A recent report from the Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ) reveals that all but one type of crime decreased in the first six months of 2024. The July report highlights a 24% rise in shoplifting, the only crime category to experience an increase, based on crime statistics from 23 cities.
Shoplifting Surge Amidst Declining Crime Rates
Shoplifting has emerged as a significant issue for retailers across the country. While other crimes have seen a decline, shoplifting is up nationwide, reflecting concerns voiced by businesses about the growing prevalence of theft. To combat this, many retailers have invested in advanced anti-theft technology, but consumers are growing frustrated with increasingly locked-up merchandise, from toiletries to snacks. According to the CCJ, residential burglaries dropped by 14% in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, while nonresidential burglaries fell by 10%. Larcenies and drug offenses also saw declines of 6% and 2%, respectively.
Discrepancies in Shoplifting Data and Reporting
Despite the 24% increase in shoplifting compared to last year, the rate has only risen by 10% since 2019. This data contradicts the narrative, often perpetuated by retailers, that shoplifting surged dramatically during the pandemic. While some cities, like New York, saw significant increases, other areas experienced declines.
Adam Gelb, president and CEO of the CCJ, explained that shoplifting statistics are often less reliable than those for other crimes. “There may be a very large discrepancy between actual shoplifting incidents and the shoplifting that is reported to police,” Gelb told CBS News. He emphasized that homicides, for example, are more accurately reported because they are less likely to go unnoticed.
Gelb noted that retailers sometimes refrain from reporting shoplifting incidents due to a lack of confidence in the criminal justice system’s response. Conversely, viral videos of dramatic shoplifting incidents can create a perception that the problem is more widespread than it is.
Retailer Responses and Broader Implications
Some large national retailers have pointed to rising retail theft as a reason for store closures. In September, Target announced it would close nine stores, citing concerns that increasing theft was endangering workers and customers. However, Gelb suggested that other factors, such as competition from online retailers, might also contribute to these decisions. “When they focus on shoplifting and say their profit margins aren’t high because they’re losing so much product, lots of people suspect it’s a smokescreen for other business concerns,” he said.
The National Retail Federation (NRF), a trade group representing retailers, admitted that it had previously overstated the impact of organized retail crime on industry losses. Initially, the NRF attributed half of all industry losses in 2021 to organized retail crime, estimating annual theft-related losses at $45 billion—a figure it has since retracted.