The retail sector continues to face rising levels of theft and violence, according to a new study. The Impact of Theft & Violence 2025, published by National Retail Federation (NRF) and from Loss Prevention Research Council (LPRC), with the support of Sensormatic SolutionsAccording to the report, in 2024 retailers saw an average increase in 18% of shoplifting incidents compared to 2023, while threats or assaults during robberies increased by 17%, signalling an increase in the dangerousness of criminal groups.
“Retailers are faced with increasing levels of theft, fraud and violence, while continuing to invest in security and cooperate with law enforcement,” he said. David Johnston, NRF Vice President for Asset Protection. “Organized crime syndicates (ORCs) have expanded their reach, taking advantage of limited resources and diminished judicial support.”
The report highlights an evolution in criminal activity, which now extends beyond physical stores. Over half of the retailers interviewed reported an increase in telephone scams (+70%), digital fraud and e-commerce (+55%), in-store thefts (+52%) e thefts along the supply chain (+50%) attributable to criminal organizations.
The phenomenon is now global: 66% of retailers indicated the presence of transnational ORC networks in thefts suffered in the last year. Among the main obstacles to combating this phenomenon are the lack of investigative resources and the unwillingness of prosecutors to prosecute crimes.
“Only with shared data and reliable metrics can we understand the true extent of the problem,” he explained. Read Hayes, executive director of the LPRC and researcher at the University of Florida. To counter the threat, companies have increased investments in multi-layered security strategies, increasing external and internal surveillance, lighting, the use of cameras, license plate readers, locking windows and new store layouts.
“Technology is key to enabling asset protection teams to prevent these pervasive crimes,” he said. Tony D'Onofrio, president of Sensormatic Solutions. However, the 64% of retailers admits to reporting less than half of the thefts to the authorities, mainly for failure of law enforcement to respond.
La NRF continues to ask for the approval of the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, to strengthen cooperation between federal, state, and local authorities and equip the sector with the tools needed to combat organized crime. The survey, conducted between June and August 2025, involved 70 retail companies for a total of 168 brands and a combined turnover of 1,3 trillion dollars, equal to 25% of US retail sales.
