Will it be enough?
Washington is fighting Organized Retail Crime
“Organized retail crime remains a persistent threat to the retail industry, accounting for more than $94.5 billion in losses in 2021. These sophisticated crimes permeate the entire retail ecosystem, impacting consumers, employees and communities nationwide.”
Stated The National Retail Federation’s Senior Vice President of Relations, David French.
“While retailers remain vigilant in the fight against ORC, federal support like the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023 is needed to level the playing field with additional resources and coordination among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.”
What is Organized Retail Crime (ORC)?
Organized Retail Crime is defined by the Washington Organized Retail Crime Association as “the theft/fraud activity conducted with the intent to convert illegally obtained merchandise, cargo, or cash into financial gain when the following elements are present: occurs over multiple occurrences OR in multiple jurisdictions, conducted by two or more persons.”
Retail locations are no stranger to criminal activity, whether it be shop-lifting, vehicle break-ins, smash and grabs or even armed robbery. ORC seeks to separate individuals seeking quick gains, from large criminal organizations working systematically to turn large profits over multiple locations. These criminal networks rob stores of inventory which they sell for their own profit. The U.S. Congress states that loss due to ORC increased more than 50 percent between 2015 and 2019.
What makes Organized Retail Crime different?
ORC is different in that it’s not one person looking for personal gain, but a group of individuals working within larger markets stealing and selling goods. ACAMS states “In addition to defrauding retailers, threatening employees, reducing choice, and increasing costs to consumers, many of these organized retail crime syndicates use their ill-gotten gains to fund other criminal activities, such as labor, arms, and drug trafficking.” While these thefts directly impact retail professionals and businesses, there is a ripple through local communities and even our wallets.
Can video surveillance protect you against Organized Retail Crime?
Washington is looking to address major retail concerns with legislation and policy.
Retail professionals are no stranger to the struggles of crime on their properties and have long turned to video surveillance, on-site guards, and access control measures to minimize losses. Video surveillance is especially important in ORC cases as these individuals are known to strike again and for large quantities. Capturing suspect information, vehicle license plates, and mode of operation are crucial in taking down these criminal networks and preventing future attacks.
No one solution will ever be 100% effective, but combining multiple security protections and loss prevention strategies as possible can help you stay one step ahead.
Check out this video on our retail security solution that can result in a deterring Organized Retail Crime.
Contact us today to learn more about our solutions and how we can help protect your retail property.
