State's top cops asking liquor sellers for better theft figures
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SEATTLE -- Liquor privatization has made it easier for customers to buy alcohol in Washington, but it's also made it easier for thieves to steal booze.
Liquor theft has plagued retailers since the new law went into effect in June, and now the state's top cops are asking store owners to keep better tabs on exactly how much booze is being stolen.
The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs recently sent a letter to the Liquor Control Board asking for more information about liquor theft. The association says with more accurate information they can do more to help stem the problem.
"Info is power, and the more info we have the more knowledge we have of ways to attack the problem," said Sgt. Cindi West of the King County sheriff's office.
On Wednesday, the Liquor Control Board will begin collecting public comment on a proposed rule to require retailers to report their theft numbers to the state, but not everyone in the industry thinks that's such good idea.
Wine and Spirit World owner David LeClaire is worried the proposed rule would add more costly paperwork and possibly make stores even more vulnerable to theft.
"They're saying we want to know, but the stores don't want everybody to know, because then they think they're just going to be an easier target to hit," LeClaire said.
Police say they just want to know exactly how big the problem really is. They're especially worried about underage drinking and a potential black market of stolen liquor, which could cut into the state's share of taxes.
Everyone admits there's a problem, but some sellers aren't convinced the proposed rule will help.
"Everything always sounds good on paper until you try to apply it," LeClaire said.
Representatives from several large grocery store chains refused to comment on the story. The Liquor Control Board is scheduled to vote on whatever rule it comes up with in early March.
Liquor theft has plagued retailers since the new law went into effect in June, and now the state's top cops are asking store owners to keep better tabs on exactly how much booze is being stolen.
The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs recently sent a letter to the Liquor Control Board asking for more information about liquor theft. The association says with more accurate information they can do more to help stem the problem.
"Info is power, and the more info we have the more knowledge we have of ways to attack the problem," said Sgt. Cindi West of the King County sheriff's office.
On Wednesday, the Liquor Control Board will begin collecting public comment on a proposed rule to require retailers to report their theft numbers to the state, but not everyone in the industry thinks that's such good idea.
Wine and Spirit World owner David LeClaire is worried the proposed rule would add more costly paperwork and possibly make stores even more vulnerable to theft.
"They're saying we want to know, but the stores don't want everybody to know, because then they think they're just going to be an easier target to hit," LeClaire said.
Police say they just want to know exactly how big the problem really is. They're especially worried about underage drinking and a potential black market of stolen liquor, which could cut into the state's share of taxes.
Everyone admits there's a problem, but some sellers aren't convinced the proposed rule will help.
"Everything always sounds good on paper until you try to apply it," LeClaire said.
Representatives from several large grocery store chains refused to comment on the story. The Liquor Control Board is scheduled to vote on whatever rule it comes up with in early March.
"...and a potential black market of stolen liquor, which could cut into the state's share of taxes."
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THE TRUTH COMES OUT
Here's a novel new idea. Want to stop the thefts? PUNISH the people who get caught enough that they don't want to do it again.
I think they should put the booze behind the counter like they do cigarettes.Â
LOL, Costco bought off all those police endorsements for a promise of the tax money and now they are crying about the spike crime.Â
This is the most outrageous and ridiculous thing I have ever heard: "Black market for stolen liquor"?? People dont steal liquor to sell, they steal it to drink. I cannot even believe they think readers here are that stupid.
This is something for the merchants to deal with on their own, not the state. The state needs to focus on violent crime, drugs, metal theft, things that matter most.
I do a lot of grocery shopping and the Safeways and Fred Meyers and others have put RFID hoods on the liquor bottles so they alarm at the exits of the store if not removed. I have not seen one instance of this happening while I have been shopping and I am in the stores all hours. I think this is just being trumped up as exactly what it was intended to do, get attention to a nearly non existent problem. I do agree though that the liquor should be in a more secure area of the store that funnels people to a register when they leave that area with the RFID alarms there so that it is a longer walk/run to the actual entrance/exit if someone was running without the proper ID/payment.
 @Beam_Me_Up Well, it is a problem here in Tacoma. We see grab and dashes quite often. Of course, we don't lock all of the booze up like I noticed they do in Seattle. We sure need to.
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Is this the beginning of something more costly?  The state has lost tons of business to Oregon and Idaho because of the heavy state taxes on alcohol.  Or is this problem being "CREATED"  by the state through local law enforcement??  This article leaves many questions as to why they are questioning "SOMEONE STEALING?"  I am not sure this is a huge issue and wonder why law enforcement isnt looking into violent crimes if they have what seems like spare time???
They need to pass the revision to still require booze to be in a special section of the store... you are carded by a person to go in ... seriously the people stealing booze need to take a hard look at themselves if they are stealing so they can have their booze fix they need to do the right thing and get help... not get jailed for theft! Addiction is a mean animal but anyone who is willing can defeat it
Okay store owners, don't report your numbers. Then when you say your stock is being stolen we'll just yawn.
These stores are choosing to sell alcohol, a controlled substance. They have an obligation to do whatever it takes to ensure that their products are not being sold to or stolen by minors. They should have known this right from the start. If it costs them money to do the paperwork, well, that's just a cost of doing business.
 @Waif The cost of doing business passed on to the consumer.
so really what is being stated here is people in Washington are thieves and low-life's?
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Because in the states that do not have high liquor prices, even have drive-thru stores, sell liquor from just about every retailer - they don't have the worry or this supposedly high crime rate.
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Interesting.
"and a potential black market of stolen liquor, which could cut into the state's share of taxes." Ahhh, theres the reason.
Well darn, the only solution is to have cops in every liquor section armed and ready to catch those pesky liquor robbers..
Were I grew up all alcohol was sold in liquor stores, including beer and wine. Couldn't get it at 7-11 or a grocery store. They were privately run businesses and stealing booze was damn near impossible because they were smaller stores and were constantly monitored. Each business would purchase a liquor license from the state and make payments on it every month.You had to be 21 just to walk into them and if you looked underage they would card you right then an there. It seemed to work well keeping alcohol out of our hands. We would take it from the parents or get an older sibling to buy it so we still got our hands on it but wasn't that often. So conveinence didn't outweigh safety in that case. Seems as if WA doesn't care about that iin this case.
@Matt N Noelle Brown We had that system until June of this year. The state was losing money for having to keep all of that real estate. The people voted to privatize liquour sales. Now we're in a learning curve.
I recently noticed that my local grocer has undercover security... Businesses will handle the problem without the state or local police getting involved.Â
@GOCOUGS You noticed that they had undercover security, guess they are not doing a very good job at being undercover. That means the theives notice it too. And by the way, most grocery stores have had Loss Pervention employees for years. Local businessmen will NOT handle the problem until they are made by either being fined or sued because every extra step they take costs them money. And unless there is a guidline, law, or rule enacted....they will not comply because they don't have to legally.
 @GOCOUGS Many stores do, they are part of loss prevention.
If there is such a problem, it will be financially in the best interest for stores to address the issue themselves, so the state doesn't need to get involved.Â
The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs recently sent a letter to the Liquor Control Board asking for more information about liquor theft. The association says with more accurate information they can do more to help stem the problem.
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BS. They don't ask for more information about other shoplifting. There is a political motive here.
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@giveitarest They ask for the information because they need to know how the liquor is being displayed in the store. They can then suggest different types of deterence for there individual businesses layouts.
When I was a teen we use to steal liquor out of the state store all the time or pay a guy to buy it for us. No difference here. A lot of stores have a separate section that is monitored whether you know it or not.
 @Grumpa I love your honesty. lol
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I saw a kid walking out the Renton Safeway with a bottle of liquor. One of the staff followed him, had an exchange of words and the guy simply walked away.
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If I wasn't in a hurry that day I would have stopped the kid. Stores need to do something to stop this.
@Vince I am willing to bet that the store policy there to "not " detain shoplifters due to liability issues and simply call police with a description of the individual(s) and items taken. The state tried to tell people this would happen if liquor wasn't regulated properly. Costco couldn't care less about the impacts on the community, they only cared about their bottom line and profit. There were few guidlines for other retailers on how they were to display it and where in the store for deterence. Costco had security measures in place before this so it was a no brainer for them.
 @Vince The employees of the store and managers are told not to do anything physical. The most they can do is follow, talk and call the police.  If a worker at Safeway touches someone they will claim to be hurt or molested and the lawyers will have a field day going after deep pockets.  I worked loss prevention.  Every type of object gets stolen from stores paper clips candy and TVs.  The best way we combat it was we would learn and  taped who people were.  Follow them around the store and call the cops when they came back or we would hire an off duty officer once or twice a week during high theft times and try to make us a not so easy target a few punks get put in the back of a car makes their friends go elsewhere.  As far as the state wanting more info sorry the business will do what it needs to, its their profits.
Retailers seem to not want people to know how much they are losing to theft. Even community groups are having trouble getting a clear answer in neighborhoods from retailers. The private sector has some learning to do to control the access better. And remember it isn't just "kids" grabbing a bottle to party with, the problem includes commercial theft for profit that sometimes involves large amounts. Remember the story of the flower shop owner downtown who called up a thief and gave him a shopping list of what to steal so he could offer to sell people booze for their weddings as well as flowers?
It's always no contest when reality delivers a crushing headbutt to our arrogant belief that we can have everything both ways because we think we deserve it. We voted for reduced state revenue, we voted for black market liquor, we voted for more kids getting killed due to loss of control of liquor inventories. We have that because we wanted it - demanded it, in fact. That we're too self-absorbed to admit it might be fun to hang onto, but it doesn't change anything.
weren't they talking about locking and caging the booze up a few months ago???
@DylanJÂ Â It seems like we're paying for two bottles now, and getting one. So really we're the victims.
Yah sherrif, lets close the cold case squad and concentrate on liquor shoplifting.
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"They're saying we want to know, but the stores don't want everybody to know, because then they think they're just going to be an easier target to hit," LeClaire said"
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HELLO!!! The thieves ALREADY KNOW!! That is why they are getting ripped off!  Sticking your head in the sand does not make the problem go away.  I do drug and alcohol counseling for teens - they got AMPED when the law was being discussed prior to passing.  Each and every one of these 14, 15 and 16 year olds knew that grocery stores and discount stores would be an easy mark... and they were right!  Alcoholic kids can easily tuck three fifths into a backpack and out the door they go.  I believe Safeway has a policy of not chasing down shoplifters... which seems to have morphed into turning a blind eye, as far as I can tell.Â
Cigarette behind counter-check, Drugs behind counter-check, Cold Meds behind counter-check, .........booze humm.....steal it and sell it its a good mark-up...gold mine for Theives as well as store who gets hurt.....customer paying for it all
we were better off with the system as it was.Â
 @Rick4001CS Carefully, you are going to offend people by pointing out the obvious. This is the vote that keeps on taking. Now more of our police resources get used to protect business profits. It used to be the thieves only had a few options to steal booze and once the staff knew who these people were, they could barely get in the door. Increase the fines for those who can't control their inventory, give them more incentive to clean up the problems they wanted.Â
@Rick4001CS There were better selections, locations, and pricing.Â
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The main difference now is that binge-drinkers don't have to plan ahead for their Sunday bottles anymore.Â
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Oh, and of course, "some" retailers are making a L O T more $ $ $ now....
Sounds like they need to start locking the hooch up in controlled area like they do with RX drugs. Or lock up the teenagers that are stealing it.
 @I Like Meat Doesn't Alaska have a "booze area" with controlled access that's separate from the main grocery store? That sounds like something that would work here too.
Liquor licenses need to be pulled if they can't control the theft problem. What is the WSLCB doing? Just standing there with their thumb up their butt?
 @Rockberryyeah and lets give the Indianians back their liquor licenses.
TOLD YOU!!!
i feel the stores better put a stop to being ripped off,mainly when it comes to alcohol,in fact ,THEY should do something about it. they did with cigarettes