Retailers, law enforcement, legislators tackle $30-billion-plus organized retail theft

April 28 conference in Albany

ALBANY, NY (04/25/2011)(readMedia)-- Law enforcement, prosecutors, and retail asset protection professionals from all parts of New York State meet Thursday, April 28, 2011 at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany for a day-long conference addressing organized retail crime (ORC) and its $30-billion-plus annual impact on retailers, consumers, and governments throughout the United States.

The Retail Council of New York State sponsors and hosts the conference, presenting a slate of speakers including New York State Assemblyman Jonathan Bing, Albany County District Attorney David Soares, and Special Agent Kevin Tyrrell, Section Chief of the Illicit Finance and Proceeds of Crime Unit of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau.

Other featured discussions include retail crime case studies from national retailers, a review of eBay's growing partnership with the retail industry, and a look at nationwide trends in organized retail crime.

"This is not your garden-variety shoplifting where someone is stealing an item on impulse," said Retail Council President and CEO James R. Sherin. "ORC syndicates are highly organized, well trained, and able to steal and fence more than $30 billion annually in merchandise from United States retailers."

"We estimate that ORC costs New York State some $70 million annually in lost sales tax revenue," Mr. Sherin said. "But the impact on consumers is even stronger – all of us are paying higher prices at the cash register."

"The economic impact is just the tip of the iceberg," Mr. Sherin said. "Product lines such as baby formula and health and beauty aids comprise much of the merchandise stolen, fenced, and moved back into the legitimate distribution chain. These are goods that have definitive shelf life and storage requirements – and yet the ORC rings can manipulate product labels, sell the items through itinerant vendors or other means, or move outdated product back into legitimate distribution chains. ORC is a real threat to consumers as a result."

Mr. Sherin said the April 28 conference focus would introduce law enforcement officials, lawmakers, retailers, and industry leaders to trends and growing partnerships, provide networking opportunities, and continue to build momentum toward new laws in New York State to help combat ORC.

"Already this year, the state Senate has passed bills banning the sale of certain items by itinerant vendors and increasing penalties for the use of anti-security devices," Mr. Sherin said. "The Retail Council has been meeting with local district attorneys and lawmakers in every part of the state for the past several months to talk about ORC and possible points of attack."

"We know this conference will have a strong impact on those discussions," he said. "Consumers can't afford the risks tied to buying stolen merchandise. New York State can't afford to forfeit tens of millions in lost sales tax dollars. Retailers can't afford to keep taking multi-billion-dollar hits annually at the hands of these highly organized criminals."

– 30 –

[IMPORTANT NOTICE: We invite the press to attend the April 28, 2011 event, which begins at 9 a.m. in the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany, New York. Please be advised that because of the sensitive and proprietary nature of the subject matter, some conference presenters will require their presentations and comments to be off-the-record. The Retail Council will work with any member of the press to provide information pertaining to the conference and the issue(s) discussed.]