SEATTLE - The Seattle Police Department is cracking down on ongoing organized shoplifting groups, leading to a retail theft operation that resulted in 53 arrests in a single day and thousands of dollars recovered in stolen merchandise.
"These are organized groups that hit retailers with the sole purpose of stealing to either resell them or use them as currency for other things," said Sgt. Randy Huserik, public information officer for the Seattle Police Department.
The big bust occurred at nine stores on Wednesday in just under 15 hours. Of the 53 people arrested, 16 of them were booked in King County Jail. Four of them had warrants.
"We had officers, both in plainclothes working with those stores’ loss prevention personnel and then a uniformed officer acting as arrest teams to target the suspects that are committing these crimes," explained Huserik. "An officer is up in their surveillance room that’s watching it. They’re easily and quickly communicating with our officers that are in the store via radio making them aware of suspect description, the items that they’re concealing, where they’re concealing them, the location on the store at that point. And once they start heading to the door, that’s when officers will move in and make the arrest."
Huserik said large retailers and grocery stores have been losing thousands of dollars in merchandise due to ongoing problems with organized theft groups. He said some places are still struggling to recover from the pandemic.
(Excerpt) Read more at q13fox.com ...
Cue the demonRATS call to defund the police in 3, 2, 1, ...But will they be prosecuted, or “catch and release”, as per demonRAT edict WITHOUT BAIL?
"These are organized groups that hit retailers with the sole purpose of stealing to either resell them or use them as currency for other things," said Sgt. Randy Huserik, public information officer for the Seattle Police Department.
The big bust occurred at nine stores on Wednesday in just under 15 hours. Of the 53 people arrested, 16 of them were booked in King County Jail. Four of them had warrants.
"We had officers, both in plainclothes working with those stores’ loss prevention personnel and then a uniformed officer acting as arrest teams to target the suspects that are committing these crimes," explained Huserik. "An officer is up in their surveillance room that’s watching it. They’re easily and quickly communicating with our officers that are in the store via radio making them aware of suspect description, the items that they’re concealing, where they’re concealing them, the location on the store at that point. And once they start heading to the door, that’s when officers will move in and make the arrest."
Huserik said large retailers and grocery stores have been losing thousands of dollars in merchandise due to ongoing problems with organized theft groups. He said some places are still struggling to recover from the pandemic.
(Excerpt) Read more at q13fox.com ...
Cue the demonRATS call to defund the police in 3, 2, 1, ...But will they be prosecuted, or “catch and release”, as per demonRAT edict WITHOUT BAIL?