DAs Nationwide Fighting ORC
How San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan combats organized retail crime

Retail Gets Real episode 382: An inside look at why sophisticated retail crime calls for an organized response

Organized retail crime is not a victimless crime — it can have a devastating impact on the real people behind retail. San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan joins us to discuss the fight against organized retail crime. We explore laws and initiatives to combat the insidious issue, plus what local businesses can do to protect themselves and their employees.

The impact of organized retail crime

Contrary to some misconceptions, ORC is not a victimless crime purely about the bottom line. It deeply affects business owners, employees and entire communities.

“We’re dealing with an industry that employs more people in America than any other industry. It is the definition of whether your community is going to thrive or not,” Stephan says. “So I began to really focus on it, to bring together an organized retail theft team that understood that this wasn't something that's at the bottom of our priority list. It's not just economic loss; it's jobs, it's people. It's also the feeling of feeling unsafe for the employees, the customers, the businesses.”

Taking it a step further, organized retail crime can also fuel other types of criminal enterprises. “You can't look at it in its own silo,” Stephan says. “It intersects with all of the other terrible crimes because you have a source of money now to buy guns, drugs, to sell them, to buy human beings and sell them. It all intersects. We can't allow lawlessness in our nation. We are a country that follows the rule of law.”

The organization behind organized retail crime

To fight organized retail crime, law enforcement itself must become organized and unified around the issue — because retail criminals are only getting more sophisticated. Stephan describes organizations that specialize in certain areas, such as big jewelry stores or high-end home burglaries. With the advancement of technology and the rise of online shopping, perpetrators can sell more stolen goods online without being detected.

“They are organized criminals, and that’s why we have to really become organized as law enforcement,” Stephan says. “That’s part of my role as the National DA President, is to bring forth the idea that, if you don’t prioritize retail theft and you don’t have a sophisticated team that knows what they’re doing, then you’re not going to win this battle because they’re becoming more organized. We, as law enforcement, need to meet the moment, and that's why we need the legislation that unites our information in one task force.”

What businesses can do to protect themselves: nrf.com


Product Lockups Continue Worldwide
UK: Greggs to put sandwiches and drinks behind counter to tackle rise in shoplifting
Greggs says it will be removing all cold sandwiches and bottled drinks from its self-serve fridges and putting them behind the counter, in an effort to curb shoplifting. The bakery chain said the changes are being introduced on a trial basis at a small number of branches across the country.

It follows a report by The Sun newspaper, which showed thieves were targeting some Greggs stores every 20 minutes. A spokesperson for Greggs said: "This is one of a number of initiatives we are trialing across a handful of shops which are exposed to higher levels of anti-social behaviour.

"Customers can expect to see our full range of great value and tasty Greggs favourites available from behind the counter. The safety of our colleagues and customers remains our number one priority."

The company is one of a number of retail stores reporting a rise in the number of crimes in recent years including violence against its staff and customers. Retail crime is now at the highest levels ever since policing records began in March 2003 with over half a million offences in the last year alone.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed shoplifting offences had increased by 20% from 429,873 offences last year, to 516,971 this year.

The Metropolitan Police previously said retail crime was "spiraling out of control" as data for London also rose sharply with 90,000 incidents recorded in the last 12 months to December 2024. itv.com


Surge in Retail Barcode Switching
What is price tampering? Police investigating increase in retail theft
Price tampering — or barcode switching — is nothing new. Thieves have been altering price information through traditional price tags and modern barcodes for a long time.

“Barcode switching— while not frequently reported— has been a longstanding tactic used in retail theft,” said Beavercreek PD in a statement. “It’s difficult to determine how often individuals engage in this behavior without being caught.”

While not often reported, several local police departments have noticed an increase in the practice recently. “The price altering we are seeing now is definitely new in the past few months,” said Cynthia James, Kettering Police Department public information officer.

James also has some words of warning for those looking to steal: If you are caught stealing at more than one location, the totals can all add up together towards a felony charge.

“We can add them all up if we can prove that they’re going to multiple places. And then if all of them add up to over $1,000, they can still get a felony,” said James. wdtn.com


Pennsylvania Senators propose more punishment for gun store thefts
Sen. Frank Farry, R-Bucks, is circulating a co-sponsorship memorandum for legislation he is drafting along with fellow Republicans Tracy Pennycuick and Joe Picozzi as part of a multi-bill package of crime-related bills. The lawmakers say the commonwealth needs to do more to modernize its crime code. “Many communities in our Commonwealth have had to deal with gun store robberies,” Farry, Pennycuick and Picozzi wrote in their co-sponsorship memorandum. “These kinds of robberies typically spawn further crime as the stolen weapons are used to threaten, hurt, or murder others as well as to support other criminal operations.”  timesobserver.com


Retail theft down 8 per cent in South Australia

Omaha Police Department shares new look at overall crime
 

The Retail Impact of Immigration Crackdown
ICE Raids Raise Concerns for Retail Industry Amid Labor Shortages

By the D&D Daily staff

Retailers across the United States are facing new challenges as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids intensify, potentially impacting labor availability and operational stability in an industry already grappling with staffing shortages.

The stepped-up enforcement actions, part of a broader crackdown on undocumented workers, have sent ripples through the retail sector, which relies heavily on immigrant labor for roles like warehouse workers, stock clerks, cashiers, and janitorial staff.

Labor Market Impact

Retailers have long depended on immigrant workers to fill essential positions, particularly in areas with tight labor markets and high turnover rates. According to data from the National Retail Federation (NRF), the retail sector employs nearly 30 million people in the U.S., making it one of the largest private sector employers. Immigrants, both documented and undocumented, represent a significant portion of this workforce.

When ICE raids occur, they can lead to sudden staffing shortages, disrupting store operations, delaying supply chains, and even resulting in temporary closures. This disruption can be especially challenging for small to mid-sized businesses that lack the resources to quickly replace workers or absorb unexpected costs.

Financial and Reputational Risks

Beyond immediate staffing concerns, ICE raids can also pose financial and reputational risks for businesses. Fines for employing undocumented workers can reach tens of thousands of dollars per violation, while the negative publicity associated with a raid can hurt customer loyalty.

Additionally, the fear of potential raids can lower employee morale, reduce productivity, and lead to higher turnover, as workers may leave for jobs perceived as more stable. Some companies have responded by investing in more thorough employee verification processes, though these measures can be costly.

Looking Ahead

With immigration enforcement expected to remain a high priority, retailers are likely to face ongoing challenges in maintaining a stable workforce. Industry leaders have called for clearer guidance from the federal government on employment verification requirements and a more streamlined path to legal work status for undocumented employees, arguing this would provide stability for businesses and workers alike.


ICE Raids Prompt Closures
Kid Rock’s Nashville restaurant sends staff home to avoid ICE raid: report
Managers at Kid Rock’s Nashville restaurant told staff to go home on a busy Saturday night to avoid an impending raid by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, according to local reports.

Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk Rock N’ Roll Steakhouse was one of three establishments owned by local restaurateur — and prominent Trump donor — Steve Smith that were forced to shutter their kitchens over the weekend to dodge ICE agents.

According to the Nashville Scene, employees without work authorization were told to leave the premises during the busy Saturday night rush, bringing service to a halt.

“We were already understaffed because of the ICE raids throughout the weekend,” one restaurant employee told the outlet. “Then, around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, our manager came back and told anyone without legal status to go home.”

Earlier this week, the Department of Homeland Security announced that ICE and Tennessee Highway Patrol officials had arrested 196 undocumented individuals. Less than half of those taken into custody had criminal records, DHS officials said.

The other two restaurants owned by the conservative restaurateur that were reportedly forced to close their kitchens and interrupt the busy weekend rush were Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge and Rippy’s Honky Tonk. nydailynews.com


Another Big Company Backs Away from DEI
Verizon ends DEI policies to get FCC's blessing for its $20B Frontier deal
Verizon has become the latest big company to end policies around diversity, equity and inclusion, or "DEI," in order to keep the U.S. government happy.

It seems to have worked: on Friday, the Federal Communications Commission approved Verizon's $20 billion deal to buy broadband provider Frontier Communications. The FCC said that the deal will allow Verizon to upgrade the technology providing internet access to 25 states, including rural communities, and to deploy fiber-optic access to at least 1 million homes per year.

The FCC also touted the changes this deal will make to Verizon's internal policies. In its announcement approving the deal, the FCC specifically cited Verizon's commitment "to ending DEI-related practices."

The approval came a day after Verizon sent a letter to the FCC, outlining how it is ending many efforts related to diversity, equity and inclusion. The telecommunications giant is removing references to DEI from its training materials and external websites; ending bonuses and goals tied to increasing the percentage of workers who are women or minorities; and dissolving its internal human resources department devoted to diversity-related policies, while reassigning those employees to general "HR talent objectives."  npr.org

 
The Tariff Impact?
Study: Rising prices shaking up consumer loyalty and shopping behavior
As U.S. tariffs start to drive up costs across key product categories, consumer behavior is shifting — fast.

That’s according to a new report from performance marketing and identity company Wunderkind in which 36% of consumers say they are “very likely” (36%) and 40% say they are “somewhat likely” to consider brands they've never purchased from before if they offer better price or value.

In other findings, only 10% of consumers say they wouldnʼt switch brands based on price — underscoring just how rare unconditional brand loyalty has become in todayʼs cost-conscious climate, noted Wunderkind. Females and boomers showed slightly greater resistance to switching, but the overwhelming majority across demographics still prioritize value when making purchase decisions. chainstoreage.com


Inflation expected to surge to 7.3% in a year, fueled by tariff worry
Consumer sentiment has slumped this year even as recent “hard data” reveal stable prices and robust hiring.

Albertsons targets Rite Aid pharmacy customers, workers

Subway Has Closed Over 1,600 Locations Since 2022 in the United States

McDonald’s Plans To Open 900 Stores in the US Alone

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