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Free booze in Washington!
Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 6:13 pm
by Turdacious
Washington state has been out of the liquor business for around five months, and in that time private retailers have discovered some challenges in keeping the once state-controlled product from disappearing off store shelves.
KIRO Radio reported earlier this month that liquor theft is a major problem across the state, but it turns out the issue is much worse than originally thought.
There are a few stores that lost up to $30,000 worth of liquor in just the first three months of privatization.
"In the first three months, it was anywhere from $30,000 up to $50,000," Jana Jorgensen in the Seattle City Attorney's office said. "Now I'm hearing it can be from $500 to $1,000 a day just walking out of the store." And that's at multiple stores all over the region.
Jorgensen said a dedicated city attorney and SPD officer are focused on retail theft, and they have turned their attention to liquor theft. She said King County has so many cases it can't prosecute them and won't until the theft amount is over a $1,000.
http://mynorthwest.com/11/2048616/Liquo ... t-reported
Re: Free booze in Washington!
Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 4:13 am
by Protobuilder
So, they tax bars and restaurants, driving the price up then openly say they won't prosecute theft unless it exceeds $1k?
That's a nice recipe for shrinkage.
Stores were putting cigarettes behind the counter before it was legally mandated to do so due to the same issue. When the theft exceeds the cost of doing so, it will be done.
Oh, and people are animals.
Re: Free booze in Washington!
Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 6:36 am
by Turdacious
This is a de facto decriminalization of non-violent retail theft. I wonder what will happen to theft rates? I wonder what the effect on retail prices (especially in neighborhoods with higher than average theft rates) will be?
Re: Free booze in Washington!
Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 9:15 am
by Protobuilder
Turdacious wrote:This is a de facto decriminalization of non-violent retail theft. I wonder what will happen to theft rates? I wonder what the effect on retail prices (especially in neighborhoods with higher than average theft rates) will be?
I find it hard to believe that major chains aren't responding.
The statement that they aren't prosecuting is incredible.
What was it like before? I take it that booze (of some sort of classification) used to be in liquor stores and the like?
Re: Free booze in Washington!
Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 4:16 pm
by Blaidd Drwg
Terry B. wrote:Turdacious wrote:This is a de facto decriminalization of non-violent retail theft. I wonder what will happen to theft rates? I wonder what the effect on retail prices (especially in neighborhoods with higher than average theft rates) will be?
I find it hard to believe that major chains aren't responding.
The statement that they aren't prosecuting is incredible.
What was it like before? I take it that booze (of some sort of classification) used to be in liquor stores and the like?
Before it was very few state run private liquor stores. Theft rates were very low. New law puts a limited number of licenses in grocery stores above a size threshold.
Retailers are still figuring out how to run their stores. None have a particularly secure set up for these displays. It is a retail problem of a retail making. In the first couple weeks they didn't know to have an RFD on the Courvoisier and Patron. Most have figured it out and they are getting better.
Re: Free booze in Washington!
Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 4:35 pm
by Holland Oates
Blaidd Drwg wrote:. . . In the first couple weeks they didn't know to have an RFD on the Courvoisier and Patron. Most have figured it out and they are getting better.
You racist motherfucker.
Re: Free booze in Washington!
Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 4:41 pm
by Blaidd Drwg
It is a Jig Issue mostly. Hence...not my neighborhood....not my problem.:)
Re: Free booze in Washington!
Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 6:18 pm
by Holland Oates
Blaidd Drwg wrote:It is a Jig Issue mostly. Hence...not my neighborhood....not my problem.:)
Lots of free range knee grows in my parts. They know no territorial boundaries.
Re: Free booze in Washington!
Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 6:30 pm
by Shafpocalypse Now
All the big stores here have theft deterrent stuff on the bottle that has to be taken off at the register.