Beyond drugstore hold-ups, marches and bank bashing, things have been relatively quiet in the East Precinct lately. But there’s still a steady flow of smaller incidents and the occasional report of notable naughtiness. Here are two reports of recent crime from the shadowy streets of after-midnight Capitol Hill.

Broadway bike thief busted
Imagine finding your $1,500 bike still locked but partly disassembled with a note from police explaining that they’d just busted a man trying to take your bike apart to steal it piece by piece. From a police report from early last Friday, April 22nd just before 3 AM, SeattleCrime reports that officers found a bike thief so engrossed in his work near the intersection of Broadway and Denny that he didn’t notice as they drove up and approached him from behind. When the man finally figured out he’d been caught in the act, he took off running down E Denny Way where he was caught and taken into custody. The report notes that officers left the bike pieces and a message explaining what had befallen the Giant Prodigy DX behind for the owner. We’re only a little disappointed to learn the cops didn’t put the bike back together for the victim.

Hubbell Place backpack snatch
A victim told police that he was assaulted and his bag was stolen early Monday morning just before 1 AM near Hubbell Place and Pike by a man who had been riding in a white SUV. The report on the incident hasn’t been released by SPD yet so we don’t have any additional details on the strong-arm robbery. We saw a few of these vehicle-aided bag grabs last spring and summer. Hopefully this incident isn’t a sign that more will come with warmer weather.