A recent organized retail crime incident in Kirkland highlights the need for action to stop this type of behavior.

Retailers lose over $1 billion in product theft each year in Washington state, which leads to increased prices for consumers and loss of tax revenues for local and state government.

Unfortunately, these ORC rings are becoming more violent and impacting public safety. The public and retail employees deserve and expect a safe place to go shopping and work.

Elected officials, law enforcement, and prosecutors need to work together with retailers to help enforce existing ORC laws and adopt new tools to thwart criminals from profiting off this type of crime.

WR is participating in a January 20 ORC Summit in Federal Way, and we appreciate the opportunity to bring focus to this important issue. We are working in other jurisdictions as well with the Washington Organized Retail Crime Association and our national partners, focusing our efforts on developing solutions to this serious problem.

Multiple bills will be considered before the legislature this year, including changes to help police do their job by providing them with the resources and support they need.

Addressing public safety and ORC are two of WR’s top issues.