Latest news with #CombatingOrganizedRetailCrimeAct
Fibre2Fashion
23-07-2025
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
CORCA gains bipartisan support to tackle organised retail crime in US
The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA) is gaining momentum following a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing chaired by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). The legislation, co-sponsored by Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev), seeks to establish a coordinated multi-agency response to tackle the escalating threat of organised retail crime across the United States. CORCA aims to enhance collaboration between law enforcement and the retail industry, improve data sharing, and provide stronger tools to investigate and prosecute retail and supply chain crimes. With 26 bipartisan Senate co-sponsors and endorsements from 38 state attorneys general, the bill has garnered wide support from over 260 businesses and numerous national associations, United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary said in a press release. CORCA co-sponsored by Senators Grassley and Cortez Masto, is gaining strong bipartisan support. The bill aims to enhance coordination between law enforcement and retailers to combat organised retail crime. Backed by 260+ businesses, 38 attorneys general, and major industry groups, CORCA seeks swift passage to protect supply chains, workers, and public safety across the US. Retailers, law enforcement agencies, and logistics leaders have come forward to urge the swift passage of CORCA. The National Retail Federation and its business coalition called the legislation a 'commonsense' and 'essential' step in protecting public safety and safeguarding consumer access to goods. Similarly, the National Association of Attorneys General noted that the bill would supply necessary resources to combat this 'nationwide epidemic'. Law enforcement backing was echoed by the National Police Association, which praised CORCA for enabling unified efforts between the public and private sectors. The American Trucking Association highlighted the growing risk to truck drivers from cargo theft and endorsed the bill as a tool to bolster federal enforcement. State-level stakeholders expressed similar sentiments. Brenda Neville, president of the Iowa Motor Truck Association, commended the bill's impact on securing freight and protecting Iowa workers. In Illinois, a state ranking among the top three in cargo thefts, Matt Hart of the Illinois Trucking Association called on Senator Durbin to back the legislation, while California's trucking industry also voiced strong support. The Association of American Railroads reported a 40 per cent surge in cargo theft last year and stressed the need for a Federal strategy. The Retail Industry Leaders Association warned of the broader criminal links tied to retail theft, including human trafficking and drug smuggling, urging for a more coordinated response. Major corporations have also endorsed the bill. The Home Depot welcomed the creation of a federal coordination centre, while Ulta Beauty supported real-time data sharing across jurisdictions. American Eagle Outfitters' chief global asset protection officer Scott McBride issued a personal plea to lawmakers, urging unity to curb these crimes. With companion legislation already introduced in the House of Representatives David Joyce (R-Ohio) and Susie Lee (D-Nev), stakeholders from across sectors hope for rapid passage of CORCA during the 119th Congress to effectively dismantle organised retail crime networks and secure America's supply chains. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)
Malaysian Reserve
15-07-2025
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
NICB President and CEO David J. Glawe Testifies to U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary on Unprecedented Threat of Cargo Theft
Glawe Urges Passage of Combating Organized Retail Crime Act OAK BROOK, Ill., July 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — David J. Glawe, President and CEO of the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), the nation's leading non-profit association dedicated to preventing insurance fraud and crime, testified Tuesday before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary in its hearing, 'Beyond the Smash and Grab: Criminal Networks and Organized Theft.' The hearing focused on bolstering federal efforts to dismantle transnational crime rings which drove an unprecedented surge in cargo theft in recent years and highlighted the need for Congress to adopt the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA). In his testimony, Glawe leveraged NICB's unique position at the intersection of the insurance industry and law enforcement, as well as his more than three decades of law enforcement and national security experience, to highlight how cargo theft has escalated to historic levels and become a vector for transnational criminal activity. 'Most cargo thefts are not the result of small operations, rather they are committed by well-funded, sophisticated criminal businesses,' Glawe said. 'These criminal networks are exploiting supply chain vulnerabilities and abusing new technologies to finance other illicit activities, including drug and weapons trafficking and terrorism. The impacts are felt on kitchen tables across the country through higher prices.' Six to eight incidents of cargo theft occur every day, with an average value per theft of more than $200,000. In the last 18 months, NICB has assisted in over 240 cargo crime investigations, leading to more than 70 recoveries valued at nearly $40 million. Since 2022, NICB has opened an average of 150 commercial cargo crime cases per year. NICB agents play a crucial role in coordinating with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as NICB member insurance companies, to aid in investigations of organized crime and other bad actors involved in cargo theft. Key points emphasized in Glawe's testimony: The U.S. is experiencing a historic spike in cargo thefts: The value of stolen merchandise and estimated losses broke the $1 billion mark for the first time in 2023, going on to increase 27% in 2024. These figures are projected to increase another 22% by the end of 2025. Transnational criminal organizations are reaping the rewards: Through cyber-enabled logistics manipulation and new methods of identity theft, cargo theft has gone unchecked for too long. Stolen goods are often used to fund darker criminal enterprises: Items ranging from everyday consumer goods to high-end luxury are sold in illicit markets, fueling drug trafficking, arms dealing and terrorism. NICB and law enforcement collaborate closely to counter cargo theft: NICB's special agents and intelligence analysts maintain strong relationships with federal, state and local law enforcement to investigate and dismantle organized cargo theft rings to recover stolen goods. Support for CORCA (S. 1404): Glawe reaffirmed NICB's support for the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act to expand federal coordination and enforcement capabilities in investigations of interstate and transnational theft. Voices across the private and public sectors joined together to acknowledge that the only way to stop cargo theft is through a concerted effort from all affected industries, levels of law enforcement, policymakers and the public. The committee also heard testimony from Donna Lemm, Chief Strategy Officer at IMC Logistics, Scott McBride, Chief Global Asset Protection Officer at American Eagle Outfitters, and Summer Stephan, District Attorney of San Diego County and President of The National District Attorneys Association. If you suspect potential cargo theft, call local law enforcement, your insurance carrier and NICB's hotline at 1-800-TEL-NICB. To learn how to help deter cargo theft visit About the National Insurance Crime Bureau: Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) is the nation's leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to combatting and preventing insurance crime through Intelligence, Analytics, and Operations; Education and Crime Prevention; and Strategy, Policy, and Advocacy. NICB is supported by more than 1,200 property and casualty insurance companies and self-insured organizations. To learn more, visit
The Hill
04-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Cargo thieves are plundering America blind — Congress must act
As Americans gear up for fireworks and barbecues today, another group is making plans of a different kind: cargo thieves. Every year, the days are Independence Day see a notable spike in criminal networks seizing shipments of everything from televisions to energy drinks to vital medical supplies, exploiting the disruptions and reduced oversight that come with the holiday rush. It's all part of a growing cargo theft epidemic. Once a sporadic nuisance, it has metastasized into a nationwide criminal enterprise that is bleeding the U.S. supply chain to the tune of more than $35 billion each year. And everyday Americans are the ones footing the bill. These thieves aren't just smashing locks in the dead of night. Sophisticated criminal rings are exploiting weaknesses in our digital infrastructure, using ever-evolving cyber fraud and identity theft to impersonate legitimate carriers and hijack loads without ever touching a crowbar — often rerouting freight before it even leaves the warehouse. Others target trucks and trailers at rest stops and distribution centers, threatening the personal safety of drivers who are simply doing their jobs. The consequences ripple far beyond the loss of goods. Small trucking companies face higher insurance premiums or go out of business. Retailers, already navigating global supply chain headaches, must absorb delayed deliveries and inventory losses. Consumers see price hikes and empty shelves. And for drivers — often the last line of defense — the stress of constant vigilance becomes a daily burden. Cyber-enabled 'strategic theft' is now one of the most insidious and fastest-growing methods of committing cargo crime. When coupled with virtually nonexistent enforcement, it's a low-risk, very high-reward proposition for these bad actors. Just one in ten thefts ends in an arrest. That is why Congress must act and pass the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, a bipartisan bill that would finally give federal authorities the legal framework, resources and cross-agency coordination needed to take this crisis seriously. It is a badly overdue step toward unified national enforcement. This bill would create a federal task force with the investigative authority to deter these criminal rings. Just as importantly, local law enforcement should be trained and equipped to recognize and respond to cargo theft. Federal funding should support multi-jurisdictional investigations. We also need better data. Unlike other forms of crime, cargo theft is severely underreported and inconsistently tracked. The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act establishes a national cargo theft database — comprehensive, centralized and transparent — which would be a powerful tool for law enforcement and industry stakeholders alike. As it stands, we're likely severely underreporting the true scale of the economic damage. The numbers we do know are concerning. The average value of each cargo theft is more than $200,000, and according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, there's been a 1,500 percent increase in cargo theft incidents since 2021. Total cargo theft losses increased by 27 percent in 2024 and are projected to rise another 22 percent in 2025. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security have flagged this as a growing national threat — but the theft epidemic rages on, because the real failure is one of enforcement. The penalties for cargo theft are weak. Investigations are rare. Prosecutions are slower than a backed-up port. Cargo thieves must face penalties that reflect the scale of their crimes — not pocket change that comes with a slap on the wrist. Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) recently said it well: 'Eliminating cargo theft will require an 'all-hands-on-deck' approach that involves Congress, federal agencies, local law enforcement, and the private sector.' That all-hands-on-deck approach would have helped Adam Blanchard, CEO of Texas-based Tanager Logistics. As he told members of Congress in February, thieves brokered loads under his company's name, deceiving both shippers and carriers. They then stole truckloads of Red Bull, diverting them to suspicious warehouses in California and ostensibly shipping them out of the country. When Blanchard turned to insurance companies, local law enforcement and federal agencies — FBI, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, even the Department of Homeland Security — he was met with a wall of indifference and red tape. This is the same bureaucracy that claims to protect our borders and secure our economy yet can't address this rampant fraud. It's unacceptable. Put bluntly: cargo theft threatens our national security, weakens our economy and brazenly defies law enforcement. Truckers are being targeted, businesses are suffering and the costs are borne by consumers. The trucking industry has shown its resiliency time and again — through pandemics, natural disasters and economic shocks. We take great pride in delivering America's freight safely and on time to keep our economy running. But we cannot fight organized cargo crime without the full support and partnership of our federal government. By passing the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, Congress can send a clear message: We will not stand by while criminal syndicates hijack our supply chain — we will hunt them down, shut them down and protect the backbone of American commerce. Chris Spear is the president and CEO of the American Trucking Associations.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Check Call: Fight against freight fraud gets help in the Senate
It's not very often the transportation industry gets a win on Capitol Hill. But it seems the conversation around fraud has gotten national attention as the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation advanced the Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act (S. 337). Championed by Sens. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., and Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., the bill seeks to restore and enhance the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's authority to address fraud and deceptive practices in freight transportation. Specifically, the bill grants FMCSA essential enforcement powers to: Assess civil penalties for unauthorized brokerage activity. Enforce the principal-place-of-business requirement. Examine commonalities among companies registering for operating authority. 'This bipartisan legislation gives FMCSA much-needed tools to protect consumers from fraud in the interstate shipment of goods,' said Transportation Intermediaries Association President and CEO Chris Burroughs in a news release. 'With freight fraud costing the industry an estimated $35 billion annually, this bill equips the agency to protect consumers, businesses, and the supply chain. We thank Senators Fischer and Duckworth for their leadership in addressing this growing crisis and helping restore integrity to the freight network.' The bill has been added to the Senate legislative calendar, marking a crucial first step in the legislative process. The journey to becoming a law has only just begun, but important steps have been taken to protect the industry and attempt to get a handle on other piece of legislation, which has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary, is the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act. The bill seeks to improve coordination and information sharing among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies while increasing penalties for those found guilty of committing fraud. Currently, there is little victims of fraud can do. Motor carrier numbers under which fraud is committed should always be reported to the FMCSA. If cargo theft is involved, police reports should be filed. There are few long-term ramifications that fraudsters face at present. If the MC gets flagged as fraudulent, they disappear and come back with another. It's a hopeful sign that legislation is being introduced to help address the issue, especially since the Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act has left committee – arguably one of the biggest hurdles in the entire process. Meanwhile, even if these measures succeed, it will be an industrywide effort to get freight fraud under the full edition of Check Call in your inbox every Tuesday by subscribing down below. The post Check Call: Fight against freight fraud gets help in the Senate appeared first on FreightWaves.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
High grocery prices? Grocery stores blame the thieves
If you continue to shell out more and more for groceries, one major grocery retailer says: blame the thieves. Stop & Shop, which runs more than 300 markets across the Northeast, has penned a letter to Congress saying retailers like them are operating on 'razor-thin' margins and are 'struggling with the vast impact of organized retail crime.' The company is urging Congress to pass the 'Combating Organized Retail Crime Act,' which has now been reintroduced. The bipartisan legislation specifically targets flash mob robberies and what it calls 'intricate retail theft schemes.' It cites data from the National Retail Federation showing larceny incidents increased by 93 percent in 2023 compared with 2019. The letter says that in recent years, 'criminal organizations have increasingly turned to retail crime to generate illicit profits, using internet-based tools to organize flash mobs, sell stolen goods and move money.' 117 arrested in retail theft crackdown across California Stop & Shop says it does not, 'under any circumstances take a neighborhood's demographics into consideration when setting prices. The specific process for setting prices is highly confidential and competitively sensitive for any major retail business.' But theft has been weighing on retailers. Albertson's, which operates Vons and Pavilions, referred an inquiry about the retail theft trend and its impact on grocery prices to the California Retailers Association. Similar requests were sent to Kroger, parent company of Ralphs, and also to Whole Foods. The California Retailers Association says online that it's committed to working with all stakeholders interested in solutions to retail theft and that this issue 'is too important to the safety of employees, customers, and communities.' It does not address the specifics of how those retail thefts may be increasing grocery prices. Here in Los Angeles, District Attorney Nathan Hochman has launched a new campaign to crack down on retail theft, speaking in front of a 7-Eleven recently ransacked by dozens of teens. The district attorney also reiterated that the tide has changed in California. Proposition 36 makes certain thefts a felony, and the district attorney says thieves will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Thefts prompt Southern California grocery store to change bag policy Consumer Confidential's David Lazarus calls it a big and growing problem, saying 'theft, particularly involving brazen mobs of shoplifters, have become all too common among merchants selling everything from clothing to electronics.' As for what can be done about it? Lazarus says, 'At this point, the retail industry is responding with new security measures, such as limiting the number of customers inside a shop or hiring more guards. For consumers, this only adds to costs — and provides another reason to shop online. Whether lawmakers in Congress can address that in a meaningful fashion remains to be seen.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
