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Organized Crime More Violent: NRF

WASHINGTON — Nearly all (94.5%) of 129 surveyed retail companies have been the victim of organized retail crime in the past 12 months, according to the National Retail Federation's seventh annual Organized Retail Crime survey.

WASHINGTON — Nearly all (94.5%) of 129 surveyed retail companies have been the victim of organized retail crime in the past 12 months, according to the National Retail Federation's seventh annual Organized Retail Crime survey. This represents an increase over last year and the most in the survey's history.

An increasing number of retailers said thieves are becoming more brazen and that, on average, more than one in 10 organized retail crime apprehensions (13%) lead to some level of violence, such as physical assault and/or battery.

"Organized retail crime affects virtually every single retailer in America, impacting everything from the bottom line to the safety of people in the stores," said Joe LaRocca NRF's senior asset protection advisor, in a statement. "As criminals become more brazen, retailers are working fervently to cut down on organized retail crime activity in order to ensure the safety of their associates and shoppers."

In conjunction with the release of the 2011 Organized Retail Crime survey, NRF has launched a resource center offering the latest information on organized retail crime, www.nrf.com/organizedretailcrime.