CRYSTAL HILLS- Car Prowl

During the early morning hours of May 30, 2010, between 2:00am and 7:00am, a car was broken into in the vicinity of 181st Pl SE and 26th Drive SE. There was no forced entry even though the homeowner remembered locking the car. A few items were taken but nothing of value. The homeowner thinks that the car prowler(s) must have been startled by something or someone because the homeowner found the car with the rear door and side door left open. The garage door opener was still in the car along with a moderately priced tool set in the trunk.

WASHINGTON STATE- Car Thefts Down

In a May 18 posting I noted a Herald article that car prowls have spiked upward in Everett. Today, The Herald reports on statistics showing that “car thefts” have continued to decline in Washington State by about 15% in 2009 over 2008. That’s an average of 3 vehicles per hour stolen in the state. That compares with just over 6 vehicles per hour in 2003. Yakima ranks number 3 in the nation for car thefts (number 1 for Washington state) while the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area (which apparently include Snohomish County) is 37th nationally and 3rd statewide.

The statistics show that Washington is inline with a national trend of declining car thefts. Locally, the reduction in car thefts was helped with the establishment of the Snohomish County Auto Theft Task Force.

http://heraldnet.com/article/20100530/NEWS01/705309885#Car.theft.rate.on.decline.in.region

https://www.nicb.org//

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS- Prime for Abuse by Teens

According to an article publish on May 25, 2010 by The Olympian (http://www.theolympian.com/2010/05/25/1249523/everyone-needs-to-take-a-closer.html), teen abuse of street drugs, tobacco and alcohol is declining while their abuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs is on the rise. The article cites the following statistics:

• Nationwide, seven of the 10 most common drugs abused by teens are prescription drugs.

• In 2008 for the first time, more teens reported that prescription drugs were easier to purchase without a prescription (19 percent) than beer (15 percent).

• Every day, some 2,500 teens across the country abuse a prescription drug for the first time. Often, they receive them free from a friend or family member.

In other related stats:

• Washington is one of 16 states where prescription overdoses have surpassed car accidents as the number one cause of accidental deaths.

• Washington is No. 1 in the nation for pharmacy robberies and burglaries, over 90 percent of the time involving Oxycontin, a narcotic painkiller.

According to The Partnership for a Drug Free America (www.drugfree.org):

"Teens cite a variety of reasons for misusing prescription drugs, far beyond “partying” or wanting to “get high.” Teens are self-medicating to deal with problems like stress and depression, or to help them juggle schoolwork and other activities. Many mistakenly believe that Rx drugs are safer to use than street drugs, and report easy, free access to medications from their home medicine cabinet or from friends. Research shows parents are often not aware of the behavior or the dangers associated with misuse of Rx medications, and only one-third of parents have discussed these risks with their teen."

The Partnership has begun a campaign to educate parents and encourage parents to talk to their teens about the dangers of prescription drugs.

You can do the following to curb drug abuse before it’s too late:

• Learn about the medications kids are abusing at www.drugfree.org. Become familiar with the signs of drug abuse. Talk to your kids so they understand prescription drugs are just as dangerous, deadly and addictive as street drugs can be.

• Secure, monitor and dispose of all medications properly. Lock drugs up — don’t leave them in unsecured medicine cabinets in the bathroom at home.

• Properly dispose of unused medicines. Now, you can take unused or unwanted prescription drugs and prescription narcotics to the Sheriff’s Office’s precincts. The Sheriff’s Office is participating in a pilot project that aims to reduce drug overdoses, accidental poisonings, and addiction. By taking the medications, the Sheriff’s Office also hopes to reduce the opportunity for teens and others to steal drugs from home medicine chests. Bartell Drugs and Group Health Cooperative have already started a similar program. However, they cannot legally take unused narcotics. The Sheriff’s Office can take narcotics. The drugs can be deposited in a locked box that is bolted to the floor. Sheriff’s Office personnel regularly empty the boxes and the drugs are kept under control until destroyed. When you gather all of your unwanted meds from your home leave them in their original containers For more information or to find the location nearest you call 425-388-3199.

This link will take you to a short video from KING-TV 5's New Day Northwest segment features information about drug abuse:

http://www.atg.wa.gov/InGeneralPost.aspx?id=25768


If you need help with alcohol or drug abuse or a family member's alcohol or drug abuse go to the Alcohol and Drug Help Line at 1-800-562-1240 (http://www.adhl.org/)

EVERETT- Spike in Car Prowls

According to this morning’s The Herald, the Everett Police Department reports a spike in car prowls so far this year compared to last year. According to this morning’s article (http://bit.ly/cYLIvM), car prowls have risen 34% over last year, for 170 more car prowls.

Everett PD says that they occur citywide but seem to be concentrated in parking lots. Car prowlers hit easy targets with items such as wallets/purses, iPods, music CD’s, laptops, GPS’s and other valuables in plain sight.

Everett PD believes there are one or more organized groups breaking into six to eight cars each night.

Note: Car prowls typically happen at night in residential areas and can happen any time of the day or night in parking lots such as at a mall or park and ride. The best way to avoid becoming a victim of a car prowl is to remove everything from view in your car or truck. Even items of little value or shopping bags of recent purchases can attract a car prowler to your vehicle.

For more information about protecting your car from a car prowl or car theft go to:

http://sheriff.snoco.org/Documents/JanFeb04.pdf

SNOHOMISH COUNTY- Proposed Fireworks Ban

SNOHOMISH COUNTY- Proposed Fireworks Ban

In a press release issued this afternoon, County Councilman Mike Cooper announced that he will be introducing an ordinance banning fireworks in unincorporated Snohomish County. The proposed ordinance would make it illegal to sell, possess, use, transfer, discharge, ignite or explode fireworks. Councilman Cooper cited the continued property loss and injured citizens as justification for the ordinance.

To see the press release go to:

http://bit.ly/b7r5tj

EVERETT- Attempted Abduction Suspect

According to this morning’s The Herald, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a suspect in an apparent abduction of a 13 year old girl near Voyager Middle School (500 block of 124th St SW) on Tuesday morning May 11, 2010.

The man was described as Hispanic, in his late 30s, about 5 feet, 6 inches tall with a regular build. He was wearing a gray jacket with a zipper, black jeans and a dark-blue baseball cap. He had stubble on his chin and neck.

For more information on this incident and tips for child safety go to The Herald’s article at http://bit.ly/dn7RFy.

If you know anything about this suspect, call the Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at (425) 388-3845.

THE FALLS- Weekend of Action

In addition to the attempted break-in in the early morning hours of Monday May 3, (http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2010/05/falls-attempted-burglary.html), there has been a great deal of activity before the incident including:

• During the afternoon of Thursday, April 29, 2010, two suspicious white males were seen sitting on a wooden footbridge in the trail in the greenbelt of The Falls. They appeared to be drinking beer and smoking cigarettes. Their presence alarmed the principal of Totem Falls Elementary school enough that he not only reported them to 911, but also escorted a number of students and parents past the men. A white Dodge van (license number B11075G) was associated with the men.

• During the late afternoon of Friday, April 30, 2010, a stabbing occurred at the condominium to the east of The Falls. A suspect in the stabbing ran through the greenbelt to Totem Falls Elementary school and hid in a portable toilet on the playground according to The Herald (http://heraldnet.com/article/20100501/NEWS01/705019890/-1/headlines).

• Around 10:00am on Saturday May 1, 2010, an intruder hopped over the fence of a house in the 14400 block of 63rd Dr SE. The wife saw the man from her kitchen window and called 911. Her husband chased him through three cul-de-sacs before losing him. The man was Caucasian, probably in his 20’s. He was wearing a gray pull over sweatshirt, white ball cap, and either blue jeans or blue sweat pants. A gray three door Scion or Saturn drove past the husband on his way home. Deputies said that they had received several reports of a gray vehicle associated with two burglary suspects. The suspects were either looking to steal cars or burglarize homes. At around the time of this incident, a neighbor noticed a car alarm go off down the block.

THE FALLS- Attempted Burglary

In the early morning hours of Monday May 3 around 12:15am, two men tried to enter a house in the 14600 block of Cascade Dr SE through the rear sliding glass door. The adult son of the household was up at the time. He heard a noise, investigated then scared the two away. The two jumped off of the back deck then ran into the greenbelt behind the house.

The son managed to get a good look at the two and gives the following descriptions:

1. White male, 5’10”, 200lbs, 35-40 years old with a full bushy beard, heavy set, rough looking face. He was wearing a black hooded sweat shirt, black work pants and black work boots.
2. White male, thinner, 5’8”, 165lbs, 25-35 years old. He was wearing an orange construction cap and dark clothing.

Comment: Be on the lookout for anyone with the above descriptions acting suspiciously in the neighborhood. If you see them call 911 immediately.

Also, this would be a good time to be sure that all of your doors are locked when you leave home and when you go to bed, including your sliding glass door. Be sure that your sliding glass door has a strong lock and/or that you use a “Charlie Bar” to secure it. If you have a gate to your back yard, be sure it is locked and that no one can open it from the front.