WMBCTV: Police Warn of Rise in Organized Retail Theft This Holiday Season

As stores get busier during the holidays, police say shoplifting spikes - but not always in the way people expect. Detective Matt McGuire with the Paramus Police Department says in his 15 years of working in law enforcement, he not only sees a rise in shoplifting during the holiday season but he also sees these crimes becoming more advanced. 

“We definitely see an uptick this time of year,” said Detective Matt McGuire, Paramus Police Department. “As foot traffic increases, so does shoplifting, especially organized retail theft.”

Organized Retail Theft - often called ORT - involves groups of thieves working together to steal large quantities of merchandise, sometimes from multiple stores in a single day.

“These crews are coordinated,” said Detective McGuire. “They know what they’re targeting, they know how to avoid detection, and they often have a plan to resell the merchandise almost immediately.”

Police say these groups target everything from high-end retailers to everyday businesses - clothing stores, pharmacies, grocery stores and even small local shops.

“No business is immune,” said Detective McGuire. “It’s not just luxury items, anything that can be resold.”

Investigators say the thefts often go far beyond grabbing items off the shelf. From magnets to aluminum foil lined bags, police say perpetrators are using sophisticated equipment to get around security measures.

“They’ll use magnets to remove security tags, aluminum-foil-lined bags to block alarms and sometimes even alter barcodes or return stolen merchandise for gift cards or cash,” said Detective McGuire.

Police say stolen items are typically intended to be resold, but when shoplifters are caught, they say the items usually get returned back to the location in which they were stolen from. Police say organized retail theft doesn’t just hurt businesses - it impacts everyone and they stress that safety comes first.

“If you see someone shoplifting, don’t intervene. Be a good witness and contact store staff or call the police,” said Detective McGuire. “Sometimes the corporations will handle situations on their own or sometimes they contact us - it’s really up to the store protocol.”

Authorities say those caught face serious consequences, especially when thefts are tied to organized crime rings.

“These cases can lead to felony charges, large fines, and even federal prosecution depending on the scope of the operation,” said Detective McGuire. “And then we also have to take into consideration if they have other crimes on their record.”

Police urge anyone with information about organized retail theft to report it to local law enforcement.