Attorney General Josh Stein | Official website
Attorney General Josh Stein | Official website
Attorney General Jeff Jackson, along with a bipartisan coalition of 38 attorneys general, has called on Congress to take action against organized retail crime. This type of crime involves groups stealing large quantities of merchandise from stores and reselling them for cash.
"Organized retail crime hurts our businesses, causes stores to shut their doors, puts employees and customers in danger, and pushes costs upward for everyone," said Attorney General Jeff Jackson. He urged Congress to provide more state and federal resources to combat this issue.
Andy Ellen, President and General Counsel of the NC Retail Merchants Association, emphasized the broader impact: "Organized retail crime is not only a crime against property but a crime against people, often tied to other serious crimes such as opioids, identity theft, and human trafficking."
The financial impact is significant. Organized retail crime has led to over $121 billion in losses across the U.S., with 76 percent of retail asset protection managers reporting employee violence due to these crimes. In North Carolina alone, businesses lost over $1.8 billion in revenue in 2022 because of theft.
Previously as a U.S. representative, Attorney General Jackson co-sponsored H.R.895, the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023. The act aims to provide resources at both state and federal levels to tackle this issue. The coalition is now urging Congress to reintroduce this bill alongside S.139, the Organized Retail Crime Center Authorization Act of 2023. These proposals include increased penalties for supply chain thefts and aim to deter goods-in-transit thefts.
The proposed legislation would establish an Organized Retail Crime Coordination Center at the Department of Homeland Security to facilitate information sharing necessary for addressing cross-border organized retail crime.
Joining Attorney General Jackson are Attorneys General from states including Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, South Carolina among others.
A copy of their letter is available online.
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