DA Hoovler launches National Store Walk Month to combat retail theft

Every year stores across Orange County see an increase in retail theft typically starting from Black Friday after Thanksgiving through to Christmas Eve. This year, however, Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler says he’s seen a bit of shift in that uptick. He said that since about St Patrick’s Day in March, the region has seen an increase in habitual, organized retail theft, which often goes unreported by stores.

So, for the first time, in conjunction with the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA), the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), and the Orange County Chamber of Commerce, his department will participate in the National Store Walk Month initiative. The goal is to help retail outlets large and small to understand the effects of this crime and foster relationships between store owners and local law enforcement.

Hoovler explained that retailers don’t often work toward theft prevention and mitigation, opting instead to let culprits go with the merchandise, and then file a report after the fact. The National Store Walk initiative will help local law enforcement show retailers what they can do to help investigators solve these crimes in a more effective manner.

As law officials visit retail outlets in the coming weeks, they’ll review whether the store has a loss mitigation plan in place, cameras, and other security measures. Even just having a conversation with a retail outlet about the types of security cameras they have and the angles at which they’re configured can help to solve these crimes more quickly. In an interview, Hoovler gave the example of a murder suspect who was caught after tracking down a disposable phone purchase. Law officials were able to trace which store the suspect bought the phone from, and then by working with store security, they found the date and time the suspect purchased the phone, as well as the camera footage taken at checkout.

Hoovler has designated Chief Investigator Rudolph Simmons, Investigator Darrin Fulton and Assistant District Attorney Daniel Steyskal to lead Orange County’s National Store Walk participation. They will work with community retailers to hear their struggles and needs, helping to foster a mutual understanding, and collaboratively develop retail crime mitigation strategies.

Hoovler said they plan to review big box stores and large retail operations like Woodbury Common first, but any retail store in the county can participate and ask for support. The goal is to get this done before the holiday shopping rush.

Retail theft is estimated to cost communities billions annually, and is said to undermine local economies by threatening the viability of storefronts in neighborhoods across the country.

“New data from the U.S. Chamber reveals that a majority of small retailers have encountered theft-related issues, with over 50% indicating an exacerbation of retail theft in the past year,” said Heather Bell-Meyer, president and CEO of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce. “In total, nearly 37% of small businesses report experiencing shoplifting or theft in the previous year, with 14% enduring such incidents on a monthly or more frequent basis. Additionally, around one-third of these businesses note a spike in shoplifting or theft during the holiday season, at 34%. I commend our District Attorney for proactively collaborating with law enforcement and the business community...”

While an uptick in retail theft has been seen locally this year. Hoovler also noted that, overall, Orange County’s larceny rates (which include thefts from private property, cars, retail outlets, and other locations) have been significantly lower in the last few years. Indeed, when looking at state totals for the blanket crime of “larceny” as a whole, Orange County went from a high of 6,828 reported cases in 2012 to 3,790 reported cases in 2022 (data for 2023 has not yet been reported to the state, which tracks overall case data as reported by area law enforcement offices). Despite the generally good news, Hoovler suggested that there’s still plenty of work to be done at the local level, and expressed the importance of collaborating with area retailers.

“Retail crime has pernicious effects not only on big box stores, but also on mom-and-pop establishments,” said Hoovler. “I am proud to team up with the Orange County Chamber of Commerce, the National District Attorneys Association and the Retail Industry Leaders Association to proactively address these issues that affect all of us. Proactive cooperation amongst the stakeholders is necessary to address this growing concern.”