Presentation from NRF 2023: Retail's Big Show Adam Braun, Illinois Attorney General's Office David Johnston, National Retail Federation Millie Kresevich, EssilorLuxottica Maria Michel-Manzo, Homeland Security Investigations Organized retail crime (ORC) is a growing threat to retailers of all sizes, is imperiling employee and customer safety, and is hurting companies’ financial performance. This session will highlight how ORC threats are evolving, how law enforcement and retailers can work together more effectively on ORC investigations, and what NRF is doing to support legislation and industry initiatives that will help to counter ORC.

1. Working together to
combat organized
retail crime
ADAM BRAUN
Executive Deputy Attorney
General
Illinois Attorney
General's Office
MILLIE KRESEVICH
Senior Director- Asset
Protection
EssilorLuxottica
MARIA MICHEL-MANZO
Division Chief
Homeland Security
Investigations
DAVID JOHNSTON
VP, Asset Protection and
Retail Operations
National Retail
Federation

2. What is Organized Retail Crime(ORC)?
Not shoplifting, where an
individual(s) steals for
personal need or gain
Varies in scope and scale, from
loosely organized local or
regional groups to transnational
well structured criminal
organizations
Stolen product is resold
online, sold to diverters
or wholesalers to resell
back into marketplace, or
moved outside the U.S.
Impacts retailers via higher
costs to protect product,
increased incidents of violence
& aggression, and operational
challenges that include labor
and supply availability

3. Wilmette, Illinois ORC Investigation – Oct 2022
Source: https://abc7chicago.com/wilmette-il-news-theft-retail-ring-bust/12324981/
• Year-long investigation
• Local, State Law Enforcement,
Dept of Homeland Security &
Retailers
• Estimated at $40M in total theft
• Recovered 270K+ items valued
at est. $7.5M
• Product sold online and to
distributors coast-coast
“It began with what we initially thought was a simple retail theft…which then led us to physical surveillance, and we were able to
determine that this was a much larger operation than we originally anticipated," said Kyle Murphy, Village of Wilmette police chief.

4. Scan QR
Code or visit
the website
• Consumer Awareness
• Law Enforcement
Coordination
• Retail & Private Industry
Partnerships
• Elected Officials and
Government Education
• National Lead Development
Center Engagement
Homeland Security Investigations' (HSI) response to OTGs
profiting from ORC, cargo theft and other theft-related crimes
that threaten the economy and security of the United States
Operation Boiling Point

5. North Carolina DHS-HSI ORC Investigation
• $167K in stolen
merchandise
• 28 Firearms
• 20K rounds of
ammunition
• Violent gang thefts
– NY to Miami
Source: Loss Prevention Magazine
It’s not just a property crime…

6. • Continue to build awareness and education on the issue of ORC and retail theft
• Seek out local, state and federal opportunities to build effective public-private partnerships and
information sharing channels
• Report incidents to law enforcement and collect internal data in a means to collect more
accurate losses due to ORC
• Engage state and federal legislators to discuss and call for legislation
• Approximately 34 states have some version of an ORC law (varies state-by-state)
• NRF continues to advocate for legislative solutions to fight retail crime including the Combatting
Organized Retail Crime Act.
• This bill establishes a new Organized Retail Crime Coordination Center (DHS-HSI) that will
help federal, state and local law enforcement agencies better coordinate to effectively combat
criminal activities.
What we can do to curb this issue…
Text ORC to 50457 to help advocate with the NRF