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Police recommend drafting ordinance to address retail theft devices after local incidents
Summary
Police presented a memo and photos of devices used to remove retail anti-theft tags and asked the board to consider an ordinance to make possession of such devices an offense; the board directed staff to proceed with drafting an ordinance similar to those used by neighboring municipalities.
Chief Vargas and staff reported instances where officers encountered devices used to remove shoplifting prevention devices from merchandise and recommended the city consider an ordinance to give officers authority to seize those items during theft investigations.
Chief Vargas summarized the problem to the board: "These are devices that actually will, take theft prevention devices off of merchandise so that they can walk out without [paying]," he said, and noted that other municipalities, such as Chesterfield, have adopted ordinances to address possession of these retail-theft devices. He said the devices are often associated with organized retail theft rings and sometimes obtained through employee access or stolen keys.
The board had no objection to proceeding with an ordinance, and staff said they would draft language for future consideration. No vote on an ordinance was taken at the meeting; the direction was to research local examples and return a proposed ordinance for first reading.
