At Least 8 States Passed Anti-Theft Bills in 2024
Shoplifting report shows why retailers are locking up the razor blades

States, including Iowa, respond with harsher penalties

Shoplifting rates in the three largest U.S. cities - New York, Los Angeles and Chicago - remain higher than they were before the pandemic, according to a recent report from the nonpartisan research group Council on Criminal Justice.

"There is this sense of brazenness that people have - they can just walk in and steal stuff. ... That hurts the consumer, and it hurts the company," said Alex Piquero, a criminology professor at the University of Miami and former director of the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics, in an interview.

At least eight states - Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, New York and Vermont - passed a total of 14 bills in 2024 aimed at tackling retail theft, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The measures range from redefining retail crimes and adjusting penalties to allowing cross-county aggregation of theft charges and protecting retail workers.

Both houses of the Iowa Legislature last March unanimously passed House File 2594, which created the new state crime of organized retail theft - defined as the crime when individuals working together steal retail merchandise and then attempt to sell that merchandise, advertise the stolen merchandise for sale or attempt to return the stolen merchandise for a refund.

Depending on the value of merchandise stolen, the crime would range from a serious misdemeanor to a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine between $1,000 and $10,000. Legislators said the bill was needed because of an increase in retail theft in Iowa.

In Cedar Rapids, 1,532 cases of shoplifting were reported in the city in 2024, up from 1,238 in 2023 - a 24 percent increase. thegazette.com


ALTO Senior VP Operations Responds to Ohio's new ORC Law
Ohio takes action against organized retail crime

Retail crime expert Karl Langhorst speaks to trend of increased retail theft

Organized retail crime is on the rise, and Ohio is taking steps to combat this growing issue. Recent legislation aims to protect businesses and consumers from the impacts of professional theft operations.

"These individuals are professional thieves," said Karl Langhorst, an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati's College of Criminal Justice (and Senior VP Operations for ALTO). "This is what they do for a living, and they will resell that product to fencing operations. At the same time, they're also funding other illegal activities with it."

Langhorst says that organized retail crime is far more serious than typical shoplifting. The aftermath extends into the community.

"Stores are closing and that now underserves the community that depended on that store," he said. "Legislators are starting to understand that it's not just a retail problem. It's a community problem."

While these laws are a step in the right direction, Langhorst emphasizes the need for community involvement. "It's just the beginning," he said. "It is absolutely a step in the right direction.

"I don't want to take away from that, but law enforcement can only do so much. Retailers can do so much. The community has to get behind these laws and say, 'Hey, I've had enough.'"

One way shoppers can help combat organized retail crime is by being cautious when making purchases and making sure the buyer online is verified. 10tv.com


Canada Fights Back Against ORC Epidemic
'I have never seen anything like this in my nearly 50 years in the grocery industry.'

Canadian retailers are facing a $9.1-billion problem: Organized theft

Retailers are upping their security systems to fight back against thieves. But some worry the cost of increased measures will be passed on to consumers

While shoplifting has always existed, retailers across the industry are raising the alarm about a disturbing increase in incidents that are far greater in scale, many of which law enforcement have tied to organized crime. A rising number are turning violent.

In total, Canadian retailers lost $9.1-billion to theft in 2024, the Retail Council of Canada estimates. That's a significant increase from 2018, when annual losses were closer to $5-billion. And roughly 45 per cent of incidents last year included violence against staff or customers, according to the RCC.

Thefts span many categories, including high-value items such as fragrances and electronics, but also personal care items such as moisturizers, vitamins and even perishable foods, including meat and cheese. Criminals then store stolen goods in warehouses and resell them online to Canadians searching for deals amid an affordability crisis. Far from one-off cases of shoplifting, these incidents can involve thousands or tens of thousands of dollars worth of items in a single theft. Recent high-profile robberies of cases full of butter have shone a light on the variety of products that are now a target.

In addition to financial losses, retailers are becoming increasingly alarmed about threats to customers and staff, who have been assaulted during robberies even when they do not attempt to intervene. Executives say they have seen thieves collide with bystanders, including children, as they flee. Some culprits pose as customers and ask for a display case to be unlocked. They then empty the shelves, sometimes assaulting the employee or threatening them with weapons such as hammers and knives.

"Retailers across the country are experiencing a rise in violent incidents, threats and increasingly aggressive behaviour," Darrell Jones, long-time president of Pattison Food Group, wrote in an e-mail to The Globe and Mail. "In fact, I have never seen anything like this in my nearly 50 years in the grocery industry." theglobeandmail.com


Using Tech to Avoid Product Lockdowns
Retailers Rethink Product Lockdowns as Digital Solutions Aim to Fix Security
As Katy Dubinsky, founder and CEO of Vitalize, said in an interview with PYMNTS, the strategy of locking up products has caused customer frustration, making shopping slower and less convenient, ultimately pushing shoppers toward online alternatives.

"It was done to reduce theft, but it ended up pushing customers toward easier options like online shopping," Dubinsky said. "Pharmacies need to focus on making the shopping experience faster and more welcoming. If this marks the end of product lockdowns, pharmacies should focus on creating faster, more welcoming shopping experiences to win back customers."

One key theme retail pharmacies should focus on is the digital experience, Dubinsky added. "They can improve apps for easier online shopping and offer quick in-store pickups," she said. "Subscription options for common products and posting helpful tips on social media could also increase engagement."

"Instead, they can use security tags on high-risk products or place those items near the checkout area where theft is harder," she said. "Have a loss prevention officer monitoring cameras during the hours of operation and have security by the door to ensure no items are removed without being paid for."

This change is crucial, Dubinsky added, as locking up products erodes trust, making customers feel unwelcome. "Loyalty can be rebuilt by improving access to products, creating a friendlier shopping environment, and making customers feel valued again," she told PYMNTS.

Combining the digital and in-store experience will go a long way toward rebuilding trust and increasing in-store engagement, Dubinsky noted. The impact of locked cases on customer loyalty is a significant issue for retailers, as seamless shopping experiences are essential for maintaining customer satisfaction.  pymnts.com


In Washington County, even the top prosecutor chases suspected shoplifters

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'Retail Crime Uncovered': Special Episode #3

In this jam-packed round up of the latest developments in retail crime, Emmeline outlines the key recommendations from the UK House of Lords Inquiry into shoplifting with special guest, Chris Noice from the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS). In Newscast, we learn about the growing trend for targeting luxury food items such as artisan cheese and champagne and exporting it into international markets, as well as the million dollar gift card scams hitting the USA and attracting the attention of Homeland Security. The Country Focus takes in South Africa and RCU guest Andre Jordaan describes the 'war on the highway'.
 

Stream It Here

Westminster, CO: Police said $1 Million In Thefts From Lululemon Stores Started in Colorado
Colorado police investigators said a series of organized retail thefts hitting Lululemon stores across the country began with a two-day theft spree along Colorado's Front Range, which has led to the arrest of a husband and wife suspected of masterminding the cross-country retail thefts. Jadion Anthony Richards and his wife, Adwele Adams, are facing theft charges in Adams County and are under investigation in at least four other states in connection with the Lululemon crime wave. Attempts to reach Richards and Adams by email, text message, and other electronic means were not successful. In an arrest affidavit from Westminster Police, a detective who specializes in organized retail crimes outlined how Richards and Adams allegedly cost Lululemon $1 million in financial losses over just a few months. "It's exploding. Truly out of control," said Chris Howes, President of the Colorado Retail Council, which represents some of the largest retailers in Colorado. "The organized retail groups that come to our stores in Colorado go right down the highway," said Howes. "They're very organized and they'll knock off one store after another," he said.  cbsnews.com


West Chester, PA: Man involved in multi-county retail thefts slated for trial in Chester County
Two or three people would enter a "big box" retail store and wander the aisles with shopping carts, loading them with big ticket items like Apple products or other tech goodies. Then one of the people would leave the store without any merchandise and get into a black Jeep Grand Cherokee parked outside. That person would then drive around to the side or rear of the store where a fire exit was located. The others would then push the shopping cart out of the fire exit and quickly load the items they had not paid for into the Jeep and drive away. Knowing their movements would be on surveillance cameras, the thieves would often change license plates to divert attention from law enforcement. On occasion, when a store employee would see them and try to stop their flight, one of the suspects would pull a gun out and threaten the person. The plan worked and worked and worked. A multi-state task force from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware identified approximately 92 thefts from Walmart and Target stores in those states over one year. The loss was estimated at $200,000, according to court documents. Investigators in that team identified several of those men and women.  msn.com


Arnold, MO: Store employee voided transactions to help shoplifters steal nearly $9000 in merchandise
A Jefferson County Circuit Court judge issued a criminal summons on Friday to a St. Louis woman accused of helping others steal thousands of dollars in merchandise from a store in Arnold. According to the Arnold Police Department's probable cause statement, the theft happened on Aug. 10, 2024, between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., at an unnamed store. Police said an employee at the store, identified as Kindra M. Smole, assisted seven others in taking 380 pieces of merchandise, consisting of clothing, household items, jewelry, perfume, cologne, toys, and rugs, and totaling $8,937.  fox2now.com


St. Francois County, MO: Update: Man Sentenced to 77 Months for Farm and Home Store Burglary
A St. Francois County man was sentenced to 77 months in prison for stealing firearms and other items from a Farm and Home store in Potosi, Missouri, the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Missouri announced Jan. 25. U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey also ordered Gregory Snyder, 46, to pay $11,484 in restitution for the stolen goods, according to the department. The department reported that Snyder hid inside the store on Sept. 19, 2021, and emerged after closing time to steal power tools, camping gear, and 13 firearms, including eight rifles and five shotguns. Snyder loaded the guns and other stolen items into his car and drove to a river in eastern Washington County, where he hid the goods, the U.S. attorney's office said.  newsbreak.com