How Big is the Problem?
"Organized Retail Crime affects almost every single retailer, with 95% reporting they have been a victim of organized retail crime in the past 12 months, up six percent from last year. " National Retail Federation 2011 Survey
The ASIS Foundation released a report on ORC that cited estimates that organized retail theft costs anywhere between $31 billion and $50 billion annually. American Society for Industrial Security 2010
"It robs local and state governments of tax revenue and can also injure the health of consumers."
Security Management Magazine (2010)
The Response
Partnerships between law enforcement and retail investigators are forming to combat the problem. These Alliances share cross jurisdictional information to identify, disrupt, and apprehend Organized Retail Crime (ORC) crews.
Retailer and Merchant Liability Protection in Washington State
Merchants and other parties who create a database of individuals who have been apprehended in the process of committing a property crime, assessed a civil fine or penalty for committing a property crime or convicted of a property crime are not subject to civil fines or penalties for sharing information from the database with other merchants, law enforcement officials or legal professionals. Per RCW 4.24.340 The purpose of RCW 4.24.500 through 4.24.520 is to protect individuals who make good-faith reports to appropriate governmental bodies.
Revised Code of Washington protection laws to reference: RCW 4.24.220, RCW 4.24.230, RCW 4.24.340, RCW 4.24.350, RCW 4.24.500, RCW 4.24.520.
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