by Joel Moreno, KOMO News ReporterThis is an image of the damage caused after a vehicle plowed through the storefront of Michael W Farrell jeweler and then the store was ransacked. This photo was taken on April 23, 2024. Frustrations are mounting along a small city block in Seattle where business owners can’t catch a break from criminals.
The shops along a one-block stretch of NE 55th Street near 35th Ave NE are seeing repeated break-ins, and some worry there’s no end in sight. Michael W Farrell Jeweler, Spinnaker Chocolate, Mioposto Pizzeria and La Villa Mexican restaurant have all been burglarized numerous times, and other shops along the commercial row are seeing their own problems with crime.
Owners said that while police are courteous, the investigations never seem to amount to much and patrol officers seem tied up with more serious crimes, including assaults and other violence. The business owners have invested in alarm systems, reinforced front doors and surveillance cameras, but the added expense has done little to deter the crimes. Many question the priorities of city leaders and whether their focus really is on public safety.