How Organized Retail Crime Is Evolving – And What You Can Do About It

New tactics used by ORC gangs

Organized Retail Crime (ORC) gangs increasingly rely on coordinated tactics that exploit both physical store vulnerabilities and digital resale opportunities. One common method is the micro-gang blitz, where small coordinated groups overwhelm store staff using distraction and speed. The NRF notes that “groups of three to five individuals entering together to create confusion and block employees” has become a rising trend, allowing thieves to grab high-value items and flee before intervention.

Another growing scheme involves self-checkout manipulation: offenders frequently use what retailers term “scan-avoidance techniques,” including “ticket switching and non-scanning at self-service lanes,” according to the National Retail Security Survey report (2023). These tactics allow offenders to appear as legitimate customers while concealing large-scale theft. Once merchandise is stolen, ORC networks rely on sophisticated online resale channels – or e-fencing – to rapidly move product “through online marketplaces where tracing provenance is difficult,” the NRF states, often blending stolen goods with legitimate inventory to escape detection. These coordinated methods create a highly efficient pipeline that enables repeat thefts, challenges loss-prevention teams, and fuels ORC operations nationwide.

Emerging trends for 2025

In 2025, organized shoplifting will evolve with increasingly sophisticated and networked methods that make theft faster, smarter, and more scalable. One of the most worrying developments is the use of AI-supported tools to identify high-value, easily saleable items, allowing criminals to quickly scan stock levels, price data, and supply chain feeds to select the most profitable goods to steal.

In addition to smarter targeting, there is also greater mobility, as ORC groups operate in store-hopping gangs, traveling across multiple cities or even states in rental cars or stolen vehicles to rob multiple retail locations in quick succession while staying ahead of local law enforcement. Coordination of these types of thefts is no longer limited to in-person meetings; instead, these groups are increasingly organized through private social media groups and encrypted messaging apps, where plans are shared, roles are assigned, and stolen items are offered for sale within hours of a theft.
These emerging trends paint a picture of ORC networks that operate more like flexible start-ups than traditional shoplifting gangs, with technology playing a major role. The efficiency with which thieves strike should prompt supermarkets to combat theft efficiently and make use of the same developments in AI and technology.

Risk assessment: Are you a target?

Whether a retailer is likely to become a prime target for Organized Retail Crime increasingly depends on three interlocking factors: store location, product mix, and overall security measures. According to recent data, 65% of all shoplifting incidents occur in urban-area stores, making them far more heavily targeted than locations in rural settings. Meanwhile, retail theft at suburban shopping malls has climbed by 23% since 2022, underscoring that shrink is rising not only in city centers but also in traditionally lower-risk suburban environments. Next, retailers that stock a product mix rich in high-value, easily concealable goods — such as cosmetics, designer apparel, electronics, liquor, and pharmaceuticals — are at even greater risk, as such items fetch high returns on secondary markets with relatively little effort.

However, location and merchandise alone don’t seal a store’s fate; what often determines whether it becomes a consistent target is where it sits on the security maturity model, ranging from basic “reactive” measures (such as CCTV and uniformed guards) to more advanced, “proactive” measures such as incorporating data analytics, coordinated law-enforcement partnerships, and real-time loss-prevention intelligence. Retailers who remain stuck in the lower segment of this model, apply limited staff training, rely on CCTV and only respond to shoplifting after it has occurred, often face repeated and escalating attacks from the same ORC gangs. Retailers who invest in more advanced security measures can deter, disrupt, and detect criminal activity before it takes hold.

Front-line defences

Front-line defenses in retail are increasingly combining physical barriers with intelligent technology to prevent theft:

• Check Out Security: prevent merchandise from leaving the store without authorization, alerting staff to potential theft before it occurs and without physical intervention.
• Security sensors: RFID readers, weight-based detection, and self-checkout monitoring systems catch unscanned or suspicious items in real time, protecting one of the most vulnerable points in the store.
• CCTV and AI analytics: video surveillance integrated with AI can detect unusual behaviors, such as repeated handling of high-value products, and automatically flag potential ORC activity for staff intervention.
  Together, these measures create a layered defense strategy, combining physical control, behavioral monitoring, and predictive intelligence to reduce losses and deter both opportunistic and organized retail crime.

People & process adjustments

Effective loss prevention in retail depends not only on technology but also on people and process adjustments that strengthen staff readiness and response. Staff situational awareness training equips employees to recognize suspicious behaviors, understand common ORC tactics, and respond confidently without escalating risk.

In addition, incident response manuals provide clear, step-by-step procedures for dealing with theft, from initial detection to documentation and follow-up, ensuring consistency and reducing errors under pressure. Beyond internal measures, retailers increasingly engage in collaboration with law enforcement and Organized Retail Crime Associations (ORCA) groups, sharing intelligence on repeat offenders, high-risk products, and emerging ORC trends. By combining trained staff, structured processes, and external partnerships, retailers create a proactive environment that can detect, deter, and disrupt theft more effectively than relying on technology alone.

Future proofing your store

Future-proofing a retail store against theft and ORC requires a structured, step-by-step approach that combines continuous evaluation, intelligence, and strategic investment:

1. Implement continuous audit cycles. Conduct regular reviews of store layouts, security systems, and shrink reports to uncover vulnerabilities, monitor trends, and adjust defenses proactively. A thoughtfully designed layout not only helps prevent theft but also enhances the shopping experience. By reducing blind spots and improving sight lines, the store feels open and inviting while maintaining a secure environment. The key is subtlety, integrating security seamlessly into the store’s design so that it deters theft without making genuine customers feel controlled or uncomfortable.
2. Leverage data-driven decision making. Use analytics from POS systems, CCTV, and exception reports to identify high-risk products, optimize staffing, and shape loss-prevention strategies based on concrete data rather than assumptions. Modern video surveillance goes far beyond simple recording, combining high-definition cameras with intelligent analytics to serve as proactive loss-prevention tools. These systems can detect suspicious behaviors—like merchandise concealment or prolonged loitering in vulnerable areas—and immediately alert security personnel for rapid response. By pairing AI-driven insights with human oversight, retailers can monitor expansive store areas more efficiently, with some pilot programs reporting up to a 30% reduction in shrinkage. This approach is especially effective in large-format stores, locations with blind spots, or environments experiencing high levels of organized retail crime (ORC). Beyond prevention, these systems generate time-stamped evidence that supports internal investigations and law enforcement, enhancing both security and accountability. 
3. Budget for layered security. Strategically allocate resources across multiple defensive layers—from perimeter controls and smart sensors to staff training and partnerships with law enforcement—to keep stores resilient as ORC tactics evolve. For retailers with multiple locations and mobile staff, the goal isn’t just maintaining security but ensuring every dollar in the security budget delivers real impact. Leveraging objective crime risk data allows budgets to be allocated based on actual threats rather than evenly across all sites or reacting after incidents occur. This approach protects employees and customers, safeguards profits, and maximizes ROI. Misallocated security funds can both waste money and leave stores vulnerable to preventable losses. Underestimating risk at high-threat locations can endanger people and brand reputation, while overspending on low-risk sites ties up resources that could be more effectively deployed elsewhere. 

By following these steps, retailers create a proactive framework that not only addresses current threats but also adapts to emerging risks, making the store safer for staff and customers while protecting profitability.

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