Combating ORC — The New Retail Crime

June 2013 Integrated Solutions For Retailers

By Adel Sayegh, president and CEO, Universal Surveillance Systems, and founder, StopORC

Loss prevention organizations are key to combating retail crimes of all types, especially the rise in ORC.

A major nemesis of retailers is organized retail crime (ORC), which is second only to employee theft in decreasing retail profitability (to the tune of $30 billion a year). Fueling crime around the world, the organizational abilities and sheer number of groups behind the thefts are what enable the immense damage. Although some believe ORC affects only a select few in the retail industry, in reality, retailers, law enforcement, and communities alike all pay the price for the annual loss. According to a Congressional Research Service report, in 2012 96% of retailers were victims of ORC.

Every year, ORC’s $30 billion take not only bleeds the system but also puts employees, customers, and businesses at risk of violence. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), 15% of ORC apprehensions lead to violence, and the numbers are rapidly growing. No retailer is safe from ORC thieves, who are becoming bolder and wiser, and never seem to lack new ideas to acquire their desired merchandise.