KOLO TV: Nevada’s Lee among those calling on the Department of Homeland Security to help deal with organized retail crime

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - Nevada Congresswoman Susie Lee is among those calling for greater enforcement against organized retail crime.

She, David Joyce (Ohio), Laurel Lee (Florida), fellow Nevada Congresswoman Dina Titus, and around 80 other lawmakers came together to call on the Department of Homeland Security to help crack down on organized retail crime.

Their letter called on the DHS to provide immediate updates to Congress on their efforts to address this kind of crime, specifically their progress on creating an organized retail crime coordination center.

“The risk of ORC is not only due to the violence displayed during the act of retail theft, especially to retail workers, but also health risks posed by consuming stolen goods like baby formula or pharmaceuticals, which may be improperly stored or tampered with prior to the final purchase by a consumer,” wrote the lawmakers. “ORC also endangers Main Street businesses, the economy, and public safety. A Retail Industry Leader’s Association report indicated that ORC caused nearly $70 billion worth of financial loss due to stolen goods from American retailers in 2019. That number has only continued to increase today.”

Lee says organized retail crime caused an estimated loss of $85 million in tax revenue in 2021.