What's the big deal? It's only shoplifting... organized retail crime

Abstract

What is organized retail crime? Who are the people that are a part of this criminal enterprise? Organized retail crime is exactly what it sounds like, the organized theft of goods and merchandise from retail businesses. These organizations are very specific in how they operate and law enforcement has not yet caught up to them. Does this activity affect more then just the businesses that are the victims of it? What are the retailers doing about it? What should be done about it?