2025 Starts with More Questions Than Answers About Retail Crime
Where the fight against retail crime goes in 2025

As the industry still struggles to track & fight shrink, there's now less data than ever.

Retailers are starting off the year with more questions than answers about theft and merchandise loss.

Crime in general remains a top concern, according to a report the National Retail Federation released last month, a survey of loss prevention and security executives at 164 mid-size to large retailers. Such executives at more than 82 of those companies agreed that certain issues, all related to crime, were more of a concern than they had been a year before, including: organized retail crime, shoplifting, return fraud, repeat offenses and theft related to the in-store pickup or return of merchandise that had been ordered online.

But the impact on retailers has been tough to measure, and it's unclear how reliable this report is. In 2023, the NRF retracted a key claim about how much merchandise shrink is due to organized retail crime, following Retail Dive's 2023 discovery of a major flaw in the group's estimation of crime's impact on shrink. Then, in 2024, the group ceased publication of the annual shrink report that had guided the industry for more than 30 years.

The executives reported a 26% increase in shoplifting from 2022 to 2023, and "a 93% increase in the average number of shoplifting incidents per year in 2023 versus 2019 and a 90% increase in dollar loss due to shoplifting during that same time period."

The National Incident-Based Reporting System, or NIBRS, also shows shoplifting rates up 93% from 2019 to 2023, a finding that NRF calls a coincidence. However, the law enforcement agency has another more established database (the Summary Reporting System) that shows the nationwide shoplifting rate for those two years as about even. However, NIBRS' spike is not entirely due to actual crime rates, but, rather, reflects the ongoing addition of new sources of crime statistics. This makes the Summary more accurate for now, Ernesto Lopez, senior research specialist at the Council on Criminal Justice, told Retail Dive last year.

While theft remains a major source of shrink, it may not loom as large as some retailers believe, given that other sources have been consistently underappreciated for years, according to Brand Elverston, founder and principal of Elverston Consulting and a loss prevention expert. If loss prevention strategies are failing to stem shrink, it may be because they are too narrowly focused, he said.  retaildive.com


Did CVS Just Solve the Product Lockdown Problem?
No more waiting for workers to unlock your products

CVS rolls out app that allows customers to unlock anti-theft shelves: 'People really, really dislike locked cabinets'
Gone are the days of waiting for workers to unlock your deodorant and shampoo from behind their plastic prisons.

A new feature in the CVS Health app, which was overhauled and released Tuesday, will allow customers to unlock a theft-proof cabinet themselves, a time-efficient tool that is currently being piloted in three New York City locations.

To combat thieves, drugstores across the city have put many of their goods behind lock and key, forcing shoppers to wait for an employee to retrieve the item instead.

As a result, some irate shoppers have waited upward of 40 minutes to shop the shelves, an investigation of various Walmart, Target and CVS locations previously revealed.

Now, New Yorkers who frequent the CVS locations at 630 Lexington Ave., 540 Amsterdam Ave. and 158 Bleecker St. will have newfound powers through the company's revamped app.

"People really, really dislike locked cabinets," Tilak Mandadi, executive vice president at CVS Health, told The Wall Street Journal, emphasizing the need for prioritizing the customer experience and convenience.

To use the unlocking function, customers must be logged into the CVS Health app and be connected to the store's Wi-Fi with their Bluetooth enabled.

The feature is expected to expand to 10 to 15 additional stores, 10 of which will be located on the West Coast. nypost.com


Updated ORC Bill with Harsher Punishments
Bill filed to combat organized retail crime in Tennessee
A plan is in the works to crack down on organized retail theft in the Volunteer State.

According to the National Retail Federation, organized retail crime is the large-scale theft of retail merchandise with the intent to resell the items for financial gain.

Rep. Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville) said when his original Organized Retail Crime Prevention Act was passed in 2017, it was amongst the first of its kind. Fast forward more than seven years, Zachary told News 2 that just like technology advances, criminals are also evolving, so he filed HB207 intending to strengthen the law to be able to keep step with the bad actors.

"We're going in and updating definitions within code to ensure that we're capturing all the technology that's being utilized now by criminals, so that way, when we go to prosecute, we have the specifics in place, where the DAs are able to take the updated definitions and code, and specifically go after the criminals who are utilizing technology to steal and defraud retailers," Zachary said.

Under the updated bill, Zachary is pushing for harsher punishments for offenders. It's currently a Class A misdemeanor if the stolen product is valued at $1,000 or less. Anything over that amount becomes a felony charge.

He's also hoping to expand the violations to include removing anti-shoplifting devices, interfering with fire alarm systems, selling stolen goods online, returning stolen or counterfeit merchandise and possessing 10 or more fraudulently obtained access devices.

If passed, the organized retail crime bill would take effect on July 1, 2025. wkrn.com


The Global Fight to Reduce Retail Theft
Anti-crime pods help reduce theft, says shop owner
A shop owner said a new anti-crime kit that resembles a Dalek has reduced shoplifting in a town centre. Vintage Guru, in Northampton, was given two Safer Pod systems, which monitor activity in a store with a floor-based CCTV system.

The devices were provided by the office of Danielle Stone, Northamptonshire's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, as part of a pilot scheme to prevent retail crime.

Julie Teckman, the owner of Vintage Guru, said: "We've had them since early December and they have reduced the amount of opportunist theft in the shop."

Ms Teckman described the new safety pods as looking similar to a Dalek from Doctor Who. "They are quite big and noticeable, which you need so people know they are being watched.

"It's more about feeling like there is something helping you prevent crime as a lot of our time is taken up watching out for shoplifters and stopping people from thieving. We have had to employ more staff and install cameras due to crime, so it is nice having the support of the pods."  bbc.com


Dallas Is Part of National Crime Decrease as Murders Drop Below Pre-Pandemic Level

D.C. homicides: Tracking the District's violent crime in 2025
 

Simplifying transformation in retail safety
and security

Change can be daunting. No matter the size of the organization, AP/LP leaders sometimes struggle to change established methods - even when they recognize the need for it. This resistance to change can hinder progress and limit the effectiveness of AP/LP efforts.

But what if there were ways to make transformation smoother and more manageable? In this article, Auror dives deep into the concept of change management in the context of retail safety and security and provides four practical strategies to simplify your organization's approach:

1. Educate the entire organization, early and often
2. Define key stakeholders
3. Plan for how to implement and connect different solutions
4. Measure and communicate success

Read more: auror.co/the-intel/ways-to-simplify-ap-lp-transformation.
 

Santa Clarita Valley, CA: Juvenile Among Eight Arrested During Canyon Country Retail Theft Suppression Operation
On Tuesday, deputies with the CPU conducted a retail theft suppression operation near the Target on Golden Valley Road in Canyon Country, said Deputy Robert Jensen, spokesperson for the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station. The deputies were able to identify and arrest seven suspects for felony offenses and one misdemeanor suspect. Three individuals from the Antelope Valley were caught with over $2,500 in stolen merchandise from three different local retailers. Deputies determined they also had multiple convictions for prior thefts. The three remain in custody at this time and are scheduled to appear in court Thursday. A father-son duo from North Hollywood were caught working to steal cosmetic items, according to Jensen. In addition to theft charges, the father was also charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor for involving his juvenile son in the crime. The juvenile was released on a citation to appear in court with a parent at a later date. A 66-year-old woman from Canyon Country was booked for shoplifting and released on citation to appear in court at a later date. A 25-year-old man from Palmdale, booked for outstanding no-bail warrants. He remains in custody at this time. A 36-year-old man from Van Nuys, booked for having over 160,000 in outstanding warrants. He remains in custody at this time.  hometownstation.com


San Diego, CA: Burglars Make Off with Thousands of Dollars Worth of Wine in Pre-Dawn Heist
Two burglars made off with thousands of dollars worth of wine early Wednesday after breaking into a Mission Valley store. Surveillance video showed the duo trying to enter the Total Wine & More store on Rio San Diego by jamming the lock on a side door at around 4:20 a.m., according to OnScene.TV. They failed, but gained access by breaking the lock on a second door and tearing through drywall to enter the main store. San Diego police said the burglars sought out the expensive bottles of wine, before using bolt cutters to remove a lock on the receiving bay doors in the warehouse, where they loaded up a vehicle with the merchandise. Officers did not find anyone inside the store.  timesofsandiego.com


Scarborough, ON, Canada: Five Suspects wanted after truck driven into Scarborough store, another robbed
Suspects are being sought after a truck drove into a store at a Scarborough plaza on Wednesday night as part of a robbery. Toronto Police said on social-media site X that a robbery happened at 6:24 p.m. at a plaza in the Eglinton Ave.-Brimley Rd. area. A truck drove into a store, at which point suspects in the truck allegedly robbed another store before fleeing in a separate vehicle. Police said the truck also struck a gas line and the area was being evacuated. Police said at about 8 p.m. that the gas line had been capped. In a follow-up post, police said four to five suspects fled the scene in a light-coloured vehicle. No suspect descriptions were immediately available. Police said there were no physical injuries reported.  torontosun.com


Peel, ON, Canada: 6 charged after $60,000 of Butter products stolen from grocery stores in Peel Region
Six people have been charged in connection with an investigation into the theft of $60,000 worth of butter and ghee in Peel Region. On Wednesday, PRP announced that three suspects, identified as Vishavjeet Singh, Sukmander Singh, and Dalwal Sidhu, were charged with possession of property obtained by crime. Three others were also arrested and charged with theft under $5,000. They have been identified as 22-year-old Navdeep Chaudhary, 38-year-old Kamaldeep Singh, and 25-year-old Harkerat Singh. Police say their investigation, which also looks into businesses accepting the stolen products, is ongoing. Similar incidents have been reported across Ontario, including one in Brantford where suspects stole about $1,200 worth of butter from a grocery store. Scott Tracey, a spokesperson Guelph Police Service, told CTVNews.ca in November that there appears to be an online black market for butter. One expert noted that that butter thefts would continue as long as the cost of living and food prices remained high.  ctvnews.ca


Markham, ON, Canada: 5 arrested in failed Markham jewelry store robbery

Lancaster, PA: Thieves steal $3,200 worth of merchandise from 2 stores at Tanger Outlets in Lancaster County

Darien, CT: Police Charge Woman, 37, Accused of Stealing Almost $3,000 Worth of High-End Hair Products

Monroe Township, PA: Brookville Teen Faces Theft, Corruption Charges After Computer Equipment Stolen from Walmart