Organized Retail Crime (ORC)

Strategic cargo theft is a growing, global threat exploiting supply chain vulnerabilities, demanding stronger collaboration and updated protections.

Retailers can combat organized retail crime more effectively by using unified security systems and digital evidence management tools to streamline investigations, enhance data sharing, and strengthen collaboration with law enforcement.

Judiciary Witnesses Call for Congressional Action on ORC | 16 Facing Charges for $2.6M Money Order Scheme at Walmart Stores | Victims of Gift Card Scam Sue Target Alleging the Retailer Profited from Fraud

The adaptive, predictive, and networked behavior of dragonflies offers a striking parallel to how organized retail crime groups assess risk, communicate, and evolve—especially through tools like social media—to exploit weaknesses in retail systems.

Despite official crime stats suggesting retail theft is down, new research shows it's actually rising—underreporting, shifting policies, and strained police resources are masking the true scale of the problem and fueling a misleading public narrative.

Police Search for Burglars Who Stole $300K in Clothing | Suspicious Death Outside Goodwill Store Under Investigation | Lululemon Is Suing Costco for Allegedly Selling Knockoff Versions of Its Clothes

Celebrating its 25th year, the Loss Prevention Research Council (LPRC) continues its mission to advance evidence-based retail crime prevention through collaboration, innovation, and rigorous research—growing from a bold idea in 2000 into a global leader in loss prevention strategy.

To give you a better feel for the vast impact of the ORC problem, we have provided a glimpse into just a few of the incidents that took place in the month of June, 2025.

Amid rising retail theft and violence driven by legal, social, and economic shifts, retailers and security professionals must adapt strategies, collaborate across sectors, and advocate for reform to restore safety and accountability in retail environments.

Shoplifter Jumps from Second Story of Mall onto Ice Rink | Security Guard Charged after Woman Killed | Task Force's 'No Price Is Right' Operation Nets 8 Arrests