Kentucky Retail Federation partners with AG Coleman, state legislature to combat organized retail crime
MIDDLETOWN, Ky. (Dec. 15, 2025) — The Kentucky Retail Federation (KRF) joined Attorney General Russell Coleman, Rep. Jared Bauman (R-Louisville) and Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg, as well as local law enforcement, prosecutors and community leaders, for an important discussion on combating organized retail crime in the Commonwealth on Dec. 12.
Organized retail crime involves large-scale theft and fraud efforts by sophisticated networks designed to steal from retailers and defraud customers. It can take the form of a wide range of activities, including: shoplifting for resale, cargo theft, gift card tampering and barcode fraud, return fraud and identity theft.
Last Friday’s event, hosted by the Walmart Supercenter in Middletown, was aimed at addressing this significant and growing problem. Among other major retailers participating were CVS, Kroger, Meijer and TJ Maxx.
Studies show that Kentucky retailers lose $990 million in total revenue due to theft each year, and last year saw a 30% increase in organized retail crime.
“On behalf of all retailers big and small operating in Kentucky, we are grateful to Attorney General Coleman and his team for their strong partnership in addressing this critical issue,” said Tod Griffin, KRF president. “We look forward to collaborating closely with the 2026 General Assembly to establish a much-needed ORC task force — to protect Kentucky’s retailers, consumers and communities.”
Attorney General Coleman shared plans to ask the General Assembly during the upcoming legislative session for more than $2 million over two years to build out the Organized Retail Crime Unit. The unit would be comprised of four detectives, two criminal analysts and a prosecutor.
“Organized retail crime brings dangerous criminals into our communities, but it also drives up prices for Kentuckians,” said Attorney General Coleman. “In collaboration with law enforcement, prosecutors and retailers, we’ve created a new unit to take on this threat and send a message to the criminals coming from other states and countries that Kentucky is no longer the place to get a ‘big haul’; it’s the place to end up in handcuffs and get a prison sentence.”
Organized retail crime task forces — which have been established in states like Arizona, California, Illinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania — have achieved significant results, successfully prosecuting offenders while recovering millions of dollars in retail goods.
“An Organized Retail Crime Task Force led by the Office of the Attorney General will maximize collaboration among retailers, law enforcement officials, prosecutors and community support organizations — to stop criminal theft rings that are operating here in Kentucky,” said Rep. Bauman. “The General Assembly looks forward to working to provide funding for strategic investigators and data analysts who can work collaboratively to send a message that Kentucky is open for business, but not open for crime.”
Griffin noted the importance of adding Kentucky to the list of states that are stepping up to protect our retailers, consumers and communities.
“During the busy holiday shopping season — and year-round — we want to ensure that the Commonwealth is fully equipped to defeat the growing threat of organized retail crime for the sake of all Kentuckians,” said Griffin.
The Kentucky Retail Federation is a non-profit trade association representing diverse businesses across the Commonwealth — from department and drug stores to hardware, apparel and building supply retailers.
For more information about the KRF, please visit kyretail.com.
Images from the Dec. 12 event are available here, and the archived livestream can be viewed here.
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About the Kentucky Retail Federation
The Kentucky Retail Federation is the “Voice of Retailing” throughout the Commonwealth, representing retailers of all types and sizes since 1939. From Main Street to the mall, retailers enhance Kentucky’s communities and provide a better quality of life for Kentuckians everywhere. Kentucky’s retail industry supports 556,000 jobs and pays more than $9.3 billion in wages annually. Retailers collect over $2.8 billion in state sales tax and pay millions in other taxes to state and local governments.
