Crime During the Holidays

 

On a Sunday evening in Los Angeles in late December of 2023, an organized retail crime (ORC) ring of 17 suspects entered a leading retail apparel store and stole $12,000 worth of merchandise, ransacking the store. This was a huge crime during the holidays when stores and employees are t their busiest. This is not the first, second, or third time this crew has robbed the store, but the tenth! Unbelievably, even after repeated brazen attacks, the suspects remain at large. Employees and the local community are at their wit’s end, frustrated and saddened by the repeated assaults that damaged property, frightened employees, and disheartened the surrounding community.

Unfortunately, these incidents are occurring nationwide, intensifying as the holiday season approaches. Retailers and consumers alike worry about the implications of increased rates of ORC. According to the National Retail Federation’s 2023 National Retail Security Survey, 67% of retailers noted increased ORC-related violence and aggression. Coresight Research reported that consumers are worried, too, with 73% concerned about rising prices to cover the cost of retail theft and 56% fearing that stores will be closed due to rising crime.

At 3Si, our expertise in analyzing and interpreting crime event data makes us a trusted resource for understanding the ever-changing crime landscape in retail and financial sectors. Using real-time crime data from our nationwide network, we’ve identified a recurring pattern: while crime appears to dip in September and October, it sharply rises in November and December—often increasing by 10% to 20%, and in some markets, surging as high as 60%. These insights aren’t just numbers; they’re actionable intelligence that helps our customers proactively adjust their strategies and strengthen their defenses during the high-risk holiday season. Our SaferWorld Report, published monthly, provides a comprehensive breakdown of these trends.

With the holidays rapidly approaching, forward-thinking retailers are proactively implementing measures to protect their assets and employees. The question on everyone’s mind is: Which solutions are truly effective against the growing ORC threat?

 

A Multi-Faceted Approach 

To combat this challenge, a multi-faceted approach is essential. Breaking the cycle of crime demands a strategy that creates obstacles at every step of the process. By leveraging the right combination of security tools, retailers can effectively deter theft and safeguard their operations right from the moment a perpetrator steps onto their property. Embracing a comprehensive security strategy enhances safety and instills confidence in employees and customers alike, making your world safer.

Give yourself a checklist for these holidays:

 

Steps for Managing Security During the Holiday Season

To effectively safeguard your operations during this busy season, consider implementing these key strategies:

  • Train and Support Staff: Equip your team with clear protocols to handle suspicious activity, emphasizing their role in enhancing customer experiences while staying vigilant.
  • Leverage Technology: Utilize tools like cameras, public view monitors (PVMs), and advanced video management systems (VMS) to monitor activity and deter potential threats.
  • Deploy GPS Trackers: Covertly embed GPS devices in high-value merchandise to aid law enforcement in recovering stolen goods and disrupting crime rings.
  • Reinforce Store Layout: Design high-traffic areas to minimize blind spots and ensure optimal visibility for both staff and cameras.
  • Engage Customers: Encourage staff to greet and assist shoppers promptly, reducing opportunities for theft while creating a welcoming atmosphere.
  • Coordinate with Local Authorities: Establish strong relationships with law enforcement to expedite responses and improve collaboration during incidents.

These steps will reduce your risk during the holidays and create a safer, more enjoyable environment for employees and customers.

 

Deter with Cameras and PVMs

The first step in reducing the likelihood of crime is creating an environment that elevates the risk to criminals. Strategic placement of cameras in detention-grade housings provides visual confirmation to criminals that they are being monitored, while rugged housing protects cameras from criminals’ efforts to disable them. Video captured by these cameras also provides evidence in case the criminal attack advances.

Public view monitors (PVMs) serve as another deterrence tool. By installing PVMs at critical high-risk points throughout the store, retailers send a clear signal that the location is being monitored comprehensively. PVMs can elevate the deterrence factor in high-risk areas with attention-grabbing features like flashing LED lights and face blocking, which amplify the monitor’s visibility. While these steps won’t stop an ORC incident, consider how the strategic placement of cameras and PVMs could have led the ORC attackers in Los Angeles to target another, less fortified location.

 

Detect with VMS and Integrated Solutions

Hardware is only one piece of the puzzle. Advanced video management software (VMS) optimizes the value of video captured by cameras across the store. VMS provides real-time, 24×7 access to video to critical users, but convenience and accessibility are just table stakes. Next-gen VMS solutions like Surveill delivers actionable intelligence instantly thanks to video advancements. Consider examples like scanning hours of video to pinpoint just the right moment or effectively comparing video of perpetrators of the apparel ORC attack to determine if the assailants were the first ones who came in the first, second, or tenth incident. Surveill can also integrate other systems and devices including IoT, access control, intrusion alarms, and more, delivering a true control center of information that allows security teams to see circumstances in real time.

The power of software is critical to investigating, identifying, and addressing incidents at the earliest stages and empowering law enforcement with the information they need to arrest and prosecute.

 

Detain with GPS Tracking

In case merchandise is stolen, criminal tracking is possible, not only to recover the assets themselves but also to gain insight into the heart of the ORC operation so that it can be shut down with the help of local law enforcement. GPS tracking devices like 3Si ORC Tracker covertly embedded in merchandise allow retailers to engage law enforcement to pursue criminals and recover assets at a location that does not pose a threat to employees, customers, or bystanders. GPS tracking often leads law enforcement to the bed of criminal activity, such as warehouses where ORC crime rings consolidate and prepare merchandise for resale. Had trackers been placed in the Los Angeles apparel retailers’ merchandise, GPS could have revealed the central location of the boosting center, potentially shutting down the entire crime ring.

 

Give yourself the gift of safety, profitability before the year is over in the face of rising crime during the holidays.

This holiday season don’t let crime steal your cheer. While technology like cameras, PVMs, GPS trackers, and VMS provides essential tools to deter, detect, and detain criminals, their true power lies in partnerships. Just as a beautifully wrapped gift box holds no value if it’s empty, these tools alone can only solve the problem of ORC with the collaboration and intelligence-sharing that come from strong relationships with law enforcement. At 3Si, our unique differentiator is our unparalleled connection to law enforcement, enabling a seamless flow of evidence and actionable insights to ensure not just the deterrence of crime but the dismantling of entire criminal networks. Give your business—and your team—the ultimate holiday gift: a safer, more profitable season supported by the power of technology and the strength of partnership.

3Si offers a robust lineup of end-to-end security solutions specifically designed to counteract crime throughout the complete cycle, from the moment a criminal enters your premises to the recovery of stolen items.