Loss Prevention

About the Georgia Retailers Organized Crime Alliance (GROC)

In 2010, Georgia Retailers formed a coalition of retail loss prevention and law enforcement and professionals to develop a crucial piece of legislation, “The Georgia Smash and Grab Act” to address the growing retail theft issue. This legislation was successfully passed, and the Georgia Retailers Organized Crime Alliance (GROC) was established.

Today, GROC remains a powerful statewide crime fighting partnership made up of law enforcement and retail loss prevention professionals working together, in real-time, to combat Organized Retail Crime (ORC).

GROC facilitates collaboration among retail and law enforcement partners by providing a vibrant platform for education, professional networking, and community outreach through monthly intelligence sharing meetings, ORC blitz operations, and its annual retail crime conference held in Atlanta each fall.

Q: What is ORC?  A: Stealing to sell.

ORC is the large -scale theft of retail merchandise with the intent to resell the items for financial gain. It is distinct from ordinary shoplifting by individuals seeking goods for personal use.

ORC involves sophisticated criminal enterprises employing groups of individuals who steal large quantities of merchandise from a number of stores and use a fencing operation to convert the stolen goods into cash.

ORC on the Rise

ORC is primarily responsible for retail “shrink” which will reach $94.5 billion in 2021.

In 2021 Retailers reported an average 26.5% increase in ORC incidents in comparison to 2020 activity.

ORC costs retailers an average of $719,548 per $1 billion in annual sales.

• In Georgia that equates to an approximate $32,400,000 annual impact/loss to retailers
• Loss of sales tax dollars back to the state
• These losses drive up costs for retailers and inevitably the cost is passed on to the consumer

Factors contributing to the increase in ORC:

• Workforce challenges
• Less prosecution of crimes wrongly perceived as “victimless.”
• Growth of online marketplaces
• Increased felony thresholds across the country enabling thieves to steal more with less penalty-facing only a misdemeanor charge (Georgia’s felony threshold $500)

(National Retail Federation)