Downtown Topeka retailers unite to fight professional shoplifters by sending mass text alerts out to each other About 60 small retailers have united to put a stop to the customers who make a living shoplifting from their small stores. "When something happens, we have that mass text go out with a description and the incident so that everyone is aware immediately that they need to be on the look out for something." The owners also post pictures of the shoplifters on a Facebook page. Connie says many times someone recognizes them immediately. The owners hope the system shows criminals their behavior won't be tolerated. Well we have flash mobs - flash robs - now it's about time we have flash alerts. (Source ktka.com)

ORC ring of four hitting Rite Aid, CVS, and Weis Markets in PA. Hitting stores in Pike and Monroe counties, PA., the two women and two men were stealing large quantities of Prilosec, Rogaine, and Mucinex. Police believe the suspects could be part of a larger theft ring. Only two women were captured and charged with organized retail crime. Tammy Michelle Odom, 48, of Central Islip, N.Y., and Elizabeth Dalton, 44, of Stroudsburg, had been traveling in a car with two unidentified men on Jan. 25. Milford police catalogued items in the trunk of the car they stopped. Recovered were items stolen from the Rite Aid on Harford Street in Milford, the CVS Pharmacy in the Eagle Valley Mall in East Stroudsburg and the nearby Weis grocery store in East Stroudsburg. (Source poconorecord.com)

ORC ring of three busted at beach city stores in LA. A man and two women were arrested for shoplifting thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from beach city stores in Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Los Angeles. (Source dailybreeze.com)





Michigan State Police charge two in ‘high dollar’ ORC ring. The suspects traveled throughout Michigan with a target for high end tools and sporting goods; using wigs and other techniques to disguise their appearance. (source upnorthlive.com)





Multiple Felony counts for two ORC theives in Washington State. Convicted of the theft of over $100,000 in merchandise from Lowe’s stores in five states. A total of seven members were in the group, but five pled guilty prior to the trial. The team used large boxed items such as toilets and cabinets to conceal smaller merchandise and then returned the small expensive items for gift cards. (source homechannelnews.com)