Multi-agency task force will fight organized retail crime in Illinois
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has announced a partnership between public and private entities designed to combat the increase in organized retail crime. The Attorney General’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force is the first large-scale, public-private collaboration of its kind in Illinois and is designed to foster cooperation among retailers, online marketplaces, law enforcement agencies and state’s attorneys dedicated to targeting organized retail crime enterprises.
Organized retail crime has increased dramatically over the last two years. According to the Coalition of Law Enforcement and Retail, organized retail theft accounts for $45 billion in annual losses. The problem has only increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, with CVS estimating a 30% increase in thefts.