Auto thefts up 10 percent in Seattle's North Police Precinct

SEATTLE — There’s been a dramatic increase in the number of auto thefts in Seattle's North Police Precinct.

They're up 10-percent across the North Seattle area that's home to nearly 300,000 people.

The owner of Hazel Salon on Greenwood Avenue North, Tara Roberts, said she wasn’t surprised to hear the statistic.

“My daughter had her car stolen at the end of the summer and an employee had their car stolen just recently as well. Both were found thankfully, with little damage,” said Roberts.

Both were Subarus, which police told us is one of the most popular vehicles for criminals to steal. They even recommend that owners use the Club steering wheel locking device.

Rebeca Sanchez says her mother warned her about the recent increase in thefts.

“She told me to take CDs out. She said I want to avoid anyone you know, looking in and being tempted to get inside the car,” said Sanchez.

Seattle police North Precinct Captain Sean O'Donnell has been directing his officers to car theft hot spots and says it's starting to make a difference.

“When I dig further into the numbers and check out a 20, 28-day time frame, it shows that we're down 26 percent,” said O’Donnell.

He's also directed two vehicles with automatic license plate readers to patrol those hot spots for stolen vehicles.

“It has readers that are capable of reading 360 degrees around the car and to pick up thousands of plates as our patrol car is either moving or even stationery with traffic passing it,” said O’Donnell.

And at O'Donnell's request, the North Precinct is getting a new piece of equipment, a third automatic number plate recognition device at a cost of about $16,000 to $18,000.

“I think having more presence in the neighborhood would be helpful, but if that's going to be something that helps, “I’m all for it,” said Roberts.

The North Precinct serves the following Seattle neighborhoods:

Aurora, Ballard, Bitter Lake, Broadview, Carkeek, Crown Hill, Fremont, Green Lake, Greenwood, Lake City, Laurelhurst, Licton Springs, Loyal Heights, Maple Leaf, Northgate, Phinney Ridge, Ravenna Bryant, Roosevelt, Sand Point, Sunset Hill, University District, View Ridge, Wallingford and Wedgwood.

Cox Media Group