It Costs Us All
By Sean Sportun
Retail theft has long been seen as a victimless crime; however, it costs retail businesses approximately $5-billion a year, resulting in higher prices paid by consumers.
Organized retail crime continues to evolve as a lucrative, criminal enterprise and presents a significant threat to the safety of employees and the overall community. It is a growing concern for retailers across our city, across Canada, North America and even internationally.
Unlike amateur theft or spontaneous shoplifting by individuals with little to no pre-meditation, “organized retail crime” entails careful planning, deliberate targeting of retailers, and high-level coordination among offenders to steal merchandise.
Retail crime networks use their unlawful gains to fund other criminal activities like human trafficking, drug trafficking, and gun and gang activity – and these offenders are also not afraid to introduce violence during the commission of their crimes against innocent employees or customers who stand in their way.
What’s more concerning, is the potential public health and safety concerns involved – for example, some products commonly stolen for resale include infant formula, over-the-counter medications and other health and beauty products, which may be expired, repackaged, or improperly stored or handled before reaching the consumer.
Recognizing this and with community safety in mind, Toronto Crime Stoppers has once again taken the lead to develop a proactive campaign to bring awareness to the issue of organized retail crime.
The focus of this new campaign is to enhance awareness within the community, remind the offenders engaging in this activity the retail industry is taking action and most notably we want citizens to be encouraged to anonymously report individuals involved in this form of criminal activity to Crime Stoppers.
This includes those who knowingly purchase these stolen items.
This latest campaign creative was strategically developed for citizens to take notice of this costly social issue and demonstrates how consumers are ultimately paying for the crimes of others.
Presented as a crime tax that criminals are forcing Canadians to pay or the added time it takes to purchase selected merchandise, the campaign arms consumers with alarming facts of the realistic impact organized retail crime is having on the community.
The campaign will comprise of a selection of out of home advertisements, radio and video public service announcements (PSA’s) and social media online advertising, which will educate the community about the costs associated with this crime. In addition, the campaign creative will drive consumers to a dedicated website ItCostsUsAll.com to learn more about the costs of organized retail theft.
Through the collaboration of aggressive campaigns like this, Toronto Crime Stoppers and the retail industry, along with our law enforcement partners will continue to make a difference in the prevention of crime at retail locations.
More than ever, we must understand that community safety Is a shared responsibility. Working together with a collaborative goal to make a difference in the prevention of crime while enhancing the overall safety of our communities should be a priority.
When, as a community, we remain silent – we are all victims!
Toronto Crime Stoppers is committed in our efforts to mobilize the community to “See It. Say It. Stop It.”
With over three decades in the corporate security industry, Sean Sportun is currently the vice president, national accounts and community engagement, at GardaWorld. Sean is a current associate member of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, where he works with law enforcement agencies across Canada on crime prevention, community safety and community well-being initiatives. A dedicated community safety advocate, in 2002 Sean joined the Toronto Crime Stoppers volunteer board of directors, where he is currently the program’s chair. In addition, he serves as the president-elect for the International Society of Crime Prevention Practitioners Association.
