Important Information On Bike Safety From Seattle Police

Here is some important bike information from Terri Johnson, Seattle Police North Precicnt Crime Prevention Coordinator:

Bicycle Thefts:

• There have been 97 bikes stolen from the North Precinct neighborhoods in the last 6 months.
• SPD Burglary detectives see stolen bikes being sold within hours of the theft on e-bay, Craigslist, in pawn shops and even on the street (one thief was selling stolen bikes on the Burke Gilman Trail).
• The reported dollar loss for these thefts is approximately $80,000.
• To prevent losing your bike and increase the likelihood of getting it back should it be stolen - SPD Detectives recommend writing down the serial number (bike’s head tube, seat post tube, under the crank, or on the frame’s rear wheel mount) of your bike and keeping the number in a safe place.
• Take a picture of your bicycle.
• If your bike is stolen, call SPD to report the crime, giving the serial number and any other identifying marks for your bicycle.
• Try to obtain a police incident number that you can use for your insurance claim.

 

 

Safety Of Your Bike:

 

• Always lock your bike, the whole bike (through the frame and both wheels) and use more than one kind of lock if possible. Our detectives report bolt cutters are used to cut through the locking devices.
• Register the lock and get the serial number if the lock’s manufacturer offers a warranty or insurance on the lock.
• Lock your bike to something permanent.
• Lock it in a visible spot and someplace nearby.
• Lock your bike even if you are parking it on a porch; in the basement, the garage or storage unit.
• Storing your bike inside is preferred.

  

 

 

 

Stolen Bike And Boat Have Been Found

Great news about two unfortunate situations we posted about over a week ago.  The stolen bike and boat have both been found.

The bike was located at a North Seattle pawn shop after the pawn shop employee provided the police, as is routine, a list of items received, including the bike.

The police then did an internet search on the bike and found the post on the Laurelhurst Blog and made the connection. 

The North Seattle Police Precinct then contacted the Blog staff and and we put them in contact with the owner.

The Blog staff was also contacted by the a UW police sergent, who also saw the bike information on the Laurelhurst Blog, and asked to be conected with the owner of the bike, as well as verify the matching police report and serial number.

The bike was first taken to a nearby consignment bike shop and the person who stole it was told that it was commission only upon sale of the bike. So the individual then took the bike with him and drove to the pawn shop to sell it.

Coincidentally, the owner of the bike left a photo and information at the same consignment bike shop before the bike was brought in for the attempted sale. The employees recognized the bike and they called the owner.

The owner of the bike is still waiting patiently for the return of his bike and has been told by the police that "unfortunately recovering property to the victim is sometimes a tedious and time consuming process."   He has seen photos of the bike and positively identified it.

And the boat was located in South Seattle very recently, hitched to the back of a stolen truck.

Laurelhurst Community Club Crime Prevention Coordinators would like to remind neighbors how important it is to file a police report and keep serial numbers and photos of your valuables. 

The Laurelhurst Blog staff are happy to have been a part of solving the case of the stolen bike. We thank the neighbors involved for sending in the information to post.

And then the power of the internet, starting with a neighborhood blog, took over for the happy ending.

Expect Lots Of Traffic Around Montlake For Opening Boating Day Tomorrow

The annual Opening Day Boat Parade and Windermere Cup will be held all day tomorrow and that means the Montlake Bridge will be closed from 10am to about 4pm.

Races begin at 10:20am, followed by the Opening Day Boat parade, with the theme this year "Salish Sea Treasures" at noon.

Rowing teams this year are from Stanford University, Cambridge University and University of Oklahoma with more than 700 rowers competing.

About 10,000 people are expected to attend the event according to SDOT (Seattle Department of Transportation). So there will be congestion in the vicinity and around the University of Washington.

In addition, the westbound off-ramp from Highway 520 to Montlake Boulevard will be closed along with the left-turn lane on the eastbound off-ramp of 520 to Montlake. 

Here is the Opening Day Regatta and Parade Schedule:

8:00 AM – Official Parade Boats start to assemble in Portage Bay
8:45 AM – U.S. Navy Band Concert, SYC Lawn
8:50 AM – Commissioning Ceremony, SYC Lawn
9:40 AM – Parade Course Closed to ALL Boat Traffic
9:50 AM – Official VIP Boats parade to moorage
10:05 AM – Dragon Boat Exhibition Race
10:20 AM – First Crew Race starts
11:30 AM – Last Crew Race starts
11:45 AM – All Crew Shells parade back through parade course
12:00 PM – Official Parade begins
2:30 PM – End of Official Parade (approximately)
3:00 PM – Parade Course open to marine traffic (approximately)
4:00 PM – Montlake Bridge resumes normal operations
4:30 PM – Army Drill Platoon, SYC Lawn
6:00 PM – Trophy presentations, SYC Lawn
6:30 PM – Closing Ceremonies and Lowering of Colors

(photo courtesy of UW Atheletic site)

Pictures from 4th of July Bike Parade Yesterday

The 4th of July Bike Parade and Picnic last night had a great turnout with lots of tricycles, Skuts, scooters and bicycles. Kids and parents decorated their bikes with all sorts of ornamentation provided by the Community Center.

The kids proudly rode their 2 and 3 wheelers around the park to Patriotic music blaring from speakers for the big Bike Parade while parents snapped photos.

There were kids games, a big giraffe bouncy house and a nice picnic dinner.

Great evening in the neighborhood!