HOW ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME AFFECTS ALL AMERICANS-
In the Words of Those on the Front Line

ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME IS A GROWING PROBLEM

“Organized retail theft has been picking up in the last few years. It’s something that’s plagued us with all the new businesses coming to the city.“

Sergeant Travis Martinez, Redlands, Calif.
Organized Theft Ring Caught in the Act at Target
Redlands Daily Facts, March 17, 2008

“In the last couple of years retailers have begun to investigate the shoplifting cases. They realize that these are not isolated and like an iceberg, they realize that there’s more there.“

Richard C. Hollinger, University of Florida
Blowing the Lid off Shoplifting; Retailers Promote Awareness of the High Cost to Consumers and the Growth of Organized Theft Rings. A Database May Help the Industry Fight Back.
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, March 10, 2008

“Organized retail crime is indeed a big and growing problem, particularly in the U.S. Relatively weak enforcement and weak penalties, combined with easier methods of fencing stolen goods…have made retail theft an attractive opportunity for organized gangs.“

George Off, Chairman of Checkpoint Systems
Criminal Intent
Progressive Grocer, February 2008

“We’ve seen a huge increase over the last two years or so in organized retail theft activity.“

Tony Heredia, Director of Assets Protection, Target
Health Goods Sold on Web Raise Concern
Los Angeles Times, February 20, 2008

“This is big-time organized crime. What we found was absolutely astounding.“

Sheriff Grady Judd, Polk County, Fla.
Polk Sheriff Says Lake Mary Couple Led Group that Took $100 Million
The Orlando Sentinel, January 25, 2008

“Organized retail crime is more serious than simple everyday shoplifting and is a growing problem.“

New Jersey State Senator John Girgenti
Trends and Transitions; More than Just Shoplifting
State Legislatures Magazine, June 2007

“[These criminals] are getting off with little more than a slap on the wrist.“

David Hill, Montgomery County, Md. Police Department Detective
Retailers Target Online Sales
The Washington Times, October 29, 2007

THE THIEVES ARE SOPHISTICATED AND “BRAZEN“

“They’re brazen – they’ll walk to the back room and walk out the front door.“

Jim Leen, Regional Organized Retail Crime Manager, Albertsons
Victoria Gardens Takes a Look at Retail Crime
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, April 4, 2008

“They come in and do their thing, and if you’re not watching them, in 10 minutes time they can walk out with a couple thousand dollars worth of merchandise.”;

“They’re very difficult to watch because you don’t know who’s working together.“

Peggy Pufnock, Human Resources Manager, VF Outlet Inc.
Keeping Theft in Check: Police and Retailers use Sophisticated Methods
to Say “No Sale“ to Organized Shoplifting Rings
Reading Eagle, March 10, 2008

“What started as a simple shoplifting investigation turned into the discovery of a far flung criminal conspiracy that counted on common street criminals to steal millions of dollars of merchandise to supply other criminals selling on the Internet and in flea markets.“

Sheriff Grady Judd, Polk County, Fla.
Major Retail Bust in Polk County
WTSP-TV, January 24, 2008

“It’s a chess match. They are often two steps ahead. It is an uphill battle and they are educated on what they can steal before they hit a felony.“

Jason Beckerman, Arizona investigator for Target
Organized Shoplifting Now Big Business
The Arizona Republic, December 1, 2007

“These aren’t shoplifters taking a pack of gum. These are professional thieves.“

Brian J. Nadeau, Former Program Manager of the Organized Retail Theft Program, FBI
FBI Web posting, April 6, 2007

“With these new methods, it can take a long time for a retailer to know he’s suffered a large-scale theft, so it takes so much longer to catch up with thieves.“

Jeff Lesowski, Washington County, Ore. Senior Deputy District Attorney
Creative Crooks: As Shoplifters Use High-Tech Scams, Retail Losses Rise
The Wall Street Journal, October 25, 2006

THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF CONSUMERS IS JEOPARDIZED

“Once products get stolen, no one cares how they’re stored, especially when it comes to temperature controls. All they want to do is to unload it and sell it, whether it’s on an Internet site or flea market.”

Ronald Buzzeo, Chief Regulator Officer, Cegedim Dendrite
Stolen Health, Beauty Items Sold Online Pose Risk
USA Today, February 20, 2008

“I would think people would find it pretty scary that they didn’t know where this bottle of pain reliever or children’s cold medicine had been for the last six months.”;

Tony Heredia, Director of Assets Protection, Target
Health Goods Sold on Web Raise Concern
Los Angeles Times, February 20, 2008