Senate Panel Backs DHS Center to Counter $35 Billion Retail Theft Wave

The Senate Judiciary Committee devoted a July 15 hearing to the sharp rise in organized retail theft, which industry groups say is eroding profits, endangering workers and fueling broader criminal networks. The National Retail Federation told lawmakers retailers experienced a 93% jump in average annual shoplifting incidents between 2019 and 2023, while losses climbed 90%. Reported incidents rose a further 26% last year alone. Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley urged colleagues to advance his bipartisan Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, which would create a Department of Homeland Security coordination center to pool intelligence and lead multi-jurisdictional investigations. “Criminal action must be met with criminal punishment,” Grassley said, arguing the federal government must play a larger role in disrupting increasingly sophisticated theft rings. American Trucking Associations backed the measure, noting cargo theft drains about $35 billion a year from supply chains and raises costs for consumers. Democratic co-sponsor Catherine Cortez Masto and several retail executives also endorsed stronger federal coordination, while some Republicans, including Sen. John Cornyn, linked the problem to gaps in border enforcement. Companion legislation is pending in the House, and supporters pressed for swift action, warning that delays will leave small businesses and workers vulnerable and allow criminal groups to keep expanding their reach.