BELLEVUE, Wash. — The City of Bellevue says it's arranging around-the-clock security along 139th Street near the site of a landslide in the Somerset neighborhood.
Bellevue police officers have already been patrolling the area, the city said, but now will add 24/7 monitoring, following reports of an attempted burglary at one of the red-tagged homes. The city said BPD is investigating.
This comes three days after a home was destroyed following a water main break and landslide, and much of the neighborhood was evacuated.
Judy Olsen said she was at her home when someone tried to break in Thursday morning. She said that although her home was red-tagged, she wanted to make sure neither her home nor her family's belongings were stolen or damaged.
Even with power cut off to her home, Olsen said she's been sleeping there each night. She said her husband gave her a pellet gun and she's stood watch. Her family stayed in a nearby hotel with power and running water, and have returned from time to time to check on the home.
On Thursday morning, she heard a noise at the back door and as she stood at the top of the stairs, saw someone standing right near the entrance to her home.
"I just stood here like this with my pellet gun and said you get the hell out of here," Olsen said. "And he said, 'holy crap,' and then darted out the door because I'm sure they thought no one was here."
Olsen said she believes someone came down from the schoolyard above into her backyard, onto the deck, and then to her backdoor- which her husband has now bolted shut. She says the BPD officers that responded were kind and helpful, and she's glad to hear that the area will now be getting 24-hour security.
The city said on Wednesday, staff and first responders escorted homeowners behind red tape so they could get items from their homes and vehicles from their driveways. The city said seven homes are still "red-tagged" due to safety concerns until the home severely damaged in the landslide can be removed.
The City of Bellevue said Bellevue Utilities has confirmed an eight-inch water main was the source of the rushing water in the area but is not yet sure what led to the break in the pipe or the cause of the landslide.
The city says impacted owners and neighbors can contact Mark Heilman in Neighborhood Services if they have questions at 425-452-2735 or mheilman@bellevuewa.gov.