Summit County Sheriff's Office in Akron, Ohio has broken up a massive ORC ring involving more than 50 people and operating in three states.  Investigators say people involved in the ring stole items from stores and then returned the merchandise for in-store credit. Those in-store merchandise cards were then resold for cash.  The stolen merchandise totaled more than $200,000 and involved thefts at such stores as Lowes, Dick's Sporting Goods, Wal-Mart and The Home Depot. Thefts occurred in Summit, Medina, Cuyahoga , Portage, Franklin and Hamilton counties as well as locations in Pennsylvania and New York.  Items stolen included clothing, tools and building and renovation materials.  Money and materials were then used to renovate homes in Shaker Heights, East Cleveland and Bratenahl. All three homes have now been seized as part of the investigation as well as the vehicles used to move the stolen goods.   (Source wkyc.com)

Watertown, NY professional ORC ring of three women busted for grand larceny and possession of burglar's tools.  Thirty-four-year-old Niketa Godwin of Syracuse, 23-year-old Ebony Ellis and 22-year-old Sharonica Barber, both of Utica, are appearing in Watertown City Court.  Police believe the suspects used foil-lined bags to defeat the stores' security systems and steal the merchandise.  Police say when they searched the car the women were using, they found $3,000 worth of items allegedly stolen from four stores in the Salmon Run Mall.  (Source wwnytv.com)

"Operation Light Fingers" – Shoplifting and ORC in Australia is becoming the fastest growing business in their country and costing $4 billion a year. "Operation Light Fingers" shows how the Loss Prevention executives and the police are conducting massive investigations 6 times a year in a regimented program that is having great results. In 8 days, they busted 92 suspects.  This video is a great story about their ORC problems. It's a must watch.  (Source yahoo.com)

A "relentless" manhunt is on – PetSmart robbery Saturday in San Mateo, CA where a sales clerk was shot after being fired at several times with a second employee injured during the heist.  Cops believe the suspect may be responsible for "a large series" of gun-toting heists in Bay Area cities.  "It's not just PetSmart," police said. "There are a couple other retail outlets in which the robber had a similar [method of operation]."  Police have not said where and when the crook has struck. They don't want to hinder their investigation, Norris said. Detectives from several jurisdictions plan to meet "in the near future" to develop an action plan, he said.  Meanwhile, police released a sketch of a suspect in the hope that someone might spot him and turn him in. The suspect is described as a black man about 30 to 35 years old, 5 feet 9 inches, 180 pounds, wearing a black cap and black sweatshirt, police said.  Anyone with information is urged to contact the San Mateo Police Department at the following numbers: SMPD Investigations Bureau: 650-522-7650; SMPD Secret Witness Hotline 650-522-7676; Anonymous text to SMPD 262-3473; Anonymous email to SMPD sanmateo@tipnow.org  (Source sfexaminer.com)