The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act Protects Consumers and Businesses from Coast to Coast

BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA - Organized retail crime is harming American consumers, businesses and employees nationwide. The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, led by U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) would establish an integrated, commonsense response to this harmful criminal trend. The bill would establish new tools to recover stolen goods, while creating a centralized task force in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to share information and coordinate responses between federal, state and local law enforcement, as well as private industries.

This bipartisan proposal has garnered massive support from leaders at the national and local levels, including 38 state attorneys general, major law enforcement organizations and a coalition of over 260 impacted businesses. Further, it passed the U.S. House of Representatives by an overwhelming vote of 348-60 and was recently filed as an amendment to the Senate's must-pass National Defense Authorization Act by Grassley and Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).

Read coverage from coast to coast exemplifying the urgent need for Congress to pass the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act:

MICHIGAN

Fox 2 Detroit | Former Ford employee ran criminal operation involving car parts stolen off the assembly line, police say

"A former employee of Ford Motor Company is accused of taking millions of dollars in new car parts right off the line. An investigation by Dearborn Police found the alleged thefts going on for more than two years, stretching from plants in Wayne, Dearborn, and Flat Rock."

KENTUCKY

WKYC | Woman ordered to pay $266K after fraud scheme targeted Home Depot stores in Ohio, Kentucky

"A southern Ohio woman has been sentenced after Medina Township police say she carried out a yearslong organized retail fraud scheme that targeted multiple Home Depot stores across several states… Investigators said the scheme dated back to 2018 and involved more than 1,700 fraudulent transactions at multiple Home Depot stores in Ohio and Kentucky."

PBS | Crime ring busted for stealing valuable Kentucky bourbon

"200 bottles of valuable Pappy Van Winkle bourbon whiskey were stolen from a locked and secure distillery in Kentucky. On Tuesday, authorities said they found a bourbon crime ring connected with the heist; nine people were indicted for taking more than $100,000 worth of whiskey…"

RHODE ISLAND

Fall River Reporter | Woman arrested concerning organized retail theft operation in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, other states after $30,000 in suspected stolen merchandise seized

"The Cranston Police Department is currently investigating a multi-jurisdictional organized retail theft operation involving a Cranston woman accused of stealing merchandise from retail stores across multiple New England states… Investigators estimate 227-250 pieces of clothing were recovered, valued between $10,000-$15,000."

WPRI | 2 RI men charged in $12M organized retail theft scheme

"Cipriano and Vigneau are accused of raking in nearly $12.3 million by reselling goods stolen from various stores to other retailers and private citizens. The stores that were targeted include Walmart, Stop & Shop, CVS, and The Home Depot… This follows a seizure on Wednesday of approximately 60,000 stolen items."

ILLINOIS

WIXY | Illinois retail workers confront rising violence as organized crime surges

"Illinois retail workers are facing increasing levels of in-store violence, driven in large part by repeat and organized offenders… The data shows that one in seven retail crime incidents in Illinois involve violence, weapons, or threatening behavior."

Chicago Sun Times | Hundreds of thousands of dollars in protein powder, coffee and lobster stolen in Illinois-related thefts

"A string of at least three brazen, large-scale Illinois-related thefts have caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in protein powder, coffee products and lobster to disappear… including 25,000 pounds of Seeq brand protein powder, worth more than $500,000… Roughly 24,000 pounds of stolen coffee products, worth about $100,000… Last week, $400,000 worth of lobster bound for Costco locations in Illinois and Minnesota vanished."

MISSISSIPPI

The Mississippi Link | Police: $500K in Nissan plant parts recovered

"A raid on a car restoration business Wednesday uncovered about $500,000 in parts that police believe were stolen from the Nissan North American plant in Canton, authorities said."

WJTV | Pearl police arrest 3, recover stolen goods in retail theft ring case

"Pearl police announced three suspects were arrested after officers recovered $6,500 in stolen merchandize following an investigation into a retail theft ring that targeted businesses in the city."

CALIFORNIA

CBS San Francisco | Multiple suspects arrested in CHP operation targeting Northern California organized retail theft ring

"A California Highway Patrol task force this month arrested 13 people and recovered over $800,000 in stolen merchandise in connection with an organized retail theft ring that operated across Northern California."

4 Los Angeles | 14 arrested in elaborate $10 million Home Depot theft operation

"Fourteen people were arrested in what authorities described as the country's largest organized retail theft case in the history of Home Depot… The highly organized criminal enterprise carried out about 600 heists over the years at Southern California Home Depot stores, including in Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties… Thefts over several years amounted to about $10 million in losses."

TEXAS

NBC DFW | New data shows organized retail theft hitting North Texas harder than national average

"North Texas retailers experience repeat and organized retail crime at a higher rate than the national average. The company, which works with 265 retailers in North Texas, recorded more than 20,000 retail crime events annually across the region."

The Daily News | League City case leads to arrests in $260K retail theft spree

"An investigation that began with the theft of several cameras from a League City Best Buy last summer has led to the arrests of seven Houston-area suspects accused of participating in a statewide organized retail theft ring responsible for more than $260,000 in losses."

DELAWARE

NBC Philadelphia | Man accused of running organized retail theft operation in Delaware

"A man has been arrested and charged following a months-long organized retail theft investigation involving multiple businesses throughout New Castle County, Delaware… Detectives found around 4,317 items of suspected stolen merchandise with an estimated retail value of $70,292.36."

WASHINGTON

Fox 13 Seattle | 'Prolific' Bellevue, WA retail theft suspect back in jail just months after release

"A woman Bellevue police describe as one of the region's most prolific organized retail theft suspects is back behind bars just months after being released from prison… Authorities accused Downs and Wiley of stealing more than $500,000 worth of merchandise."

Axios Seattle | King County cracks down on repeat retail theft

"King County prosecutors charged 640 felony economic and property crime cases in 2025, the highest total since 2019, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office."

NEW YORK

ABC 7 | Massive Home Depot theft ring busted in Queens, largest retail crew ever prosecuted

"Prosecutors say the crew stole more than $2.2 million worth of tools and construction equipment during 319 separate incidents at 128 Home Depot locations… The amount of merchandise stolen in a single day ranged from about $1,800 to nearly $35,000."

WWD | Man Arrested for 2024 Chanel New York Store Burglary That Led to Estimated $1.7 Million Loss

"…an elaborate burglary at Chanel's East 57th Street store in New York City that amounted to an estimated $1.7 million loss in July 2024."

NEBRASKA

WOWT | EXCLUSIVE: Brazen shoplifting crew hits Nebraska Crossing

"Four women and a male driver were arrested Dec. 11 after allegedly shoplifting an estimated $3,000 worth of clothing from outlet stores at Nebraska Crossing… The suspects are believed to be part of a larger shoplifting ring consisting of 15-20 females who target retailers across the metro area."

NEVADA

KSNV | Las Vegas police recover $418K in goods, arrest suspect in months-long retail theft probe

"Police said detectives found more than 900 items, including stolen jewelry, watches, tools, handbags, purses, clothing and accessories, high-end sunglasses, fragrance, cosmetics, alcohol, and toys… which police said totaled over $418,000."

FLORIDA

News4Jax | Duval, St. Johns among Florida counties targeted in major Home Depot theft ring, prosecutors say

"Investigators say the criminal enterprise centered around smoke detector thefts at Home Depot stores across 17 Florida counties, with investigators uncovering at least 44 smoke detector thefts statewide. The total estimated loss from this organized retail crime ring exceeds $800,000."

CBS Miami | Florida authorities arrest 7 people in major retail theft ring, recovering over $900,000 in stolen goods

"The investigation revealed that shoplifters, known as "boosters," targeted major retailers like CVS, Walgreens, Publix, Burlington, Macy's and Ulta stores across 12 different counties… leading to more than $900,000 worth of stolen merchandise recovered."

NORTH CAROLINA

Queen City News | $250K in stolen goods recovered from organized retail theft ring in Union County

"Detectives with the Union County Sheriff's Office and agents with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation have investigated an organized retail theft ring operating within the county… Approximately $250,000 in stolen merchandise was recovered."

ABC11 | Police: 2 suspects arrested in Bath & Body Works thefts across Raleigh, Durham

"The suspects are linked to 17 separate larceny incidents… Authorities said more than $8,300 worth of merchandise was stolen."

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Lowell Sun | NYC man accused of stealing hundreds of OTC medications in NH spree

"He carried out a coordinated retail theft operation, stealing 455 containers of over-the-counter medications from Walmart and several Hannaford grocery stores before fleeing from officers."

WMUR | 2 accused of stealing more than $33,000 worth of products from Ulta stores in New Hampshire, Massachusetts

"The pair were involved in 24 shoplifting incidents at stores in New Hampshire and Massachusetts and stole more than $33,000 in merchandise."

MISSOURI

First Alert 4 | Police: Couple stole over $500K in goods from Home Depot in will-call order scheme

"Court documents said a St. Louis County couple stole $500,000 in merchandise from Home Depot over several years."

KRGC | Two women charged in multi-state beauty supply thefts and Jefferson City attack

"Two women have been charged, accused of stealing from several beauty supply stores in Missouri and Illinois, and attacking an employee in Jefferson City… The documents state that one of the women then sprayed pepper-spray into the employee's face."

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