The holidays bring a surge in shoppers, extended hours, and higher sales targets — but also a predictable spike in theft and ORC. Each year, retailers report some of their highest incident volumes in November and December. Crowded stores, overstretched staff, and large promotional displays create an environment that’s easier for offenders to exploit.
This isn’t new, but the scale and coordination behind ORC groups continue to grow. Many now operate across multiple stores, using lookouts, distraction tactics, and planned getaways. Others take advantage of self-checkout areas or high-volume return counters to blend in and move quickly.
The Seasonal Reality
Retailers know the drill: more shoppers mean less visibility, and seasonal staff may not have the experience or confidence to spot and report suspicious behavior. Loss prevention teams are often spread thin covering multiple stores, while organized groups move faster than information can travel between locations.
What’s changing is how data and technology can help retailers close that gap. The most effective strategies today combine stronger frontline awareness with better cross-store visibility and data sharing.
Practical Steps to Strengthen Store Safety
- Refocus staff on situational awareness. Reinforce what suspicious behavior looks like and when to engage store leadership or LP. Seasonal refreshers—short, scenario-based discussions—go a long way.
- Coordinate across stores and regions. ORC groups don’t stop at one store. Fast information-sharing between locations and asset protection teams can prevent repeat hits.
- Prioritize visibility in key areas. Make sure high-risk zones—electronics, cosmetics, designer goods—have both staff presence and clear camera coverage.
- Use data to spot repeat offenders. Technology that links incidents across stores or cameras helps identify patterns that are easy to miss when viewed in isolation.
- Analyze after the fact. Reviewing video and incident data quickly after an event helps strengthen prevention for the next one.
Connecting the Dots Across Locations
Retailers that can connect activity between stores are better equipped to respond to organized groups. At traceVision, we’ve seen how linking visual data through anonymous Global IDs helps teams recognize when the same individual or group is appearing at different stores—even when they’ve changed clothes, vehicles, or time of day. That kind of visibility helps LP teams move from reacting to predicting.
Preparation Over Panic
The holidays will always bring heavier traffic and higher risk, but being proactive—not reactive—makes the difference. Strengthening coordination, reinforcing staff training, and using connected technology can help keep stores safer without disrupting the customer experience.
