The following message was received 03/15/2016 from the Seattle Police Department regarding increase in car prowls.
To date there have been almost 3000 car prowls in the city for 2016. This number is up more than 500 from last year.
We have identified some repeat locations and created a graphic for this week’s SeaStat meeting.
There are some simple ways to lower the chance of having your car broken into.
1. Remove all your valuables.
2. That gym bag full of dirty clothes from today’s workout, toss it in the trunk. A bad guy just sees a bag to steal.
3. Before leaving your parked car, always remove the keys, roll up the windows and lock the car.
4. If your car is stored in a carport or parked near your house, leave your exterior lights on throughout the night.
5. If you park your car in a dark or isolated area, consider the City Light Area Lighting Program, which permits additional light fixtures to be placed on existing poles. The cost is less than $5 per month per light. Call (206) 684-3000 for more information.
Finally, if you find yourself the victim of a car prowl either call police or report it online at: http://www.seattle.gov/Police/report/default.htm
Without a report we can’t track crime and direct patrols into the area to stop emerging crime trends.
The Major Crimes Task Force continues to investigate these crime trends and we will keep you updated as noteworthy cases are closed.
West Woodland, Ballard 