More than ever, organized retail crime is a problem that is consuming the resources of law enforcement.
Police departments across New Jersey continue to expend precious resources responding to organized theft, as retail crime rings regularly steal baby formula, over-the-counter medication and other high-demand items from store shelves and then sell them on the gray market. The problem is evident at your local store, where everything from razors to cosmetics are now displayed behind lock and key.
Retail theft leads to a decline in neighborhood safety and quality of life, and erodes public trust in the effectiveness of law enforcement.
In direct response, the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police (NJSACOP) is urging state lawmakers to adopt a bill (A.4755/S.3587) that will protect consumers and retail workers, ensure vital collaboration between retailers and state prosecutors, and target leaders of organized retail theft.
The proposed legislation is to be heard before the Assembly Judiciary Committee later this month as it moves through the state Legislature and hopefully to the governor’s desk for signature.
Our association’s leadership strongly supports the bill because it specifically targets professional theft rings that methodically move throughout New Jersey and beyond state lines. Police chiefs are also pleased to see the proposed bill will help curtail gift card fraud, another expensive crime that pulls resources from law enforcement to investigate.
Investigating and prosecuting these cases can be complex and time-consuming. Law enforcement agencies, with a full plate of responsibilities, often struggle to keep up with the increasing number of incidents and the sophisticated, ever-changing tactics employed by organized theft groups who are reaping millions of dollars annually off small business owners and consumers.
These cases often seep into New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware, requiring extensive coordination and investigation efforts. Moreover, these criminal groups have intricate connections, making it difficult to identify and apprehend the ringleaders. There are also the legal entanglements, such as jurisdictional issues, bail reform and sentencing guidelines that keep these criminals in business.
For law enforcement, safety is the paramount concern. We regularly see organized retail crime leading to dangerous confrontations between thieves and store employees, potentially resulting in violence. We also see these same criminals linked to other activities, such as drug trafficking and money laundering.
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Not only does this alarming trend affect law enforcement, but a 2023 National Retail Security Survey found that retailers faced an estimated loss of $112.1 billion nationwide. New Jersey loses an estimated $200 million in sales taxes that could support essential programs, such as investing in new crime-fighting technologies, that could benefit all New Jersey residents.
Through this bill, police can work more closely with state prosecutors and law enforcement officials, who would be able to demand harsher punishment for persistent offenders. Another important benefit: prosecutors could look back, regardless of the time period over which the scheme or course of conduct took place, in determining the total amount of theft and upgrade the offense, under the proposed law.
Ringleaders of organized retail theft would also finally face increased penalties for tax evasion, which we believe will directly correlate with crime reduction.
It is our hope that New Jersey lawmakers will give us the tools to combat organized retail theft, swiftly enacting commonsense legislation that directly targets the crime syndicates that threaten our residents and our way of life.
Rutherford Police Chief John Russo is president of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police.
