RILA: Retail Crime Rising

RILA: Retail Crime Rising

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Trends are rising in the rival of several different types of retail crime, whether organized or amateur. That's according to a survey released this week by the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA)

In the January 2010 RILA Current Crime Trends Survey (PDF link), RILA found that 78 percent of retailers saw an increase in “amateur and opportunistic shoplifting,” 65 percent saw a rise in organized retail crime, and 74 percent reported an increased in “stolen items being found in online market places.”

“These trends are deeply troubling. We have seen a steady increase in retail crimes over the last year as criminals continue to take advantage of the economic climate to expand their activity,” Casey Chroust, executive vice president, retail operations for RILA, said as part of the announcement. “Not only are retailers presented with additional challenges due to these increases in crime, but communities and consumers lose when the proceeds from these crimes are used to fund additional criminal activity.”

The group also endorsed several bills in Congress to combat retail crime, including the House's Organized Retail Crime Prevention and Enforcement Act of 2009 and the Senate's Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2009.

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