Seal Beach Police Corporal Dave Barr will be honored as Law Enforcement Officer of the Year on Thursday, Feb. 21, by the Los Angeles Area Organized Retail Crime Association at the group’s annual convention, held at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The recognition stems from a case that Cpl. Barr investigated while working as a detective.
The case included the identification and arrest of a broker of stolen merchandise, who was notorious among investigators who specialize in organized retail crime. A neighboring police agency’s arrest led to an interview where Barr learned of the connection between two professional shoplifters, commonly referred to as “boosters,” and the broker, commonly referred to as a “fence.”
Both Los Angeles and Orange counties have been plagued by booster crews that are organized and efficient. They enter grocery and drug stores. They quickly identify the high-value items. They remove that merchandise and flee with the loot. Commonly stolen items are teeth whitening strips, razor blades, and over-the-counter medication.
Barr formed a partnership between the Seal Beach Police Department, police agencies in other jurisdictions that were investigating similar crimes, and a network of asset protection investigators representing various retailers. The joint investigation led to the surveillance of numerous storage units, private residences, and swap meets. Undercover operatives bought stolen merchandise at radical discounts, with the original store anti-theft tags still intact.
The work performed by the private and law enforcement investigators resulted in the service of several search warrants being served. The warrants netted over 100,000 suspected stolen items, valued in excess of $1.2 million. The suspected broker is believed to generate about $250K annually in the sales of stolen items. She has been in business for about 10 years. The case has been referred to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office for prosecution.
A survey by the National Retail Federation estimates that national losses to organized retail crime are $15-30 million annually. The greater Los Angeles area has been identified as a one of the top 10 areas for ORC in the country.
