Driver: Brazen thief reached in, stole iPad while I was meditating in car

SEATTLE -- It's common to hear news reports of thieves taking items from parked cars -- but not when the driver is sitting right there.

That’s what one man on Capitol Hill said happened to him last month.

David said Tuesday he was parked on 12th Avenue  at about 5 p.m. on Aug. 24.

“It was a beautiful day, I had all the windows down. I was just enjoying the fact that it wasn’t scorching hot.”

He was playing on his iPad, waiting for his wife to get out of a dance class.

“I thought I’m just killing time, I can make better use of it, get in some meditating.”

So he put the iPad down between his seat and the middle console, and closed his eyes. A few moments later, he felt something brush his leg. A teenage boy had reached in through the passenger side window and was taking his tablet.

“I turned and tried to grab him, to hold onto him, to stop him, but he was gone. He was young, he was a teenager, and he was fast.”



Crime has become a problem on Capitol Hill recently. Police have stepped up patrols after several muggings and assaults. But David says he never thought a robbery like this could happen.

“For somebody to come in, when you’re sitting in your car, to reach in and take an electronic device, it’s just very brazen.”

David says this crime has made him think differently about how safe he is in his car.

“I don’t leave my windows down anymore.  Not even on a really hot day. If it’s really hot, I close them up and turn on the air conditioning.”

The suspect was described as black, about 16 years of age, with curly hair and medium build. He was wearing a bright blue jacket with white piping.

If you think you know who the man is, you’re asked to contact police.