The rise in retail crime across Canada has made retail security a top-of-mind issue for businesses and law enforcement heading into the holiday season. Winnipeg, which experienced Canada’s highest robbery rates in 2023, is launching a “safe shopping initiative” this holiday season aiming to reduce retail theft by deploying additional police officers to malls and shopping centres in the city, as reported by CityNews Winnipeg. In Kamloops, RCMP officers are educating retailers on how to prevent shoplifting this holiday season and in Toronto, police continue to crack down on violent retail thefts.
While community engagement and law enforcement intervention are steps in the right direction when it comes to combating retail theft, businesses see the best chance of proactive success when they hire high-quality retail security teams. In this blog, we’ll discuss organized retail crime and how retail businesses can protect themselves through retail security strategies.
What is Organized Retail Crime?
Distinct from typical shoplifters, who most commonly steal items for personal use, organized retail crime (ORC) is professional shoplifting involving groups of individuals stealing from stores with the intention of selling items at a profit on the black market or secondary market. These markets may include flea markets, pawnshops, and online marketplaces like eBay, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace.
ORC operations typically involve two groups: ‘boosters’ who conduct the retail thefts, and 'fences' who receive and resell the stolen merchandise at a profit. Stolen merchandise is commonly distributed across nationwide networks, making inventory recovery difficult. ORC groups are often involved in other syndicated crime schemes, such as fraud, human trafficking, drug distribution, and money laundering.
The Dangers of Organized Retail Crime
According to the National Retail Federation’s National Retail Security Survey, inventory shrinkage (unaccounted loss of merchandise) represented $112.1 billion in losses for the retail industry in 2022 alone. This impacts the operations of individual retailers and can drive up prices for legitimate consumers.
In addition to retail profit losses, ORC leads to unsafe shopping and working environments. ORC members execute thefts quickly and will often run into and out of stores to secure their stolen goods, with little regard for legitimate customers who may be injured in the process. Store workers who attempt to obstruct a thief’s path may also become victims of ORC violence.
Most Frequently Stolen Retail Items by ORC Groups
ORC groups most often target items that have a high resale value on the black market. Amir Anvarizadeh, National Training and Development Manager at Blackbird Security, weighed in: “ORC groups most often steal designer and luxury goods with recognizable brand names, even if those items aren’t the most expensive in the store. For example, if a store carries a Gucci perfume and an expensive niche perfume, ORC will target the Gucci item based on brand recognition.”
Some of the most commonly stolen items by ORC groups include:
- Designer winter jackets
- Perfumes, colognes, and fragrances
- Sunglasses
- Handbags
- Consumer electronics
- Small appliances like blenders and espresso machines
- Jewelry
Most Commonly Stolen Retail Items by Non-ORC Individuals
Non-ORC-related thefts are a prevalent issue for retailers. While common shoplifters operate on a smaller scale compared to ORC, the volume and frequency of thefts can still have a profoundly negative impact on businesses. Goods stolen by ORC groups and common shoplifters often overlap, particularly designer goods. In addition to high-value items, be alert for thefts of the following personal-use items:
- Makeup and cosmetics
- Gift baskets
- Meat
- Cheese
- Toys
- Alcohol
- Clothing
- Toiletry products
How Can Retailers Protect Themselves Against ORC?
While law enforcement entities' education and community involvement with businesses can have a positive impact, retail security measures are the most proactive solution for businesses. Here’s how your retail security team will safeguard your business:
Safety
Retail security guards are trained to handle ORC thefts and will take immediate action to protect your store, customers, and staff. Tactical security guards at Blackbird Security receive training in Use of Force, allowing them to safely and efficiently take down thieves. Having trained security guards on site to address the situation lessens the chances of an untrained staff member intervening and potentially getting hurt.
Deterrence
The presence of uniformed security guards provides a deterrent to potential ORC groups, who are less likely to target stores visibly protected by security. Additionally, the presence of uniformed security guards makes customers feel safer, contributing to brand trust and customer retention.
Strategy
Your store’s retail security team will get to know your business’s unique security challenges and devise an optimized strategy that addresses all of your needs, as well as any blind spots. This may include deploying uniformed security guards to high-risk areas of your store, monitoring CCTV cameras for suspicious activities around store exteriors, and using undercover Loss Prevention Operatives (LPOs) to monitor suspicious activity within the store.
Partner With Canada’s Best Retail Security Company
At Blackbird Security, our retail security guards and team leaders have years of experience fighting ORC. We currently safeguard high-value merchandise stores across Canada such as Best Buy, Moose Knuckles, Holt Renfrew, and Arcteryx. Whether you’re looking to bolster your retail security in time for the holiday season or looking for a year-round security solution, our team is here to help.
Get in touch with us through the form below to learn how we can protect your store.
Learn more about our retail security operations in our previous blog, Black Friday With Blackbird Security: Retail Security Recap.
In addition to retail security, we provide services in the following areas:
- Mobile Patrol Security
- Construction Security
- Uniformed Security
- Elite Suit & Tie Security
- Executive Protection
- Office & Facilities Security
- Government Security
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- Shopping Mall Security
- Front Gate Security
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