Retail crime – especially the organized kind – is not a victimless crime, according to Rob Karr, president and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association.

Karr defined organized retail crime as a “coordinated sustained effort to steal goods” and monetize those goods “for illicit purposes.”

Because retail is a large revenue generator state and local government, there’s no sales tax collected for stolen merchandise, Karr said. People view retail crime as a “victimless crime and it’s not,” he said.

Businesses and law enforcement in Will County and across Illinois have been working to crack down on organized retail crime, which has become a growing concern in recent years.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul leads an organized retail crime task force that works with multiple law enforcement agencies to address organized retail crime, which he called a “complex issue that will require a multifaceted solution.”

Karr said one of the factors driving organized retail crime is simply money.

“We wish we knew what was exactly driving it but it’s people looking to make a quick buck,” Karr said.

Another factor is the lack of restrictions with goods sold at retailers.

“You can’t put everything behind a lock and key,” Karr said, adding that customers generally expect to browse and even hold items up close at stores. “It makes us easier targets for it.”

According to Raoul’s office, organized retail crime and fraud can be mistaken for isolated incidents committed by “low-level...

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