Several Eastside cities have seen a spike in locker room thefts during the past several weeks. Gyms in Bellevue, Issaquah, Kirkland and Redmond have all reported victims, and in the last 20 days alone, Issaquah, Kirkland and Redmond have all been hit.
Thieves are targeting lockers by shimming or prying padlocks or combination locks and sifting through personal items to take cash. Some of the gym customers don’t even immediately realize they've been victimized, as their phones, wallets and other items weren't stolen, and the thieves have put back the broken locks.
Multiple gyms are working closely with police to identify suspects. It appears there are multiple groups of suspects working across the Eastside. Police are actively investigating these incidents, and are conducting area patrols.
Police and local gyms are asking customers to do the following:
• Don’t bring valuables to the gym or leave them in your car – leave them at home if possible.
• If your gym provides theft-resistant day lockers, take advantage of them.
• Use puck-style locks if possible, as they are harder to defeat.
• Report all suspicious activity to staff or by calling 911 – or both.