Seattle WA June 19 2013 Four felons who police said stole thousands of dollars of liquor from grocery stores across Western Washington have been charged with organized retail theft for a suspected months-long crime spree.
Charles Askew, Devonte Jack, Darren Dean and Blake Kirvin conspired to steal high-end liquor from Safeways, QFCs and Top Foods, investigators said. They described the thefts as “brazen,” and the men appeared to be casual about stuffing bottles into their pant legs and sweatshirts.
They “did not appear to care if they got caught,” a detective wrote in a probable cause document.
In one case from last July, police said the group stole 11 bottles of vodka for a loss of more than $4,504.89. The following month, police allege the group stole $809.60 in liquor from the Redmond Albertsons and roughly $1,200 in alcohol from a Maple Valley Safeway, and another $1,304.69 on a second visit to the Redmond Albertsons.
On a few occasions, store workers saw the men huddled in the liquor aisle and called police, but the men always drove off before police arrived, prosecutors said. Workers were able to write down the license plate number, which helped investigators.
When police caught up to the men after a long search, they reported finding stacks of stolen liquor and a stolen handgun stashed in their car.
Police suspect these thefts were spurred by the passage of Initiative 502 passed June 1, which allows private parties with liquor licenses to sell alcohol. Since that initiative passes, several grocers have complained of skyrocketing losses from liquor theft.
This suspected crime spree began just two days after that initiative passed.
Askew, Jack, Dean, and Kirvin each have several prior convictions, and excluding Kirvin have previously been convicted of third-degree theft.
The men are scheduled to have an arraignment, where they’ll enter a plea, on June 27.
Source-kirotv.com
Charles Askew, Devonte Jack, Darren Dean and Blake Kirvin conspired to steal high-end liquor from Safeways, QFCs and Top Foods, investigators said. They described the thefts as “brazen,” and the men appeared to be casual about stuffing bottles into their pant legs and sweatshirts.
They “did not appear to care if they got caught,” a detective wrote in a probable cause document.
In one case from last July, police said the group stole 11 bottles of vodka for a loss of more than $4,504.89. The following month, police allege the group stole $809.60 in liquor from the Redmond Albertsons and roughly $1,200 in alcohol from a Maple Valley Safeway, and another $1,304.69 on a second visit to the Redmond Albertsons.
On a few occasions, store workers saw the men huddled in the liquor aisle and called police, but the men always drove off before police arrived, prosecutors said. Workers were able to write down the license plate number, which helped investigators.
When police caught up to the men after a long search, they reported finding stacks of stolen liquor and a stolen handgun stashed in their car.
Police suspect these thefts were spurred by the passage of Initiative 502 passed June 1, which allows private parties with liquor licenses to sell alcohol. Since that initiative passes, several grocers have complained of skyrocketing losses from liquor theft.
This suspected crime spree began just two days after that initiative passed.
Askew, Jack, Dean, and Kirvin each have several prior convictions, and excluding Kirvin have previously been convicted of third-degree theft.
The men are scheduled to have an arraignment, where they’ll enter a plea, on June 27.
Source-kirotv.com