Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has joined forces with a bipartisan group of attorneys general from 38 states and territories, calling on Congress to address the escalating issue of organized retail crime impacting the United States. This nationwide problem has led to substantial financial losses, exceeding $121 billion, and has adversely affected the safety and well-being of retail employees, with 76 percent of retail asset protection managers reporting violent incidents involving organized retail criminals.
Organized retail crime not only threatens the operational viability of businesses providing essential goods such as groceries, medications, and household items but also influences economic stability by inflating prices on critical products ranging from baby formula to clothing. The coalition highlighted the importance of legislative action, referencing bills like H.R.895/S.140 – Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023, and S. 139 – Organized Retail Crime Center Authorization Act of 2023 introduced during the 118th Congress.
The proposed legislation aims to bolster state and federal resources to effectively prosecute those responsible for organized retail crimes and to create an Organized Retail Crime Coordination Center within the Department of Homeland Security. This center would facilitate crucial information sharing across state and national lines, addressing the complex, cross-border nature of these crimes.
Attorneys general leading this initiative alongside Brown include representatives from Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, and South Carolina. Additional support comes from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Washington, and West Virginia.
The coalition’s urgent plea to the 119th Congress is to reintroduce and enhance the bills with increased federal penalties for supply chain thefts, aiming to establish a more formidable deterrent against the organized theft of goods in transit.
