Bellevue police arrest prolific shoplifter
Bellevue police detectives arrested a man accused of stealing thousands of dollars of merchandise from several stores and reselling the products, the Bellevue Police Department announced Thursday.
Detectives who worked closely with Fred Meyer loss prevention agents apprehended the 43-year-old Bellevue man when he showed up to an arranged meeting to sell stolen merchandise.
“This is a clear example of organized retail theft,” said Capt. Shelby Shearer. “This suspect would sell the merchandise he stole, and if he didn’t have what a customer wanted, he would go to the store, steal it and then sell it for profit.”
According to court documents, the man stole from four Fred Meyer locations 11 times since late April, police said. The value of the merchandise stolen is more than $4,000.
The man was booked into jail and released on his own recognizance the next day.
“Our detectives worked closely with loss prevention agents to identify and arrest this suspect,” Shearer said. “We are continuing to build the case and expect to refer additional charges to the King County Prosecutor for review.”
The police department noted that the arrest comes days after state attorney general Bob Ferguson announced a new task force focused on retail theft.
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