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Retail theft concerns grow as funding for crackdown fails
Retail crime remains a major concern in Washington after lawmakers failed to secure funding for a theft prevention program. Officials say organized retail theft continues to impact businesses, workers and tax revenue.
OLYMPIA, Wash. - A key funding targeting Washington’s retail theft crisis was vetoed by Governor Ferguson this legislative session, and now one lawmaker is promising to fight that veto.
Washington state holds the somber distinction of being ranked number one in the country for retail crime, according to data from Forbes. Theft can be simple shoplifting to organized retail crime, often leaving store employees vulnerable to physical danger.
While many incidents never make the nightly news, some outlandish ones do, like the time when a group stormed out in seconds after stealing $93,000 worth of merchandise from a Louis Vuitton in Bellevue.
A high-profile burglary at a Louis Vuitton in Bellevue, Washington in 2022. (FOX 13 Seattle)
What they're saying:
State Rep. Mari Leavitt (D-Lakewood) tried to secure $500,000 to restart a pilot program aimed at fighting the public safety menace. Leavitt noted that a similar iteration of the program showed significant progress across three counties in 2025, and one reason is the ability to hire dedicated prosecutors.
"This is organized crime […] high-end crime," Leavitt said. "King County, it really made a huge dent."
During the first half of 2025, the King County Prosecutor’s Office filed 142 felony retail theft cases — a figure two-and-a-half times the average workload. Despite these results, Governor Bob Ferguson recently vetoed the funding required to restart the initiative.
On the day Governor Ferguson made the veto, he attributed the action to a statewide budget shortfall, citing a need for fiscal restraint.
"Consequently, we have limited ability to absorb additional work for expenses that are not funded in the budget. That's why I vetoed a few programs," Ferguson said.
Leavitt is disappointed with the decision, noting that the requested $500,000 was small potatoes relative to a nearly $80 billion budget.
"We tried to rally the troops, if you will, to get the governor to reconsider. Unfortunately, all of that seemed to be for naught," Leavitt said.
The other side:
In response, the Governor’s Office expressed to FOX 13 Seattle that Ferguson’s commitment to the issue is longstanding. As Attorney General, Ferguson created a first-of-its-kind Organized Retail Crime Task Force and a separate unit that has filed 29 prosecutions since 2023.
Retail theft extends beyond store shelves to the state’s bottom line. The Washington Retail Association reported that companies lost approximately $2.7 billion in stolen merchandise in 2021. This loss resulted in an estimated $600 million in missed tax revenue for the government.
In cities like Bellevue, retail theft is the number-one reported crime. However, Bellevue Police’s firm stance and enforcement is making a dent.
"We have zero tolerance with shoplifting, meaning that when we arrest you for shoplifting, you go to jail," said Bellevue Police Captain Shelby Shearer.
Bellevue’s "zero tolerance" reputation appears to be a deterrent. The city reported a 19% dip in cases from 2024 to 2025. Cpt. Shearer noted that during the 2025 holiday period, the majority of suspects were arrested when officers were called.
"When you call 911 during that period last year, 69% of those 911 calls ended up in arrest. We are fairly successful in catching these people and ultimately sending them to jail," Shearer said.
What's next:
While local police continue to do their part, the question remains whether there will be accountability in the end in the judicial system without more dedicated prosecutors for retail crime.
Rep. Leavitt says the fight is not over with plans to restore funding for the pilot program next year.
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The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle anchor Hana Kim.