“If you come here to steal from us, plan on staying. We incarcerate thieves. All of them.”

 

In December, the Board of Douglas County Commissioners introduced a new ordinance focused on addressing retail theft in the community. Although considered low-level offenses, retail theft is often linked to more serious and violent crime, including weapons offenses, auto theft, drug activity and organized gang operations. According to Douglas County, more than 75% of crimes committed in Douglas County involve individuals who do not live here, underscoring the need for proactive deterrence.

“We want folks to come to Douglas County with the confidence that they are in the safest part of the metro area,” said District Attorney George Brauchler. “But if you come here to steal from us, plan on staying. We incarcerate thieves. All of them.”

Overall, retail theft is increasingly undermining Colorado’s economic health and the consequences extend beyond public safety. A recent analysis from the Colorado Common Sense Institute (CCSI) estimates that in 2022, retail crime cost Colorado businesses $1.4 billion and deprived taxpayers of approximately $78 million in lost sales tax revenue. The CCSI report also found that retail theft rose by 22.4% between 2023 and 2024, with 27,094 shoplifting incidents reported statewide. That figure becomes even more concerning when paired with national data from the Loss Prevention Research Council, which estimates that nearly 89% of retail theft incidents are never reported.

“This proposed ordinance directly addresses the issue of retail theft in Douglas County, targeting corporate policies that may punish employees for reporting shoplifting to law enforcement,” said Commissioner Kevin Van Winkle. “Our goal is simple: to protect the employees who witness crime day after day and want to do the right thing.”

The Douglas County ordinance outlined goals include supporting law enforcement by requiring timely reporting and evidence preservation; discouraging any perception that Douglas County is an easy target for this crime; and also encouraging greater collaboration between businesses and investigators.

Douglas County Sheriff, Darren Weekly, recently met with retailers in Douglas County and is currently waiting for a revised version of the retail theft ordinance. “I will continue to collaborate with retailers as discussions move forward. Our objective is not to penalize victims, but to hold offenders accountable and keep our community safe,” said Weekly.

“We can only address crime when we know it’s happening, and when we don’t know about it, we can’t take action,” stated Commissioner George Teal. “That’s why this ordinance has the potential to make such a positive impact on safety here in Douglas County.”

While the specifics of the ordinance are still being worked out, enforcement would allow for discretion, ranging from a warning to a citation, with a maximum possible fine of $1,000.

For more information and to provide feedback on the ordinance, visit
douglas.co.us/retail-theft-ordinance.

 

By Sara Goodwin; photos courtesy of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office