Organized Shoplifting: When Criminals Pillage the People

“We cannot continue operating these stores because theft and organized retail crime are threatening the safety of our team and guests, and contributing to unsustainable business performance,” said Target, the 7th largest US retailer, in a statement, announcing the reason for closing nine stores in communities susceptible to high rate of organized retail crime (ORC).

Target isn’t the only store impacted by this wave of criminal activity. In recent times, ORC has had a significant impact on a multitude of stores, including but not limited to Apple, Lululemon, and Walgreens. Retailers such as Walgreens, Walmart, Whole Foods, Nordstrom, among others, have been compelled to shut down their outlets in areas that are prone to recurrent organized shoplifting.

Organized shoplifters predominantly focus on items like apparel, beauty products, electronics, alcoholic beverages, and food. These items are not just easy to conceal and transport, but they also possess a substantial resale value in the underground market, ecommerce platforms, or even reintroduced into the legitimate supply chain.

Major retailers like Target have had to shut down stores in several cities because of the unsafe environment created by these thefts. Thefts and organized retail crime were identified by Target’s CEO as a major driver for…