Car Theft Prevention Tips

There has been a rise in car thefts in the neighborhood. In August, 9 car thefts were reported in Laurelhurst. 

The Laurelhurst Blog contacted Seattle Police Department (SPD) about the high number.

Captain Brian Stampfl, new North Precinct Captain (previously at the West Precinct), replacing Captain Sano (moved to East Precinct) provided some information: 

Vehicle thefts have been on the rise throughout the city. I have reviewed the Auto Theft stats and noted that while some areas of North Seattle have more reported incidents than others, there have not been consistent patterns. 

Yes, nine thefts in a single neighborhood is a pattern, but North Seattle has seen a spattering of thefts throughout. That being said, the incidents you have listed appear to be accurate.

 

How we are addressing these thefts:

 

Since my arrival to the North Precinct, SPD as a whole has been undergoing some significant changes, many of which have forced SPD to reconsider how we approach complex and frequent crimes such as auto theft. 

In this particular case, I will be including my Operations Lieutenant in this response so that the information you’ve provided can be further reviewed. 

The locations you’ve listed, and others within Laurelhurst that have occurred since your email will be shared with our district officers. This may include more than one watch due to the varying times of the thefts. 

The officers are being asked not only to provide extra patrol to these areas, but to identify patterns, such as the one you have listed in order to assist all of us in preventing these thefts.

In addition to SPD’s own efforts, we are fortunate to have a Seattle University Masters student who will be working within the North Precinct to identify crime trends. I have already spoken to Katelyn about the rise in auto thefts and our need to address them.  She will be assisting us in interpreting the crime data and developing plans to address the crime trends. 

Regarding your specific question regarding how the vehicles were stolen, I don’t have that information available as I write this, but this will be an important factor for Katelyn as she completes her analysis.   

The SPD website says about car thefts:

You are more likely to be a victim of a vehicle crime than any other crime reported to the Seattle Police Department. An experienced Car Prowler or Thief can gain access to your car in virtually seconds. 

In less than 30 seconds, someone could break into a parked car. Most car prowls themselves take less than two minutes. The damage done to locks and windows can be very expensive to repair and cause great inconvenience.  a car prowl can take less than a minute and can cause thousands of dollars in damage.

Here are SPD's car prowl prevention tips:  

• Don't leave any items in plain view in your vehicle. Even in a secure garage.
• Take all valuables with you when you park.
• Remove or hide anything that a car prowler might mistake as something worth stealing.
• If valuables must be left behind, hide them out of sight several blocks away before parking.
• Disable internal trunk releases per your owner's instruction manual.
• Audible alarms or other theft deterrent devices can be effective.
• When you exit or enter your parked vehicle, stop and take a look around the area.
• Before leaving your parked car, always remove the keys, roll up the windows and lock the car.
• Make a habit of locking your garage door and car doors.
• If possible, store your car in a closed and locked garage.
• 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 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.
• 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.

SPD says that if your car is broken into file a report by calling the non-emergency number at 206-625-5011, or file one online.