Shoplifting Trends Continue to Be Negative
Retail Shrink at a Crisis Point: 46% Say Shoplifting Easiest in Grocery Stores

By Tony D'Onofrio - President, Sensormatic

In the latest USA National Retail Federation Security Survey published in September 2023, retail shrink increased from 1.6% of sales from 1.4% in the previous year. This equates to $112.1 billion in losses, up from $93.9 in the previous year. The top 3 retailer priorities in the new NRF survey versus the previous year were organized retail crime (78.1%), violence during a criminal act (72.3%), and homelessness concerns (72.3%).

What's changed since the 2023 NRF security survey was published? How does theft impact inventory distortion? What are the latest shoplifting trends? How do consumers respond to retail theft? Why is retail crime at a crisis point? How does USA compare to other countries with this problem? How do we solve the problem of retail shrink?

The $1.7 Trillion Dollar Global Retail Problem

The IHL research noted that a considerable factor that contributes to inventory distortion is consumer theft which in their study they estimated to reach $118.7 billion in 2024. Interesting that the average theft rise is higher for what are considered the retail winners which are retailers that experienced 15%+ growth in the previous year.

Shoplifting Trends Continue to be Highly Negative

New research from Lending Tree found that more than 1 in 4 Americans (23%) have shoplifted from physical stores, with 90% citing inflation and the current economy as the primary reason. Other interesting findings from Lending Tree:

• Of those with a shoplifting history, 52% were older than 16 at the time.

• Favorite destinations are grocery (46%) followed by department (36%) and convenience stores (26%).

• The most common shoplifted items are food and nonalcoholic drinks (45%), clothing, accessories or jewelry (39%), and makeup or cosmetics (21%).

   Click here to read Tony's full article


Retailers Tell Employees To Take Hands-Off Approach With Thieves
A Walgreens employee describes routine theft at his store - and how he's not allowed to stop it

A Walgreens employee said his store is doing little to combat theft, including by repeat offenders.

Walgreens is one of many retailers that have called attention to theft from its stores in recent years. But one store employee says that the company is keeping its staff from doing anything about the problem.

An employee at the store has started taking the beauty products out of their boxes, keeping them in the store's back room, and putting the empty boxes back on the shelf, the employee interviewed by BI said. The employee said that customers who want to purchase those items then have to ask an employee to retrieve them from the back, in an improvised anti-theft system.

One thing the employee said he could not do is pursue or question people who appeared to be taking items without paying for them. The employee recalled one recent incident involving a woman who appeared to have products stuffed into her clothes. While standing in line with some other products on the conveyor belt, she suddenly claimed that she had forgotten her money in her car, left the line, and exited the store.

The employee said he followed her out of the store - and got reprimanded by his manager for it.

Training materials that the employee said he reviewed when he started working at Walgreens say that the store can turn over security camera footage to local police in some cases. But the employee said he's unaware of that ever happening at his store.

Major retailers, from Target to Lowe's, have talked about losses and other issues that they've faced from theft over the past few years.  businessinsider.com


California Retail Theft Package Signed Into Law

It's Official: Retail Theft Bills Become Law in California
Gavin Newsom signs new retail theft laws as voters weigh even tougher penalties
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed bills that aim to make it easier to prosecute retail theft. He's asking voters to reject a ballot measure that would impose even tougher penalties.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, still stinging from a public defeat last month, signed a package of bills today that he and lawmakers pledged will combat rising retail theft.

The 10 bills are intended to make it easier to prosecute people suspected of retail and vehicle theft without undoing changes voters approved a decade ago that reduced prison sentences for nonviolent crimes.

Voters in November will see a separate ballot measure, Proposition 36, that would go further by increasing sentences for property crimes and offenses related to fentanyl. Newsom and other Democrats oppose the ballot measure, which they say would restore policies that they contend failed to improve public safety even as they packed prisons with nonviolent offenders.

The bills Newsom signed would make repeated theft convictions a felony, collect crimes across multiple counties into one court so they can be charged as a felony and allow police to arrest someone on suspicion of retail theft even if the officer does not witness the crime.

Shoplifting and retail theft are "the issue that is front and center of the consciousness of so many Californians," Newsom said at the signing today at a Home Depot in San Jose where he was joined by Democratic lawmakers and Attorney General Rob Bonta. "We didn't just wake up to this issue."  ijpr.org


Business Community Applauds California's Retail Crime Crackdown
California Chamber of Commerce Statement on Governor Gavin Newsom Signing Retail Theft Bills

'The New Laws Provide Important Tools for Law Enforcement and Prosecutors to Crack Down on Organized Crime Rings and Retail Thieves'

California Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jennifer Barrera last Friday issued the following statement following Governor Gavin Newsom's signing of a package of bills to improve public safety and address retail theft in the state:

"California business owners and operators, and the customers they serve, greatly appreciate the leadership of Governor Gavin Newsom, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire to address retail theft issues in California. The new laws signed by Governor Newsom today provide important tools for law enforcement and prosecutors to crack down on organized crime rings and retail thieves, and also send a strong signal that California is serious about holding criminals accountable. We are grateful that so many groups came together-including business and retail leaders, law enforcement and policy makers-to address the problem with meaningful reforms."  goldrushcam.com


ORC Arrests & Investigations Surge in California
Since its launch in 2019, task force members have made over 2,900 arrests and seized $45 million worth of stolen goods.

California's effort to crack down on retail theft continues in July with 167 arrests
A California Highway Patrol-led task force targeting organized retail theft across the state made 167 arrests in July, officials said.

The arrests stemmed from 128 separate investigations and represented more than twice the number of arrests reported by the California Organized Retail Crime Task Force over the prior month, according to a statement issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom's office.

"Our relentless pursuit of organized retail crime continues to yield significant results, month after month," California Highway Patrol Commissioner Sean Duryee said. "Through targeted investigations and numerous arrests, we are actively disrupting and dismantling these crime rings that threaten our communities and businesses. Our message is clear: we will not allow organized retail crime to go unchecked in California."

How many arrests has the California retail theft task force made?

The task force has made 884 arrests and recovered roughly $7.2 worth of stolen merchandise since January, officials said. Since its launch in 2019, task force members have made over 2,900 arrests and seized $45 million worth of stolen goods.

State officials distributed $267 million to 55 communities last year to combat organized retail theft, according to the governor's office statement. "These funds have enabled cities and counties to hire more police, make more arrests, and secure more felony charges against suspects.  desertsun.com


San Francisco Small Businesses Demand Help Fighting Theft
CA's new retail theft laws come at a time when SF small business owners say they need more support
Governor Gavin Newsom announced Friday a new plan to help curb retail theft across California. He signed a package of 10 bills into law to combat smash-and-grabs, car thefts, retail crime and the sale of stolen goods statewide. San Francisco has been no stranger to retail crimes.

"Definitely retail theft is out of control," Alejandro Jimenez of Randa's Market said. From major luxury retailers hit repeatedly by smash-and-grabs to small business owners wondering when they'll get hit again, some say, they need the support now more than ever.

San Francisco saw a dramatic increase in shoplifting incidents during the pandemic. Ultimately, the thefts reportedly led to economic losses, contributed to store closures and forced some upscale stores to change to appointment-only.

Efforts to combat retail theft ramped up in 2022 when the state set aside more than $200 million for crime-fighting grants. San Francisco got $17 million in 2023. abc7news.com


Amid retail theft crackdown, Oakland Grand Lake merchants say more help is needed

Fairfax County police crackdown on organized retail theft rings

Juvenile crime spree in Baltimore includes carjacking, armed robbery & gun recovery

Letters to the Editor: Why Democrats should welcome tougher laws on retail theft
 

Los Angeles, CA: Three 7-Eleven stores hit by large group of thieves on bicycles in Hollywood
Three 7-Eleven stores in Hollywood were victims of smash-and-grab robberies by a large group of thieves Friday night. About 20 people stormed into the convenience stores grabbing food and drink items before fleeing on bicycles, according to LAPD Headquarters. The three stores were all broken into just minutes apart and are all within a two-mile radius of each other. The first store was robbed just after 8 p.m. on 7040 West Sunset Boulevard. The store was left with a broken window and several items were taken. The second store was robbed at 8:16 p.m. near Hollywood and Highland. The group of thieves assaulted an employee and took multiple items. The third store was robbed at 8:22 p.m. at 5700 Santa Monica Boulevard. Police have not confirmed if all three robberies are connected.  nbclosangeles.com


Kansas City, MO: KC woman who stole over $60,000 in merchandise sentenced in Platte Co
The woman who's accused of stealing almost $67,000 worth of store merchandise from various stores across the KC metro pleaded guilty and was sentenced yesterday in Platte County Circuit Court. According to court documents, Asia Marshall, 20, of Kansas City, Missouri pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery and 11 counts of stealing $750 or more. Documents say that Marshall was also sentenced Thursday, August 15, receiving seven years in prison on each count with all sentences running concurrently. According to court documents, on several occasions, Marshall entered retailers, usually with a group of other individuals and would place items in shopping bags or baskets and leave without paying. One theft at a Bath and Body Works in Platte Co. in December of 2023 resulted in an employee being punched multiple times and around $1,500 worth of store merchandise being damaged. The suspects in this robbery made off with $1,500 in merchandise.  fox4kc.com


Toronto, Canada: Man who allegedly stole $17,000 worth of goods from Toronto store arrested
A man who allegedly stolen $17,000 worth of goods from a downtown Toronto store has been arrested, police say. Between May 23 and July 16, Toronto police said the suspect attended a retail location in the area of Yonge and Dundas streets on "several occasions." During that time, they allege that the suspect entered the store and left with several items without paying. Investigators believe the total value of the allegedly stolen goods is approximately $17,000. Police did not reveal what type of items were taken. Patrick O'Hara, 40, of no fixed address, has been charged with five counts of theft under $5,000, theft over $5,000, six counts of fail to comply probation and three counts of fail to comply with a release order.  cp24.com


Chester County, PA: Brazen thieves caught on camera stealing merchandise from Chester County Sephora
Police are investigating after they said a group of brazen thieves shoplifted from a Chester County Sephora and ran out with bags filled with merchandise. According to West Whiteland Police, the incident occurred at a Sephora inside a Kohl's in Exton on Friday, Aug. 2, around 7:30 p.m. Police said the suspects didn't walk in as a group but one by one and loaded bags of merchandise as stunned employees called for help. The whole incident was caught on surveillance video, which shows the group-made up of both men and women-grabbing items off shelves.  nbcphiladelphia.com


Roseville, CA: 2 retail theft suspects face felony charges after arrest in Roseville
Two theft suspects are facing felony charges after they were found with hundreds of dollars worth of stolen items in Roseville this week. Roseville police say, on Thursday, officers got a report about a theft from a store on Five Star Boulevard. Officers were told that the suspects took off in a red pickup truck. That pretty noticeable vehicle was soon spotted and pulled over by officers near the Goodwill store on Fairway Drive in Roseville. Police say more than $950 worth of stolen merchandise was found in the pickup. Meth, heroin, and drug paraphernalia was also found by officers.  cbsnews.com


Fairfield, CA: Northern California business recovers $12,000 in stolen items through social media

Gainesville, FL: Three charged in "systematic, ongoing" self-checkout theft scheme at retail stores