FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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BALTIMORE, MD – Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has joined a 38-state and territory bipartisan coalition urging Congress to take action to address the rise in organized retail crime across the country.
“Organized
retail crime harms businesses and devastates entire communities that
rely on these retailers for groceries, medications, and everyday
household items. When these stores are forced to charge higher prices or
close altogether, Marylanders end up paying the price,” said Attorney General Brown.
“These critical resources will enable our Office protect consumers who
rely on these shops for essential goods like food, baby formula, and
clothes.”
Organized
retail crime has contributed to financial losses totaling over $121
billion in the U.S., and 76 percent of retail asset protection managers’
report their employees have suffered from violence at the hands of an
organized retail criminal. Cargo theft remains a primary component of
organized retail crime nationwide – disrupting supply chains and acting
as an inflationary pressure on the price of everything from baby formula
to clothing.
During the 118th Congress, the House and Senate introduced H.R.895/S.140 – Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023 and S. 139 – Organized Retail Crime Center Authorization Act of 2023. This legislation would provide the necessary resources at the state and federal level to bring the organizations and individuals behind this nationwide problem to justice. Now, the coalition is urging the 119th Congress to re-introduce this bill to include increased federal penalties for supply chain thefts to act as a strong deterrent against the organized theft of goods in transit.
Several attorneys general have formed task forces and created prosecution units to combat this growing problem. In their letter, the coalition notes that legislation proposed in the 118th Congress would expand upon and synchronize state and federal efforts with the creation of an Organized Retail Crime Coordination Center at the Department of Homeland Security, facilitating the information sharing necessary to address the complex cross-border nature of organized retail crime.
Joining Attorney General Brown are the attorneys general from Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, and South Carolina who co-led the letter to Congress. Also joining are the attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, U.S. Virgin Islands, Washington, and West Virginia.
Here is a copy of the letter.
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