BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Bellingham Police say they set up on-site at the Fred Meyer on W Bakerview Road and responded to incidents of “observed theft.”
Over the past week BPD and Loss Prevention Officers (LPO) at Fred Meyer collaborated to conduct two emphasis patrols focused on retail theft. The retailer has been significantly impacted by thefts at the W. Bakerview Road location. The emphasis patrols happened on December 5th and 10th for several hours each day. A team of four officers, led by a supervisor, worked in partnership with Fred Meyer LPOs and handled theft/shoplift cases as they occurred. While many of the cases started because of an observed theft, the arrest and subsequent search resulted in more serious charges. BPD officers identified several people with additional warrants or probable cause for other crimes, seized 63 grams of methamphetamine from a single person, and found a realistic-looking airsoft pistol.
In all, 23 people were taken into custody. Most were transported to jail after officers established probable cause for the following charges:
- Theft in the third degree x 12
- Shoplifting x 9
- Burglary in the second degree (felony) x 3
- Possession of a Controlled Substance with intent to deliver (felony) x2
- Existing probable cause for Theft in the first degree (felony)
- Warrant arrest (felony)
- Violation of a domestic violence no contact order (felony)
- Obstructing a public servant
- Making false statements to a public official
- Criminal trespass
- Department of Corrections warrant (felony)
– Bellingham Police Department (December 13, 2024)
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