Organized retail theft paired with inflation has pushed some major retailers to make drastic security changes in an effort to keep them from the brink of closure.
Some stores have locked up some inventory, creating an inconvenience for customers, while some loss prevention associates have been equipped with body cameras.
Arizona Retail Association says organized retail theft is so common it's not only changing how you shop but also costing the law-abiding consumer more at checkout.
In May, Glendale Police Department shared a compilation of security camera footage of what an organized retail crime operation looks like.
An officer asked one of the suspects, “After you grabbed those things, what did you do with them?"
“Sold them,” said the suspect.
What happens to someone who steals $14K worth of women’s underwear? They get busted by GPD detectives! Leticia Martinez Perez, the “Thong Thief” committed a total of 8 shopliftings from Victoria’s Secret. She admitted to selling them for profit. No more panty proceeds for her. pic.twitter.com/akFgrVkq7z
— Glendale Police (@GlendaleAZPD) May 30, 2024
Over the course of several months, two "thong thieves" were caught on camera stealing $14,000 worth of merchandise from Victoria’s Secret stores in Glendale and Phoenix.
Two people were seen on camera eight separate times stealing skivvies with the intent to sell.
It landed those two people in jail, including one of them who was already there.
RELATED: Thieves steal more than $70K worth of merchandise from Target stores in Valley, Tucson
In an attempt to deter theft like this, some retailers are taking a page out of law enforcement’s book.
We’re told the parent company for TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Home Goods have put body cameras on trained loss prevention associates over the past year.
In a statement to ABC15, TJ Maxx said: “At TJX, the safety of our Associates and our customers is always a top priority. Over the past year, we have begun use of body cameras in certain stores across our U.S. retail brands. Body cameras are currently used by certain Loss Prevention Associates, who have gone through thorough training on how to use the cameras effectively in their roles. Video footage is only shared upon request by law enforcement or in response to a subpoena. Body cameras are just one of the many ways that we work to support a safe store environment. This includes a variety of policies, trainings, and procedures. We hope that these body cameras will help us de-escalate incidents, deter crime, and demonstrate to our Associates and customers that we take safety in our stores seriously.”
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“You see all kinds of things happening in retail that never used to happen,” said Michelle Ahlmer with the Arizona Retailer’s Association.
Ahlmer also sits on the board for the Arizona Organized Retail Crime Association.
She says large thefts at retailers cost the company to invest in locking up products, banning large bags, spending money on armed guards, and pushing some stores to shutter – which can create food deserts.
All of this can lead retailers to increase prices, costing you more.
She also mentioned the sales tax impact which can hurt the greater community.
”They sometimes are sold outside the country. Those sales tax dollars are lost completely, which impacts the services the state and the city can provide,” she said.
RELATED: Organized retail theft on the minds of Arizona law enforcement and lawmakers
The crime has cost Arizona retailers billions of dollars over the years.
This has led the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to ramp up prosecution cases: 513 cases in 2022, 616 in 2023, and 386 so far this year.
If the trend continues, shopping may begin to look even more different than in years past.
“Shopping can see an entire row of locked cases — that’s unusual. That’s something we may see more of,” said Ahlmer.
