Washington legislation seeks to add jail time for repeat property crime offenders

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Lawmakers in Olympia are working to help businesses targeted over and over again by crime. Tougher sentences could be coming for the worst of repeat property crime offenders.

Sandy Lew-Hailer of Sandylew boutique near the Seattle waterfront has dealt with repeat property crime, like a busted front door and stolen merchandise. She now keeps her door locked so customers have to knock to get in.

“I've had people run in and take things and try to run out,” Lew-Hailer explained.

To help businesses like hers, Senate Bill 5056 would let prosecutors seek up two additional years on a sentence for some property crimes if they can prove the suspect is a habitual offender.

“The folks that are committing these property crimes are often suffering from a substance abuse addiction or a mental illness, housing insecurity or all of the above,” stated Mark Johnson with the Washington Retail Association (WRA). “When they're looking at serious time behind bars, they're going to be incentivized to receive the treatment they deserve and need to break the cycle, or to get their housing situation put in order.”

The WRA believes it would be a crime deterrent and help decrease property crime numbers statewide. This comes a day after Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz reported crime numbers are likely much higher than what's been reported.

“After talking with a lot of businesses over the last couple years, they have expressed an inability to feel like they can call 911 and get an officer to respond,” Diaz told KOMO News.

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Lew-Hailer explained she does not believe more jail time is the answer to hold repeat offenders accountable, but would like to see them be given mental health help and other resources first.

“I know there are people that might not benefit from it, but I think it’s important to give everybody that opportunity,” she explained.

Down the street at the Seattle Shirt Company, KOMO News has covered countless instances of break-ins.

“Having a small business in Seattle is still extremely difficult, but seeing that there is progress being made at the legislative level makes us very hopeful,” General Manager Kari Hicks wrote in an emailed statement.

“After many break ins and acts of vandalism at most of our locations it is hard to find business insurance, employees and to keep buying merchandise after these break ins. Everything about doing business in the city has been made almost impossible by the lack of accountability by the city and state. In the last few months the police have been more responsive and it seems like businesses in our area are noticing a change and a lowering of crime. If a bill like this were to pass I think it would show that crimes against small businesses cannot be tolerated any longer and that businesses, including their employees and customers, are being seen and valued again.”

The legislation has yet to be voted out of the House. If the legislation passes, the additional jail time would not be mandatory, but up to the prosecutor's discretion.