What is Organized Retail Crime?

Organized retail crime (ORC) is broadly defined within the retail industry as the coordinated theft of merchandise by one or more individuals acting as part of a structured effort, with the intent of reselling the stolen goods for financial gain; these operations are typically planned, profit‑driven, and often involve repeat activity across multiple stores, the use of tools or deception, and downstream “fencing” channels to convert merchandise into cash.

In Michigan, ORC is more specifically defined by statute under the Organized Retail Crime Act as the theft of retail merchandise from a retail merchant with the intent to resell, distribute, or otherwise reenter that merchandise into commerce, whether through direct sale, transfer to another person, or online channels, and the law further includes not only the act of theft itself but also participation in organizing, assisting, possessing merchandise for resale, or facilitating these crimes, all of which are treated as felony conduct.

ORC negatively impacts Michigan communities by contributing to higher consumer costs, reduced inventory availability, concerns about product quality, and an increased risk of violence affecting both employees and customers.