Retail's Most Wanted

Retail's Most Wanted
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Retail’s Most Wanted takes a deep dive into the world of organized retail crime, and how retailers and policymakers are fighting against today’s organized crime syndicates. Each episode takes you inside the most recent headlines related to ORC as we talk with attorneys general and retail security specialists, giving us an inside look at what they’re up against and how they are fighting back.

  1. Top 10 Lessons from 2025

    JAN 30

    Top 10 Lessons from 2025

    What’s happening: Leaders across retail, law enforcement, and policy shared what is actually working in the fight against organized retail crime. The takeaways: Slow down and verify: Fraud depends on urgency. Pausing disrupts the scam.Let experience drive policy: Laws work best when informed by real enforcement and retail realities.Align expectations: Public and private partners need clarity on goals and roles.Consequence matters: Task forces, funding, and legislation must reinforce accountability.Stay centered in policy: Extreme swings weaken impact. Balanced approaches earn support.Layered defense: Combine people, technology, sensors, and intelligence.People first: Education, awareness, and safety power prevention.Smarter surveillance: AI, license plate readers, GPS, and pattern detection are changing the game.Partnership is the baseline: Without collaboration, progress stalls.Be the hub: ORCAs that convene retailers and law enforcement drive results.Why it matters: Organized retail crime thrives when systems are fragmented and uncoordinated. The bottom line: Trust and coordination are the foundation of effective ORC prevention. Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance.

    7 min
  2. Inside the Data War on Retail Crime, with Agilence CEO Russ Hawkins

    JAN 9

    Inside the Data War on Retail Crime, with Agilence CEO Russ Hawkins

    Why it matters Organized retail crime has evolved into a coordinated, data-driven business, forcing retailers to elevate loss prevention from a back-office security function to a strategic, cross-functional priority tied directly to profit protection. What’s changing Retailers are moving from reactive responses to predictive ORC models.Disparate systems are being unified across POS, video, loyalty, and location data.Early, non-confrontational customer engagement is proving to be a powerful deterrent.AI is translating complex data into clear risks and recommended actions.How it works Hawkins outlines a four-layer analytics model: Descriptive: What’s happening across stores, products, and regions.Diagnostic: Why losses are occurring, including methods and networks.Predictive: What’s likely to happen next based on patterns and risk scoring.Prescriptive: What actions store teams and leaders should take.Bottom line Loss prevention is no longer about catching shoplifters; it is about using data, analytics, and AI to protect margins, employees, and customers at scale. Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance.

    19 min
  3. Organized Retail Crime with Scott Glenn

    12/15/2025

    Organized Retail Crime with Scott Glenn

    Why it matters: Gift card fraud is one of the easiest ways organized retail crime quietly drains money from shoppers and retailers—and it’s often connected to much larger criminal operations. The big picture: On Retail’s Most Wanted, Scott Glenn, VP of Asset Protection at The Home Depot, explains how ORC has evolved from visible theft into coordinated, cross-border crime that’s hard to detect and harder to prosecute. Key points: Gift cards are a prime target: Anonymous, fast, and easy to launder, they’re often drained before victims know a crime occurred.This isn’t petty theft: ORC is “shoplifting for greed,” used to fund broader criminal activity.Education + coordination work: Training shoppers and associates, stronger state task forces, and federal action are starting to make a difference.What’s next: Criminals will keep adapting—but growing collaboration between retailers, law enforcement, and lawmakers is finally narrowing their advantage. *Correction Notice: Scott Glenn is a lawyer. He has not served as a prosecutor. Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance.

    18 min
  4. The New Reality of Retail Security with Marcus Skeen

    12/05/2025

    The New Reality of Retail Security with Marcus Skeen

    Organized retail crime continues to pressure retailers nationwide, and the role of private security is changing fast. In the latest episode of Retail’s Most Wanted, WGS Group CEO Marcus Skeen breaks down what’s shifting on the ground and why deterrence still matters. Why it matters Even with tougher penalties in some states, ORC remains a daily operational issue. Shrink, safety concerns, and store disruptions continue to ripple across the industry. What Skeen is seeing Threat levels may have dipped slightly, but complexity hasn’t. He notes that many security providers drifted into passive roles—observing and recording incidents rather than actively deterring them. The shift back to deterrence Skeen argues the industry needs a reset. That includes better training, clearer expectations, and tools that support professionalism, like body-worn cameras monitored in real time and supervisors who can respond quickly when situations escalate. What retailers often underestimate Visible, confident security presence influences more than theft. It affects how employees feel at work, whether shoppers choose to stay in the store, and how likely repeat offenders are to target the same location again. The bigger picture Retailers frequently hesitate to leverage stronger security measures due to liability concerns. Skeen’s view: risk grows when expectations aren’t clear, and training isn’t consistent. Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance.

    13 min
  5. How Real-Time Data Is Rewriting the Fight

    11/24/2025

    How Real-Time Data Is Rewriting the Fight

    The big picture: Retailers and law enforcement are collaborating in ways they weren’t just a few years ago. On the latest episode of Retail’s Most Wanted, Marty Carpenter talks with Matt Kelley, SVP at LV, about how real-time data and smarter partnerships are reshaping the response to organized retail crime (ORC). Why it matters ORC continues to rise, but the industry’s ability to respond is strengthening. Kelley says momentum is picking up as retailers, police, and solution providers share information more quickly and more openly. Inside the new collaboration model Summits like the Utah Organized Retail Crime Alliance (UTORCA) gathering are accelerating progress. Leaders leave aligned on priorities, expectations, and proven tactics. That clarity turns conversation into action. Tech is the turning point Real-time data is giving retailers and law enforcement a shared view of what’s happening. LV’s tools serve as “eyes and ears” where traditional surveillance doesn’t exist, helping teams deploy resources faster and more precisely — especially during retail blitz operations. What’s ahead Kelley sees the future in “data stitching” — seamless information flow from solution providers to retailers to law enforcement. The goal: faster insights, quicker case building, and more efficient outcomes. Utah helped set the national standard with one of the first ORCAs. The next opportunity is deeper collaboration across states. Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance.

    10 min
  6. How West Jordan Is Building a Smarter Defense Against ORC

    11/14/2025

    How West Jordan Is Building a Smarter Defense Against ORC

    West Jordan, Utah, is growing fast — and so is its exposure to organized retail crime (ORC). With new developments, big-box clusters, and major highways cutting through the area, law enforcement faces a challenge that extends far beyond city lines. Why it matters: ORC isn’t about one-off shoplifters. It’s organized networks targeting retailers across jurisdictions, and the costs ultimately reach consumers through higher prices and tighter margins. The challenge: West Jordan’s retail corridors attract professional theft crews who move quickly between neighboring cities. Rapid development means new retail centers open faster than police resources can expand, creating opportunities for repeat offenders who exploit the gaps. The response: The West Jordan Police Department is focused on specialized training, technology, and cross-city coordination to stay ahead. Investigators are being trained specifically in organized retail crime and are embedded in regional task forces that share intelligence and resources across Utah’s Wasatch Front. The city also works closely with retailers through the Chamber of Commerce to maintain open, fast communication when new threats emerge. Tech advantage: Improved surveillance systems, merchandise tracking tools, and store design updates are making a measurable difference. Stronger evidence means faster prosecutions and better deterrence, while visibility upgrades help stop theft before it starts. What’s next: As development continues westward, collaboration will be the key. Utah’s law enforcement and retail leaders are building a model based on information sharing and mutual support — proving that interdependence, not independence, is how communities keep retail crime in check. Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance.

    11 min
  7. Fighting Retail Crime in Utah

    10/31/2025

    Fighting Retail Crime in Utah

    What’s happening: Taylorsville Police Chief Brady Cottam says organized retail crime (ORC) is keeping officers busy and driving up costs for consumers — even if it doesn’t always make headlines. Why it matters: ORC drains local police resources and impacts prices across communities. With major retailers like Target and Walmart in Taylorsville, Cottam says the issue is both local and regional — requiring coordination across city lines. Big picture: Collaboration across jurisdictions and with retailers has improved thanks to shared radio and report systems.But the biggest challenge? Staying focused amid competing priorities like violent crime.Cottam calls for an “old school” approach — more community awareness and willingness to speak up.The takeaway: Combating ORC isn’t just a police issue — it takes partnerships, technology, and a watchful public to make a real dent. Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance.

    9 min
  8. Beyond Shoplifting with Amber Bradley

    10/17/2025

    Beyond Shoplifting with Amber Bradley

    Why it matters: Organized retail crime (ORC) isn’t petty theft — it’s a complex, fast-evolving threat that touches everything from consumer prices to workplace safety. Amber Bradley, founder of TalkLP News, says it’s time for the industry to start talking honestly about it. The big picture: Bradley launched TalkLP to cut through decades of “fluff” in loss prevention news. Her mission: give LP professionals quick, unscripted insights that help them stay ahead of evolving threats — and strengthen ties between retailers and law enforcement. Between the lines: LP roles have expanded far beyond shrink and theft. Post-COVID, they now include safety, violence prevention, and legislative awareness.Conferences like UTORCA and CLEAR are helping that collaboration become personal and actionable.The takeaway: Bradley’s message to retailers is simple — get real, get connected, and get involved. ORC is everyone’s problem, and solving it starts with honest, unscripted conversation. Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance.

    10 min
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Retail’s Most Wanted takes a deep dive into the world of organized retail crime, and how retailers and policymakers are fighting against today’s organized crime syndicates. Each episode takes you inside the most recent headlines related to ORC as we talk with attorneys general and retail security specialists, giving us an inside look at what they’re up against and how they are fighting back.

Information

  • Creator
    Retail's Most Wanted
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    63
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Northbound Strategy
  • Show Website
    Retail's Most Wanted