Will a Nationwide Crackdown on Organized Retail Crime Significantly Curtail Theft?

Organized retail crime (ORC) has been a hot topic for those who follow retail news headlines for some time now. The term typically refers to shoplifting involving numerous thieves who work together in planned operations, with the eventual goal of fencing stolen goods for liquid assets, primarily cash.

Now, according to CNBC, authorities across the U.S. appear to be ramping up efforts to crack down on those involved in organized retail crime, with hundreds of arrests being made spanning 28 states last week alone.

Helmed by Illinois' Cook County regional organized crime task force, the crackdown involved 30 retailers — including Home Depot, Kroger, Macy's, Target, Ulta Beauty, and Walgreens — across 100 jurisdictions.

Speaking to the news outlet, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart suggested that the crackdown could curtail crimes of a similar nature.

“When you give specific focus to a crime, it reverberates. When they see it is being prosecuted and taken seriously, it deters conduct. They don’t want to get caught," Dart said.

Retail Crime, Particularly Shoplifting, Incident Spiking in Recent Years

A 2024 report from The National Retail Federation (NRF) indicated that retailers surveyed had experienced a whopping 93% increase in the average number of shoplifting incidence per year in 2023 versus the same behavior just four years prior, in 2019. Furthermore, a 90% increase in dollar loss during that same four-year time frame was observed.

In fact, the NRF noted that more than half of respondents to its poll indicated that ORC shoplifting, shoplifting more broadly, e-commerce theft, repeat offenders, and return fraud of various sorts had all become of increasing concern versus year-prior levels. In particular, organized retail crime was singled out as the issue of most increased concern, with more than three-quarters (76%) of retail enterprises surveyed saying as much.

CNBC suggested that some critics continued to highlight a lack of enforcement, as well as existing felony thresholds, as incentivizing criminals to continue committing theft. Meanwhile, Cook County State Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke zeroed in on the issue as soon as she assumed office in December of last year — quickly enacting changes such as stating that 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," per the news organization.

Prior to O'Neill Burke taking office, retail theft felonies were only pursued if the overall value of stolen goods exceeded $1,000 or if the alleged perpetrator had accrued 10 or more prior convictions. Since Dec. 1, 2024, her office has filed charges related to 1,450 felony retail theft cases.

Retailers Involved in Nationwide Retail Theft Crackdown Speak Out

While nearly all retailers providing comment to CNBC signaled a continued commitment to working with law enforcement to combat retail theft, representatives from Ulta Beauty, Walgreens, and Home Depot offered up more specific remarks.

“Collaboration is key to making a meaningful impact,” Ulta Beauty SVP 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.”

“Organized retail crime remains one of the most significant challenges in our industry,” Marty Maloney, Walgreens' director of media relations, stated. “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 speaking on behalf of Home Depot offered a mixed report, however. According to internal data, the company reported that a drop in overall theft was in evidence, but also that incidents of organized retail crime had ticked upward by double digits in 2025, year-over-year.