Editor's note: The West Seattle Herald has been covering news here for nearly a century. Robinson Newspapers (which publishes the West Seattle Herald) have a massive news archive of Herald coverage dating back to 1928. What follows are crime reports and public safety issues from 1933. Although reporters’ names were not included with stories at that time, their original words remain intact. As more historical crime reports are compiled there will be more installments of West Seattle All Time Crimes.
January 30, 1933
Thieves stock up on Coffee, Tobacco
Somewhere about Seattle are thieves who for a few weeks will indulge themselves in plentiful quantities of coffee and tobacco – not to mention cheese and cured meats.
They broke into Reeder’s grocery, 2202 Alki Ave., last Wednesday night, springing the front door with a crowbar.
The robbers took a considerable quantity of cigars and cigarettes and much coffee. They also took a “wheel” of cheese and cleaned out the cured meats in the refrigerator. An electric clock struck their fancy and that went too.
The thieves left no trace and no one noticed them at work. A detective is said to live next door to the store, but heard no noise. The paper boy found the door open in the morning and called police, who put a padlock on the door. When Mr. Reed came to open up, he was unable to do so until the local police had come down with a key for the padlock.
February 6, 1933
Shoplifters pick wrong store again
When the proprietor of the store happens to be a former amateur boxer and has a particularly keen eye for “lifters,” sneak thieves would do well to stay away from his store.
However, most of the shoplifters apparently don’t know A.P. Layman personally and as a result they persist in visiting the J.C. Penney store where he is manager.
Last week two men attracted the attention of Layman as they were leaving the Penney store. He decided to follow them out and when they saw him after them, they hastened away. Layman got into his car, which was parked handily, and followed the men, catching up with them at 42nd Ave S.W.
With a gun in his pocket, Layman persuaded the “customers” to raise their hands. As they did so, several shirts and other articles hidden under their coats dropped out. Layman recovered all the goods.
On several occasions, the thieves have grabbed articles and run from the store. Layman invariably pursues the miscreants and subdues them.
February 16, 1933
Are on lookout for shoplifters
Merchants hear of methods and ways of guarding against thieves in stores
“Shoplifters” was the subject of discussion at the meeting of the West Seattle Retail Trade Bureau Monday night when it met at Vann Bros. Café for dinner. J.N. Raybould, president of the group, presided.
An interesting discussion of means used by shoplifters to steal from stores was given. Contrary to general belief, the bulk of the shoplifters or “boosters” caught are men, not women. Possibly there are as many women stealing, but it is more difficult to apprehend them.
While children and persons who steal because they simply can’t resist the appeal of attractive goods cause considerable trouble, the most persistent operators are the professional “boosters” who are very largely “hopheads.” Their dope habits are expensive and because they cannot hold down a job, they turn to stealing. Downtown stores have adopted strenuous methods to guard against them, so they have recently started making the rounds of community stores.
Overcoats with slits in them and trick pockets are popular with the men, while the women use these and a variety of other methods. Skirts with elastic bands concealing bags are often used by the women. The thieves usually attempt to steal during the noon hour when part of the store staff is at lunch. They most frequently work in pairs.
Those who know say that a tremendous quantity of goods is stolen every year by these criminals. Because they are usually convicted or petty larceny, they seldom get long terms and are back at stealing in a short while. Lack of proper methods of dealing with the dope addicts keep these unfortunates continuously active at crime.
March 23, 1933
Explosives removed from store’s safe
Safe experts Monday, by means of a secret solution, removed a charge of nitro-glycerine poured by yeggs, into a safe of the Piggly Wiggly store at 6459 California Ave.
Employees discovered an unlighted fuse leading to the safe when they opened the store Monday morning. They called the West Seattle police who in turn called police detectives. The detectives, convinced that the safe was full of “soup,” notified the Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company, the firm’s underwriters. The company engaged the safe experts who poured the nullifying solution in the safe, washed it out and opened it. It contained only a small amount of cash.
