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OLYMPIA, Wash. - Attorney General (AG) Bob Ferguson announced Wednesday that his office and Washington state Legislature have fully funded a new Organized Retail Crime Unit.
According to the AG’s office, the 10-person unit will include investigators, prosecutors and a data analyst to help with organized retail theft cases. They will assist in investigations and deploy additional resources wherever they are most needed.
Bob Ferguson, attorney general of Washington, listens during a Gun Safety Round table in Seattle, Washington, U.S., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2019. Photographer: Chona Kasinger/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The AG’s Office defines organized retail crime as one that involves a group of people that steal products in order to resell them for profit. However, Ferguson is clear to point out that this does not involve crimes such as petty theft, shoplifting or poverty-driven crimes.
"These are multi-jurisdictional, organized crime rings that endanger the safety of employees and customers, damage our economy, and drive up costs for all Washingtonians," said AG Bob Ferguson. "This centralized, statewide unit will serve as a force multiplier to combat these sophisticated crimes and hold the perpetrators accountable. I look forward to working with the task force to maximize the effectiveness of this Unit."
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In June 2022, Ferguson launched an Organized Retail Crimes Task Force – which included representatives from state, local and federal law enforcement, small and large businesses and retail workers. Since then, Ferguson identified a need for a more centralized unit with more investigative and prosecutorial resources.
"I applaud the Attorney General for creating the Organized Retail Crime Unit," said Bellevue Police Chief Wendell Shirley. "It’s precisely the proactive and focused statewide approach we need to combat this ongoing problem."