Organized Retail On The Rise
According to the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) third annual Organized Retail Crime survey, more than three-fourths of retailers (79 percent) said their companies have been victims of organized retail crime within the past year. Seventy-one percent say they have noticed an increase in organized retail crime activity in the past 12 months, a significant increase from 48 percent in 2006.
Once organized retail crime rings steal merchandise from stores, they commonly sell the goods at flea markets or through Internet auctions. According to the survey, 61 percent of retailers have identified or recovered stolen merchandise from a fence location, up from 59 percent last year. Nearly three out of four retailers (71 percent) also say they have identified or recovered stolen merchandise from an E-fence operation, up from 67 percent last year.
The survey results include responses from 99 retailers representing all sectors including drug, supermarket, general merchandise, home improvement, apparel, department and specialty stores. Go to www.nrf.com for more information.
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