Will Congress Finally Pass CORCA
Senate breaks off a piece of KitKat heist to promote retail theft bill

A bipartisan measure would stand up a new Homeland Security Department program to tackle organized retail theft rings and expand the federal toolkit for investigating and prosecuting retail crime.

An eye-popping candy heist in Europe resulting in the loss of a dozen tons of KitKat products formed a sweet springboard for Senate lawmakers pushing a bill they said would give retailers a break from organized theft rings.

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday shined a light on committee chairman Chuck Grassley’s measure, following news of the pilfered KitKat candy which has been a viral sensation on social media since parent company Nestlé acknowledged the theft over the weekend.

“From 400,000 KitKats in Europe, to over $15 million in electronics in Nevada, organized retail crime in on the rise,” said the Judiciary Committee in a post on X.

The panel added that Grassley’s bill, titled the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act and co-sponsored by Democratic Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, would tackle what it said was a “dangerous trend” of retail theft and protect the national supply chain.

Unveiled last spring, the proposed legislation came amid rising concern among U.S. retailers about so-called “flash mob” theft, in which thieves break into stores in large groups to overwhelm staff and security and steal large amounts of goods.

According to an October report from the National Retail Federation, roughly 70% of retailers said they were equally concerned or more concerned about mob shoplifting compared with a year prior. Around 59% reported the same or greater concern about “smash and grab” events in which thieves destroy property to obtain goods — though roughly 40% of retailers said they were less concerned about that type of crime compared with last year.

The retail industry organization’s report added that investigating and prosecuting organized retail theft remained challenging for retailers and law enforcement, thanks to limited law enforcement resources and other factors. Around 80% of retailers said that federal legislation was needed to crack down on such criminal activity. courthousenews.com


Unprecedented Scale of Cargo Theft: 'Unlike Anything Faced Before'
Cargo theft costs U.S. trucking $18 million a day and is ‘unlike anything our industry has faced before,’ logistics exec warns
Highly organized criminal networks have turned cargo theft into a growing threat to the U.S. supply chain, according to Donna Lemm, chief strategy officer at trucking and intermodal company IMC Logistics.

In a Washington Post op-ed on Monday, she cited numerous instances of major heists, including more than $15 million worth of electronics, $1 million of tequila, and $400,000 of Costco lobsters.

“After nearly four decades of working in logistics, I can say with certainty: The scale and sophistication of today’s cargo theft is unlike anything our industry has faced before,” Lemm wrote.

Thieves are exploiting technology and conducting thorough research on their targets before carrying out their schemes, she explained.

For example, they impersonate legitimate freight brokers or customers with spoofed email domains; steal corporate identities; create fraudulent shipping documents; and fabricate counterfeit credentials for their drivers to swipe cargos.

She cited American Transportation Research Institute data that showed cargo theft costs the industry as much as $6.6 billion a year, or more than $18 million every day.

Thieves have pulled off stunning jewelry heists as well, including one valued at $100 million. But criminals are also grabbing daily essentials like food and other household goods. So consumers ultimately end up paying higher prices as the effects ripple through the supply chain, Lemm said.

The U.S. trucking industry is investing in advanced GPS tracking, surveillance systems, controlled-access facilities, and employee training to combat cargo theft.

She also called on Congress to pass the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, which would create a national coordination center that allows law enforcement from all levels to work with the private sector on sharing intelligence, tracking criminal networks, and coordinating investigations. fortune.com


Georgia's Tough-on-Shoplifting Law
Georgia shoplifting law sets felony threshold at $500
A common misconception about shoplifting laws in Georgia is that “it’s just a misdemeanor unless you steal thousands of dollars.” Before you pocket that next hamhock, the reality is much stricter.

Under O.C.G.A. § 16-8-14, theft by shoplifting becomes a felony once the value of the goods exceeds $500. That’s not a typo—$500, not $1,500. And the law covers more than just walking out of a store without paying.

In Georgia, shoplifting can include concealing merchandise, switching price tags, transferring items into different packaging, or even altering a label with the intent to pay less than the full retail value. In other words, you don’t have to make it out the door to be charged.

The law allows for what’s called “aggregation.” If someone steals from multiple stores within the same county, and the total value exceeds $500 within a seven-day period, those incidents can be combined into a single felony charge.

A felony shoplifting conviction carries serious consequences, including one to 10 years in prison. Even if a judge imposes probation instead of prison time, a felony conviction can follow you for life—affecting employment, housing, and future opportunities.

It’s also worth noting that repeat offenders face even steeper penalties. Prior shoplifting convictions can enhance charges and sentencing, meaning what starts as a misdemeanor can escalate quickly with a pattern of behavior.

What makes this law stand out is how it differs from general theft statutes. For most theft by taking cases in Georgia, the felony threshold is $1,500. Shoplifting, however, is treated more aggressively—reflecting the state’s effort to curb retail theft.

The bottom line: it doesn’t take much to cross the line from a minor charge to a major one. nowgeorgia.com


Cracking Down on Self-Checkout Theft
Forgot to scan items at an NC grocery store? You could face criminal charges
North Carolina shoppers have probably observed some of the ways stores monitor self-checkout areas, such as cameras at the registers or employees standing watch nearby or at exits.

There are a few ways a shopper could face criminal charges after making a mistake at the self-checkout.

A grocery store can report to the police that a customer has left without paying. Once a law enforcement officer has collected the necessary facts and is satisfied that a theft has been committed, the officer could issue a citation charging the customer with a theft, said Brittany Bromell, an assistant professor of public law and government at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Government.

Larceny requires that a person takes the property of another without consent and has the intent to permanently deprive that person of the property. Shoplifting, however, requires a person to conceal goods they are stealing. If a person simply forgot to scan an item at the grocery store but didn’t hide the item, it wouldn’t be considered shoplifting.

Prosecutors may determine later that the customer didn’t have the intent to commit a crime, and charges may be dismissed, Bromell said.

For example, if a shopper realizes immediately they have forgotten to scan something and brings the item back, that suggests the shopper didn’t mean to take the item, Bromell said. A prosecutor or judge may then see the intentional requirement for larceny isn’t met, and charges may be dismissed. newsobserver.com


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