How Big is the Problem?
94.5 percent of retailers have been a victim of
organized retail crime in the past 12 months, a six percent increase
from last year (89.5%). Additionally, 6 out of 10 retailers (64.1%)
report they've seen an increase in organized retail crime over the same
time frame, up slightly from last year (58.9%).
According to Congressional testimony
and industry experts, organized retail crime losses total an estimated
$15-30 billion annually.
National Retail Federation (2011 Annual Report)
The ASIS Foundation released a report on ORC that cited estimates that organized retail theft costs anywhere between $9 billion and $35 billion annually. American Society for Industrial Security
"It robs local and state governments of tax revenue and can also injure the health of consumers."
Security Management Magazine (2010)
The Response
Partnerships between law enforcement and retail investigators are forming to combat the problem. These associations share cross jurisdictional information to identify, disrupt, and apprehend Organized Retail Crime (ORC) crews.
