In addition “Incident at Verity” over the weekend, we got two notes about criminal activity in the area. The first came from Brian:
Just wanted to pass onto your readers that we experienced a robbery last night sometime between midnight & 8 am. The Prowler stole the radio/iPod player out of our VW Eurovan parked in our driveway. Then went into our fenced in backyard and stole my KONA “Jake the Snake” cyclo-cross bike. I have reported the incident to the Seattle Police Dept. If anyone sees my bike please call the North Precinct SPD @ 206.684.0850 and refer to Incident #09-405693. The incident occurred between Corliss & Sunnyside on N 39th St.
Meanwhile, Michele writes:
Hi, unfortunately here is another story of something happening in the lower, western quadrant of Wallingford (3600 block of Ashworth). Two guys were up my stairs and on my porch, having a conversation about whether someone was home. I heard the voices for a while, thinking it was a neighbor. But when I clearly heard one asking the other if he thought anyone was home, I knew what it was. My dog was letting out a low growl, not his usual loud barking, and then started for the door. I was sitting on the sofa, with the curtains closed. Finally I opened the curtains to peek and saw someone going down the stairs. I think they had decided someone was probably home. Super scary for me. I always thought I was safer, being on the high side of the street. Someone would have to carry the ‘loot’ down all those stairs.
Plus, last night (Thursday night), my husband and I saw something very suspicious. A car driving slowly with no lights on. Stopping in front of a neighbor’s house for a little while, then taking off, slowly, still with the lights off.
I did call 911 tonight. The cops came and took a report of what happened tonight and last night.
So, please pass on to everyone: Please keep all your doors locked at night.
Interestingly, the latest Wallingford eNews reports that while crime city-wide is up (robberies, for example, are up 19%, as noted by the Seattle Crime blog), it remains relatively unchanged in Wallingford.
We’re not buying it.
I am not sure if it is related to either of those incidents but I saw the cops (2 cars) driving around the hood last night up around the Meridian play field and down Wallingford Ave with their search lights on. This was early, Between 6-7PM, but I was glad to see our neighborhood getting their attention.
If you see or sense someone prowling around your property or your neighborhood, turn on your lights!
It’s non-confrontational & a good deterrent. Calling the police is a good option too, but if they’re on my porch, I want them to know someone is home & aware.
Forget the lights and being aware. Anyone skulks around my home, they better have a damn good answer for what they’re doing there, or I’m going medieval on them.
Just as an FYI, be on the watch for guys selling “magazines” who are working the area. We had a guy come to the house this evening and was pretty aggressive and belligerent when I told him we weren’t interested. A lot of these magazine sellers aren’t legit, so in general I won’t share personal info with anyone going door-to-door. But regardless, this guy had problems and flipped pretty quickly to threatening.
I’m the Michele that wrote in. What was weird is that actually all the lights were on. The porch light, den lamps (where I was sitting) and lights in the kitchen. It made me wonder if the lights do any good. It was about 11pm.
I’m a friend of the original poster, Brian, and the good news is he got his bike back! He posted a “Stolen” notice on Craig’s List, and a coupe days ago got an anonymous tip as to where to find his bike. It was chained up outside an apartment (?) on Roosevelt; the cops came, cut it loose, and gave it back to him. (Is that standard procedure? It seems unusually, er, effective!)