Colorado To Launch A New “ORCA” Program and Proposes ORC Legislation

Colorado is working on two major programs to address the growing problem of organized retail crime (ORC). 

The Colorado Organized Retail Crime Association (COORCA) will be launched on March 7th with the support of retailers, law enforcement and prosecutors.  COORCA will launch as a statewide program and joins a growing list of “ORCA” initiatives, such as LAAORCA, ARAPA, SDORCA and others.

In addition, the Colorado Retail Council advised me about a hearing on Thursday, February 23 regarding a new ORC bill (HB12-1304) in the House Business Affairs Committee.  The bill will make the use of a fire exit a class 2 misdemeanor and expand the definition of a “theft detection deactiving device” and “theft detection shielding device”.

This is great news for Colorado retailers and if you’re in the Denver area on Thursday, show your support by attending the hearing at 1:30pm.

Nationally, Organized Retail Crime is defined as the Theft/Fraud activity conducted with the intent to convert illegally obtained merchandise, cargo, cash, or cash equivalent into financial gain (no personal use), where/when the following elements are present:

  - Theft/Fraud is multiples of items

  - Theft/Fraud is conducted over multiple occurrences

     - and/or in multiple stores

     - and/or in multiple jurisdictions

     - by two or more persons, or an individual acting in dual roles (booster & fence)

Organized retail crime affects virtually every single retailer in America, impacting everything from the bottom line to the safety of people in the stores.  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.