Sophisticated Shoplifting Gangs Are Costing US Retailers $30 Billion A Year

It may not have the grit and the glamour of film noir, but one of today’s most elaborate strains of organized crime drains about $30 billion from US retailers annually, and without much consequence. Organized retail crime—ORC, for short—affected 97% of the 67 American retailers surveyed by the National Retail Federation in 2015, and four out of five of them said that it’s getting worse. Though only crocodile tears may be shed for corporate giants like Walmart and Target, the massive theft of items like teeth-whitening strips, laundry detergent, and energy drinks across the US can really hurt small businesses, and shoppers’ wallets. In some cases, it is even limiting access to much-needed items. In ways most consumers don’t even realize, this type of crime “always comes back around and hits the everyday shopper,” says Chris McGourty, founder of the National Anti-Organized Retail Crime Association. What’s also not well known: This type of crime is happening more often, getting more sophisticated, and is almost impossible to prosecute. Read more at Quartz.