The Gig Harbor Police Chief is warning residents to pay up or pay the consequences.

“Retail theft is rampant throughout all western Washington,” said Chief Kelly Busey. “We’re taking theft reports every single day from our major stores.”

Chief Busey said retail theft is the city’s most prevalent crime. So his department is cracking down on retail theft, using undercover officers to hold shoplifters accountable.

Last week, the department ran a retail theft emphasis patrol at Gig Harbor stores including Ulta, Home Depot, and Safeway. In a 48-hour span, officers were able to arrest 19 people for retail theft.

“It’s a squirt gun against a forest fire, right? But it’s our squirt gun,” said Chief Busey.

That’s how he describes their response to retail theft, a crime raging nationwide.

Nearly $122 billion was lost last year alone.

“The threat of being chased isn’t there,” said Chief Busey. “And the criminals have figured that out. So, if they can get from inside the store with their stolen merchandise to a car, they can flee with no repercussion.”

Which is why his department is doing ongoing emphasis patrols at local stores. Often going undercover to catch thieves in the act.

“That catches them off guard and that’s what we want,” said Chief Busey.

And, it’s what consumers need to keep prices down.

“These are not victimless crimes,” said Mark Johnson with the Washington Retail Association. “Those costs are unfortunately passed down to the consumer in higher costs for the goods that they are purchasing, and also product shortages.”

The growing impact is not lost on local police.

“We realize that a department of our size isn’t going to solve retail theft in all of Western Washington, said Chief Busey. “But our officers are very passionate about protecting this community. And we want to try to send that message that we don’t want criminals coming to Gig Harbor to commit these thefts.”

He told KIRO 7 that the department plans on conducting more emphasis patrols in the future.