Organized Retail Theft Is Not a Victimless Crime
In 2022, the Hemet Police Department received nearly 477 complaints of retail theft — though this is believed to be a drastic underreporting. A sampling of the city’s major retailers — Target, Ulta, Lowe’s, Home Depot and Walmart — conducted that year revealed they were repeatedly hit by multiple organized retail theft crews and have been actively tracking various crews targeting them. These retailers have experienced millions in combined losses.
This presents only a small picture of a larger, troubling trend that has been impacting our entire city. Organized retail theft not only harms our businesses, but also damages our local economy, drives unemployment, diverts resources away from the community and diminishes the quality of life and sense of safety and security of our residents. There are consequences that affect everyone, from shoppers and retailers to the thieves themselves. Here’s what you need to know.
Shoppers
- High prices. Organized retail theft may force retailers to raise prices on their products to account for stolen property. It can also result in reduced product variety and shortened store hours.
- Reduced access. If retailers are forced to shutter their stores due to increased theft, shoppers will have to travel farther for the products they need. With no major freeway access in the San Jacinto Valley, a reduction in the number and variety of local businesses would significantly impact Hemet residents.
- Fewer job opportunities. If retailers close stores, the community also loses out on job opportunities, leading to higher unemployment rates that will negatively impact the local economy.
Retailers
- Huge costs. Nationwide, retail theft costs retailers an estimated $120 billion annually. Businesses both large and small are forced to make up for the cost of thefts, and if they fail to recoup financial losses, it may force them to close or leave the city.
- Dangerous working conditions. Employees and customers face threats of violence from retail theft offenders, who reportedly have become more aggressive and violent in recent years.
- Increased poverty. Individuals who used to work for shuttered businesses are left to find new jobs or rely on unemployment. This can lead to higher poverty levels in Hemet, where the rate is currently 22.41% — among the highest in the state and twice the average for California.
Community
- Reduced funding for public services. If organized retail theft persists in our city, it could have a disastrous effect on our local economy and the local government’s ability to function. The city gets 50% of its annual operating budget from sales tax revenue, meaning that every retail theft directly affects the city’s ability to deliver services to its residents.
- Public safety at risk. Organized retail theft hampers the Hemet Police Department’s ability to manage public safety overall. Nearly 60% of the city’s operating budget is dedicated to police services. The city’s police force of 78 sworn officers represents a ratio of .8 officers per 1,000 residents, well under the FBI’s recommendation of 1.1 officers per 1,000 residents for the region. If retailers leave, it could create a vicious cycle where the police department is forced to reduce its number of officers, leading to more retail theft and causing even more retailers to shutter stores. This would further strain the police department’s ability to deploy resources to prevent more serious crimes — ultimately putting the public at greater risk. This could be catastrophic, especially given that the number of crimes per square mile is already 10 points higher than the California average.
Thieves
- Stricter penalties. Offenders might believe that stealing is inconsequential, but that’s not the case. California is cracking down on retail theft and has recently enacted legislation calling for stronger enforcement and stricter penalties for individuals involved in retail crime — including up to three years of prison for organized retail theft.
- Increased enforcement. The Hemet Police Department has been awarded a $2.5 million grant to combat organized retail theft and has devised a comprehensive four-year initiative to proactively address these crimes. That includes working closely with retailers, other law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to identify, pursue, arrest and charge those who commit organized retail theft.
- Zero tolerance. New and repeat offenders will receive no free passes when caught for their crimes — they will be brought to justice, held accountable for their actions and face serious consequences. Hemet will not tolerate organized retail theft.