NRF Pulls Back on Annual Shrink Report
'A broad study about retail shrink is no longer sufficient for capturing the key challenges and needs of the industry.'

After more than 3 decades, NRF won't publish its annual shrink report this year

The National Retail Federation's surveys on inventory lost to crime, errors and more have provided statistics on an issue in focus for retailers.

After conducting annual research on shrink for more than three decades, the National Retail Federation won't release a report on the issue this year.

"Over the last several years, as the nature of retail loss has evolved, it has become clear that a broad study about retail shrink is no longer sufficient for capturing the key challenges and needs of the industry," Mary McGinty, NRF vice president of communications and public affairs, said by email. "We will be releasing a new report later this year that examines the landscape of retail theft and violence, which are key challenges for the industry."

The decision came out of NRF's ongoing practice of reevaluating "the methods and tools we use for capturing key trends that impact businesses and consumers to ensure that we are providing the most accurate and actionable information possible," she said. "At times, this means that we make necessary changes to long-standing studies or benchmarks in order to ensure that they reflect the needs and drivers of the modern retail industry."

Shrink has been in particular focus in recent years, however, with retailers including Target, Five Below, Dick's Sporting Goods and Walgreens calling out the problem in earnings reports, though early this year some also reported improvements. The NRF has long found a surprising consistency with 2022's levels of shrink and theft relatively flat to 2021, in a pattern seen across several years.

Numbers on retail crime have been difficult to come by, with confusion around statistics and terminology and a dearth of reliable data. Last year, after a Retail Dive analysis revealed an error in a special NRF crime report, the group retracted a key statistic.

In addition to releasing new statistics on retail crime later this year, the NRF is holding a "Fight Retail Crime Day" later this month, in order to pressure Congressional lawmakers to pass legislation that addresses the issue. Late last year, a member of a U.S. House of Representatives committee that took up the bill urged the group to provide better data. retaildive.com

   RELATED: NRF pulls shrink report as it 'reevaluates' tools for tracking theft


One Step Forward, Two Steps Back in the Fight Against Theft
Will the Retail Theft Era Ever Come to an End?
Late last year, data from the Council on Criminal Justice revealed that shoplifting and retail theft had increased in some cities while declining in others. In the last few years, cities across the nation have been sharing reports of retail crime in all sorts of shapes and sizes, ranging from flash mobs in broad daylight to organized retail crime rings.

The analysis of incidents in 24 cities over five years showed that New York and Los Angeles experienced the largest rise in reported shoplifting from mid-2019 to mid-2023, whereas St. Petersburg and St. Paul noted significant decreases. During the pandemic's height, shoplifting incidents dropped by 37%, but the proportion categorized as felonies rose dramatically.

A more recent update from June 2024 from the Council on Criminal Justice shared that the rate of shoplifting during the first half of the year was an average of 24% higher than the first half of 2023 and 10% higher than the first half of 2019.

Major retailers have attributed store closures to rising theft, with companies like Safeway and Walmart citing shoplifting as a reason for operational changes. Despite their efforts, challenges have remained in accurately tracking shoplifting incidents due to self-reporting issues.

Retail theft has even affected self-checkout kiosks and called for regulating self-checkout systems, particularly in California with proposed bill SB 1446 to limit self-checkout stations and certain items to curb theft and protect jobs. In response, companies like Walmart and Target have reassessed their self-checkout strategies, either by limiting use or enhancing security to improve customer service and address theft concerns. retailwire.com


Worst Market for Violent Retail Theft?
Nordstrom CEO says Seattle is worst market for violent retail shoplifting in the US

"I think brazen is the right word, and with that is acts of violence, the amount of shoplifters who are weaponized. It could be a gun, knife, pepper spray a lot of times, but also just using their fists."

King County, Washington is the worst market for retail theft at Nordstrom in the entire US, according to the company's CEO. Erik Nordstrom told the first King County Public Safety Summit on Organized Retail Crime last week that the retailer's King County stores make up only 3 percent of the department store's global footprint but manage to account for 10 percent of its companywide losses due to theft. There are more than 360 Nordstrom and discount Rack stores.

According to the Puget Sound Business Journal, Nordstrom told law enforcement officers, politicians, and prosecutors at the summit, held on Microsoft's campus in Redmond to bring together the groups to better combat organized retail theft, "We're born and raised here and huge homers when it comes to anything local. Unfortunately, King County is our worst area for this. It's a big financial headwind."

Multiple retailers including Goodwill, Target, Nike, Lululemon, and Starbucks, have cited losses from theft when closing stores in Seattle. Nordstrom added, "I think brazen is the right word, and with that is acts of violence, the amount of shoplifters who are weaponized. It could be a gun, knife, pepper spray a lot of times, but also just using their fists."

He continued, "Having trained security guards, there is more that they can do, but we don't want bullets flying around. If the bad guys are willing to push it past a level that the retailer or the security guard is willing to go, that's tough. It's hard to know what to do with that."

He noted that in some cases, the security guards will apprehend a suspected shoplifter but can only hold the individual for a limited time and if police don't respond in that window, the guards have to release the suspects. thepostmillennial.com

   RELATED: Does King County have the most retail theft? Nordstrom believes so


California's Great Debate Over Prop 36

$2M Raised By Franchisees and 7-Eleven, Inc. in Support of Prop 36
7-Eleven owners back Prop 36 with $1 million check following wave of robberies

Prop 36 aims to increase punishments for some theft and drug possession offenses.

7-Eleven owners, city officials and law enforcement rallied together Thursday to support Prop 36, after a string of brazen smash-and-grab robberies.

Prop 36 aims to increase punishments for some theft and drug possession offenses. The 7-Eleven franchise owner whose store hosted the press conference said passing Prop 36 will benefit not only business owners but also citizens.

Over $2 million was raised by Franchisees and 7-Eleven, Inc. in support of the proposition. Franchisees made the most recent donation of $500,000 which was matched by 7-Eleven, Inc to show support to business owners and the communities they serve.

"Today's event is a testament to the dedication of our Franchisees and the entire 7-Eleven family," said Randy Quinn, Senior Vice President of Franchise Operations for 7-Eleven, Inc. "We cannot accept a status quo that allows crime to flourish. Together, we are taking a stand."

In a statement, 7-Eleven wrote they will continue to advocate for a safer environment for the community and business owners throughout California as the November election approaches. nbclosangeles.com


Texas Lawmakers Call Retail Theft a 'Crisis'
Retail theft a 'growing crisis' in Texas law enforcement tells lawmakers
Texas lawmakers on Thursday considered new ways to combat retail theft, a growing and often organized, destructive threat facing stores across Texas. Law enforcement experts described the trend as a "crisis," claiming current laws are inadequate to prosecute and deter the crime.

"The escalation of organized retail crime, organized cargo theft, and attacks on our entire supply chain" are "threatening our economy as a state and the stability of our communities," Chief Special Agent for BNSF Railway Police Department Will Johnson testified.

Texas codified specific penalties for organized retail theft back in 2007 when the crime cost businesses an estimated $2.5 billion - but since then, the crime has only become more popular. In 2022, Capitol One reported Texas retailers lost $5.9 billion - far more, even after accounting for inflation.

Houston has the third-most retail crime in the nation, behind Los Angeles and San Francisco, the National Retail Federation reported.

Houston state senator Paul Bettencourt said he hopes to add more requirements on local prosecutors and judges, saying some retail criminals deserve tougher penalties.

Law enforcement suggested increasing penalties and lowering the monetary threshold for theft to count as a felony.

Last month, the Texas Comptroller's office assembled business leaders from companies like Amazon and H-E-B to assemble solutions to the problem. Lawmakers may begin work on new bills targeting the offense when they return for the 89th legislative session in January. newsnationnow.com


Shoplifting Surges 55% in Boston
Data says shoplifting in Boston is way up - and retailers think they know why

Boston saw a 55% increase in shoplifting reports between the first half of 2019 and that same period in 2024.

At the end of September, the Boston Police Department arrested nine suspects on the same day for alleged shoplifting and larceny as part of a Safe Shopping Task Force initiative.

Launched at the beginning of 2024, the initiative - which involves the police, Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, and retail partners - aims to hold shoplifters accountable after hearing about complaints of a rise in shoplifting and larceny in the city.

To what degree shoplifting is an increasingly significant problem for retailers in the city isn't entirely clear - there are arguments about the accuracy of recent data, due to possible reporting discrepancies and increased tracking efforts. Regardless, it's something both store owners and employees are definitely concerned about.

And in particular, they point to a change in the so-called "felony threshold" that they say might be further encouraging would-be shoplifters to risk getting caught. boston.com


New ORC Hub Launched
Organized Retail Crime Resource Hub up and running
The Washington Retail Association in partnership with Challenge Seattle and Washington Organized Retail Crime Association announced an online platform called the Organized Retail Crime Resource Hub, according to a WRA Oct. 7 press release.

The platform will be used to combat the increased organized retail theft by providing a centralized source of resources, tools, best practices for retailers, law enforcement and community stakeholders. The ORC Resource Hub will allow people to access training materials, share information across jurisdictions and help organize efforts to prevent, detect and prosecute organized retail theft.

According to the press release from WR the hub will streamline communication and resources which will lead to more efficient crime prevention.

The website is running at OrcreSourceHub.org.


Fighting California's Retail Theft Hot Spots
Specialized CHP task force targets retail theft "hot spots" across California
Since California's Organized Retail Crime Task Force launched in 2019, they've conducted almost 3,000 investigations, arrested more than 3,100 suspects and recovered nearly $46 million in stolen goods.

The state has invested $1.1 billion in such task forces to fight a persistent and growing retail theft crime problem in several "hotspot" cities, including Los Angeles, Oakland and San Francisco.

Spectrum News 1 went on a ride-along with the California Highway Patrol to see how undercover officers work from the ground up to stop large-scale retail theft operations.  spectrumnews1.com


D.A. details Staten Island shoplifting trend, how he's cracking down

Is a Denver grocery store closing because of concerns over crime?
 

Pentagon City Mall ransacked again by thieves in another smash and grab
This is the second time in a little over a month the Pentagon City Mall was robbed. On Sept. 1, police swarmed the mall for the same crime committed in the same way. Arlington County Police are investigating another smash and grab at Pentagon City Mall. Video used in this article was taken from the September 1 robbery. On Saturday, police were called to the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City at 5:40 p.m. for reports of possible shots fired. A preliminary investigation says, four suspects went inside of a store located in the mall and deployed a fire extinguisher, then smashed the display cases with hammers.  wusa9.com


Los Angeles, CA: Flash mob suspects charged in the robbery of Topanga Mall
Three people were charged for allegedly robbing the Westfield Topanga Shopping Center as part of a flash mob that made off with more than $90,000 in merchandise. Joshua Jones, 22; Amaya McDonald, 19; and Justin Jones, 18, were each charged with three counts of robbery, two counts of burglary and one count of retail theft, the Los Angeles Police Department announced in a news release Tuesday.  latimes.com


County, CA: 10 Arrested in Anti-Theft Sting by Santa Clara County Sheriff's Retail Theft Task Force at San José Target
The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office's Retail Theft Task Force arrested 10 individuals at a San José Target store. As reported on the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office Facebook page, the arrests occurred last week at the Target on N. Capitol Avenue. The suspects were caught stealing many items, including beauty supplies, medication, baby formula, health products, ink cartridges, and a scooter.  hoodline.com


Mobile, AL: Woman arrested, accused of organized retail theft at Rouses
A Mobile woman was arrested after she allegedly helped customers steal from her place of work. According to the release, officers found that Rogers, an employee at the store, was not scanning every item at the cash register while checking out customers. As a result, police said, "hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise was stolen." According to the Mobile County Sheriff's Office jail log, Rogers was taken to the Metro Jail where she was charged with Organized Retail Theft.  msn.com


New York, NY: Chanel Madison Avenue Store Burglarized, $30K in Handbags Stolen

Washington, DC: Delivery driver robbed at gunpoint for 100 bottles of Don Julio in DC

Lake Forest, IL: Lake Forest Police arrest 6 in two separate Lululemon thefts

Short Hills, NJ: Almost $3,500 of Macy's Merchandise Stolen in 2 Shoplifting Incidents