By WJBC Staff

SPRINGFIELD – Attorney General Kwame Raoul is announcing a new task force to fight organized retail crime.

Retail theft is becoming more of a coordinated effort, not just an individual running off with a few items for themselves.

“We have learned that there is an organized crime aspect to much of today’s retail theft, and those arrested are often being used as mules at the lowest levels of a larger enterprise,” said Raoul.

The task force will work to coordinate efforts to stop mass retail theft, relying on the expertise of investigators, state attorneys, online marketplaces, and retailers like CVS and Lowes.

Home Depot investigator Kyel Penoyer says the incidents have been increasing and are well coordinated.

“This type of criminal element is not just petty shoplifting, but a complex criminal enterprise that can hide right in plain sight using e-commerce sites to convert their stolen goods to cash.”

According to Raoul, the task force is essential since the organized crime rings are often involved in human trafficking, drugs, and other illegal activities.

WJBC staff can be reached at [email protected].