Special to IFN

N.C. Attorney General Jeff Jackson and a bipartisan coalition of 38 attorneys general on Tuesday urged Congress to act now to help stop organized retail crime. Organized retail crime occurs when groups of people work together to steal large amounts of merchandise from stores and then re-sell those products 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,” Jackson said. “I’m urging Congress to give us more state and federal resources to stop this crime.”

Organized retail crime has contributed to financial losses totaling over $121 billion in the U.S., and 76 percent of retail asset protection managers report their employees have suffered from violence at the hands of an organized retail criminal. In 2022, North Carolina businesses lost more than $1.8 billion in revenue because of theft.

“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. It is critical Congress take action to provide the resources at the state and federal levels to bring the professional criminal organizations to justice for the good of the economy and the safety of our communities,” stated Andy Ellen, president and general counsel of the N.C. Retail Merchants Association.

During his time as a U.S. representative, Jackson co-sponsored H.R.895, the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023, which would provide state and federal resources to help combat this crime.

Now, a bipartisan group of attorneys general are urging Congress to reintroduce that bill as well as S.139, the Organized Retail Crime Center Authorization Act of 2023, to include increased federal penalties for supply chain thefts and deter people from stealing goods in transit.

In the letter, the coalition notes that the legislation proposed in the last Congress would expand upon and synchronize state and federal efforts with the creation of an Organized Retail Crime Coordination Center at the Department of Homeland Security, helping share necessary information to address the cross-border nature of organized retail crime.

Jackson was joined in sending this letter to Congress by the Attorneys General of Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, South Carolina, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, U.S. Virgin Islands, Washington, and West Virginia.