77 Congress Members Back Anti-Organized Retail Crime Act to Combat Growing Threat
More than three-quarters of Congress members, 77 to be precise, have thrown their support behind the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 in the 119th Congress. This act, reintroduced recently, aims to tackle a growing national threat: organized retail crime.
The bill seeks to establish a federal coordination center to combat this menace. It also encourages better data-sharing among retailers and law enforcement agencies. Additionally, it proposes enhanced criminal penalties for the organized theft groups behind these crimes.
Retailers are grappling with increasingly aggressive and sometimes violent thefts orchestrated by these criminal networks, not just isolated individuals. These groups operate across state lines and even international borders, often linked to broader criminal activities like drug trafficking and money laundering. The threat is so severe that 38 state attorneys general have called for swift federal action, describing the situation as an 'epidemic'.
Organized retail crime doesn't just impact retailers; it disrupts supply chains and online marketplaces. Consumers nationwide are affected through various financial frauds and schemes, such as gift card frauds. Retailers face sustained losses, rising violence against employees, and increased costs to protect their products.
The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025, with its 77 congressional supporters, seeks to address these pressing issues. By improving coordination, data-sharing, and penalties, it aims to make a significant dent in this growing threat to retailers, consumers, and communities nationwide.
