Organized retail theft cases involving stores in Kent and Maple Valley are moving through King County Superior Court as prosecutors report a sharp increase in felony retail crime referrals countywide.
An organized retail theft case involving the Kent Safeway is scheduled for arraignment Wednesday morning at the Maleng Regional Justice Center, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Another case involving the Fred Meyer in Maple Valley is scheduled for arraignment July 23 at the Kent courthouse.
The two South King County area cases are among several organized retail theft prosecutions recently filed by the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Five defendants pleaded not guilty Monday in separate felony organized retail theft cases involving Safeway stores in Bellevue and West Seattle, Nordstrom at Bellevue Square, Ross Dress for Less in Lake Forest Park, Lululemon at University Village and Ulta Beauty at Factoria Square. Those cases are ongoing.
Defendants in each case are innocent until proven guilty in court.
Organized retail theft is not the same as misdemeanor shoplifting, prosecutors said. Organized retail theft cases are felonies handled by King County prosecutors, while shoplifting cases are often referred by police as misdemeanor theft and handled by city attorney’s offices, except in unincorporated King County.
Under state law, organized retail theft can include repeated theft from the same business or multiple businesses when the value of losses reaches the felony level. Prosecutors said cases filed under the statute are often aggregated, meaning charges may be based on multiple thefts by suspects acting alone or with accomplices.
Between 2021 and 2024, King County prosecutors saw felony retail crime referrals from police investigators increase significantly, with the office’s retail crimes caseload more than doubling from 52 cases to 121, a 132% increase.
“Our team is working hard to bring accountability for retail crime, which can involve organized retail theft, thousands of dollars of losses and physical assaults on workers,” King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion said. “These crimes are a drain on businesses of all sizes and contribute to a decline in quality of life for our neighbors when they see their local stores close down, lock everyday staples behind protective glass, or simply don’t feel safe in a local establishment.”
The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said it has long prosecuted retail crimes as part of its general felony prosecution work. In June 2021, the office assigned a deputy prosecutor to work full time on those cases. In January 2025, the office received a one-time state grant to fund a second, term-limited retail crimes deputy prosecutor, but that funding expired in June 2025. Prosecutors said a request to sustain that second position was not funded.
Patrick Hinds, chief of the Economic Crimes and Wage Theft Division, said the effects of retail crime are felt across King County.
“When businesses close, that can often disproportionately impact economically disadvantaged communities, immigrant communities, BIPOC neighborhoods and communities,” Hinds said.
Senior Deputy Prosecutor Stephanie Sato, who handles organized retail theft cases daily, said detailed reporting from businesses can help police and prosecutors build felony cases. She said reports should document the date, time, observations, items taken and loss estimates, along with still images or video when available.
