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Merchants crack down on holiday shoplifters

On Behalf of | Nov 24, 2017 | Criminal Defense |

Whether it’s a teenage girl nicking a trendy new hair accessory or organized retail criminals (ORC) conspiring to lift high-dollar electronics, shoplifting affects us all in the form of higher prices on consumer goods.

It also cuts into the profits of retail merchants, which is why companies prioritize deterrence and apprehension when developing theft protocols. As we kick off the holiday season for 2017, let’s review the basics of the five-finger-discount. It turns out that it has long-reaching repercussions on the futures of those who get apprehended.

Merchants acknowledge that ’tis the shoplifting season. As such, you can expect many undercover loss protection officers to be mingling with shoppers while seeking to identify suspected shoplifters. Some of those easier to spot are the ORC gangs.

The most sophisticated ORC gangs move from city to city, targeting stores that carry specific items according to prearranged customers’ “orders.” Teams of ORC arrive and create distractions to divert attention from the ones doing the actual thefts.

The stolen goods often wind up being re-sold online. If you spy a deal that just seems too good to be true, it’s possible that it is stolen merchandise.

Savvy business owners implement high-tech solutions to the problem of shoplifting. While some shoplifting pros may be able to evade detection, these deterrents cast a wide net that catch a great deal of the attempted thefts.

An arrest on shoplifting charges is enough to take the wind out of anyone’s holiday sails. Not only do you risk pre-trial incarceration that can leave you spending your holidays in the hoosegow, but your future employment — and other — prospects can dim markedly.

Don’t roll the dice on representing yourself on shoplifting charges. Mounting an aggressive criminal defense led by your legal professional is a wiser choice.

Source: Linkedn, “Get ready for Christmas shoplifting,” Troels Garibaldi Falkenberg, accessed Nov. 24, 2017