Retail's Most Wanted

Why it matters: Melissa Wacha, leading asset protection at Meijer, shares insights on fighting retail crime through technology integration and law enforcement partnerships.

Key takeaways:

• Technology integration is crucial: Meijer focuses on creating a "single pane of glass" system to streamline investigations and evidence gathering across multiple software platforms
• Multi-jurisdictional challenges: Coordinating between different law enforcement agencies requires consistent documentation and standardized evidence sharing processes
• Success story: Recently closed a $1M case involving loyalty program fraud, working with Michigan AG's task force and FBI

Emerging threats:

• Digital fraud growing: Omnichannel retail expansion creates new vulnerabilities in:
  • Third-party systems
  • Account takeovers
  • Fraud rule exploitation

The bottom line: Retailers must adapt to both physical and digital threats while strengthening law enforcement partnerships and investing in unified technology solutions.

Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance. 

The big picture:

Home Depot is taking an aggressive stance against retail crime while prioritizing customer and employee safety.

Notable initiatives:

• Deploying off-duty police officers and patrol cars
• Installing new camera technology and license plate readers
• Building strong relationships with local, state, and federal law enforcement

Key challenges:

• Rising frequency and aggression of retail crime
• Anonymous fencing through peer-to-peer marketplaces

What's next:

Home Depot is supporting legislation to increase accountability and close peer-to-peer marketplace loopholes while continuing to invest in security technology.

Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance. 

Why it matters:

Vancouver Police Department's innovative approaches to retail crime offer insights into successful public-private partnerships and emerging challenges in retail theft investigation.

The big picture:

• Shifting terminology: Officials are moving away from "shoplifting" terminology as it understates the organized nature of retail crime
• Multi-agency cooperation: Success requires collaboration between retailers, police, and courts
• Technology challenges: Video format compatibility and electronic disclosure systems remain key hurdles

Notable initiatives:

• Business Liaison Officer Program: Facilitates direct communication between police and retailers
• Project Barcode: Targets violent shoplifters and chronic offenders through coordinated operations

Key challenges:

• Rising violence and weapons presence in retail theft incidents
• Coordination with online marketplaces for investigating stolen goods
• Managing complex relationships between unhoused populations, mental health, and organized retail crime

What's next:

Vancouver PD aims to improve technological capabilities and public awareness about retail crime's connection to larger criminal enterprises.

Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance. 

The big picture: A detailed look into how law enforcement investigates organized retail crime, highlighting the complex web of technology, cross-jurisdictional collaboration, and investigative techniques needed to solve these cases.

Investigation Challenges

• Pattern recognition: Investigators piece together criminal behaviors, including shopping patterns and preferred locations
• Multiple jurisdictions: Cases often span across different states and require coordination between multiple law enforcement agencies
• Technology trail: Investigators must track rideshare records, surveillance footage, and credit card transactions

Key Barriers

• Unreported crimes: Many victims contact banks instead of police, making case-building more difficult
• Retailer hesitancy: Some businesses are reluctant to share information due to reputation concerns

Bottom line: Success in combating organized retail crime requires stronger partnerships between retailers and law enforcement, along with sustained commitment to prosecution.

Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance. 

Key Takeaway

The Michigan FORCE Team is making significant strides in combating retail crime through multi-jurisdictional operations.

Why it matters

The team's integrated approach, with embedded prosecutors and cross-state collaboration, is creating a replicable model for organized retail crime units.

What's next

The team identified three key needs to expand their impact:

• Additional prosecutors (currently have 2, need 4-5)
• Fiscal analyst for money tracking
• More storage space for seized goods

The bottom line

Despite resource constraints, the Michigan FORCE Team has become a point of contact for multi-state investigations, with their model being adopted by other states like Pennsylvania.

Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance. 

The big picture:

Axon has expanded beyond law enforcement body cameras into private sector applications, with significant success in retail and healthcare settings.

By the numbers:

• 40%+ reduction in escalation incidents reported by customers using body cameras
• Multiple form factors and customization options available for different industries

Key innovations:

• Sleeker, smaller design than law enforcement versions
• Customizable faceplates to match company uniforms
• Various mounting options including magnetic and lanyard attachments
• Real-time video sharing capabilities with law enforcement

Bottom line:

Axon's body camera technology is evolving beyond simple recording devices into comprehensive security solutions that actively prevent and de-escalate potentially dangerous situations.

Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance. 

The big picture: LiveView Technologies is hosting a town hall at the Delta Center focused on fighting organized retail crime through collaboration between retailers, law enforcement and security providers.

Key details: 

• Event will feature attorney generals discussing state-level initiatives
• Panel discussion on organized crime's impact across the supply chain 
• Includes representatives from transportation, retail and law enforcement 
• Skills challenges and activities

The bottom line: The message to struggling retailers is "you don't have to do it alone" - success comes through partnerships and information sharing between industry peers and law enforcement at all levels.

Those interested in participating can reach out through LVT's website for future event invites. Content and key takeaways will be shared online.

Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance. 

The big picture: Maricopa County is taking steps to combat organized retail crime (ORC) through stricter enforcement, retailer partnerships, and new legislation.

Why it matters: These crimes aren't just about shoplifting - they're funding larger criminal enterprises including drug smuggling and human trafficking.

Key strategies:

• Enhanced task force with lower thresholds for prosecution
• Partnerships with Arizona Retailers Association
• New legislation targeting repeat offenders
• Educational forums for retailers on reporting theft

The bottom line: Maricopa County's proactive approach aims to prevent it from becoming a city where ORC has become a major crisis.

Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance. 

The big picture: California's Proposition 36 marks a significant shift in addressing retail theft by strengthening penalties and closing loopholes that had enabled widespread shoplifting under Proposition 47.

Why it matters: The measure aims to reverse the surge in organized retail crime that has plagued California businesses since Prop 47's passage, while balancing enforcement with treatment options for drug addiction and homelessness.

Key changes:

• Eliminates the "cite and release" approach for repeat offenders
• Enables aggregation of multiple thefts to reach felony thresholds
• Strengthens partnerships between retailers and law enforcement

What's next: Implementation is underway with extensive prosecutor training and renewed collaboration with retailers.

Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance. 

The big picture: NRF leaders shared insights on their recent study on the impact of retail theft and violence this year, and how retailers can best engage with incoming legislators and administration officials.

Why it matters: As retail crime increasingly crosses jurisdictions, retailers are seeking both technological and policy solutions to protect their businesses and employees.

By the numbers:

• 94% of Americans support federal action on organized retail crime
• States report significant cross-jurisdictional challenges in investigations
• Multiple states have launched AG-led task forces in the past 24 months

Between the lines: Retailers are investing in emerging technologies like RFID, AI, and computer vision while strengthening partnerships with law enforcement.

The bottom line: Success in combating retail crime requires a multi-faceted approach combining technology, law enforcement partnerships, and policy changes at both state and federal levels.

Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance.