Local businesses wait for help amid crime trend
SEATTLE - Business owners say they’re on the verge of losing everything as crime continues to put their livelihood at risk.
The repairs are just too expensive, the break-ins continue to happen, suspects are even caught on camera, but the incidents still keep happening.
Small business owners, like Robert Carson owner of The Bodega South Lake Union and Cask and Trotter, say he fears without accountability he won't be able to keep his doors open much longer.
As more businesses are forced to board up city and county officials say they’re working together to track down the individuals responsible.
"Nobody wants to come down here," Carson said.
He says crime is driving customers away.
"We're averaging a break-in every two weeks," Carson explained, showing us his boarded-up facade.
He’s painted the plywood black to give it a more appealing look.
He says it doesn’t make sense to replace windows anymore.
"A window will last less than a week," Carson said. "The last window lasted four days."
Carson is running out of cash, as each double-pane window costs about $1,000. He’s replaced six in the last three months.
"We're not even selling enough merchandise, at this point, to replace windows," Carson said.
He fears for his businesses every time a new homeless encampment pops up, because he knows they’re going to get hit.
"There's no accountability. These guys come in, they take their time, they know that police can’t show up or won't show up, and they have no fear," Carson said.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office says while these crimes are frustrating, they’re not felonies.
However, solutions are on the way, according to Casey McNerthney, spokesman with the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.
"We're teaming up with the city attorney's office to say, 'Hey, let's try to combine these misdemeanor cases that come independently to them,' one by one, from [the Seattle Police Department] to the city attorney's office, to try to rise to the felony level, so we can more effectively address it," McNerthney explained.
King County officials say more than 400 commercial burglary cases were charged last year, and between 25 and 30 are being charged daily.
Most of these crimes are caught on camera – now, their priority is catching repeat offenders.
"Every day we're in court saying 'This person is a danger, this person is going to re-offend. And here's their long track record that we are very concerned about, and this is why we think somebody should be held in jail,'" McNerthney said.
Business owners hope this is light at the end of the tunnel, combined with Mayor Bruce Harrell’s vision for the city.
"We're really hoping it'll change, but he's got to have got to have a city council that cares about small business, because if not, all this city is going to be left with is corporate restaurants and big-box stores," Carson said.
The businessman owns four establishments throughout Seattle.
However, he says he’s been forced to close Cask and Trotter, a BBQ restaurant in South Lake Union, in the last few weeks.
He says crime and these trying times are adding to the unemployment list.
READ MORE: Downtown Seattle businesses concerned after city sees 4 shootings in 3 days
RELATED: Suspect taken into custody following explosion, standoff in Olympia
Get breaking news alerts in the FREE FOX 13 Seattle app. Download for Apple iOS or Android. And sign up for BREAKING NEWS emails delivered straight to your inbox.
Stay connected with FOX 13 News on all platforms:
DOWNLOAD: FOX 13 News and Weather Apps
WATCH: FOX 13 News Live
SUBSCRIBE: FOX 13 on YouTube
DAILY BRIEF: Sign Up For Our Newsletter
FOLLOW: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram