Here’s a roundup of robberies in the neighborhood in recent weeks, according to police reports.
November 21, 25th and Marion
A man walking at 25th and Marion told police that two men came up behind him around 8:15 p.m. and threw him to the ground. He felt a metal object pressed against his back, which the suspects told him was a gun.
The suspects demanded his property, and he told them there was money in his coat pocket. The suspects removed his coat and took it. It’s unclear from the report if they took his whole coat or just his money.
The suspects then fled in a vehicle. The victim was unable to give a description of the vehicle or the suspects.
November 13, Jackson and Rainier
Two people were assaulted after chasing a group of smart phone robbers off a bus at Jackson and Rainier, according to the police report. The victims told police that they were on the bus around 6 p.m. November 13 when a group of people stole her smart phone and exited the bus.
The victim and her brother chased after them, but they were assaulted and did not recover the phone. From the police report:
The stolen phone had the “Find My Droid” app installed, so police were able to track it to a location near 24th and Charles in Judkins Park. Police approached a group of males near the area they thought matched the description. One of the alleged suspects took off running and was eventually apprehended. However, the victims said the people detained were not the suspects.
Police arrested the man who ran for obstruction.
November 10, 23rd and Cherry
A man was left with a fractured jaw after three men jumped him around 11:15 p.m. near 23rd and Cherry. The victim had visited a friend who worked nearby and had just crossed the street to the northwest corner of the intersection when the three suspects approached him from behind and threw him to the ground.
Two of the suspects then repeatedly punched him in the face, and one of them may have been wearing brass knuckles.
The suspects made off with $451 in cash, as well as the victim’s eyeglasses and ID. He was left with a fractured jaw and was taken to the hospital by an ambulance.
It seems that additional policing would do this area well. Put a patrol officer at the intersections of 23rd and Jackson, Jefferson/Cherry, and Union past 8pm and the neighborhood would be a heck of lot safer. Policing all 3 might not be practical but how about we just keep a patrol car rolling this one mile stretch so when the 911 call comes in the officer isn’t always 10 minutes too late?
Yes! Please!
While we are at it maybe some cameras on the buses so these sh**theads can be ID’d by someone? These kids keep getting away with assualt and robbery.
I’ve lived in this area for almost 20 years. The police already DO patrol after dark. I see cop cars fairly often along 23rd, particularly around Cherry, Jackson, and Union. This is already happening. Unfortunately, it’s not enough.
I had to call 911 about a month ago and police were at my home within 3 minutes.
Note to self: don’t walk around at night with $451 in cash.
Note to self: If I have the “find my Droid” app on my phone, there’s no need to chase suspects down and get my brother beat up in the process.
Indeed. Patrol is the core principle of crime prevention and community policing. What ever the SPD statistics show does not match with our experience. For a while I did reckognize one officer that parked routinely on one of our nearby intersections. And I was very thankful for that. What would have been even better is if he was out of his car and approachable.
I know that the SPD has been attacked by the community and must assume that everything they do will be used against the individual officers in a court of law. That’s a pretty good excuse, but, I would just quit the force under these conditions. Still, I expect those officers that do take my money to continue to do their jobs. And the primary function must be patrol and community policing strategy.
Chief Diaz – Get your priorties strait.
Seattle residents – accept that the police must do something, and at times their will be conflict. They are humans. They will make mistakes. Quit inciting them at rallies. What you are doing to them is abusive and disgusting. What do you expect in return. (Certain CD members need not respond, we know already that you just want license to rule the hood and commit crime and violence.) I’m talking to the normal non criminal people.
Yup. Cameras are now an absolute must.
That is good news. Still it is clear we need more. Driving by has some effect, but is really the minimal patrol expectation. You have to get out of your car and talk to people as a normal course of the day. I don’t mean just talking to the people of a specific age/gender/race. Community policing means knowing a good segment of the neighborhood. How many cops do we have? SPD staff is 1,800. How many of them are officers? How many are actually assigned to patrol the neighborhoods. I would suggest that 1500 would be the right answer. You put 1500 cops actually patroling and knowing the citizens and all the other special duties they have will evaporate. Get ahead of the crime and quit chasing it. Only ninnies hide behind statistics and and special duties. Real cops patrol the sidewalk.
See also: https://www.seattle.gov/police/publications/Policy/Neighborh
Bike or foot patrols work best. They have them in other parts of town…….
Curious that they blacked out the bus number. I wonder why they don’t want people to know which bus it was.
Not that the victims are ever to blame for the actions of criminals but I am willing that in each of these crimes the victim was unaware of their surroundings.
When you are out and about, be aware of what’s around you, stand straight and tall and visibly scan around you. Make eye contact and show that you are aware of the other people around you. Make note of potential threats and be ready to avoid them. I usually not acknowledgment to people or say hi.
Don’t sit around lost in your phone with your headphones on walking around staring at your feet. This makes you an easy mark. Criminals recognize and take advantage of people who are unaware of their surrounds. Also do you best to look like you can put up a fight, and preferably be able to do so.
Criminals are criminals because they are lazy, crime is easy, they don’t want a victim that can identify them , be prepared for attack, or fight back. That said don’t be like the brother and confront people when you are outnumbered or out gunned. Unless you are famous CD resident Bruce Lee, never pick a fight you are going to lose. Likewise don’t sit there and be a punching bag, an armed fighting victim usually sends the attacker fleeing looking for easier pickings.
The job of the police is to investigate crimes and arrest suspects, they have no responsibility for your personal safety, that part is up to you.
There are 28 SPD Officers assigned to the Harbor Patrol Unit. Their numbers have almost doubled in the last ten years- for staffing boats. Has there been (was there ever) a spike in crime on the water? The City of Seattle has increased the number of officers floating on boats, while the number of patrol officers on the street is below what it should be.
More police officers on the street, fewer police officers on boats!
Seattle has one of the lowest ratios of police to citizens in the top 30 cities in the USA!
mostly the media complain about them no matter what they do. let the WTO protest and they tear the city apart- we fire the mayor. now we let the “occupy’ group blatantly break the law- how would you like to be a business owner with the smelly brats camped on your doorstep. but McGinn enables and apologizes for a 84 yo who was breaking the law just like the kids were!
Yes, please! We need patrols from just before sunset to just after sunrise. It’s a shame, but with all these people out there, I don’t want to go for a walk anymore after dark.
Some good advice there Karl.
I would add not to be just aware of your immediate surroundings but look ahead a few blocks. Look behind you to see occasionally to see if anyone is creeping up on you. Trust your instincts, most troublemakers don’t hide their bad intentions very well.
If a person has concerns about confrontation, carry an empty drop wallet/phone. Throw it and get out of there. By the time any trouble maker realizes what’s up, you’ll be long gone or up to a doorway. Mace or a whistle aren’t a bad idea either and don’t take up much room. The police just clean up messes so you’ll have to be prepared if you encounter any of the dirt bags running around town.
Fortunately, there really aren’t that many.
I imagine there are no bike patrols in the CD because it is too dangerous. Keep in mind there is severe hostility towards the police in the CD. Two of them were shot here. Would you walk a beat on 23rd night after night?
Big part of the problem is the Cities rampant waste of resources. What percent of SPD funding actually goes to funding patrol duties? Compare to what percent of SDOT funds are actually spent on physically repairing steets. (not much).
The city needs to be called to task. We don’t mind giving them the taxes that are due. But what are they doing with the money. Not a single department spends even 30% on the actual mission.
Look at how we rate charities or retirement funds. If a charity spends less than 50% on actually saving lives or what ever – we would blast them. How about spending 80% on actual police officers. Real ones on the street.
What so you mean there are not alot of them? How can you forget about the 99%. Assuming that they are correct about their demographic – Then 99% of the people are inarticulate and uninteligent to the extent that they don’t even know when they are commiting a crime.
My suggestion is to get a concealed carry permit and get a handgun and when they try to rob simply pull it out and shoot and then the problem is done with and there friends will know if they mess with you it will be the last time.