Satterberg, bringing to a meeting of the Greater Maple Valley-Black Diamond Chamber of Commerce the good crimebusting news he’s been sharing with similar audiences countywide, noted the Legislature finally wised up to a state law that required a car thief to be convicted of the crime seven times before being sent to jail. And even, a six-month sentence was the norm. The law has been rewritten so it now packs sentences of at least 17 months behind bars after three convictions and longer terms for subsequent convictions.
With harsher penalties for car thieves who are busted, prosecutors and police are now more motivated to chase them. As a result, 582 cars were stolen in King County in April this year – a huge drop from April in 2005 when 1,383 such crimes were reported. There’s been a correlated drop in other types of crime, too, since auto thieves frequently are involved in other misdeeds.
In other words, King County is no longer popular turf for car thieves. Good riddance to them.
In addition to a meal, the blitz of generosity and social conscience produced free school supplies, backpacks, haircuts and clothing for students whose families would otherwise fall short or struggle mightily to send them back to classes next week with the backing that all youngsters deserve. What a great thing.
Editor Pat Jenkins
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