It's 'Agilence Week' on the D&D Daily! Follow along in the 'Vendor Spotlight' column below as Agilence showcases LP/AP solutions for the retail industry

---

 

---

The U.S. Crime Surge
The Retail Impact

In Case You Missed It: How To Defeat ORC
After 25 years in Federal Law Enforcement, Here's What It Will Take to Beat Organized Retail Crime

By Raul Aguilar - Head of Law Enforcement Partnerships, Americas at Auror

After almost three decades in federal law enforcement, and now leading the largest technology network in the US focused on combating retail crime, I’m often asked how we can better equip the men and women who protect our communities to keep up with the evolving tactics of organized retail crime groups. After all, these are enormous crime networks that operate not just interstate, but transnationally.

The reality is the top 10 percent of offenders are responsible for more than 65 percent of retail crime across the country, and through retailer reporting in Auror, we know those repeat offenders are up to three times more likely to be violent or use weapons in stores. Not to mention this is commonly the highest volume crime type.

There are three key opportunities in front of us to help make law enforcement more efficient in the great work they do to keep our communities safe.

First, break down the barriers that keep law enforcement working in isolation.

Early in my career in California, crimes were treated as isolated events. That model no longer works. ORC is driven by repeat offenders across multiple retail stores and jurisdictions, making up multi-billion-dollar enterprises that fuel other crimes like gun trafficking, counterfeiting, wildlife smuggling, and human trafficking. They are not brand loyal or city specific, they ‘steal-to-order.’ What once looked like petty theft is now a sophisticated financial engine for global crime.

Second, embracing secure technology is the key to surfacing these networks.

The only way to see the true scale of this widespread and volumetric offending is through digital collaboration. By giving police the tools to connect with retailers on this information, they can identify the patterns, the highest harm offenders and bridge the information gap to get on top of fast-moving organized crime.

When we enable this collaboration, the outcomes are huge. Just last year, a $1 billion multi-state ORC operation based out of Texas was dismantled thanks to intelligence sharing across retailers and law enforcement

Finally, our political leaders have a big role to play. The recent passing of the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA) by the U.S. House is welcome news. It demonstrates that retail crime is not simply about shoplifting or theft - it's violent, it's organized, it robs communities of their vibrancy, and is a city killer. This is the exact type of federal leadership needed to formalize cooperation and equip law enforcement with the tools they need to keep pace. We must maintain momentum.

Read the full piece here


Inside Hardware Retail Crime Risks
Retail Crime Challenges Facing Hardware and Home Improvement Retailers

By the D&D Daily staff

Hardware and home improvement retailers face several retail crime challenges tied directly to the types of products they sell and the environments in which they operate.

Many of the items commonly found in these stores have strong resale value and consistent demand among both consumers and contractors. Power tools, rechargeable batteries, copper wire, generators, pressure washers, and other equipment are frequently sought after because they can be used immediately or resold through a variety of channels. Stolen merchandise may appear on online marketplaces, at flea markets, or through informal person-to-person sales.

Store layout can also present challenges. Home improvement retailers often operate large facilities that include indoor sales floors, garden centers, lumber yards, outdoor storage areas, and contractor entrances. The size and complexity of these locations can make inventory monitoring more difficult than in smaller retail formats.

Building materials themselves can also be targets. Copper wire, electrical components, and certain construction supplies have experienced theft activity due to their value and demand. In some cases, offenders target bulk quantities rather than individual items, creating larger financial impacts from a single incident.

The sector also faces risks beyond the sales floor. Tools, equipment, and building materials can be targeted while in transit or while stored in trailers, storage areas, or distribution facilities. These incidents highlight the importance of security throughout the supply chain, not just inside stores.

To address these challenges, many retailers employ a combination of surveillance technology, access controls, product protection measures, inventory management tools, and employee training. Collaboration with law enforcement and information-sharing among retailers also remains an important component of broader crime prevention efforts.

As retail crime continues to evolve, hardware and home improvement retailers remain focused on protecting high-demand merchandise while maintaining an accessible shopping environment for customers.


Amazon vs. Cargo Theft
How Amazon protects cargo from fraud and theft across its shipping network

Amazon evaluates carriers using rigorous security and safety standards, smart trailer technology, chain-of-custody controls, and law enforcement collaboration.

Every day, millions of packages move through Amazon's logistics network in trailers pulled by trucks operated by independent carriers. Keeping freight secure, and keeping dishonest operators out, requires a comprehensive defense system that addresses identity fraud, physical security, and cargo integrity across the supply chain.

How does Amazon screen and monitor carriers?

Before carriers can haul a single load for Amazon, they go through a comprehensive vetting process with preventive controls that exceed federal requirements. Our Relay program verifies each carrier’s operating authority, ownership, business affiliations, and safety record using multiple cutting-edge technologies. This sophisticated technology confirms their identities and also extends to the drivers employed by carriers, which confirms their identities through real-time photo checks and driver's license validation to ensure only authorized drivers transport cargo for Amazon. We continuously reevaluate these measures to raise our high bar.

One mechanism in our layered approach to identifying safe carriers is our Violation Rate Metrics (VRM) framework. These measures ensure an additional layer of standards, above and beyond standards set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASIC) measurement system. BASIC organizes roadside inspection and crash data into seven categories (unsafe driving, crash indicator, hours-of-service compliance, vehicle maintenance, controlled substances/alcohol, hazardous materials compliance, and driver fitness) and ranks carriers by percentile against similarly sized peers.

To complement this operational safety layer, we have a layer of security-specific controls—including identity verification, real-time photo checks, business affiliation analysis, and continuous threat monitoring. These controls align with industry frameworks like Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA) Trucking Security Requirements, which set the global benchmark for cargo protection during transit. Together, these procedural, technical, and physical controls filter risk before it reaches our network. aboutamazon.com


Local Prosecutors vs. Retail Theft
Placer County, CA's Retail Theft Initiative
The Placer County Board of Supervisors voted to accept a $2 million state grant for the Placer County District Attorney’s Office’s new Retail Theft Vertical Prosecution Program.

Administered by the California Board of State and Community Corrections (“BSCC”), this vertical prosecution program represents the State of California’s effort to address the growing issue of retail theft, which has negative impacts on tax revenue, community safety, and retailers across the state. placer.ca.gov


Why More Retail Stores Are Locking Up These 6 Everyday Items

Mayor pushes for release of DC police crime data report