The Growth of Organized Retail Crime Theft Rings – Response of State Attorneys General

Organized retail crime (ORC) rings, which operate on a regional or national scale, are medium to large criminal organizations that perpetrate mass theft upon retail shops, warehouses and factories. ORCs are officially recognized criminal enterprises that make up an illegal, billion-dollar industry. ORCs often sell the items they steal online, using shell e-commerce storefronts.

The Rise of Organized Retail Crime

Retail theft has always been an issue, but it was largely localized, carried out by individual shoplifters or small groups. Emerging from the pandemic, incidents of organized shoplifting rose as large, coordinated groups began to target retailers on a consistent basis.

During this time, lingering economic and societal instability, combined with some gaps in security and policing, likely contributed to an increase in ORC. This criminal conduct was glorified in viral social media posts about stealing without consequences. This created a more favorable environment for the emergence of sophisticated organized retail crime rings, which spiked in 2020-2023 and caused significant damage to the retail industry.

Cases Brought by State Attorneys General/Local Law Enforcement

Several high-profile organized retail theft prosecutions made headlines in the years following the pandemic. These cases represent some of the most illustrative ORC prosecutions to date, though the full scale of organized retail theft remains likely underreported due to fragmented enforcement and data reporting across different jurisdictions.

Operation Proof of Purchase

In 2020, law enforcement agencies in California prosecuted a retail theft crime ring that had stolen millions of dollars in health and beauty products. The investigation exposed a coordinated network of individuals accused of stealing merchandise from retailers and moving it through various distribution fronts. During the investigation, authorities executed multiple search warrants, recovering over $8 million worth of merchandise. According to news reports, this case, involving over $50 million in stolen merchandise from large retailers like CVS, Walgreens and Target, remains among the largest ORC criminal cases in California.

Chicago Multi-State ORC Ring

In 2022, an ordinary shoplifting incident turned into a full-fledged investigation revealing a massive ORC fencing operation throughout the Chicago area. Search warrants were executed across Illinois and California, with authorities connecting the ring to multiple locations in those states. The stolen items consisted of over-the-counter medications, beauty aids and personal care products. In total, $7.5 million worth of stolen items were recovered. Police estimate the overall case involved close to $40 million in stolen goods during the lifespan of the criminal operation before it was disbanded.

Roni Rubinov

In 2022, the New York Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force and the New York Police Department’s Grand Larceny Division announced the takedown of a massive New York City retail theft and fencing operation after a three-year investigation. The ring operated from 2017 to 2022 and moved stolen goods and gift cards through Rubinov’s pawn shop and related businesses before reselling them online. In 2025, the Attorney General announced that 36 members of the ring had been convicted, including the operation’s ringleader, Roni Rubinov, who was sentenced to prison. In total, around $3.8 million in stolen goods was recovered, along with more than 550 gift and cash cards and $300,000 in cash. The ring did millions worth of damage over this period, but the exact amount was not publicly disclosed.

Philly Flowers

In 2024, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and Pennsylvania State Police announced the results of a unique ORC case identified in local news coverage as “Philly Flowers.” Unlike typical smash-and-grab thefts usually associated with many ORC operations, prosecutors alleged that stolen merchandise and altered receipts were used to generate store credit and debit card refunds at TJX-owned stores, including T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, HomeSense and Sierra. The case involved nine charged defendants, and authorities described more than $850,000 in alleged payouts across a network that touched more than 1,000 TJX locations in nine states. While the nine states were not publicly named, the ring was centered in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Operation D-Fence

In 2026, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) in Florida uncovered an ORC ring that targeted Home Depot & Lowes stores, along with construction sites. Applauded by the Florida Attorney General’s Organized Retail Theft Task Force, the investigation revealed that the stolen items—consisting of construction and hardware merchandise—were stored in a Florida residence then moved and resold online for profit. In total, 14 people were arrested and approximately $5 million in stolen items were recovered. Authorities estimated that approximately $7 million in proceeds moved through the operation during the prior year.

Law Enforcement Response

Law enforcement agencies are combating the ORC problem with a multi-coordinated effort. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recognizes ORC as a form of organized criminal activity, with the FBI and other federal agencies getting more involved in these cases. Despite this, the underlying problem is significant, and due to underreporting and the concealed nature of the criminal operations, many of these rings still operate hidden from plain sight.

In February 2025, the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) authored a bipartisan letter urging Congress to act on the ORC problem. In the letter, which was signed by 38 state and territory attorneys general, NAAG estimated that the rise in ORC had caused $121 billion in financial damage, with 76% of asset protection managers reporting the use of violence against their employees. The letter was signed by Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday, whose ORC Unit charged 60 individuals and seized nearly $500,000 in 2025 alone.