WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Lockbox-cutting burglar on camera

| Crime | West Seattle news

The video and report are from Ken:

We live in the 4000 block of 45th Ave SW. We have been having our kitchen renovated and the contractor had a lockbox on our back door with a key to our house inside. At 5:45 am an unidentified male cut the lockbox off the door with bolt cutters and left.

10 minutes later he returned, along with an unidentified female, and entered our home using the key. He was in the house less approx 30 seconds, running out when he heard us awake and coming downstairs. Everything was captured by our doorbell camera (which he put his hand over when he was using the key but did not when he was cutting off the lock box!). SPD did respond timely but the two burglars were gone.

The SPD incident # is 19-477540.

Apey December 27, 2019 (3:54 pm)

Wow, this is scary! This dude obviously thought the lockbox indicated no one was currently living in the home, and he probably thought he could take his sweet time going through your stuff. He must have been shocked when he heard movement in the house. This is a very clear video, so I hope someone can recognize him!

Tsurly December 27, 2019 (5:51 pm)

I feel like that dude has been on other theft videos posted on the blog before.

Also John December 27, 2019 (6:28 pm)

That is an amazingly clear video of the thief. Someone must know this thief. I’m surprised the police didn’t recognize him.

1994 December 27, 2019 (8:18 pm)

Creeper – we know what you look like! And so do the police,You look pretty nicely dressed, well fed, and organized with your large tool…..get a job! Leave other people’s stuff alone or you may come across a homeowner who has an itchy trigger finger if you insist on breaking and entering other’s homes.

dsa December 27, 2019 (9:44 pm)

Indeed, 1994 is correct walking into someones home in the middle of the night could be deadly.

AlexC December 27, 2019 (10:41 pm)

I see a lot of great quality video on crime watch on this site. Been thinking about getting a camera. What kind are people using? I would prefer to have just the one time cost of the camera and not a monthly cost as well. Cheaper to mid range price.

Wseattleite December 28, 2019 (1:26 am)

Proof again that a camera does little to nothing to prevent crime. Unless, one is willing to immediately apprehend the potential culprit. As clear as this is, most videos are of hoodied shadowed perps. Hours of footage available. Restrain until the police get there, you are now doing something.
Gharp December 30, 2019 (8:54 am)

High quality video, cheap price, and no subscription are going to be mutually exclusive… you can pick two, but not all three. I have Ring & Nest, and personally don’t mind the annual subscription for cloud storage. I’ve also heard good things about Eufy if you don’t want the subscription, but I wouldn’t say they’re cheap. I would strongly recommend avoiding the cheap off-brand / knockoffs, as you’ll get poor quality components and software. (Poor quality video, unreliable, and frequently insecure software).

Waresident December 28, 2019 (6:41 am)

My question about the cameras, do they ever lead to arrests? Not being argumentative, genuinely curious. So sorry this happened to you- so creepy.

anonyme December 28, 2019 (7:02 am)

My question is, how much of this great quality video leads to prison time for these scumbags? I think a lot of people are fed up with catch & release and ready for some rough justice.

WSB December 28, 2019 (11:15 am)

Security video is cited as evidence in many cases we’ve covered. Even NOT-so-high-quality video – most recent example, the conviction of Edixon Velasquez’s killers.

David December 28, 2019 (9:19 am)

Is your back door visible from the street? If not I would think this was an inside job by one of the folks involved in tour remodel.

Sea Jay December 28, 2019 (10:01 am)

Can you post a picture of the female burglar?

WSB December 28, 2019 (11:07 am)

Ken said this is the only clip with a clearly identifiable image.

John December 28, 2019 (11:09 am)

My fake has worked just fine! I bought one, displayed it prominently and never bothered to hook it up. What is remarkable is how few of these incredible videos of criminals doing their deeds ever get followed up.Excellent video indeed of this criminal act notwithstanding, I can imagine him sharing it online…

WSB December 28, 2019 (1:43 pm)

Again, they DO get followed up. May not be an instant payoff, and may not “lock them up and throw away the key” but I can think of one repeat offender, for example, whose security image shown here led to her identification and conviction in a break-in on the other side of the city. And there are other cases in which, when the break-in/attempt/whatever was detected quickly, security video shown to responding officers helped with identification of what/who they were looking for. I’m certainly not suggesting everyone SHOULD have these cameras – ad there are concerns about privacy etc. if you opt to link them to a network – but for those who choose to, yes, they DO have potential value. – TR