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NEWSWIRE
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Take two: Lawmakers hear ORC testimony |
By Rhianna Daniels - 05.13.2008
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CINCINNATI--Ohio lawmakers last week heard the second round of testimony from a group of Ohio retailers and trade groups on a bill that would increase penalties for organized retail crime offenders.
The bill, introduced April 15 by State Senator Bill Seitz, would make it a first- or second-degree felony to steal more than $500 in merchandise in a six-month period. The crime would be punishable with fines up to $20,000 and up to 10 years in prison and would allow retailers to recoup losses up to three times the original amounts.
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Retailers were at the forefront of pushing the development of the legislation. Kelly Barr, director of government relations from Ohio Grocer Association, said members of the group's loss prevention committee, those "who see this day-in and day-out," are working on ORC cases regularly and seeing repeat offenders.
"Our guys are out on the front line with this issue," she said. "This is a multi-billion dollar issue that costs retailers millions of dollars and the state is losing sales tax."
The organization is working in conjunction with the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants on the bill -- the OGA represents approximately 700 wholesale, chain and independent grocery stores, and the OCRM's members are larger retailers such as Target, Kroger and Macy's.
"We are definitely presenting a united front to battle organized retail crime," Barr said. "We are hoping this will give prosecutors an additional tool in their toolbox to go after fences and the boosters in the organized retail crime operation."
The state already has criminal racketeering laws in place, but it does not cover the movement of stolen goods on a larger scale. Barr said the goal is not to prosecute petty shoplifters, rather it is focused toward ORC ring leaders.
"There is a real concern in Ohio in the state government about increasing the prison population," she said. "That is a very sensitive issue in the general assembly right now. We wanted to be careful about how we approached this and we think we have crafted something that is very strong."
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