A screengrab of the many stolen items available for recovery from Seattle Police after Operation Oliver's Twist, an undercover operation, lured thieves into the arms of the law.
Over the course of an 11-month undercover operation Seattle Police detectives set up a fake pawn shop/stolen goods fencing operation across the Duwamish in Georgetown, letting thieves come to them instead of chasing them around town. Now that the operation is over, SPD is releasing photos of the stolen goods and inviting the public to take a look and reclaim their property.
On March 6, SPD unveiled the results of Operation Oliver’s Twist: Dozens arrested and 102 suspects identified (with warrants for their arrest to be issued soon) along with 900 stolen items recovered – including vehicles, bicycles, electronics, credit cards, 27 firearms and, in the “might not want to claim this” category, military-grade C-4 explosives.
SPD said word slowly spread throughout the criminal underground that the Georgetown pawn shop (unknowingly staffed by undercover officers) was a great place to get rid of your stolen goods quickly and with no questions asked. Those questions will now come in a court of law.
According to a press release, “In 2010, Seattle bucked a national trend of declining property crime rates, with burglary and theft rates here increasing 3.2% in contrast to a 1.3% decrease across the country, according to data from the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Crime in the United States” report.”
That news is nothing new in West Seattle, where property crimes including burglary, auto theft and car prowls are our most prominent issues.
“Due to the sensitivity of the investigation and to ensure the safety of the undercover detectives, items and vehicles recovered during Operation Oliver’s Twist were not immediately returned to the owners. In some cases, suspects had stolen the vehicles from friends and family members, and detectives determined that immediately returning the stolen property could jeopardize the investigation and put undercover officers in danger,” according to the SPD statement.
Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Pierre Davis said our local officers were aware of the operation, but not directly involved.
Getting your stuff back
SPD set up a Flickr (photo sharing) account and posted photos of all the stolen goods available for pickup. Victims must be able to identify the stolen good thoroughly and they must have been reported stolen to police by March 5, 2012.
The Flickr address is www.flickr.com/photos/seattlepolice/sets/72157629133932896
You can also contact SPD property crime detectives at 206-733-9616 (be sure to have your case number handy).
