>>> WELCOME BACK.
NOW TO AN EXCLUSIVE CONSUMER
CONFIDENTIAL ON HIGH-STAKES
SHOPLIFTING, KNOWN AS ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIME.
NBC NEWS INVESTIGATIVE AND
CONSUMER CORRESPONDENT VICKY
NGUYEN IS HERE WITH HOW IT
IMPACTS WHAT WE AWELL PAY.
I NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE.
>> IT IS A FASCINATING LOOK INTO
A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY
FROM AN ACTIVE FEDERAL
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANT.
HE USED TO BE A KEY PART OF
THESE HEISTS.
WE ALSO TOOK OUR HIDDEN CAMERAS
INTO THE CURRENT BLACK MARKET
STORES, WHERE STOLEN GOODS ARE
SOLD AT A STEEP DISCOUNT.
THIS IS PUTTING CONSUMER
SAVINGS, AND SOMETIMES SAFETY,
AT RISK.
>> Reporter: WITH OUR HIDDEN
CAMERAS, WE TAKE YOU THROUGH
THIS HAIR SALON, INTO THE STORE
TUCKED IN THE BACK.
HERE, THOSE IN THE KNOW CAN FIND
DESIGNER MERCHANDISE, DEEPLY
DISCOUNTED, BECAUSE IT IS LIKELY
STOLEN, ACCORDING TO SOURCES
FAMILIAR WITH ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME.
RACKS AND STACKS OF NEW
CLOTHING, FROM J. CREW,
NORTHFACE, AND DESIGNER DENIM BY
TRUE RELIGION.
SOLD AT A FRACTION OF RETAIL.
$40 FOR TRUE RELIGION JEANS,
NORMALLY $150.
>> Reporter: THE CLERK TELLS US
THE JEANS AREN’T KNOCK-OFFS.
THEY’RE THE REAL DEAL.
WE ALSO FOUND IN NEW YORK,
INSIDE A PARTY SUPPLY STORE,
MORE HIGH-END GOODS.
A KATE SPADE HANDBAG AND DIESEL
JEANS, PLUS PREMIUM MAKEUP, ALL
DISCOUNTED BY AS MUCH AS 70%.
INSIDERS TELL US THESE ARE
LIKELY STOLEN GOODS, PART OF AN
INDUSTRY THAT COST AMERICAN
RETAILERS $30 BILLION EVERY
YEAR.
>> THEY TELL YOU YOU’RE GOING TO
MAKE A GREAT AMOUNT OF MONEY,
AND YOU CAN’T REFUSE.
>> Reporter: WE SAT DOWN WITH A
MAN WE’RE CALLING JOHN, A FORMER
MEMBER OF AN ORGANIZED RETAIL
THEFT RING.
WE AGREED TO CONCEAL HIS
IDENTITY BECAUSE HE IS NOW AN
INFORMANT FOR THE FBI AND NYPD.
HOW MUCH MONEY WERE YOU MAKING
EVERY DAY?
>> WE WERE MAKING LIKE ABOUT
$2500 EACH, EACH DAY.
>> Reporter: NEW IMMIGRANTS WERE
MOST OFTEN RECRUITED BY THE
RINGS, LURED BY LURECRATIVE
PAYDAYS.
WHAT ITEMS DID YOU WACKLK OUT
WITH?
>> A BAG.
>> Reporter: HOW MUCH?
>> $60,000.
>> Reporter: HE TRAVELED WITH A
TEAM ON CAREFULLY MAPPED OUT
ROUTES, OFTEN THROUGH SEVERAL
STATES.
HE SAID IT WAS ORGANIZED FROM
TOP DOWN.
EVERY DETAIL SCOUTED FROM THE
MOST PROFITABLE STORES AND MALLS
TO THE BEST TIMES TO PULL OFF
THE HEISTS.
IN 15 OR 20 MINUTES INSIDE A
MALL, HOW MUCH MERCHANDISE COULD
YOU TAKE?
WHAT WAS THE DOLLAR VALUE?
>> ONCE INTO A STORE, WE CAN
TAKE OUT $20,000.
>> Reporter: $20,000?
>> YES.
LESS THAN 15 MINUTES, LIKE MAYBE
FIVE MINUTES.
>> Reporter: DID PEOPLE EVER
NOTICE YOU WERE STEALING ALL
THIS MERCHANDISE?
>> PEOPLE, YES.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE STAY QUIET.
SOME PEOPLE START TO SCREAM.
>> Reporter: IT’S NOT JUST
CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES.
>> TOTALLY TRANSFORMED ALMOST
INTO A WAREHOUSE.
>> Reporter: IN KATY, TEXAS,
AUTHORITIES FOUND THIS HOME
FILLED WITH EVERYTHING FROM
LAMPS TO POWER TOOLS, STOLEN
FROM HOME DEPOTS AROUND HOUSTON
AND NEARBY STATES.
TOTAL VALUE, MORE THAN $1
MILLION.
>> REALLY IS HAPPENING
EVERYWHERE.
>> Reporter: JACQUELINE McGUIRE
HEADS THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
IN NEW YORK.
SHE SHOWED VIDEO TAKEN BY A TASK
FORCE OF INVESTIGATORS WHO SHUT
DOWN THIS BLACK MARKET STORE.
>> LOOKS LIKE A BARBERSHOP.
>> LOOKS LIKE IT, AND IT IS AN
OPERATING BARBERSHOP.
HOWEVER, IF YOU KEEP WALKING
THROUGH, YOU ENTER IN THE BACK,
AND IT’S ACTUALLY A RETAIL
STORE.
>> Reporter: YOU’RE SAYING
EVERYTHING IN THAT STORE IS
STOLEN?
>> YES.
ALL OF THAT MERCHANDISE WOULD BE
STOLEN.
TAGS STILL ON.
>> Reporter: SHE SAYS THE
HIGH-STAKES PLANS OFTEN PLAY OUT
WHILE SHOPPERS ARE IN STORES,
POTENTIALLY PUTTING THEM AND
EMPLOYEES AT RISK.
IN A RECENT SURVEY, 75% OF
RETAILERS SAY THEY’VE SEEN AN
INCREASE IN ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME.
57% HAVE NOTICED MORE AGGRESSIVE
TACTICS AND VIOLENCE.
THEY ALSO SAY NOT ENOUGH IS
BEING DONE WITH 62% SAYING
FEDERAL LAW IS NEEDED TO HELP
STOP THE MASSIVE LOSSES.
ARE WE PAYING MORE AS A RESULT
OF THIS ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT?
>> WE DO SEE SOME IMPACT ON THE
PRICES THAT CON SOUMSUMERS PAY.
>> Reporter: THE HIDDEN WORLD OF
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME, DRIVING
UP PRICES FOR EVERYDAY GOODS.
>> WOW.
>> YEAH.
LAW ENFORCEMENT SAYS IT IS WORD
OF MOUTH THAT LEADS CUSTOMERS TO
THE BLACK MARKET STORES, LIKE
THE ONES WE FOUND.
WHILE OFFICIALS ARE WORKING TO
SHUT DOWN THE MAJOR FENCING
RINGS, CONSUMERS CAN PLAY A
ROLE, TOO.
THIEVES MAKE HUGE PURCHASES WITH
STOLEN CREDIT CARD INFORMATION.
CHECK YOUR STATEMENTS OFTEN, AND
SECURE YOUR ACCOUNT SO YOU CAN
HELP PREVENT THIS FRAUD.
>> DO STORES REALIZE THIS IS
HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, MORE OFTEN
THAN I EVER EXPECTED?
WHAT COULD THEY POSSIBLY DO
ABOUT IT?
>> THIS IS HUGE.
IT IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM.
STORES ARE REALLY TRYING TO
CRACKDOWN, INCREASING SECURITY
MEASURES AT CHECKOUT.
VERIFYING WHO PEOPLE ARE WHEN
THEY MAKE RETURNS, TOO.
REALLY, FOR US, BE PATIENT WHEN
THE CLERK IS ASKING FOR YOUR ID
OR OTHER WAYS TO VERIFY WHO YOU
ARE.
IT’S, INDIRECTLY, TO STOP THINGS
LIKE THIS.
>> IT IS FASCINATING.
YOU’VE HEARD OF PEOPLE ON THE
STREET SELLING THINGS.
THERE’S STUFF IN THE COAT
POCKET.
I DIDN’T REALIZE THERE WAS,
LIKE, A RETAIL STORE.
>> $30 BILLION INDUSTRY.
>> WHAT ABOUT THE PANDEMIC, HAS
THAT AFFECTED IT, FOR BETTER OR
WORSE?
>> THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON
PRE-PANDEMIC.
THE NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION
JUST RELEASED NEW STATS.
THIS HAS BEEN A CRIME THAT’S
BEEN ON THE RISE SINCE 2015.
THE SHUTDOWNS HELPED SLOW THINGS
DOWN, WHEN MALLS AND SHOPPING
CENTERS WEREN’T OPEN, BUT