Ballard business owners demand change as repeated burglaries cost thousands

SEATTLE — A break-in again, and again, and again, in the last few years thieves have hit Matt Humphrey’s store four times and tried to get in another three times.

Humphrey owns Steele Barber and Spa in Ballard. The most recent burglary from Monday morning shows a group of male suspects smashing through the front glass and clearing the clothes off a rack. The crime was quick, and the group disappeared.

“They get out of here before the cops come. Cops did come about an hour later, which is too bad,” Humphrey said. “And so we’re out $13,000 in retail and a new door, which is probably another $3,000.”

After years of pleading, Humphrey said he hasn’t seen a dent in these crimes.

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“I’d love to see our town improve after four years, but it’s not,” Humphrey said. “Let’s change the laws, so when you get prosecuted for petty crime, you actually do some time.”

It’s the same story at other businesses down the road.

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MK Byrne owns Begin, a jewelry store. Her security camera caught her chasing off a burglar who was halfway through her window.

She estimates she’s lost at least $100 thousand due to break-ins.

Byrne said, “At night, every night, you’re wondering like, is tonight the night?”

But when it comes to security upgrades, businesses here are in a challenging situation: they need special approvals to modify historic buildings. Byrne wants to make some changes.

“I’m going to be talking to that board to see if we can come up with a design that’s unified, that looks nice and cohesive and beautiful, but also can just protect us because boarded windows are also not the look,” she said.

Meanwhile, Humphrey will keep shouting out to anyone who will listen, if they listen.

When asked why he’s still doing business in Seattle, Humphrey said “ I just don’t want the bad guys to win…I’m just stubborn.”

“I don’t want the bad guys to win.”