Over the past two years, my partners and I have had two dump trucks stolen. No matter where we put our tools, these a-holes find them. They will even follow you home and lie in wait. They’ve taken over $30k in tools alone.
This truck was just taken from our job site in Magnolia. It will take $50k to replace it.
This is the truck we used to clean up my son’s middle school a few months back. We cleaned up our neighbors’ yards after the last big storm, and we used it to restore old Seattle homes….
It’s also the truck where I relived my best memories with my dad. He was a truck driver out of Chicago. I remember riding with him when I was a young boy. An old milk carton turned upside down was my seat, and I couldn’t believe one day when he picked me up at Elementary school in front of the other kids. I felt like the most important little boy in the world.
And so it has also been the truck where I have taught my son that it’s the blue collar men and women that worked so hard to rebuild America after the second World War. That in the age of tech we must still learn to work with tools, and in doing so we have learned grit, fortitude, and resilience.
But now my son has also learned fear….
We give names to our tools. He named the first dump truck “Bubba” because I call my son “Bubba”. This trucks name was “Carson” after Chris Carson of the Seattle Seahawks.
He asked me last night, “Daddy do you think the robbers are going to come after me like they did “Bubba”and “Carson”?’
I’ll leave the rest of the conversation between he and I.
When I reached out to SPD follow up on our auto theft, I was informed there is no detective assigned to our case. There is no detective to assign it to.
The best robbery Detectives have left and we all know why.
I’m not mad. I’m not angry. I’m just tired of the crime in the city I love so much.
5,387 vehicles were stolen from our streets last year. Thats up 10% from the previous year.
And people living in our bushes, the city still refers to them as clients. And the city assures us that they are not criminals, they are just humans that lost a job, etc.
I think it’s time to take a brutal look at ourselves and ponder what this is doing to little boys and little girls. The ones who just want to go clean up their school with their daddy, or go on a ride to the dump after helping our neighbors.
This is not SPD’s fault.
It’s ours.
Because we have allowed this to happen right in front of our eyes.
Thanks to all the men and woman that still strap it up everyday .
Through years of doing radio here I’ve been lucky to know many of you, and there is a reason why many of you have retired early and moved out of state.
I may be joining you…
Love and Respect,
– Don
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Don O'Neill
When Don is not behind a microphone, you might find him helping clients shop for properties to buy, invest, or sell. As an active investor, Don seeks out properties for long term investments. Schedule Your Sit Don with Ron today!
7 thoughts on “These Thieves Stole More than a Truck…”
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I don’t often look or read your column but I did today. Nor did I listen to your radio show a lot. Dori is my man. However I did read your column today. I was just crushed! To lose 2 dump in a row is devastating to say the least. You are good people and I know u will get through this. I’m sorry your son has to see this! This is a screwed up world right now. I’ve always said the computer’s were going to be the end of us. They do so much good but they also do a whole lot of damage! G
Your so is growing up fast and looks like his dad.
Good luck to you and your partners. Is Ron one of them?
Oh, and put a tracker on those dump truck
Best to all of you.
So sorry to hear this, Don. This leaves a hole in my heart. Difficult for you and G-Force. Sad what has happened to our beloved city. I lived there 1964 to 2021. Our family ended up making the break last year…
So sorry to hear this! We keep losing tools over here, too.
Sorry to hear this sad story Don. I have been in this area since 1964. I have so loved this State, but am so worried about the future. My son now lives in Idaho and wants me to move over there, which I would consider doing, but my daughter’s family, and 2 grandkids, live here, so I stay, but something has to give soon.
Join the club.
As a one time builder , 40 years in Seattle area, theft had become the norm and those sworn to protect us and our property were of little assistants. Only means to protect your property leave nothing unsecured, nothing in original packing, install every thing. lock it up if possible. Remerging the miscreants can cost you more when breaking in then the cost of the items they stole. On my last Seattle project they even stole the security system
As a one time builder , 40 years in Seattle area, theft had become the norm and those sworn to protect us and our property were of little assistants. Only means to protect your property leave nothing unsecured, nothing in original packing, install every thing. lock it up if possible. Remerging the miscreants can cost you more when breaking in then the cost of the items they stole. On my last Seattle project they even stole the security system
My wife and I used to love Seattle. We ate out, shopped and attended many cultural events. The lack of safety stopped us. The crime has been directly proportional to the lack of an effective homeless strategy. We could no longer enjoy the parks, take a walk, run or ride our bikes without having our guard up and carrying mace. Embarrassing when we would have friends come from out of town. I realized that citizens were voting for the representatives that allow this insanity to happen.
We have left. I hope Seattlies wake up soon.