New Illinois association brings together businesses, police to fight organized retail theft

CHICAGO (CBS) — In a brand-new tactic to fight organized retail theft, a group is forming across the state of Illinois to bring together business owners and police.

From smash-and-grabs to large-group thefts—visuals with which we’ve become all too familiar—organized retail crime has been a major hit to businesses big and across the area.

Criminal groups that commit the retail thefts seek to resell the items to fund activities such as illegal gun purchases, human trafficking, and even terrorism, experts say.

High-profile retail districts such as the Magnificent Mile have been pummeled by thieves over recent years, but it is not just the main shopping corridors that are affected.

Illinois retailers are estimated to lose more than $2 billion in goods to retail thefts every year—impacting everything from the ability to hire new employees to expanding and maintaining business.

Further, such thefts affect not only the businesses themselves, but the city’s tax base—and ultimately everyone.

“So goes retail, So goes our local government services and state services,” said Rob Karr, president and chief executive officer of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association.

The new Illinois Organized Retail Crime Association is the latest measure to try to stop those hits from coming.

“In short, what it is, is an organization that brings together law enforcement, asset protection professionals, and others involved in combatting organized retail crime—including state and federal law enforcement agencies,” said Rob Karr, president and chief executive officer of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association.

Karr said the new association will streamline coordination between everyone involved—acting as a connector for businesses big and small, loss prevention specialists, and law enforcement, with the idea that the more people are connected, the quicker the crooks will be caught.

“We are really hopeful to have this great coming together that doesn’t exist today in a cohesive manner,” Karr said.

Using a shared platform, the Illinois Organized Retail Crime Association will allow groups across jurisdictions to share information and warnings, build cases, and ultimately prevent crime.

Dave Garfield, a family business owner with locations in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, has seen his fair share of such crime.

“It takes a big toll,” Garfield said.

He said one of his Garfield’s Beverage Warehouse stores had $300,000 worth of damage in a recent theft, and coming back from it is “overwhelming.” Just recently, one of his stores had a store hit more than once.

Garfield said he is happy to be part of the brand-new retail crime association, because the intel would’ve helped in that case.

“We were hit twice in a month, and it was the same crew,” said Garfield, “so I think if the first time, we would have had something like this, we would have been able to communicate with other people—and hopefully prepared ourselves to not happen again.”

The Illinois Organized Retail Crime Association kicks off Monday. Anne Sagins, who has 30 years of public service with the Illinois Senate Republicans Caucus, will serve as executive director.