December shoplifting incidents doubled last year from seven in 2013 to 15 in 2014. Bremerton Police attributed this to the privatization of alcohol in 2012.

“The majority of our shoplifting calls from the last few months have been alcohol (specifically liquor, not beer or wine) from grocery stores in which the liquor is not well secured,” said Steve Strachan, Bremerton Police chief. “This did not happen before privatization.”

In November 2014 there were 12 incidents, in October there were eight and in September there were 12.

Strachan said much of the rise is due to the increased number of stores selling alcohol.

“Most of our suspects are taking it for personal use, and its mostly high-alcohol products and it’s perceived as a low- risk crime,” Strachan said.

State-run liquor stores were fewer in number and had better security, Strachan said.

“The ubiquity of alcohol in so many more places, combined with less thoughtful security measures, means people, including juveniles, have much more access,” Strachan said.

Some concern has been raised about organized retail crime (ORC), in which thieves resell what they steal.

“I can tell you anecdotally we’re not getting reports of organized retail theft,” Strachan said. “One of the things we’re seeing is people walking in and walking out with alcohol.”

Multiple grocery stores declined to comment for this story.