Police & Prosecutors Benefit from ORC Grants
Spokane County, Spokane police set to launch program aimed at ORC

Spokane police and county prosecutors may soon receive some reinforcements in combating retail crime.

After receiving a roughly $1 million state grant, the Washington Organized Retail Crime Theft Association is prepped to pour nearly $300,000 into regional enforcement patrols, data collection, diversion and prosecution efforts.

Dan Floyd, a spokesman for the association, said the impending partnership with the Spokane Police Department and the Spokane County Prosecutor's Office is one of three pilot programs throughout the state. One in King County is already off the ground, and the program will launch in Snohomish County next week, Floyd said.

Floyd said the pilot programs will increase communication and coordination between shop owners, law enforcement and county prosecutors, in an effort to combat the estimated $3 billion the statewide retail industry loses to theft each year, as reported by the Tacoma News Tribune.

Floyd said the focus will be on organized retail crime, not petty shoplifting.

Spokane police Capt. Tracie Meidl said organized retail crime could include repeat offenders, individuals working in groups to steal and sell stolen goods or those targeting multiple stores or racking up troves of expensive stolen goods.

The Spokane Police Department is set to receive $90,000, which Meidl said will be used to support emphasis patrols in hot -spot areas, in addition to coordinated efforts with particular businesses.
spokesman.com
 

'Property Crime Task Force' Makes a Difference
Retail Crime Declines at Destiny USA Mall
Syracuse police report a decrease in retail crime at Destiny USA mall during the holiday season. The reduction follows the efforts of the Property Crime Task Force, which was launched last year. Since its inception, the task force has recovered over $200,000 worth of merchandise and achieved an arrest rate of about 91%, according to Detective Joseph LeBlanc of the Syracuse Police Department. The task force aims to track down thieves and prevent retail crime, aided by the mall's license plate readers that monitor vehicles entering and exiting the property.

During the holiday season, additional officers are on duty at the mall, patrolling on foot, bikes, and roving patrols. Shoppers are encouraged to report suspicious activities and ensure their vehicles are locked. The task force's efforts have resulted in fewer than eight calls for property crime over the Black Friday weekend, as noted by Detective LeBlanc.

The mall, known for its dining and attractions, sees about 16 million visitors annually. Despite past incidents of violent crime, the collaboration between the Syracuse Police, the District Attorney's Office, and Destiny USA management has significantly improved safety. Deputy Chief Mark Rusin highlighted a "significant reduction" in crime since last fall, with approximately 50% fewer calls and 283 arrests, 72 of which resulted in felony charges.

The District Attorney's Office is also focusing on the Serial Theft Offender Program (STOP) to address retail theft, emphasizing that organized criminals, not minor offenders, are being prosecuted. The DA's office has successfully convicted a career shoplifter, resulting in a 14-year sentence. wsyr.iheart.com


Theft Surges 53% While Conviction Rates Are Down
Retail theft on the rise in Pennsylvania, conviction rate less than half
Retail thefts have increased more than 50% from 2021 to 2023, data from Pennsylvania courts show. Data shows 37,962 retail theft offenses in 2023, a 53% increase from 2021 with 24,855 offenses, Info Share reports.

Conviction rates from 2019 to 2023 are only 42% with 161,907 offenses in the time frame. This equates to roughly 68,000 convictions. Only two percent resulted in "ARD" or Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition.

Among those charged with retail theft between 2019 and 2023, 50% are men while 48% are women with 2% unknown.

It should be noted that the increase in retail theft has taken place after multiple years of decline. In 2019 there were 38,952 cases. That number dropped in 2020 with 27,811 cases. 2021 saw a five-year-low of 24,855 cases. wtaj.com
 

The Shopkeepers Confronting Festive Shoplifters
UK: 'I've carried out more than 50 citizen's arrests'
Faced with what he describes as a "relentless" onslaught of shoplifting incidents, shopkeeper Martin Gaunt says he has carried out more than 50 citizen's arrests in the last two years.

"These people will threaten you, they will raise their fists... There comes a point where you do need to think about your own safety," he says.

Anyone can arrest a person if they have reasonable grounds for believing a serious offence is being committed - but the National Police Chiefs Council says people should call 999 if a crime is taking place.

With shoplifting at a record high in England according to the Home Office, some retailers say they have no choice but to tackle thieves themselves. bbc.com


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Police hunt for jewelry thief who used stolen truck to plow through JCPenney in Citrus Heights
Citrus Heights police are searching for a burglar who rammed a pickup truck Sunday through the front doors of the JCPenney store at Sunrise Mall and made off with an undisclosed amount of jewelry. Security guards summoned officers to the mall about 7:45 a.m., who learned of the break-in on the 6100 block of Sunrise Boulevard but failed to find anyone inside, according to a news release from Citrus Heights police. Investigators learned a man "used a Chevrolet Silverado to drive through the entrance doors to the store," police said. "The suspect then drove through the business to the jewelry section, where the suspect stole an unknown amount of jewelry." The suspect returned to the truck and drove out of the store. On a tip from Roseville police, authorities learned the vehicle used in the robbery had been stolen from the Roseville Auto Mall and recovered it outside Citrus Heights. Police have not given a description of the burglar and are asking for the public's help in identifying the man's whereabouts. This is the second time in less than a month the department store's jewelry department has been plundered. According to the Citrus Heights Sentinel, police arrested a 34-year-old man Nov. 19 after he allegedly broke into the store that morning, shattered several display cases and ran off on foot with "over $91,000" in goods. Police caught up with him holding a large suitcase containing the stolen merchandise.  aol.com


Toronto, Canada: Six Suspects at-large following jewelry store robbery, related hit-and-run at Toronto's Fairview Mall
Six males are being sought after a midday smash-and-grab robbery at a jewelry store at Fairview Mall in North York on Monday. Toronto Police said officers responded to reports of a robbery inside the mall at Sheppard Ave. E. and Don Mills Rd. at 1:16 p.m. Police alleged that each of the six suspects produced hammers and broke the glass into the store before breaking open display cabinets and taking a large quantity of jewelry from the display. Police said the suspects exited the mall and fled in a waiting vehicle and, while fleeing, the vehicle was involved in a crash. Cops said the suspects fled the vehicle at that point and got into a second getaway vehicle. The driver of the other vehicle involved in the crash was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The second getaway vehicle fled the area and police said it has since been found with help from York Regional Police. All suspects were wearing masks and gloves to disguise their identity. It's the latest in a string of brazen smash-and-grab-style jewelry store robberies.  torontosun.com


Fairhope, AL: Pensacola man has stolen $20K in merchandise from Walmarts across Southeast
A 67-year-old Pensacola man was arrested in Fairhope Monday afternoon for allegedly stealing over $20,000 in merchandise from Walmart stores throughout the Southeast. Harold Mahan is charged with First-Degree Retail Theft and Third-Degree Property Theft. "He has stolen over $20,000 in merchandise from Walmart stores throughout the Southeastern states, including Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida," Fairhope Police says in a release. According to police, Mahan is reported to have stolen nearly $4,000 worth of items from the Walmart in Fairhope in the last few weeks.  weartv.com


Fairview, TX: Four people rob North Texas Dillard's store, threaten to shoot employee
Four people allegedly robbed a North Texas Dillard's store this weekend and threatened to shoot an employee before they fled with as many handbags as they could, police say. Police were called to the Dillard's store in the 100 block of Stacy Road in Fairview shortly after 11 a.m. Sunday. Police say four people - one man and three women - went into the store via the south entrance and straight to the handbag section, where three of them cut the security cables on the bags while the fourth kept watch for employees. When an employee asked if they needed help, one of the suspects told the employee not to approach or touch them or they would shoot the employee, police say. The suspects took as many bags as they could before they fled, leaving the store in a white Honda Accord heading toward Stacy Road, police say. The Accord may have Louisiana paper plates, police say. Police say the same four people are believed to be involved in other thefts/robberies in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.  wfaa.com


San Mateo, CA: Teen Pulls Knife on Loss Prevention at Hillsdale Shopping Center
Teens from East Palo Alto pulled a knife on and physically assaulted security and loss prevention at the Hillsdale Shopping Center in San Mateo after trying to steal clothing and fragrance items from Macy's, according to police. Officers responded to the mall shortly after 7:30 p.m. Sunday and arrived to find a security guard chasing a 17-year-old boy through the parking lot and back into the mall, police said, adding officers stopped the boy, who was uncooperative and was carrying a loaded handgun that had been reported stolen in Richmond. Another teen, 18-year-old Jose Miguel Rodriguez Vasquez, had brandished a knife at loss prevention and security and threatened them when they tried to detain Rodriguez Vasquez and the boy outside the store, according to police, who said the 17-year-old fled the scene. The boy assaulted loss prevention agents while being detained, causing minor injuries, police said, adding Rodriguez Vasquez was arrested and taken to San Mateo County Jail, while the boy went to the county youth services center. The teens had $1,200 in stolen goods, according to police.  patch.com


Oklahoma City, OK: Police seek help identifying suspect in $4,500 necklace theft at NW OKC mall

Austin, TX: Austin Police conduct 'Shoplifting Blitz' at Lakeline Mall, recover $7,500 in stolen goods

San Bernardino County, CA: Theft crew in Southern California popped by police after raiding retail shop

King County, WA: Suspects ram stolen car into Woodinville store in early morning burglary