Seattle’s socialist mayor is doing everything except pushing policies to crack down on retail theft.
Now, she’s enacting a policy to fund security for grocery stores to cut down on shoplifting and other types of theft.
From Fox News:
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson is rolling out city-funded security for grocery stores facing theft, break-ins and vandalism, fueling criticism that Seattle is spending taxpayer money to protect businesses from crime instead of doing enough to stop it in the first place.
The socialist mayor announced the rollout of the security funding as part of a $1.7 million grocery-support initiative included in the city’s 2026 budget earlier this week.
“Keeping our neighborhood grocery stores safe and supported is essential to making sure every Seattleite has a reliable, affordable grocery store near them,” Wilson said on social media Monday.
The security funding is already drawing criticism from conservatives who argue the city is spending public money to help businesses absorb the consequences of crime rather than focusing enough resources on preventing it.
“The best way to support grocery store — and all businesses — is to actually enforce the law with a fully staffed and funded police department. Giving money or resources to fix businesses that are broken by crime is a bandage on a bullet wound,” Seattle-based KTTH host and conservative commentator Jason Rantz told Fox News Digital.
“We don’t need to think outside the box here. Just enforce the law and put criminals in jail. That works like a charm and will save everyone money and headaches,” Rantz added.
Seattle says crime is down but launches $1M security fund for grocery stores plagued by theft
Mayor Katie Wilson’s administration is rolling out taxpayer-funded security upgrades for supermarkets the city admits are experiencing high retail theft rates.https://t.co/94CbaP1wfZ pic.twitter.com/fziZxyfx1w
— Ari Hoffman (@thehoffather) September 23, 2026
Retail theft in Seattle surged after 2021. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed 52 felony retail crime cases in 2021, 157 in 2022, 105 in 2023, 121 in 2024, and 142 through June 2025.
The office claimed the rise in cases was the result of appointing extra prosecutors to convict those involved in the thefts, not necessarily signs of an increase in these crimes. Theft now costs Washington retailers about $2.7 billion per year. Average store losses jumped from two to four percent of goods before the COVID-19 pandemic and 10 to 12 percent more recently.
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Seattle Mayor Wilson announced support measures for independently owned local grocers earlier this week, with $1.7 million in funding toward “industry-specific technical assistance,” for a 10-store cohort, and storefront security measures to deter retail theft.
— Joe Veyera (@JoeVeyera) September 22, 2026
Retail giant Target shut down two Seattle stores in 2023 due to theft and organized retail crime.
Under Washington state law, theft of $750 or less is typically considered a third degree gross misdemeanor. Those who steal between $750 and $5,000 are subject to a class C felony . More than $5,000 constitutes a class B felony.
The Seattle City Attorney’s Office says, “Our general policy is that we do not file retail theft for theft values less than $25,” with exceptions for organized rings, tag removers, alcohol or tobacco, store employees, or repeat suspects.
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