Tukwila police are asking for the public’s help identifying a suspect accused of stealing multiple coats from a department store. Detective Mosley, the department’s Retail Emphasis Detective, is investigating the case as part of the city’s broader effort to address organized retail crime.
The Tukwila Police Department created the dedicated detective position earlier this year to work with retailers and loss prevention personnel and pursue organized retail theft cases. Police say these offenses can involve thefts across multiple jurisdictions and may be connected to other crimes, including vehicle theft, robbery and narcotics offenses.
The department has investigated similar cases this year. In June, two suspects allegedly stole about $4,000 in merchandise from a department store before fleeing to a waiting vehicle. Police pursued the case as organized retail theft.
Tukwila’s retail activity, including the Westfield Southcenter area, draws shoppers from throughout the region and contributes to the city’s high volume of reported property crime.
Washington has taken several steps to address organized retail crime, including the Attorney General’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force, established in 2022 to support coordination among law enforcement and prosecutors across jurisdictions.
Police are asking anyone who recognizes the suspect in the coat theft to contact the Tukwila Police Department’s non-emergency line at (206) 241-2121 or email [email protected].
