Retail Crime Growing in Severity: NRF [View all]

[Sherman A1]

WASHINGTON — Retailers are reporting that organized retail crime (ORC) is growing in severity, volume and type, according to a new survey from the National Retail Federation.

Of the 125 retail companies surveyed for NRF’s eighth annual Organized Retail Crime Survey, a record-setting 96% said their company has been the victim of organized retail crime in the past year, up from 94.5% last year, and another 87.7% said ORC activity in the United States has grown over the past three years.

"What this tells us is that as retailers and law enforcement become more aware of and more proactive in pursuing organized retail crime gangs, criminals have become more desperate and brazen in their efforts, stopping at nothing to get their hands on large quantities of merchandise,” said NRF Vice President of Loss Prevention Rich Mellor, in a statement. “Selling this stolen merchandise is a growing criminal enterprise and retailers must remain vigilant as this is an issue that involves everyone's cooperation when it comes to protecting retailer's assets, including their valued store associates and customers."

NRF said it strongly believes that organized retail crime must be addressed through federal legislation that would amend the Federal Criminal Code to effectively address the organized and serious nature of this issue and define it as a federal crime with appropriate sentencing guidelines. Federal law enforcement would also benefit from receiving the resources needed to combat this crime.

http://supermarketnews.com/retail-amp-financial/retail-crime-growing-severity-nrf

Interesting on several levels, but the indication that the NRF whats increased Federal Legislation to protect their member's interest caught my eye. I thought that Government and regulation and alike were bad things? Hmmm.......