WSJ Calls Out Progressive DAs For Retail Shoplifting Epidemic & ORC Spike

'America’s Shoplifting Epidemic'

Walk into a big-city pharmacy these days and you’ll notice that much of the merchandise is in locked plastic cases. Dishwasher pods, shaving cream, even shampoo bottles are locked up to reduce losses from what has become a shoplifting epidemic.

Two recent reports show the scope of the stealing. Business.org surveyed some 700 small businesses and found that 54% had an increase in shoplifting last year. Small business owners reported that daily shoplifting nearly doubled year-over-year, from 14% in 2020 to 23% in 2021, with 25% of respondents dealing with shoplifting on a weekly basis and 23% on a daily basis. The National Retail Federation surveyed 61 medium to large retailers and found that organized retail crime cost an average of more than $700,000 per $1 billion in sales in 2020.

Mike DeAngelis, a spokesman for the CVS drug-store chain, says “our stores have experienced a 300% increase in retail theft incidents since the pandemic began.” In New York City, retail-theft complaints rose by nearly 16% between 2019 and 2021, according to police. The clearance rate, which means when a suspect is arrested or identified, dropped to 28.4% from 48.5% over the same period. In San Francisco, retail theft drove five Walgreens stores out of business last October.

WSJ Supports the INFORM Consumers Act

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s response is to urge Congress to pass the Integrity, Notification, and Fairness in Online Retail Marketplaces for Consumers Act. The legislation would require Amazon, Ebay and other online platforms to verify the identity of any seller who makes 200 or more sales valued at a total of $5,000 or more a year. When a seller passes $25,000 in annual sales, the online platform would have to disclose publicly the seller’s name and current contact details.

The political assault on police has also reduced the number of cops across the U.S., even as homicides, shootings and other violent offenses have surged. That leaves fewer cops to address crimes like theft. In cities with progressive prosecutors, even repeat thieves are often freed without legal consequences.

The Chamber recommends that states change the criminal code to address organized retail theft and increase penalties. Fine with us, but cities also have to end the impunity that’s driving this stealing spree.

Editor's Note: WSJ video calls out progressive DAs across the country and says they appear to be in a state of 'denial.' An absolute must watch video as we've never heard such a plain spoken, honest and direct description of the current state of affairs.