Retailers reported an 18% increase in the average number of shoplifting incidents last year, on top of a 93% increase between 2019 and 2023.
And criminals are increasingly turning to methods other than shoplifting, such as cargo theft and refund-and-return scams. “If you make it more difficult to steal one way, they just go pivot and change direction,” said David Johnston, NRF’s vice president for asset protection and retail operations.
Retailers reported an 18% increase in the average number of shoplifting incidents last year, on top of aAnd threats or acts of violence during shoplifting or theft events increased 17%. A majority of retailers reported increases in phone scams, digital and e-commerce fraud, shoplifting and merchandise theft, and cargo or supply chain thefts being conducted by organized retail crime groups. “They're starting to expand in their methods, in their breadth,” Johnston said of the retail crime networks. “So, they're seeing increases in cargo theft. They're seeing increases in return frauds. And even another area to note was an increase in phone scams, which come into play with using gift cards, and not merchandise itself, as its target of opportunity.”“As you talk to retailers and law enforcement, when they look at these repeat offenders and what they're stealing and how frequently they're stealing, in the quantities that they're stealing, that's not associated with shoplifting for personal need,” he said. The person or group of people who carry out the initial theft will likely sell the goods to a fencer. The stolen merchandise might end up on an online marketplace or in another part of the country. “There is a wide range of organized retail crime that's impacting the retail industry and our nation as a whole,” Johnston said.The survey included retailers for clothing, food, home and garden, health and beauty, entertainment and recreation, electronics, general merchandise and more., which would enhance coordination between federal, state and local law enforcement. Johnston said the federal law would break down jurisdictional limitations to go after criminals, improve coordination and information sharing for investigators, and help prosecutors go after the larger organized groups. Johnston said retailers are seeing some progress, but it often includes locking up items. And retailers understand that negatively impacts the customer experience. Retailers are focusing on employee training, making sure they know how to report thefts but also how to keep themselves and their customers safe.And they’re investing in anti-theft technology, such as cameras, lighting and license plate readers. “The concern over the theft, of course, is the product loss. But I could tell you in having conversations with many retailers, it's not just about product loss,” Johnston said. “It's more about the safety of their employees and the customers and a shopping environment and the ability to have the product and the merchandise.”
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