ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Shoplifters who have racked up misdemeanor after misdemeanor in Anchorage could soon face felony charges — not because of any new law, officials say, but because the state and city are now using tools they already had.
Attorney General Stephen Cox and Anchorage Municipal Attorney Eva Gardner signed a memorandum of understanding Jan. 8, formalizing a joint task force to address retail theft, public-space disorder and other quality-of-life crimes.
Both officials described a partnership designed to eliminate the jurisdictional gaps they say have allowed repeat offenders to cycle through the system without consequence…