Skip to content

Seattle Culture

Washington Again Ranks No. 1 For Retail Theft

Second time in the past year

By Rob Smith August 28, 2024

Street view of a two-story building housing the No. 1 Goodwill store with a blue and white facade in Washington. Trees line the sidewalk in front, while a few pedestrians are walking by.
The University District Goodwill store is closing due to escalating theft and safety concerns, reflecting a troubling trend among Seattle retailers.
Google Maps image

The guy running through the retail parking lot looked like a ghost fading into the night. He wasn’t a jogger on a mid-evening run. I immediately knew something wasn’t right.

I went into the business (in Fremont) to see if everything was OK. It wasn’t. A robber had just stolen several bottles of wine, some beer, and a bunch of candy. Like a bull charging through a gate, he had shoved a clerk out of the way. She was, to say the least, upset.

Retail crime has been a concern here for years. Now, new data confirms — once again — that retail theft in Washington state is the highest in the United States.

Using data from the FBI and Crime Data Explorer, self-storage software company Storeganise found that the state has 3,510 cases of commercial theft for every 100,000 businesses. Only New Mexico and Nevada were anywhere close to that.

Late last week, Goodwill (known officially as Evergreen Goodwill of Washington) announced that it was closing its Lake Union and University District stores because of escalating theft and safety concerns. Several retailers, including Target and Bartell Drugs, have in the past year shuttered stores because of theft. Earlier this year, a Forbes Advisor report (using different metrics) also found that retail crime here was the worst in the country.

A report from the Seattle City’s Auditors Office last year said the city could do more to reduce retail crime, and even offered several practical solutions.

This isn’t the first time I’ve witnessed a theft, nor is it even close to the most brazen. Shortly before the pandemic I watched as a masked thief casually strolled into the former Macy’s department store in downtown Seattle and, using a pair of bolt cutters, snipped the wires securing several high-end handbags.

A Goodwill spokesperson said continuing to operate the stores was “unsustainable.” “The decision to close these stores was not made lightly,” he said. “Both locations have experienced a troubling rise in property damage, break-ins, and safety concerns for our employees.”

It’s way past time to get this under control.

Follow Us

Seattle’s Fall Colors Are a Must-See This Year

Seattle’s Fall Colors Are a Must-See This Year

The city is one of the most Instagrammed autumn destinations worldwide

Fall in Seattle is the best 🍁 Cozy coffee shops, crunchy leaves, and those colors! No wonder #fallinseattle is trending. What’s your favorite spot in Seattle right now? Share it with us!

Ridwell Wants Your Campaign Signs

Ridwell Wants Your Campaign Signs

Seattle company offers free pick-up after the election

We’ve all seen campaign signs remain up well after election season. Ridwell is out to do something about that...

Suiting Up for Success

Suiting Up for Success

Men in recovery get job-ready makeovers as they prepare for new beginnings

This week, more than 60 men took a major step toward rebuilding their lives and careers...

Shrinking Starbucks

Shrinking Starbucks

Customer visits are on the decline. What’s going on?

Been to Starbucks lately? For a company that helped put Seattle on the global map, the coffee giant sure receives a lot of criticism, whether it’s about product quality, founder Howard Schultz’s bungling of the Sonics during his ownership tenure or wait times...