Attorney General Anthony G. Brown joined a 38-state bipartisan coalition urging Congress to take action against organized retail crime, which has led to over $121 billion in financial losses and increased violence against retail workers.
The coalition is advocating for the reintroduction of federal legislation to enhance penalties for supply chain thefts and establish an Organized Retail Crime Coordination Center to improve state and federal enforcement efforts.
Per the news release: “Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has joined a 38-state and territory bipartisan coalition urging Congress to take action to address the rise in organized retail crime across the country.
“Organized retail crime harms businesses and devastates entire communities that rely on these retailers for groceries, medications, and everyday household items. When these stores are forced to charge higher prices or close altogether, Marylanders end up paying the price,” said Attorney General Brown. “These critical resources will enable our Office to protect consumers who rely on these shops for essential goods like food, baby formula, and clothes.”
Organized retail crime has contributed to financial losses totaling over $121 billion in the U.S., and 76 percent of retail asset protection managers report their employees have suffered from violence at the hands of an organized retail criminal. Cargo theft remains a primary component of organized retail crime nationwide—disrupting supply chains and acting as an inflationary pressure on the price of everything from baby formula to clothing.
During the 118th Congress, the House and Senate introduced H.R.895/S.140 – Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023 and S.139 – Organized Retail Crime Center Authorization Act of 2023. This legislation would provide the necessary resources at the state and federal levels to bring the organizations and individuals behind this nationwide problem to justice. Now, the coalition is urging the 119th Congress to reintroduce this bill, including increased federal penalties for supply chain thefts to act as a strong deterrent against the organized theft of goods in transit.
Several attorneys general have formed task forces and created prosecution units to combat this growing problem. In their letter, the coalition notes that legislation proposed in the 118th Congress would expand upon and synchronize state and federal efforts with the creation of an Organized Retail Crime Coordination Center at the Department of Homeland Security, facilitating the information sharing necessary to address the complex cross-border nature of organized retail crime.
Joining Attorney General Brown in signing the letter are the attorneys general from Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, and South Carolina, who co-led the effort. Also joining are the attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Washington, and West Virginia.
For more information, visit www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov.”