Part 4/7:
Since the end of the pandemic, reports indicate a rise in organized retail crime. The National Retail Federation noted a staggering 93% increase in shoplifting incidents in 2023 compared to 2019, a sharp contrast to FBI statistics that show a long-term decline in crime rates. This discrepancy may stem from the fact that most shoplifting incidents go unreported—many retailers choose not to alert the police, thereby skewing national crime data.
The lenient legal consequences associated with shoplifting in states like California have prompted many to risk theft, knowing that they face minimal punishment if caught. A threshold of $950 exists for misdemeanors, meaning that many offenders often go unpunished due to overcrowded jails and a lack of resources.