WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and colleagues reintroduced the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act to crack down on flash mob robberies and intricate retail theft schemes, establish a coordinated multi-agency response, and create new tools to tackle evolving trends in organized retail theft.
“If we can do anything to help law enforcement, we should,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Organized crime always looks to expand its territory. Let’s fight back.”
The Combating Organized Retail Crime Actwould:
- Establish an Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that combines expertise from state and local law enforcement agencies and retail industry representatives.
- Create new tools to assist in federal investigation and prosecution of organized retail crime and help recapture lost goods and proceeds.
Cassidy and Grassley were joined by U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), James Risch (R-ID), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Ted Budd (R-NC), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Steve Daines (R-MT), Katie Britt (R-AL), and Ted Cruz (R-TX) in introducing the legislation.
Background
According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), more than 84 percent of retailers report that violence and aggression from criminal activities has become more of a concern since 2022, resulting in injuries and deaths among employees, customers, security officers, and law enforcement personnel. NRF also estimates that larceny incidents increased by 93 percent in 2023 compared to 2019. In recent years, criminal organizations have increasingly turned to retail crime to generate illicit profits, using internet-based tools to organize flash mobs, sell stolen goods, and move money.
The Combating Organized Retail Crime Actis supported by the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the Major County Sheriffs of America, the National Retail Federation, the Retail Industry Leaders Association, the Reusable Packaging Association, the Association of American Railroads, the American Trucking Association, UPS, DHL, the U.S. Dairy Export Council, the National Milk Producers Foundation, the Intermodal Association of North America, the Transportation Intermediaries Association, the PASS (Protect America’s Small Sellers) Coalition, the International Downtown Association, Amazon, the World Shipping Council, Pirate Ship, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), National District Attorneys Association (NDAA), World Shipping Council, and the Home Depot.
###