Cracking Down on Organized Retail Crime

Walk into any store, and you will notice something different than you did a few years ago. More products are locked behind glass. More security guards are standing watch. More empty shelves where merchandise used to be.

Organized retail crime is a growing problem across the country, and Tennessee is not immune. These are not petty shoplifters. They are sophisticated operations that steal thousands of dollars in merchandise, resell it online or through black markets, and use the profits to fund other criminal enterprises.

The impact is real. Small businesses, which operate on thin margins, can be devastated by theft. Large retailers pass the costs on to consumers through higher prices. And employees are put in dangerous situations when confrontations occur.

This session, the General Assembly took action to crack down on organized retail crime.

Under the new law, using a firearm or anti-theft device during organized retail theft carries a mandatory 30-day jail sentence. No exceptions. If you bring a weapon into a store to steal, you are going to jail.

We also extended the timeframe for combining stolen merchandise from 90 to 180 days. This matters because organized theft rings often spread their crimes across multiple stores and jurisdictions. A longer window gives law enforcement more time to connect the dots and build stronger cases.

The legislation also creates a registry through the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for individuals convicted of organized retail crime. This will help law enforcement track repeat offenders and identify patterns.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. They should not have to absorb losses from criminals who treat theft as a business model. Consumers should not have to pay higher prices because of rampant stealing. And employees should not have to fear for their safety every time they go to work.

Tennessee is taking this problem seriously. And we will continue to do so.