 10 (two cars).

A house break-in did occur on November 21 on the 1100 block of 39th Avenue E.  In that incident, a brick was apparently used in a forced entry through a back door. The homeowner was actually returning to the residence when she heard the glass shatter and saw the suspects running across the patio and away from the house.  The burglars apparently did not have time to snatch any items before fleeing the scene.

The house invasion that we reported on last month (shown on the map above with a blue circle icon) is being treated as a trespass case and not a house break-in since it was not forced entry and there was no evidence of a burglary attempt.  We understand that the suspects have been referred for prosecution.

Con Alert

There have been multiple reports in Washington Park and Denny-Blaine over the past few days of an individual or individuals apparently posing as representatives of Comcast and knocking on doors in the area during the evening or at night.  It appears to some residents that the purpose of these visits is not to connect cables but to scope out the homeowners' possessions for later retrieval.

[The map above shows crimes occurring in Madison Park during the period from November 16 through December 15. The starburst icon shows the location of the break-in and the car icons represent locations where car prowls occurred.]