Ballard's over-friendly faux “ex-newspaper boy” made another appearance recently. He walked right in through an open front door on Dibble Northwest, began chatting with the elderly resident, and asked for his usual glass of water. He asked for change and the would-be victim said she had none. He then asked about her medical alert bracelet. When she told him it was for summoning police help, the visitor apparently remembered a previous engagement: He left in a hurry.

In the 4300 block of 4th Northwest, a man heard what he thought was a tussle on his front porch. Curious, he discovered 75-80 loaves of bread, some artfully arranged and others scattered. The fun didn't stop there. The next day someone broke into his home and stole some cash and jewelry. The resident also reports that the thief took time to open many bottles and small containers, seemingly in a search for drugs.

Tuesday evening July 14, in the 9000 block of 9th Avenue Northwest, a man confronted a resident, asked if the orange cat were hers, and then threatened to kill the animal if it “went near his truck again.” The stunned owner tried to get more information from the suspect, but he simply drove away. The man is a caregiver for an elderly neighbor who failed to answer the knocks of officers who hoped to learn more about the incident.

On Tuesday July 14, someone went to a lot of effort, stepping over a three-foot cement planter to steal seven lawn chairs and a table from two residences in the 6000 block of 24th Northwest.

A 28-year-old man reports that someone gained access to his pin number and made eight withdrawals from ATMs in Ballard and on Queen Anne.

Over the past month, someone has caused over $2,000 worth of damage to business windows in the 1700 block of Northwest Market by scratching into the window surface with an etching pen. The destruction has occurred during the late evening and early morning hours.

Within the time period of one and a half hours, on July 14, someone kicked in the door of a home in the 8700 block of 16th Avenue Northwest and stole a safe. The resident reports that the theft couldn't have been a one-person job, as the safe was very heavy. No other items were disturbed or stolen.

For all of their efforts—which included destroying the electrical system, prying open an exterior door, ransacking the store, breaking the glass of the office window, breaking off a key in a lock, and rifling through a cash box—the people who paid a visit to the Golden Gardens concession stand on July 14 came away pretty-much empty handed.

1400 N.W. 46th on the evening of Wednesday July 15, right at closing time, a man wearing a motorcycle helmet hurried in to a business, demanded that the clerk open the till, and stole about $200 before riding off on a green street-style motorcycle. Though the suspect did not say he had a weapon, he kept his hand in his pocket during the incident—and the clerk assumed he was armed.

Burglaries/break ins/car prowls by block: 22 N. Pacific St. , 8000 10th NW, 8500 Greenwood Ave. N, 1500 NW 58th, 1500 NW 57th, 8700 16th NW, 4300 4th NW