Retailers, Law Enforcement & Congress Must Fight ORC Together
Fox News Op-Ed: I work for eBay. Businesses need Congress’s help to fight the scourge of retail crime

Shoplifting skyrocketed 93% from 2019 to 2023 and that cost gets passed on to consumers

Retailers can’t solve the problem by themselves. As inflation and now tariffs drive up the cost of goods even further, Americans deserve a solution that allows them to shop in stores where goods are readily available on shelves without further increasing prices. Retailers, law enforcement and online marketplaces, such as eBay where I work, must partner to find and implement a solution that makes organized retail crime a thing of the past.

Organized retail crime describes coordinated efforts from groups of highly coordinated thieves to steal large amounts of merchandise from stores. The boosters then typically resell the stolen goods at flea markets or to known "fences."

Retailers have responded to the increase in thefts by limiting in-store stock and installing those now-prevalent plastic lockers. Some stores have taken more extreme measures by cutting hours and even shuttering these stores. Each of these "solutions" may help to prevent theft but they also make shopping far less convenient and cause prices to rapidly rise at a time when Americans are already struggling with higher costs.

At eBay, we’ve seen firsthand the unique challenges that come with fighting organized retail crime. For nearly 20 years, we’ve partnered with retailers, law enforcement and elected officials to identify and dismantle crime rings.

Our industry-leading initiative, Partnering with Retailers Offensively Against Crime and Theft (PROACT), facilitates cooperation and partnerships that enable more effective investigations and prosecutions of those suspected of retail crime. In 2023 alone, we helped prevent an estimated $50 million from being stolen at CVS locations in 2023 through PROACT.

This experience has shown us that we cannot solve the problem alone. Successfully stopping organized retail crime requires collaboration between e-commerce companies, retailers, law enforcement and even Congress. Law enforcement and prosecutors need the tools to go after the sophisticated criminal syndicates behind organized retail crime. Fortunately, Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley and Nevada Democrat Senator Catherine Cortez Masto introduced the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA), to address the escalation in theft, fraud and other property crimes against retail stores and elements of the supply chain. foxnews.com


Crime Drops 'Sharply' Nationwide in Q1 2025 - Property Crime Down 16%
Report Indicates U.S. Crime Drops Sharply in Early 2025 – Uncertainty Remains
The first quarter of 2025 has shown a significant decline in national crime rates, according to an analytical report by Jeff Asher of Jeff-alytics.

However, the reports note that Year-To-Date (YTD) data is often unreliable until later into the year, explaining, “YTD frequently reflects something that happened last year rather than telling you what’s happening now. Think of it like a scoreboard of now rather than a forecast of the future.”

Additionally, this form of analysis, the Jeff-alytics report states, comes with three key disclaimers.

First, early-year crime data such as 2025’s January-February are typically initially underreported, possibly affecting comparisons to completed 2024 January-February data. Second, current trends in data are not representative of the rest of the year, as trends can shift significantly as the other months of data come in.

Third, not all crimes are reported and there is always a possibility of outlier cities that are contrary to the overall trend.

Nonetheless, the Jeff-alytics report believes YTD is representative of broader developing trends especially when using data from multiple sources.

And so, in analyzing the 2025 January-February crime rates in the U.S., the report reveals a “very large, across-the-board, decline in crime nationally that is worth wider awareness,” noting the data was taken from the Real-Time Crime Index (RTCI) that includes more than 380 agencies covering 96.8 million people.

Particularly, property crime count dropped 16 percent, motor vehicle theft count dropped 30 percent, violent crime count dropped 14 percent, murder and robbery count dropped 21 percent, said Asher. davisvanguard.org


Retail Criminals Get 'Slap on the Wrist' - Shopkeepers Fight Back
UK: Store owner says shopkeepers ‘forced to tackle retail theft themselves’

Andrew Board, who runs Core Convenience Store – Premier in Newton Hall, posted clips of his team stopping suspected shoplifters online

A convenience store owner has said shopkeepers are being forced to tackle retail theft themselves, after posting a video online showing him and his staff confronting shoplifters. Speaking to Better Retailing, Board said theft is on the rise and staff are now having to “take matters into their own hands”.

He said: “It’s increasing, which is why we’re putting our foot down now, the police are doing all this donkey work, getting people into court and then they’re just given suspended sentences, basically just a slap on the wrist.

“These people are stealing directly from my pocket, and they get away with it, so I’m having to take matters into my own hands to a degree.”

To deter repeat offenders, Board said he is “extremely nasty” to them when retrieving stolen items, making shoplifters pay if they have money, detaining them until the police arrive and scaring “the living hell out of them”.

“I know the police would frown upon it,” he added. “But it’s, it’s a case of, it’s desperate times. We’ve got to do these things to defend our business and our livelihood.”

Figures from the British Retail Consortium’s annual crime survey released in January show retail crime is at its highest level on record. In 2023/24, incidents of violence and abuse rose to over 2,000 per day, up from 1,300 the previous year. betterretailing.com


Communities Across the Country Fight Retail Crime
Theft losses are changing the way stores operate

At a Lynnwood thrift store, rising shoplifting mirrors larger retail crime surge

Employees at Bella’s Voice remain alert for theft on a daily basis. They aren’t the only ones.

At Bella’s Voice Thrift Store, a nonprofit secondhand shop benefiting animal welfare causes, shoplifting isn’t an occasional nuisance — it’s a daily battle. Staff estimate five to 10 thefts a day, costing the Lynnwood store about $300 daily — money that would otherwise fund a pet food bank and low-income veterinary aid.

Bella’s Voice is not alone. In Lynnwood, shoplifting arrests are surging — more than anywhere else in Snohomish County. In 2015, Lynnwood police made 166 shoplifting arrests. By 2024, that number had skyrocketed to 1,272 — a 666% increase, according to department data.

Efforts by Lynnwood police and across the state show promise. For now, stores like Bella’s Voice do the best they can to combat rising losses.

The loss has changed how the store operates. Employees are trained not to confront thieves, staying 6 feet away for their own safety. They monitor cameras when possible and write down license plates to report to police. Still, thefts are constant — from hidden clothing and switched price tags to handfuls of merchandise rushed into getaway cars. heraldnet.com


New data shows overall crime is down in Memphis compared to same time last year

NYC subway crime continues to fall, even as high-profile cases make headlines
 

From Trade Wars to Price Wars: The Consumer Fallout in Retail

By Tony D'Onofrio - President, Sensormatic

With trade barriers rising, it is time to look deeper on the impact for both consumers and the retail industry. China with a 145% rate is the outlier country to the temporary 90 day pause to reciprocal tariffs recently announced by the United States.

The result as reported by the Wall Street Journal is that shipping bookings of out China have dropped by 60% this past week. According to Greg Buzek from IHL Services, so far, 90 container ships have been cancelled which is 80% more than when China shut down from COVID in May of 2020. As he elaborates, each ship carries the equivalent of 3 USA malls worth of products with the expected pain to be felt in stores in the June timeframe.

China represented 11% of all U.S. trade in 2024, with electronics, machinery, toys, sports equipment and furniture making up more than half of all imports. For consumers related products, China manufactures 73% of toys, 22% of apparel, 36% of footwear, 28% of cutlery, 22% of leather goods, 29% of glassware, 31% of ceramic products, 41% of printed materials such as books, 93% of umbrellas, 36% of musical instruments, 26% of silk / yarn, 35% of vegetables not fully prepared, 77% of chalk, and much more.

Most retailers have been working to mitigate exposure to China. In terms of cost of goods sold, 20% of Target's, 15% of Walmart, 60% of Five Below, 32% of Dollar Tree, 25% of Home Depot, 20% of Lowe's, 55% of Best Buy's, and 25% of Dick's Sporting Goods originate in China. The full exposure is difficult to measure as some Chinese products are shipped to other countries as raw materials where they are turned into finished goods for export to the United States.

Primarily from a consumer point of view, this article delves into the impact of tariffs for the retail industry. How concerned are consumers? How are they responding? Which retail categories have the highest impact? What products will face cutbacks? How do different countries perceive tariffs? How should retailers respond?

   Click here to read Tony's full article


How Changing Immigration Policies Impact the Retail Industry
Retail Industry Feeling Impact of Federal Immigration Policies

By the D&D Daily staff

The retail industry is facing growing challenges tied to President Donald Trump's immigration policies during his second term, as labor shortages, declining consumer spending, and public backlash weigh on the sector.

Retailers depend heavily on immigrant labor, particularly for warehousing, logistics, and customer service roles. Stricter immigration enforcement and deportations have made it harder to fill these jobs, forcing companies to raise wages substantially in an attempt to attract workers. Despite these efforts, staffing shortages remain a significant problem, disrupting operations and supply chains nationwide.

At the same time, consumer spending among Hispanic communities has declined. Fears of immigration raids and heightened enforcement have kept many families from spending freely, leading to weaker sales for brands like Colgate-Palmolive, Walmart, and Shoe Carnival. Companies with strong ties to southern border states have reported particularly sharp drops in revenue, compounding broader inflationary pressures.

Retailers have also taken symbolic action against these policies. During the "Day Without Immigrants" protest, thousands of businesses either closed or scaled back operations to highlight the essential role immigrant workers play in the U.S. economy. However, many businesses opted to stay open, citing concerns about revenue loss amid persistent rumors of mass deportation sweeps.

Industry leaders are speaking out. Beth Ford, CEO of Land O’Lakes, is leading the Business Roundtable’s response to the administration’s immigration agenda, advocating for a more stable approach. Meanwhile, the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) has urged retailers to closely track immigration developments, warning that changes to programs like DACA and H1-B visas could further strain the workforce.

Overall, the retail sector is confronting a difficult reality: immigration policy is now a direct economic issue. Labor availability, customer confidence, and community stability are all being shaped by federal enforcement actions.


Hudson's Bay Closing All Stores
Hudson’s Bay gives up on final 7 stores, including Canada’s last Saks 5th Avenue location

The liquidation is the end of a retailer whose roots date to the 1600s, and leaves a big gap for many brands and their Canadian customers.

Hudson’s Bay Co. will wind down six namesake stores plus a Saks Fifth Avenue store that the company had previously excluded from liquidation plans, saying on Thursday that “a viable bid for the current six-store model is unlikely.” Liquidation sales began Friday.

Those locations join 73 other Hudson’s Bay stores, 13 Saks Off 5th stores and two Saks Fifth Avenue stores in dissolving under Canada’s bankruptcy laws. The Hudson’s Bay and Saks Fifth Avenue stores are set to close by June 15, and nine Saks Off 5th stores will close on Sunday.

The company last month filed for the equivalent of Chapter 11 and about a week later said it would liquidate. If a bid does come through, stores could be pulled from liquidation, per Thursday’s press release. retaildive.com


Trump’s tariffs won’t cause out-of-control prices in Canada, economists say

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