Are retail store thefts in the U. S. a result of organized crime rings?

According to the National Retail Federation, 92 percent of retailers said their companies were victims of organized retail crime in 2009. Experts say that as the economy has weakened, shoplifting has increased.

“The stores are not going to give it away free and continue to take the loss," said Gary Frechette, director of security at Gardens Mall. "They’re just going to pass it on new customers."

There are a variety of types of shoplifters, from juveniles to professionals, who spend weeks hitting malls across the state. They travel for hours to different malls along I-95 to get as many items as they can from different stores.

“We also get the real professionals that are looking for just one thing to steal, and most of the time that’s an item from the high-end stores like Gucci, Chanel or Michael Kors,” Frechette said.

Another factor complicating the prosecution of shoplifters is the liability companies have if a customer harms an employee. Most companies have policies that bar employees from accusing someone of shoplifting, even if that employee sees a crime being committed.

Link:
http://upiu.com/articles/retail-stores%E2%80%99-policies-benefit-shoplifters