Capitol Hill street robberies on rise: 'The crime problem keeps getting worse'

SEATTLE -- Someone was robbed at 13th and Olive.

"It is not safe on Capitol Hill when the sun goes down,” Social Outreach Seattle President Shaun Knittel said.

It also happened t 11th and Union.

"The crime problem keeps getting worse, unfortunately,” Knittel said.

It happened at Broadway and Pike, too; street robberies -- all since Saturday.

"I think it has a lot to do with the amount of people that have moved into the neighborhood,” Knittel said.



Police call that a target-rich environment and, unfortunately, Capitol Hill is just that.

"If you're a criminal or someone looking to mug or rob people, you're going to go where there is more individuals,” Knittel said.

In the month of August alone, on the Hill, there were more than two dozen muggings, robberies and thefts on the street.

"I was using my bike to get everywhere and so not having that is pretty inconvenient,” victim Julian Genette said.

Genette knows what it's like to be a victim.

"In the blink of an eye, I feel like I was watching my bike at one point out in front of the bar -- and the next thing I knew it was gone,” Genette said.

Seattle police say they are aware of the problem. They have increased patrols with uniformed officers and some in plain clothes.

They are working to make the Hill safer, they say, as quickly as possible.

"We're not just going to wait for it to go away. We are actively searching for the people who are doing this and we will continue to do so,” Seattle Police detective Patrick Michaud said

But for people who live here, particularly those who have already been victimized, time is not on their side.

"There's also this feeling of, well, nothing is improving, and I know that it takes time, but for the victims that time ran out the second that they were a victim,” Knittel said.

"It's unfortunate but some part of me feels like living in the city, that's just kind of part of it but I'm definitely going to be more cautious,” Knittel said.

Anyone with information about these crimes should call 911.