NACS today sent a letter to lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance ahead of its hearing, “Protecting Consumers and Businesses: Confronting Organized Retail Crime.”

In the letter to Subcommittee Chairman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) and Ranking Member Lucy McBath (D-GA), NACS thanked the Subcommittee for convening the hearing and highlighted the growing impact of organized retail crime and escalating violence on convenience and fuel retailers across the country.

While organized retail crime affects retailers of all sizes, NACS noted that crime at convenience and fuel retail locations often looks different than traditional ORC cases, ranging from sophisticated fuel theft rings to persistent crimes occurring on or near store properties.

Rising crime has forced many retailers to divert significant resources to security measures, and in some cases, has made continued operation in high-crime areas unsustainable. Store closures result in lost jobs, reduced tax revenue and diminished access to essential goods.

The letter also pointed to frustration with the lack of enforcement of existing laws related to public camping, vandalism, drug use and other public nuisances, which contribute to unsafe conditions around stores. NACS highlighted Arizona’s Proposition 312 as an example of an accountability-focused approach that has already prompted action by municipalities to address encampments and enforce existing laws.

NACS urged the Subcommittee to consider similar accountability concepts at the federal level and reiterated strong support for the Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA), which would strengthen coordination among federal, state and local law enforcement and help disrupt organized theft rings before they escalate into violence.