Key Points
- Ordinance No. 2026-033 has moved forward for retail theft reporting through first reading by the Castle Rock Town Council.
- The ordinance would make corporate entities report the theft of their property to law enforcement within 96 hours.
- The ordinance would ban company policies that prevent staff from reporting to the police regarding the theft of property.
- Businesses will be penalized for not preserving any evidence, such as videos and photos.
- The ordinance seeks to add Section 9.09.050 to the Castle Rock Municipal Code.
- The ordinance was passed at first reading by a 4-3 vote, according to minutes from the meeting.
- The proposal includes future review in June 2027.
- The council members were previously divided over the proposal and were worried about penalties and how the proposal affected the relationship between the police and retailers.
- Police Chief Jack Cauley supported the intent of the proposal but warned that criminal penalties could affect relations between police and retailers.
- The proposal came after a similar proposal that was approved in Douglas County in the previous year.
Castle (Wales Times) October 22, 2026 — The uk/local/swansea/castle/">Castle Rock Town Council has moved forward with a proposed ordinance that would require corporate retailers to report thefts to law enforcement within 96 hours, after the measure passed its first reading by a 4-3 vote, according to meeting records.
As reported by Castle Rock News Press, the council is considering an ordinance designed to address retail theft reporting practices in the town. The publication reported that the proposal would require the town’s retailers to report theft incidents, with the council split on the decision before the ordinance advanced on first reading.
The proposal, formally introduced as Ordinance No. 2026-033, would add Section 9.09.050 to the Castle Rock Municipal Code. According to Town of Castle Rock records cited by Hoodline, it would establish “reasonable grounds” standards for corporate entities and define a report as notification to police through official crime-reporting channels within 96 hours.
What would the ordinance require?
The ordinance would require corporate entities to report thefts to law enforcement. It would also prohibit internal policies that prevent store employees from notifying police about theft incidents.
As reported by Nicholas Fogleman of Colorado Politics, the measure would additionally penalise businesses that fail to maintain evidence, including video footage and photographs.
Hoodline reported that the evidence-preservation provision has local relevance because store surveillance footage helped Castle Rock police identify suspects after a two-day retail crime spree near South Wilcox Street and West Plum Creek Parkway in March 2025.
Why is Castle Rock considering the rule?
According to town documents cited by Colorado Politics, some retailers operating in Castle Rock have policies prohibiting employees from reporting thefts. Council members argued that such policies can affect public safety and limit law enforcement’s ability to address retail crime.
Police Chief Jack Cauley said retail theft is a national issue and argued that many problems arise when law enforcement does not respond to thefts in a timely or meaningful way. He stressed that this has not been the case in Castle Rock.
“The retailers trust that when they call us, we are going to respond and take appropriate action,” Cauley said, as reported by Colorado Politics.
Cauley expressed support for the ordinance’s intent, but raised concerns that the proposal could affect the police department’s relationship with retailers. “If we are telling them, if you don’t do x, y, z, you could be at risk of being charged with a crime,” he said. “That doesn’t play well with the trust we’ve built with them.”
How did council members respond?
Council members were divided on the proposal as originally drafted. Councilmember Kevin Bracken questioned why the council was considering an ordinance that had not been requested by police.
Mayor Pro Tem Laura Cavey raised concerns that the requirement could damage trust in the community. “What I don’t want to do is hurt that relationship by requiring retailers to do something within 96 hours and put them at odds with our police,” Cavey said, according to Colorado Politics.
Councilmember Max Brooks expressed general support for the ordinance but sought amendments before adoption. He asked for clarity on which businesses would be covered and requested a threshold value for stolen property before the reporting requirement would apply. Brooks said the proposal was intended to target large corporate retailers rather than small businesses.
At an earlier stage, the council continued the item to a future meeting rather than voting on it. The measure later returned to the council agenda, where it passed on first reading by 4-3, with a June 2027 review included, according to My Town View’s meeting record.
How does it compare with Douglas County?
The Castle Rock proposal follows a similar measure adopted by Douglas County last year. Colorado Politics reported that the county ordinance applies to businesses in unincorporated areas and includes fines of $50 for every 24 hours a theft remains unreported after the 96-hour deadline, capped at $1,000.
Castle Rock is an incorporated municipality within Douglas County and governs itself separately, meaning it is not automatically bound by county rules. Hoodline reported that town leaders therefore debated their own thresholds and exemptions rather than directly adopting the county framework.
What broader figures have been cited?
Hoodline reported that retail theft cost Colorado businesses an estimated $1.3 billion in lost product value in 2022 and cost the state roughly $78 million in forfeited sales tax revenue, according to a November 2025 report from the Common Sense Institute.
The same report said industry research cited by Douglas County officials indicates that roughly 89% of retail theft incidents nationally go unreported. Hoodline also reported that roughly 75% of crimes in Douglas County involved people who did not live there, according to the Castle Pines Connection.
The reporting also referenced a March 2025 case in which a member of a Venezuelan organised retail theft ring operating across the Denver metro area was sentenced in Douglas County District Court to 17 years in prison for stealing more than $238,000 in goods from retailers, including stores in Castle Rock. The 23rd Judicial District Attorney’s Office was cited as the source for that case.
What happens next?
The ordinance has passed first reading, but the available reporting does not provide the full text of the final adopted version, the precise penalty schedule, or the date of a second reading and final vote. The council record reported by My Town View indicates that the measure includes a June 2027 review.
The town’s public notice page had previously listed the proposal as “An Ordinance Amending Title 9 of the Castle Rock Municipal Code by the Addition of a New Section 9.09.050 Requiring Corporate Entities to Report Theft” for consideration at the September 15, 2026 Town Council meeting.
Background of the development
Castle Rock’s proposal emerged amid wider concern about retail theft in Colorado and the Denver metropolitan area. Colorado Politics reported that the town’s draft followed a similar Douglas County measure adopted the previous year, which imposed fines on unreported thefts in unincorporated areas.
The local debate has focused on the balance between improving police access to theft reports and evidence, and avoiding burdens or penalties that could strain relationships between retailers, employees and the Castle Rock Police Department. Chief Cauley’s comments, as reported by Colorado Politics, reflected that tension: he backed the objective of ensuring thefts are reported, while cautioning against measures that could make retailers wary of contacting police.
Prediction: how could this affect retailers and residents?
For large corporate retailers in Castle Rock, the ordinance could lead to changes in internal loss-prevention policies, staff training and evidence-retention procedures. Stores may need clearer processes for reporting thefts through official police channels within 96 hours and for preserving video footage and photographs connected to incidents.
For smaller businesses, the practical effect may depend on how the council defines “corporate entities” and whether any reporting threshold applies. Councilmember Brooks had previously called for those clarifications, saying the proposal was intended to target large corporate retailers rather than small businesses.
For residents, the measure could improve the amount of theft information and evidence available to Castle Rock police, potentially supporting investigations and patrol decisions. However, its effectiveness will depend on final enforcement details, retailer compliance and whether the June 2027 review identifies any unintended effects on the relationship between businesses and police.
