Operation Overloaded nets recovery of $50M in stolen goods
Results in 40+ arrests
- By [ Lisa LaBruno ]
- San Diego, CA
- 05/15/2023
Read the full story here.
“This case – along with all the cases that have come before it - illustrates the massive financial impact of organized retail crime on businesses, consumers, and entire communities. We thank the California Highway Patrol for their diligence in taking down this sophisticated retail crime ring. Outcomes like this are the result of countless investigative hours and unbridled collaboration between private sector investigators and dedicated law enforcement officers,” said Lisa LaBruno, senior executive vice president, retail operations at the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA).
“California’s investment in an Organized Retail Crime Task Force helped crack this case wide open,” said LaBruno. “California has prioritized efforts to combat ORC by investing $15 million annually in the state task force to ensure it is properly resourced for years to come. Every state should make this kind of investment to investigate and prosecute the organized theft rings operating throughout the country,” added LaBruno.
Starting next month, law enforcement will have significantly more investigative tools to identify criminal actors selling stolen goods online. The INFORM Consumers Act, which takes effect June 27, will require online marketplaces like Amazon to verify and make public information on high volume sellers, making it harder for thieves to use the anonymity of online marketplaces to sell stolen products to unsuspecting consumers. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and State Attorneys General are empowered to enforce the new law’s provisions, and retailers are working to ensure the new law is enforced.
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RILA is the US trade association for leading retailers. We convene decision-makers, advocate for the industry, and promote operational excellence and innovation. Our aim is to elevate a dynamic industry by transforming the environment in which retailers operate.
RILA members include more than 200 retailers, product manufacturers, and service suppliers, which together account for more than $2.7 trillion in annual sales, millions of American jobs, and hundreds of thousands of stores, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers domestically and abroad.
Tags
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Asset Protection
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Organized Retail Crime
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Keeping Communities Safe
