At noon today, Attorney General Bob Ferguson will be holding a press conference at the Seattle Attorney General offices to announce the newly formed organized retail crime (ORC) task force.

Several speakers will join AG Ferguson, including Bellevue Police Chief Wendell Shirley, Renée Sunde, President and CEO of the Washington Retail Association, UFCW Union President Faye Guenther, US Attorney Nick Brown, and US Attorney Vanessa Waldref.

Organized retail crime is a growing problem for retailers across the state. According to Mike Combs, Director of Asset Protection for The Home Depot, “Online marketplaces make it easy to sell stolen and counterfeit items quickly and with little oversight, taking advantage of customers. We’re proud to be a member of this task force and partner with the Attorney General to prioritize large cases and dismantle these large, organized retail crime rings.”

In addition to Home Depot, a diverse group of retailers will be attending AG Ferguson’s press conference, including Lowes, Walgreens, Nordstrom, Albertsons/Safeway, Kemper Development Company, The Bellevue Collection, CVS, Gap Inc., the Korean American Grocers Association, the South Park Food Market, Rite Aid, Target, and members of the Washington Organized Retail Crime Association.