Tennessee grocery stores form alliance with law enforcement to fight shoplifting

Mark Kelly
·2 min read
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Grocery stores are prime targets for shoplifters.

In East Tennessee, police arrested a chef outside a grocery store for stealing food. Clement Milanzi is accused of shoplifting thousands of dollars worth of meat from several grocery stores and serving to customers at his Maryville restaurant. According to court records, some of the meat was hidden in his pants and snuck out of the store.

“With inflation and the high cost of food, I think there’s more incentive to not pay for all of your food, and it’s something that grocers are combating on a daily basis now,” said Rob Ikard, president, Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association.

SEE ALSO: Lebanon police see 70% increase in shoplifting from 2022 to 2023

Ikard said grocery store shoplifters aren’t just after food; they also want other high-priced items like medicine, laundry detergent and baby formula.

“It’s a regional phenomenon, and a national phenomenon,” said Ikard.

Congressman Glenn Ivey, a Maryland Democrat and former prosecutor, said shoplifting is hurting store revenues.

“We got some stores that are supposed to go under because of the losses that they are suffering. Some of those are grocery stores,” said Ivey.

But, the industry is fighting back. Brand new this year, a network of grocery stores, law enforcement and retail experts banned together to form the Tennessee Organized Retail Crime Alliance. As grocery shoplifters become more organized, this new alliance is using technology and sharing resources to make arrests.

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“The industry is doubling down on stopping this crime, because it’s not fair to everybody else — the people who pay full dollar for their food items,” said Ikard. “We have video, we have faces, we have names. And all of that is being shared now in a very efficient manner.”

According to law enforcement, shoplifters know if they steal less than $1,000 worth of goods, they likely will not be charged with a felony, will get probation, and will continue their shoplifting spree.

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