• Investing
  • Stock
Round Table Thoughts
  • Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
Home Editor's Pick Nationwide coordinated retail crime crackdown results in hundreds of arrests, authorities say
Editor's Pick

Nationwide coordinated retail crime crackdown results in hundreds of arrests, authorities say

by June 4, 2025
by June 4, 2025 0 comment
Share
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsapp

A nationwide coordinated crackdown on retail crime — what authorities are calling the first of its kind — led to hundreds of arrests in 28 states last week.

The blitz, led by Illinois’ Cook County regional organized crime task force, involved more than 100 jurisdictions and over 30 retailers including Home Depot, Macy’s, Target, Ulta Beauty, Walgreens, Kroger and Meijer.

“When you give specific focus to a crime, it reverberates,” Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart told CNBC. “When they see it is being prosecuted and taken seriously, it deters conduct. They don’t want to get caught.”

Organized retail crime — a type of shoplifting where groups of thieves work together in targeted operations to turn stolen goods into cash — has grown in scale and scope in recent years. CNBC previously reported on the extensive law enforcement efforts to take down retail crime organizations.

While aggregate numbers for retail theft are difficult to quantify, retailers reported 93% more shoplifting incidents on average in 2023 compared with 2019, according to a survey conducted by the National Retail Federation. Those surveyed also reported a 90% increase in the associated dollar losses over that same time period.

Some critics point to a lack of enforcement and felony thresholds for allowing criminals to continue committing theft. It’s something Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke has been focused on since taking office in December.

On her first day in office, O’Neill Burke said prosecutors would pursue felony retail theft charges in accordance with state law, when the value of the goods exceeds $300 or when the suspect already has a felony shoplifting conviction.

Before her taking office, retail theft felonies were charged only if the value of the stolen goods was $1,000 or more or if the suspect had 10 or more prior convictions.

Since Dec. 1, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office has filed charges in 1,450 felony retail theft cases, the office said.

The goals of the coordinated operation, O’Neill Burke told CNBC, is “to have one day where we focus and concentrate on [retail theft] and we share intelligence about it — about what we learned about the network, so that gives us more tools on how to take this network down.”

It was the coordination between law enforcement and prosecuting attorneys that got a number of the involved retailers to participate in the blitz.

“Collaboration is key to making a meaningful impact,” Ulta Beauty Senior Vice President of Loss Prevention Dan Petrousek told CNBC. “That’s why we were proud to participate in the National ORC Blitz alongside dedicated law enforcement and prosecutorial partners.”

Ulta Beauty had teams participating across nine states in last week’s operation, providing law enforcement with information on incidents of retail crime.

“Organized retail crime remains one of the most significant challenges in our industry,” said Marty Maloney, Walgreens director of media relations. “In this most recent operation we worked closely with law enforcement partners across nearly 20 cities and at over 40 locations to help curb this trend.”

A representative for Home Depot told CNBC that while overall theft is down, investigated incidents of organized retail crime are still up double digits year over year.

Now that the operation has concluded, the group is pulling together each jurisdictions’ observations and sharing data to continue to help crack down on retail theft.

Other participating retailers reached for comment by CNBC, including Macy’s, T.J. Maxx and Target, said they’re committed to partnering with law enforcement and pushing for stronger laws to combat retail crime.

California Highway Patrol arrests retail crime suspect in Long Beach, CA.Courtesy: California Highway Patrol.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
You Might Also Like
  • Cut from projects, dropped by agents: How the Israel-Hamas war is dividing Hollywood
  • Tens of thousands of Las Vegas Strip hotel workers at 18 casinos could on go strike this month
  • Applebee’s owner Dine Brands to lean on value, marketing to reverse sales declines
  • Wyld Networks Launches Pioneering Satellite IoT Network
Share
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsapp

previous post
Strategic Chaos or Tactical Goldmine? What QQQ’s Chart is Whispering Right Now
next post
S&P 500 on the Verge of 6,000: What’s at Stake?

You may also like

What the Clorox products’ shortage means for you

September 20, 2023

GM to lay off 1,300 Michigan workers as vehicles end...

December 18, 2023

UAW strike would show Biden, other leaders it’s time to...

September 7, 2023

Shein’s global ambitions leaves some cybersecurity experts fearful of Chinese...

July 10, 2024

Small businesses are still hungry to hire, but many workers...

April 8, 2024

A government shutdown wouldn’t stop air travel, but it could...

September 29, 2023

Sony and Apollo send letter expressing interest in $26B Paramount...

May 4, 2024

Target launches paid membership program as it chases new revenue...

March 7, 2024

Abercrombie expects a strong holiday quarter as growth run continues

November 27, 2024

Mortgage rates are expected to fall below 6% this year,...

January 19, 2024

    Stay updated with the latest news, exclusive offers, and special promotions. Sign up now and be the first to know! As a member, you'll receive curated content, insider tips, and invitations to exclusive events. Don't miss out on being part of something special.


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • Shein and Temu see U.S. demand plunge as loophole for cheap goods closes

      June 6, 2025
    • Three Charts Showing Proper Moving Average Alignment

      June 5, 2025
    • Shein and Temu see U.S. demand plunge as loophole for cheap goods closes

      June 5, 2025
    • Clusters of Long Winning Streaks: What They’re Telling Us

      June 5, 2025
    • This California startup is cleaning water and removing CO₂ from the atmosphere — all at a reduced cost

      June 5, 2025

    Popular Posts

    • 1

      Trump-era China sanctions ended by Biden may be...

      June 27, 2024 2,792 views
    • 2

      Walz’s honeymoon with China gets fresh scrutiny as...

      August 9, 2024 2,496 views
    • 3

      Biden appointee played key role in recruiting Chinese...

      June 25, 2024 2,477 views
    • 4

      Shein’s global ambitions leaves some cybersecurity experts fearful...

      July 10, 2024 2,459 views
    • 5

      Harris VP pick spent years promoting research facility...

      August 29, 2024 2,336 views

    Categories

    • Economy (7,009)
    • Editor's Pick (2,120)
    • Investing (538)
    • Stock (2,592)

    Popular Posts

    • 1

      Trump-era China sanctions ended by Biden may be revived under new House GOP bill

      June 27, 2024
    • 2

      Walz’s honeymoon with China gets fresh scrutiny as Harris camp blasts ‘lying’ critics

      August 9, 2024
    • 3

      Biden appointee played key role in recruiting Chinese businesses to Delaware: ‘Longtime friends’

      June 25, 2024
    • 4

      Shein’s global ambitions leaves some cybersecurity experts fearful of Chinese spy threats

      July 10, 2024
    • 5

      Harris VP pick spent years promoting research facility that collaborated with ‘Chinese military company’

      August 29, 2024

    Latest News

    • Shein and Temu see U.S. demand plunge as loophole for...

      June 6, 2025
    • Three Charts Showing Proper Moving Average Alignment

      June 5, 2025
    • Shein and Temu see U.S. demand plunge as loophole for...

      June 5, 2025

    Categories

    • Economy (7,009)
    • Editor's Pick (2,120)
    • Investing (538)
    • Stock (2,592)

    Disclaimer: RoundTableThoughts.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2024 RoundTableThoughts.com. All Rights Reserved.

    Round Table Thoughts
    • Investing
    • Stock
    Round Table Thoughts
    • Economy
    • Editor’s Pick

    Read alsox

    Inflation cooled to 4% in May...

    June 15, 2023

    What is Observability and Why is...

    December 28, 2022

    Interest rates will likely start coming...

    March 7, 2024
    Sign In

    Keep me signed in until I sign out

    Forgot your password?

    Password Recovery

    A new password will be emailed to you.

    Have received a new password? Login here