The Issue

There are approximately 152,000 convenience stores operating in every neighborhood, town and congressional district in the United States. Over the past several years, crime in and around these stores has fundamentally changed, with theft becoming more brazen, more organized and more violent. Thieves no longer try to conceal their actions because they know store employees are trained not to intervene physically and that law enforcement response is often slow or unavailable.

While organized retail crime (ORC) affects retailers of all sizes, the crime experienced by convenience retailers often looks different than what is traditionally discussed in ORC cases. NACS members face a wide spectrum of criminal activity, ranging from sophisticated ORC rings stealing fuel from underground storage tanks to petty crimes occurring on or near store properties. In many communities, the lack of enforcement of existing laws related to public camping, vandalism, drug use or other public nuisances has also contributed to rising violent crime and property damage affecting both residents and business owners.

Retail Impact

Rising crime has forced many convenience retailers to divert substantial financial resources toward increased security measures to keep their employees and customers safe. For other operators, the risks and costs have become untenable, leaving them with no option but to close stores in high-crime areas. These closures result in both lost jobs and lost state, local and federal tax revenue estimated at over $2 million annually per store for sites that sell fuel.

Store closures also result in the loss of essential community access points. In many rural and underserved areas, a convenience store may be the only nearby location to purchase groceries or fuel for miles, or they may be the only option for customers who work late or overnight shifts to purchase food, fuel, snacks and refreshments. When stores close, residents lose convenient access to essential goods and a dependable neighborhood fixture.

NACS Position

NACS supports several solutions that address retail crime:

• Passage of the Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA), which would establish a coordination center within Homeland Security Investigations to unite federal, state and local law enforcement against ORC networks. 
• Encouraging Congress to improve crime data collection and streamline reporting, which is severely undercut today by a lack of response to calls for law enforcement assistance in many jurisdictions today. 
• Encouraging policymakers to explore accountability mechanisms, such as Arizona's Proposition 312, that push municipalities to enforce existing public safety laws.