Carr Leads Bipartisan Coalition Urging Congress to Take Action Against Rise in Organized Retail Crime

ATLANTA, GA – Attorney General Chris Carr is leading a bipartisan coalition of 38 attorneys general in urging Congress to take action to address the rise in organized retail crime across the country.  

“Organized retail crime has reached a level never before seen in this country, and unfortunately, no community is immune from the economic impact and the violence that comes with it,” said Carr. “We’re proud to lead this fight in Georgia with the creation of a new statewide Organized Retail Crime Unit, and we’re already working with several major retailers to investigate cases and prosecute those responsible. Now, we’re urging Congress to join our efforts so we can disrupt and dismantle these increasingly violent and brazen networks once and for all.” 

In Georgia alone, businesses are estimated to lose over $3 billion to retail theft annually. This includes $1.6 billion in stolen goods and $326 million in lost tax revenue, along with 17,000 lost jobs. Financial losses total over $121 billion in the U.S., with 76 percent of retail asset protection managers reporting their employees have suffered from violence at the hands of an organized retail criminal. Cargo theft remains a primary component of organized retail crime nationwide – disrupting supply chains and acting as an inflationary pressure on the price of everything from baby formula to clothing. This type of criminal activity can also be linked to other illegal operations, including gang activity, human trafficking, drug trafficking, bribery, corruption, and money laundering. 

During the 118th Congress, the House and Senate introduced H.R.895/S.140 – Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023 and S. 139 – Organized Retail Crime Center Authorization Act of 2023. This legislation would provide the necessary resources at the state and federal level to bring the organizations and individuals behind this nationwide problem to justice. Now, the coalition is urging the 119th Congress to re-introduce this bill to include increased federal penalties for supply chain thefts to act as a strong deterrent against the organized theft of goods in transit. 

In July 2024, with the support of Governor Brian Kemp and members of the Georgia General Assembly, Carr created Georgia’s first statewide Organized Retail Crime Unit. Several other attorneys general have also formed task forces and created prosecution units to combat this growing problem. In their letter, the coalition notes that legislation proposed in the 118th Congress would expand upon and synchronize state and federal efforts with the creation of an Organized Retail Crime Coordination Center at the Department of Homeland Security, facilitating the information sharing necessary to address the complex cross-border nature of organized retail crime. 

Joining Carr in sending this letter are the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, U.S. Virgin Islands, Washington, and West Virginia. 

Find a copy of the letter here .