California Making 'Remarkable' Progress in Fighting ORC
$5.7M in Stolen Goods Recovered, 636 Arrests Over Last 5 Months

State's organized retail crime takedown results in 525% increase in recovering stolen goods

So far this year, officers have made 636 arrests, recovered 216,754 stolen goods

Continuing to increase efforts to crackdown on organized retail crime in California, state law enforcement officials have made 636 arrests and recovered 216,754 stolen goods, valued at nearly $5.7 million, in the last five months. Compared to the same period last year, arrests are up 167%, recovered stolen goods rose 525%, with their estimated value up 140%.

As state law enforcement officials continue to step up efforts to stop organized retail crime in California, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the California Highway Patrol (CHP) has made 636 arrests and recovered 216,754 stolen goods valued at nearly $5.7 million since January.

Through the state's Organized Retail Crime Taskforce, when compared to the same time period from last year, increased efforts resulted in a 167% increase in arrests, 525% rise in stolen goods recovered, with their estimated value up 140%.

Compared to last year, these increased efforts equal to more than half of all the stolen goods the taskforce recovered in 2023.

Since the inception of this task force in 2019, the CHP has been involved in more than 2,600 investigations, leading to the arrest of over 2,700 suspects and the recovery of over 827,000 stolen goods valued at $43.8 million.

"Through increased enforcement efforts and strategic partnerships, our dedicated investigators continue to achieve remarkable success in combating organized retail crime in California," said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. "The significant increase in arrests and recovery of stolen merchandise underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting our communities and supporting businesses." gov.ca.gov

   RELATED: CA's retail crime takedown recovers 525% more stolen goods


Organized Theft Surge Pushes Retail to 'Reimagine' Shopping Experience
Retailers Ramp Up Security Measures Admist Debated Surge in Organized Theft
The landscape of retail shopping is undergoing significant security transformations as a response to the rise in organized retail theft, a phenomenon that's causing major retailers to reimagine the traditional shopping experience and even change how shops operate. According to ABC15, companies have begun implementing tighter security measures, including locking up inventory and arming loss prevention associates with body cameras in an effort to combat thefts that are impacting the bottom line and, consequently, consumers' wallets.

Crime's ripple effect is visible on the shop floor; Michelle Ahlmer from the Arizona Retail Association-a board member of the Arizona Organized Retail Crime Association-pointed out sizeable thefts are leading to increased investment in security measures such as armed guards and store closures, potentially causing price hikes and service cuts due to lost sales tax revenue, and she also mentioned the problem can extend to the creation of food deserts. Meanwhile, loss prevention teams at the parent company for TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Home Goods are donning body cameras. The footage captured is shared only on request from law enforcement or via a subpoena.

However, the narrative surrounding a tidal wave of retail theft could be overshadowed by misinformation, as a Vera Institute of Justice report suggests. They cast a critical eye on claims made by retail lobbyists about the extent of the theft issue, stating that across most of the country, retail theft was actually lower in 2023 than previous years.

This kind of hyperbolic messaging has led to significant policy discussions, for example, Senator Chuck Grassley's introduction of legislation aimed at fighting what appeared as an onslaught of organized theft.

At the heart of these discussions is the need to differentiate between the narrative presented and the underlying data. The conversation on retail theft is complex, touching on issues of economic disparity, racial justice, and the media's role in shaping public perception. Addressing the issue effectively calls for interventions that extend beyond simply tightening security and implementing harsh punishments-it calls for a balanced approach that accounts for the root causes of theft and the welfare of the very communities that retailers serve.  hoodline.com

   RELATED: Organized retail theft pushes stores to change how we shop


Another State Proposes ORC Legislation
NFIB Testifies on Bill to Stop Organized Retail Theft

The legislation calls for preventative measures and tougher penalties for shoplifting and other crimes

Assistant State Director Cameron Garczyk recently provided written testimony to the House Criminal Justice Committee in support of House Bill 366, legislation to reduce organized retail theft in Ohio.

"House Bill 366 will work to provide a coordinated response to the increase in retail theft and shoplifting taking place in Ohio businesses," Garczyk wrote.

"This measure is necessary as businesses are targeted by individuals who utilize the black market to profit from theft of stolen goods," Garczyk wrote. "The legislation takes a number of important steps aimed at combatting this problem and strengthening the penalties for engaging in such activity."

HB 366 would establish the Organized Retail Theft Advisory Council within the Office of the Attorney General, and the Organized Retail Theft Task Force within the Organized Crime Investigations Commission. "The goal of these entities is to work with retailers and law enforcement from across the state and nation to develop methods and strategies to respond more ably to shoplifting and retail theft activities," Garczyk said. nfib.com


75% Increase in Retail Crime Offenses
Fairfax County faces an "alarming" rise in retail crimes
"We're still struggling with shoplifting and we ended 2023 with just over 7,000 retail crime offenses," said Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis. "The year before we had 4,000. So, we went from 4,000 to 7,000 in just one year, and that's alarming. There's a victim on the other end of that crime. There's someone who's lost a wallet. There's a grocer whose last product. There's a store at Tyson's or Springfield or the Mosaic who now has to raise their prices because their shrinkage is too high. People are stealing too often."

Davis said organized retail criminals are targeting areas like Fairfax County. The retail theft crime is a relatively new law in Virginia that lawmakers passed and Governor Glenn Youngkin signed into law in 2024.

Davis would like the law strengthened.

"The bar to charge people with those crimes is so, so high," said Davis. "I would argue that the bar is too high because, in fact, we've only charged under that new statute six times in well over a year. The statute requires the police to be in a position to prove that the person we apprehended, the defendant, was intending to fence the stolen equipment. A lot of times we don't have that. So, it's terribly difficult." wjla.com


Warm Weather Means More Violence
Authorities across US grapple with a rash of violence in final days of spring
Communities across the country are grappling with a rash of violence in the final days of spring that included at least four mass shootings in one weekend, and continued Monday with stabbings outside an Indiana strip mall.

On Saturday, a lone gunman opened fire at a recreational splash pad in suburban Detroit, injuring nine people, including an 8-year-old who was shot in the head. In Texas, fatal gunfire broke out at a Juneteenth celebration, with two people pronounced dead.

Other shootings and stabbings, in locations from Massachusetts to Indiana, marred the days before spring turns to summer as sweltering heat takes hold in many regions.

Chris Dennison, a sociology professor at the University of Buffalo who researches crime, said the arrival of seasonable weather presents more opportunities for crime and violence, amid heightened concerns about mental health issues and destructive outcomes.

The rash of violence is a counterpoint to FBI data pointing to a sharp drop in violent crime nationwide earlier this year.

Brian Higgins, a lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, said summer heat, large social gatherings and alcohol consumption typically fuel a seasonal increase in violence.

Charis Kubrin, a professor the University of California Irvine's Department of Criminology, Law and Society, said a recent overall decline in violent crime as documented by the FBI comes with limitations because violent crime tends to intensify mid-year and some cities will run counter to national trends. wlox.com


Jacksonville Dollar General Shooting Impact
Dollar General shooting by racist gunman spurs aid for Jacksonville neighborhoods
A pilot program in next year's state budget will use $3 million for helping the part of Jacksonville where a white Clay County resident carrying a swastika-marked rifle killed three Black people at a Dollar General store.

The racist rampage brought condemnations by President Joe Biden and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a hate crime investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office and emergency state funding for Edward Waters University to strengthen security at the historically Black college where the gunman stopped before going to the nearby Dollar General.  jacksonville.com

 
Crime and politics in California
Democrats in Sacramento push package on retail theft with strings attached, Proposition 47 revision heads to November ballot and there's a big gap between Newsom and legislative leaders on prison budget cuts
 
OPINION: More help needed in fighting organized retail theft

Vermont: Local businesses and law enforcement react to stricter retail theft penalties
 

Greenwich, CT: Greenwich police charge man with stealing $41K of Chanel purses from Saks
A third person has been charged in a "grab and go" larceny in which suspects stole more than $41,000 worth of Chanel purses from retail stores last fall, according to police. Greenwich police went to the Orange County Correctional Facility in Goshen, N.Y., to take Shaborn Smith, 35, into custody. Smith had an extraditable felony arrest warrant from Greenwich charging him with organized retail theft of more than $10,000, conspiracy to commit organized retail theft of more than $10,000, first-degree criminal mischief, conspiracy to commit first-degree criminal mischief, first-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny. Smith, of Mount Vernon, N.Y., is being held in lieu of $750,000 bail until he is scheduled to appear in court July 1, police said. Smith is also facing charges for a similar theft involving stolen handbags. On June 19, 2023, a group of retail thieves stole $84,000 in high-end Chanel handbags from Saks Fifth Avenue on Greenwich Avenue, resulting in felony charges being filed against Smith. Two other suspects - Richard Bailey and Billy Pettiford - also have been charged in the organized retail theft, according to Greenwich police Lt. Patrick Smyth, in connection with the September theft.  greenwichtime.com


Lafayette, LA: Lafayette Police Department Bust Organized Shoplifting Ring
The Lafayette Police Department has busted an organized retail theft ring. KLFY TV-10 reports that LPD busted the individuals as they targeted certain stores and merchandise from those stores they entered. According to the Lafayette Police Dept., Danielle Chratain, 37, of Port Arthur, Texas, Kiatasha Gums, 35, of Port Arthur, Texas, Regina George, 41, of Beaumont, Texas, and Erney'Sha Nelson, 17, of Port Arthur, Texas are all charged with organized retail theft. Police were reportedly called to the Academy Sports on Louisiana Ave last weekend after the abovementioned individuals were approached by loss prevention. The suspects dropped what they had in their possession, and fled the store. Well, workers on site were able to record the license plate from the suspect's vehicle and turn that information over to LPD. KLFY reports that the suspects not only hit the store on Louisiana Ave. but they also went to the Academy store on Ambassador Caffery.
Once officers began investigating the alleged thefts, they located more stolen items from an Academy Store in Lake Charles, LA.  999ktdy.com


Los Angeles County, CA: LA County Sheriff's Department cracks down on retail theft in Montebello
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) is cracking down on retail theft through undercover operations, preventing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from being stolen in Montebello. Deputies recovered more than $4,000 worth of merchandise after a 12-hour operation that targeted Macy's and other department stores. "We're conducting these operations to show that the law is a law. If you steal, you're still going to get in trouble," said Deputy Yen To.  nbclosangeles.com


Los Angeles, CA: LAPD arrest 2 Suspects in Organized Retail Theft, search for 3rd suspect
Los Angeles has witnessed a coordinated crackdown on retail crime following a series of grand thefts. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the arrest of two individuals involved in a string of thefts tallying losses upwards of $10,700. The first reported incident occurred on March 22 at a store on East 4th Street, where the culprits inflicted a loss of over $1,500. On June 11, the Organized Retail Crimes Task Force acted swiftly to not only arrest 19-year-old Haleni Sitani and 20-year-old Aniyah Mitchell but also to serve search warrants on their residences, as per the LAPD. Investigators were able to swiftly recover a firearm, a loaded high-capacity magazine, and various stolen merchandise.  hoodline.com


Milwaukee, WI: Retail theft leads to crash, injuring 6-year-old in Milwaukee
A driver fleeing from a retail theft crashed into a car Tuesday evening, injuring a 6-year-old child, Milwaukee police said. Police said they responded to a call for retail theft at Home Depot on 124th Street. They said the suspected thief got into the passenger side of a red van, and the van was last seen heading eastbound on West Capitol Drive. Officers saw the van approaching West Grantosa Avenue. When the driver saw police, he attempted to turn northbound onto Grantosa Drive in front of a vehicle that was traveling westbound on West Capitol Drive, causing a crash. Both the driver and theft suspect ran from the crash scene. After a foot pursuit, the theft suspect was taken into custody. The driver was not found, police said. The child was taken to the hospital for treatment.  wisn.com


Oxford, FL: Walmart parking lot bust: 7 pages of items worth $1,300 she and a friend stole, cops say
Two women are charged with going on a stealing spree at a Walmart in Florida and the list of items, worth more than $1,300, is seven pages long. Deputies said Megan Ranae Mines and Angie Lee Sousa chose tote bags and visited various departments separately. Mines spent her time in "the cosmetic department, shoe department, clothing department, and crafts department," her arrest report from May 25 said, while Sousa walked to "the hardware department, shoe department, to electronics, clothing, cosmetics, and the office department." The reports say they put items in their bags and "met up in the garden center, where they proceeded to walk around the garden section to observe the exits."   ktvl.com