In retail asset protection, there’s a pivotal moment that often defines the outcome of a safety incident: apprehension. For many retailers, that moment represents a hard-earned win, the result of thorough investigation, reporting, and courageous action by store and AP teams. But what happens next?
Too often, the answer is: not enough.
We hear it firsthand. From frontline staff who encounter the same individuals repeatedly. From asset protection leaders who invest in building cases, only to see them stall in the courtroom backlog, to prosecutors overwhelmed by caseloads and forced to triage justice. These stories reflect a larger, systemic problem: a lack of legal follow-through after an arrest.
This isn’t about blame. It’s about acknowledging a structural reality. Our criminal justice system is burdened and fragmented, and often lacks the connective tissue necessary to sustain consequences for habitual retail offenders. And yet, the need has never been greater.
According to Auror’s latest US Retail Crime Report, in the US, 10 percent of offenders cause 68 percent of total reported event value. These are not opportunists; they’re repeat offenders who return to stores knowing there’s little follow-through to stop them. In fact, between 2023 and 2024, ALTO found that 50 percent of its total supported retail crime cases involved a repeat offender. This is a cross-store, cross-community problem, and it demands a coordinated solution.
Retailers can’t solve this alone. Neither can law enforcement, nor prosecutors. What’s needed is greater alignment; a collaborative, persistent model that bridges the gap between incident and accountability. This means better communication, shared data, clear escalation pathways, and legal support that doesn’t end at the point of arrest.
At ALTO, we’ve seen that when these pieces come together, outcomes change. Cases move forward. Offenders are held accountable. Store teams feel safer. And community trust begins to rebuild.
But this isn’t about perfection; it’s about progress. And progress requires infrastructure: consistent processes, informed advocates, and a mindset shift that moves beyond individual wins toward systemic change.
Let’s stop asking why the cycle continues, and start working together on how to stop it. Retailers, businesses, prosecutors, police departments, solution providers, and local communities all have a role. When we commit to follow-through, we don’t just protect stores; we help restore public safety and dignity in spaces where people work and shop every day.
The apprehension of a repeat offender shouldn’t be the finish line. It should be the turning point.
