The Growing Threat of Organized Retail Crime

Thieves are seen looting stores at the Grove shopping center in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles, Calif., on May 30, 2020. VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images

The massive wave of retail thefts in the United States over the past two years have become a major challenge for both the retail industry and law enforcement.

Weakened law enforcement policies and lesser penalties for these criminal bandit gangs have hit a critical juncture, as crime in the United States has hit proportions not seen in three decades.