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The U.S. Crime Surge
The Retail Impact

New Study Shows How Mass Shootings Impact Retailers
486 mass shooting incidents at or near a retail location between January 2022 and June 2023

STUDY: Mass Shootings and Their Impact on Retail
Mass shootings in the United States have become more frequent in recent years. Between 2016 and 2019, the country averaged 371 mass shootings per year. This number rose to 650 annually between 2020 and 2023. The growing prevalence of mass shootings presents challenges for retail businesses.

First, retail locations such as shopping malls are common targets due to their high foot traffic, making them the most common setting, followed by restaurants and bars. Second, nearly two-thirds of retailers have identified mass violence or active assailant events as a growing concern (National Retail Federation 2023). In response to the recent uptick in mass shootings, some public companies have started assessing and disclosing the potential financial impact of these events in their annual reports.

Although the human toll of these events is evident, their economic impact on retail businesses is not known. We present the first systematic investigations into the economic cost of mass shootings to retail businesses and how they impact consumers.

We examine the record of all mass shootings in the United States that occurred at or near a retail location between January 2022 and June 2023, totaling 486 incidents. By tracking the performance of 16,431 individual retail businesses over a 30-month period, our DID estimates show that, on average, affected stores experienced a 12.9% reduction in transactions and a 4.8% decrease in order size, leading to an overall 18.7% decrease in revenue. These findings are corroborated by foot traffic data, which show significant reductions in both foot traffic and dwell time at the affected stores after incidents. When examining store closures due to mass shootings, we find that 16.7% of affected stores shut down. However, certain types of stores, such as branded and franchised stores, are less likely to close.

Accounting for store closures and using DID estimates based on the proximity of stores to incidents, we estimate the nationwide economic cost of mass shootings at $27 billion annually in forgone revenue for affected retailers, equivalently erasing 0.5% of the U.S. retail gross domestic product (GDP) each year.

The decrease in foot traffic and dwell times at impacted stores following an incident suggests that heightened consumer fear and safety concerns may lead consumers to avoid or curtail time spent there. Further supporting this, we observe heterogeneous effects by business type, with nonessential stores more affected than essential ones, evidence of channel substitution from in-person to online shopping, and moderation by local exposure to gun-related violence, where stores in areas with higher firearm mortality experience smaller impacts. pubsonline.informs.org


Retailers Turn to Cart Locking Tech to Fight ORC
How Cart Locking Technology Helps Retailers Combat Organized Retail Theft

By the D&D Daily staff

Retailers across the country are facing an alarming rise in organized retail theft, where coordinated groups target stores to steal large quantities of merchandise. These crimes not only lead to significant financial losses but also create safety concerns for employees and customers. To combat this growing issue, many retailers are turning to cart locking technology as a proactive security measure.

Cart locking systems work by using sensors, electronic brakes, and designated boundary lines to prevent shopping carts from being removed from store premises. When a cart reaches the edge of a store's parking lot or another restricted area, its wheels automatically lock, making it nearly impossible to push further. This technology is often integrated with RFID tags or underground wiring to ensure precise control over cart movement.

By preventing thieves from easily rolling out large amounts of stolen goods, cart locking technology acts as a powerful deterrent against organized retail crime. Retailers that have implemented these systems report fewer theft incidents, improved inventory protection, and a safer shopping experience for customers. Additionally, the technology helps reduce operational costs associated with lost carts and stolen merchandise.

As organized retail crime continues to evolve, retailers must stay ahead with innovative solutions. Cart locking technology is proving to be an effective and practical tool in the ongoing effort to curb theft and protect businesses from financial and security threats.


CLEAR President Brendan "Ben" Dugan Discusses ORC in New Podcast
FBI National Academy Associates Podcast: Organized Retail Crime, It's Impact and Implications
It seems we are constantly hearing about how retail crimes are getting more and more brazen, sophisticated, and organized across the country. Today, we will be looking at the topic of Organized Retail Crime and its impact and implications to communities, businesses, and consumers as well as the nexus between organized retail crime, fraud, financial crimes, organized crime, slave labor, human trafficking, narcotics trafficking, terrorism and other major crimes impacting communities both in the US and abroad.

Brendan "Ben" Dugan, Executive Director, Central Investigations CVS Health

Ben Dugan, CFI, is the Executive Director of Organized Retail Crime and Central Investigations at CVS Health. Ben possesses over 30 years retail loss prevention experience ranging from Big Box, Catalog, Pharmacy and Specialty retailers. Ben is certified as an expert in Organized Retail Crime and Diversion by the U.S. Department of Justice and holds additional certifications as a Law Enforcement Instructor, Certified Forensic Interviewer (CFI) and in E-Commerce Investigative Methodologies.

Ben has provided expert testimony in dozens of high-profile criminal cases and testified at the highest levels of Government, including the U.S. Congress to advance ORC legislation and initiatives across the country. His work on ORC, Transnational Crime, Money Laundering, and violent crime is regularly featured in the national media and industry conferences.

Ben is the sitting President of the National Coalition of Law Enforcement and Retail. buzzsprout.com
 

Backlash Against SF Police Car Chase Policies
Voters recently voted to loosen restrictions on police chases to allow for vehicle pursuits for retail and vehicle theft if they can be done safely

San Francisco police chase, parklet crash prompts scrutiny of new chase policy
Proposition E, pushed by former Mayor London Breed, supported by Mayor Daniel Lurie, and passed by the city's voters in March 2024, loosened restrictions on police chases to allow for vehicle pursuits for retail and vehicle theft if they can be done safely. The police department's previous policy limited car chases to those only involving violent crime suspects.

Fields, whose district encompasses the Mission District, said California state law requires members of law enforcement to balance the offense and need for immediate capture against the risks to motorists, pedestrians, and officers.

Fields said Prop E's passage makes San Francisco an outlier among major cities that limit pursuits to only the most serious crimes and is at odds with a 2023 report funded by the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration urging police to limit chases to those involving violent crime suspects and which pose an imminent threat to others.

An investigation by the San Francisco Chronicle found that at least 3,336 people were killed in police pursuits nationwide between 2017 and 2022, and 551 of those deaths were bystanders. Many of these chases followed low-level crimes with officers rarely held accountable when car chases resulted in death or injury, the report found. cbsnews.com

 
NC data dashboard shows juvenile crime on the rise

People are getting arrested under California's new tough-on-crime law. Some counties aren't ready.
 

Brooklyn, NY: Daring thief steals $1.5 million in luxurious items from closing Macy's store - then drops it while getting away
Brooklyn detectives are on the hunt for the daring masked thief who almost got away with more than a million dollars in jewelry stolen from a soon-to-be-closed Macy's store. According to police, the crook - while disguising himself as a security guard - got into the Downtown Brooklyn Macy's at 422 Fulton St. just after closing time, at about 10:15 p.m. on Feb. 10. The location is one of many Macy's locations permanently shuttering nationwide as the chain cuts operating costs. Store staff later told officers that a masked man entered the store by unknown means, changed clothing, and concealed himself as a security guard until after the store had closed for the day. Once the floor was empty of patrons, authorities said, he began helping himself to expensive jewelry, stuffing the exquisite items into a suitcase until the goods had totaled about $1.5 million in worth. According to police sources, the jewelry thief was spotted by a store employee leaving through the Hoyt Street exit and decided to follow him. The worker then confronted the crook near 6 Hoyt St., an encounter that led the thief to drop the hot items and flee southbound on foot.  amny.com


North Plainfield, NJ: Smash and grab burglars steal large haul of Apple devices from North Plainfield store
Police are investigating a commercial burglary on Somerset Street after suspects broke into a business and stole a significant number of Apple iPhones and iPads. According to the North Plainfield Police Department, the burglary occurred at a store in Somerset Square. Surveillance footage captured the suspects arriving in a silver Volkswagen Tiguan with unknown registration. They gained entry by shattering the glass front door before stealing the electronics.  shorenewsnetwork.com


Windsor, ON, Canada: Three charged, one sought, in Windsor retail theft investigation
Windsor police have arrested three people, and are seeking a fourth, in a major shoplifting probe. Investigators say that at least five big-box stores were hit by the same group of people, between August 25, 2024, and January 27. The total value of merchandise stolen was $3,377.84.  ctvnews.ca


Bowling Green, KY: Man accused of shoplifting $1000 of tools in Kentucky, Indiana

Zachary, LA: Man wanted for allegedly stealing $1,000 worth of merchandise during 2-day spree