Dozens of Calgary stores join police in battle against retail theft & ORC Retail crime has gone from petty theft to a sophisticated illegal enterprise, forcing police and store owners to come up with new ideas to keep up with the crooks. In Calgary, a secure website for police and retail loss-prevention officers allows them to share information about suspects and crime trends, helping put a dent in the millions of dollars local businesses lose every year to theft and fraud. "We need to disseminate this information a lot better instead of having a monthly meeting where we give out copies of (low quality) photocopies taken from surveillance video," said Const. Laura Sampson of the Calgary police retail crime initiative. The program’s website, www.retailcop.ca, has signed up more than 280 local businesses since its launch a year ago. The joint effort is resulting in more cases being solved. "Our clearance rates have gone through the roof," she said. Investigators in Calgary may be awaiting more definitive local statistics, but national figures show theft alone costs Canadian retailers more than $3 billion a year. (Source calgaryhearld.com)

Two male employees of Woodbury Common Premium Outlets storage units hit Burberry for $93,000 Over a four-month period, Cardona and Thomas took $93,000 in Burberry coats, scarves, purses and pants. They sold the merchandise to friends, online and in New York City. They stole the designer duds from an off-site storage unit belonging to the Burberry store at Woodbury Common Premium Outlets. The men worked at another of the outlet store’s storage units, Vazquez said. (Source nydailynews.com)

Safeway and Fred Meyer battling ORC in the North West Here's a great article just published yesterday that talks about how the Safeway and Fred Meyer's Loss Prevention teams are teaming up with law enforcement and battling the increasing ORC problems in the North West. (Source columbian.com)

ORC women duo hits Osage Beach Premium Outlet Mall in Osage Beach, Mo. The two Oklahoma women had hit Brooks Brothers and Tommy Hilfiger stores stealing merchandise and returning the merchandise for gift cards. At the time of apprehension, gift cards, and merchandise from other stores, within the mall, were located. Both suspects were arrested. (Source lakenewsonline.com)