The Attorneys General of Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, and South Carolina co-led a bipartisan letter joined by 34 other Attorneys General (AGs) to encourage Congress to help "combat the nationwide organized retail crime epidemic" as retailers across the country have been forced to close stores due to financial losses and physical dangers from crime. These store closures, the AGs explain, often result in underrepresented communities losing access to necessary consumer goods.
The AGs describe their ongoing state efforts to create task forces and prosecution units to address ORC but urge "improved coordination with federal law enforcement" due in part to limited resources. They support the creation of an Organized Retail Crime Coordination Center at DHS proposed during the previous Congress to better facilitate information sharing. The AGs also raise the issue of cargo theft of items, including supply chain infrastructure like containers, which contributes to inflation and supply chain delays. (Though not cited in the letter, see for example this recent news on a string of train robberies that included theft of thousands of unsold Nikes worth hundreds of thousands of dollars). They urge that when the legislation is reintroduced it should also include penalties for organized theft of "goods in transit." The AGs conclude by asking Congress to appropriate additional grant funding to AGs and local law enforcement to address ORC.
While ORC is on its face a criminal issue, it ultimately affects consumers as described in the AGs' letter. The AG community's continued emphasis on combatting ORC, facilitated through organizations like the Attorney General Alliance, demonstrate the far reach that AGs' influence can have on addressing issues impacting their constituents. Given the joint effect ORC has on consumers and businesses alike, we expect AGs to continue to think creatively and collaborate to address this topic.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
