HILLTOP- Big Chop Shop Bust

On Thursday May 31, the Snohomish County Auto Theft Task Force served a search warrant on a house in the 19000 block of Damson Road. This bust recovered stolen vehicles and other property. Four men were taken into custody. According to a Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office press release all four will be charged with first degree theft and possession of stolen property. One will also be charged with possession of a controlled substance.

According to a local Neighborhood Watch Coordinator another bust occurred on a house a block away from the May 31 bust. A Sheriff’s official told the coordinator that authorities were working on the case for 1 ½ years.

This illustrates that local law enforcement agencies are working to put away criminals and that it can take a long time to put together a case to forward to the prosecutor.

The Herald:

 http://heraldnet.com/article/20120601/NEWS01/706019907/0/SEARCH

Sheriff’s Office Press Release:

http://sheriff.snoco.org/Press_Release/PR_Doc/2012/May/Lynwood_Chop_Shop_Search.pdf

CHESTNUT HIGHLANDS- Burglary

On the morning of June 5, in Chestnut Highlands, near 39^th Ave SE & 212^th St SE, a home was broken into at about 9am. The burglar kicked the front door open to gain entry.

The burglar took cash, jewelry and two laptops.

Police think that the burglar was scared off when the homeowner returned home. The burglar probably heard noise from the garage and then left quickly. The burglar also left a pile of possessions behind in the house.

Note: This could be the same burglary from Chestnut Highlands that I reported yesterday. The detail, though, is instructive. Cash is easy to spend. The laptop computers can give information that could be used in ID theft, or simply sold for money for drugs. And the jewelry is easy to dispose of. This incident also shows the continuing trend of burglars picking up jewelry as police have been reporting since at least the first of the year. (go to this blog posting from earlier this year for more information http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2012_02_01_archive.html)

There are many things homeowners can do to protect themselves from burglars that I have talked about, especially since the first of the year. Here are two links that can help you and your neighbors set up your houses to defend against burglary:

            Burglary Prevention Tip Sheet:

            http://sheriff.snoco.org/Documents/Residential%20Burglary.pdf

            Sheriff’s Office’s “Partners in Crime Prevention” January/February 2012 issue on Burglary Prevention:

            http://sheriff.snoco.org/Documents/JanFeb12.pdf

NPR- What Makes Neighborhood Watches Work?

Sometimes people wonder if Neighborhood Watch really works. And, if it does, how to make it work effectively. This link has a good discussion about Neighborhood Watch which was aired in April of this year:

http://www.npr.org/2012/04/09/150294474/what-makes-neighborhood-watches-work

39TH AVE SE & 212TH ST SE- Burglaries and Thefts

Neighborhoods in the vicinity of 39th Ave SE and 212th St SE have seen several burglaries in recent days:

CANYON CREEK- On Sunday, June 3, a lawn mower was stolen from a house across from Canyon Creek’s main entrance. Then, on the morning of Tuesday, June 5, the homeowner from the same house, scared away thieves who were attempting to steal another unidentified item. The thieves ran away on foot.

CHESNUT HIGHLAND- During the same time period, a theft occurred during the morning hours in Chestnut Highland.

CANYON CREEK- A house was broken into during the morning hours. The thieves waited for a mother to take her children to school to enter the house. They ran out the front door when she returned home. (This maybe the same incident as that reported under the first Canyon Creek item above.

CANYON FIRS- A break-in to a house in Canyon Firs.

Some of these incidents occurred in the morning. Sometimes burglars get an early start to their day and watch for homeowners to leave for work, or to take their kids to school before breaking in. Whenever you leave your house you should lock your doors and windows even if it will be a “short trip.”

Other reminders that Neighborhood Watch Coordinators are passing to their neighbors include:

• Call 911 if you see any suspicious person or activity around your home.
• Never leave your belongings outside and keep your garages CLOSED.
• At night keep your porch lights ON.
• Use home security system if you are just running a quick errand
• Randomize your routines (for dropping kids at school, please coordinate with others in neighborhood and volunteer to pick or drop every other day or as your situation permits) as much as possible so it is hard for someone to track you.
• Lock your car door if it is parked outside.
• Keep all items of worth out of site.

THE FALLS- Suspicious Activity

In the early morning hours of May 8, (around 3:35am) a homeowner in the 13700 block of 64^th Dr SE in The Falls, heard suspicious noises around her home. The noises sounded like someone was trying to open a downstairs door or window. She saw a tall, darkly dressed person walking between her lawn and her neighbor’s house.

She called 911. Two deputies responded. One deputy checked her property and the neighbor’s property. He noted a chair propped up against the neighbor’s fence, indicating someone had hopped over the fence.

She informed the deputies of a suspicious person lingering around her house on Sunday morning, May 6. A young male, 19 to 21 years old, who she had not seen before, rode a skateboard in front of her house. He stopped, lit a cigarette, and then proceeded to linger in the area for several minutes. As he hung around, he appeared to be texting while he was looking at the house across the street. He then sat in front of the neighbor’s house to the west for several more minutes, then left. The male was tall, thin, with clean cut short brown hair. He had a pierced left ear which appeared to have a diamond stud earing. He wore a long, white T shirt (not tucked in) and black long basketball shorts with an Addidas logo in silver.

While the two incidents may not be connected, they could indicate that someone was checking out the neighborhood for easy targets to visit a few days later.

MAYS POND- Strange Phone Calls

In early May 2012, a Mays Pond resident received a phone call from a woman who said she had "won" a Cadillac Escalade in a contest she had entered and to please call a number to talk to a “prize manager.”  The resident had not entered any such contest. The call back number was 866-770-8762.  When the resident called back, she had to leave a message.  The same woman, who left the original message (the resident recognized her voice), called back to ask a "few questions."  She wanted to know if the resident was married, in a relationship, or living with a partner.  She said the resident would receive a notice in the mail and said goodbye (rather abruptly) when the resident said her partner didn't live with her.

Comment: It’s difficult to know just what the caller was up to. The caller did not try to pressure the resident for credit card or other personal information or pressure an immediate decision to buy a product or service or ask for money to receive some fantastic winnings. The pressure and demands could come with the “notice in the mail.”

This could be some sort of telemarketing scam, although that is not certain. For more information on telemarketing schemes including where to report them, go to the Washington State Attorney General’s web site:

http://atg.wa.gov/ConsumerIssues/Telemarketing.aspx

BURGLARY PREVENTION FAIR- Good Prevention Advice Was Given by Local Police

On Saturday, The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office, Lynnwood Police Department, and Mountlake Terrace Police Department held a Burglary Prevention Resource Fair on Meadowdale High School.

This link from Q13 news gives some good hints on how to protect yourself from burglary:

http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-local-law-enforcement-agencies-team-for-burglary-prevention-fair-20120505,0,5843521.story