Day One - General Session: The State of the Loss Prevention Industry
Loss Prevention 2008 kicked off this morning with opening remarks from Joseph LaRocca, National Retail Federation.
Joe recapped some of the major issues that retailers face in loss and prevention and how this event plans to address those topics. Highlighted topics include: shrinkage, active shootings, workplace safety, cybercrime and cooperation with law enforcement (LERPnet). Joe was also pleased to announce that the Secure Store has returned this year to the EXPO hall.
Next up was Dan Doyle, Beall’s Inc., to introduce the NRF Loss Prevention Advisory Council. It’s the advisory council’s responsibility to plan this event.
Dan then introduced the morning keynote speaker, Grady Judd, Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Judd and his team recently broke up an organized retail theft ring the stole an estimated $100 million worth of retail goods.
Grady pointed out that a large majority of shoplifters are criminals in other ways. However, with retail theft there is often a catch and release mentality with law enforcement. Those released shoplifters will return. It’s an unfortunate reality that criminals end up in your retail environments.
The $100 million organized retail theft case started in April of last year. A Publix employee observed a suspect leaving the store with hundreds of dollars of beauty products. With good detective work they caught the suspect. With the arrest of the subject, often times that’s the end of the case. Not so, with this investigation. This was a bigger deal then a single grand theft. Soon the investigation grew. An ad-hoc group of law enforcement agencies around Florida began to work on the case.
The investigation uncovered 18 individuals in the organization. The thirteen field workers, the boosters, all had arrest records. Four of the five ring leaders had no arrest record at all. The group would steal between $1000-$5000 per store, per event. They would coordinate events, spacing out thefts to give stores a chance to rest, and restock. They targeted ‘easy’ stores. The ring leaders would create shopping lists for items like razors and cosmetics. The beauty items were then resold online at flea markets and other locations.
The main investigation concluded on Jan 24th, 2008 with 18 arrests. Conservative estimates range from $60 million to $100 million in stolen goods. It all started with a single arrest for shoplifting.
Sheriff Judd pointed out that many agencies think the crime ends with the single arrest. That’s not always the case, that simple shoplift may be organized retail theft. There needs to be a paradigm shift within law enforcement. Retail theft needs to be taken more seriously. Stopping retail theft can impact other crime. Your minor thieves are your major thieves. Thieves are good at what they do, it’s their industry.
There needs to more cooperation between law enforcement and retailers. Often when the Sheriff’s office is working another type of case it’s a security camera at a retail location that provide important clues.
Sheriff Judd encouraged attendees to work with their organizations to stress the importance of a zero-tolerance policy towards theft. It will impact your bottom line, and benefit society as well.
