Inside the organized crime rings plaguing retailers including Ulta, T.J. Maxx and Walgreens

CNBC's Courtney Reagan joins 'Squawk Box' with a preview of CNBC Investigates: Selling Stolen. In a months-long investigation, CNBC goes inside the shadowy world of organized retail crime, watching the California Highway Patrol take down a crime ring suspected of stealing beauty supplies that ended up for sale on Amazon.

[@KK-pm7ud]

They are NOT businesses. They are criminal enterprises. And increase the penalties for shoplifting.

[@MrDXRamirez]

Hey, money is money. It arises out of a commodity. The commodity does not care if you are legal or not! What they are stealing is the average rate of return on capital the commodity brings to its first owner. To bring this economic behavior to an end than manufacturers should stop making commodities and go back to making products. Money is a commodity and goods are commodities but money is the only commodity able to play the role of money. The other commodities have to end up sooner or later into someone’s hands. If they could talk they would say “Buy Me” sensing your presence. All of them want to become money the question in whose hands does the money with its special powers become.

[@ronsilva7394]

Perhaps stop retail theft acceptance of $900.00 or less ? Punishing people for breaking the law is not oppression .

[@weirdshibainu]

Newsom was in a store that had a shoplifting incident. When he asked a employee why they didn't stop it, the employee ( not recognizing Newsom right off) told him that the "governor allows it" Newsom fired back at the employee that they were wrong and subsequently railed against the "lies" told about him regarding retail crime.

[@ughwhyn0w]

@@weirdshibainu the person being arrested as the ring leader sure doesn't look like Newsome 🙂🙃🙂🙄

[@weirdshibainu]

@@ughwhyn0w Try to keep up with the conversation. I'm speaking to the comment about the theft acceptance of $ 900 that Newsom supported, then when confronted with an actual shoplifting incident, denied being par of the problem. Not too hard to follow

[@AL.BUNDY.]

Aaaaaaaand we as consumers have to pay for these crimes with police labor hours, with court costs, and increased in retail prices. smh

[@jvanek8512]

They blame Amazon for not catching on to that woman, but ignore that it took law enforcement over a decade to catch her also. So why aren't they condemning law enforcement?

[@KrisKraft101]

There is often very poor communication between various state & local law enforcement agencies -- impossible to see the big picture until it reaches the Federal level -- so it definitely takes waaaaay too long to connect the dots of a nationwide criminal conspiracy. Meanwhile Amazon and other internet Sellers have developed algorithms that put those owned by most law enforcement agencies to shame. Those platforms know everything about us -- our buying, browsing, credit cards -- but somehow they don't know these folks selling at unbelievable low prices are crooks? Gimme a break!

[@Joey-fs7ro]

Amazon knows almost everything about you... but they didn't know this and weren't able to find it out!?!?

[@weirdshibainu]

Amazon doesn't care. I do supply chain management for the nutraceutical industry. About a third of all nutraceuticals (health supplements) on Amazon are completely bogus.

[@KK-pm7ud]

It's against their interests. It weakens stores like Walmart and Target while lining their pockets with seller fees.

[@Emmy-J]

As long as Bozo is making 6.5 million a day he doesn't care whats going on

[@user-qd9yn8jd4n]

It fits there agenda...

[@UrsulaPowers]

I watched four women with small kids at Marshall’s a couple of years ago, filling four shopping carts with clothing and household goods. They were constantly chatting with each other in what I recognized as a Slavic language. As I was finally done checking out, they all grabbed their overloaded carts (kids in the child seats) and zoomed out the door without paying. I looked at two of the store employees standing at the door and asked if they were going to call the cops. They said they can’t do anything about it and would file a report. This costs the honest consumer in the long run.

[@ryanwalters6184]

I have no doubts this was spoon fed to the police for them to act on it. Good work private detective!

[@DudleyaJunkie]

The breakdown of law of order in California.

[@morriskez]

Why is the information bar so high on the screen? Can we move it back down to not cover the screen, please.

[@karenbaird7402]

Minneapolis Minnesota And the people who get caught shoplifting are so violent it’s sad

[@ericabalon1811]

Online selling platforms should be accountable for this crimes as well. It is their responsibilities to make sure that sellers on their websites are legit.

[@KrisKraft101]

What?? -- and give up the commissions the sellers pay to the platforms for every transaction. In our dreams!

[@Ambassador055]

I give all the credit for the “steal whatever you want for under $1000” policy to Gavin and Joe.

[@briandetommaso1793]

Andrew points out a really useless point.. “what are the companies doing about theft?” Everything they can in a society where nearly every crime is legal 🙄 The real question you should be asking is what is our justice system doing about the enormous level of theft?

[@calvinthestormfreak]

This makes EVERYONE ELSE PAY MORE

[@bradleyhasse5220]

"The Online Make up Store" you could imagine how many other criminals are selling illegally on amazon WOW!!!

[@KrisKraft101]

eBay, OfferUp, & others. Facebook a different situation -- local, with no online money involved --very slippery.

[@jasonschmidt3662]

The retailers and marketplaces get the blame for "not doing enough to prevent crime" according to these media experts, but do the actual thieves who stole the goods and resold them deserve any blame for the theft? Any mention of repercussions for the thieves, if they were prosecuted and jailed at all, or simply let out on bail to return to their ways, over and over, sending a positive message to other would-be thieves that crime does indeed pay?

[@funguy1086]

We need stronger punishment in this country.

[@sashasavisha146]

It turned the other way when liberals found out they could play the race card and people with no morals or concern for the country bought it.

[@elsamolina1295]

You are right,

[@KrisKraft101]

Right -- that's worked so well over the last 100 years. I don't want to derail this discussion, but urge folks to read the actual statistics regarding punishment and deterrence. There's plenty written about it. Here's the conclusion of one large study, conducted by Minnesota government: Criminal laws, in part, exist to create some assurance that people are unlikely to harm one another, or take property that belongs to someone else........ That is, an appropriate level of punishment coupled with a high likelihood of being caught is likely to deter some potential criminals. Legislators can consider those two prongs, certainty and severity of punishment, in crafting legislation to deter crime. ...... But, if the goal of a policy change is to deter crime, research suggests that an increase in the likelihood of being caught has a greater deterrent effect than an increase in the potential penalty. Other studies indicate that removing the conditions that lead folks into criminal activity has a greater effect than harsh punishment.

[@jvanek8512]

I think the issue is the stores not caring if they are robbed.

[@KrisKraft101]

Not sure they don't care -- but there is a lot of evidence that many large retailers are scapegoating/exaggerating the extent of the shoplifting losses to cover up their ongoing self-inflicted & market-driven losses. NPR had a very revealing discussion of this issue.

[@user-bt9cm7ze4c]

A friend of mine works at Home Depot. They have rules where if you see someone stealing and they are already out the door you can't do anything but let them go or you will get fired. Home Depot then turns in videos to the police to try and catch the thieves.

[@tford17]

And we're are all the "Usually Suspect" comments at?

[@MegTelevised]

EXACTLY. One culture got another culture to steal for them.

[@Kaykaywin1st]

You know how the folks are No accountability and no responsibility

[@alpark3024]

maybe min 10 years in hard labor camp will stop retail theft.

[@peterbedford2610]

Retail is toast.

[@jaredlopez2926]

For once Sorkin makes a good point. Nip the theft at the bud - at the store level.

[@matissta]

Excellent reporting

[@mfo7611]

But about three or four years too late

[@DoctorSpicy]

So. They made money off selling garbage.

[@KrisKraft101]

A lot of it was pricey high end stuff, sold at substantial -- some might say "unbelievable" discounts -- paying a commission to Amazon of course. Somehow Amazon & other platforms never thought this was suspicious. Yet they notice any 3rd party seller who doesn't deliver through Amazon. Go figure............

[@rainkloud]

3:14 Did they seriously put a camera on her WHILE she's presumably conversing with her webcam?

[@shaunmc013]

Amazon got exposed..

[@weldingsolutionskck2798]

IRS. Tax online resellers. All of them. Give them a 1099.

[@Lucysil1970]

A person on Amazon selling thousands of new makeup products didn’t tip anyone off at Amazon that hey were stolen goods? Where would your average seller get that sort of inventory other than stealing it?

[@KrisKraft101]

Those platforms know everything about us -- our buying, browsing, credit cards -- but they don't know these folks selling at unbelievable low prices are crooks? Gimme a break!

[@djc7039]

Newsom and his crew are most concerned about lost Sales Tax

[@issiewizzie]

great debate

[@rosebecker2242]

Are the clothes returned to the shop???

[@curlymadeline4577]

Who cares about billion dollar corporations when there’s so many bad things happening to humans. Money isn’t everything

[@newyorkcity76]

Retails stores get compasation from insurances companies

[@purplerose9041]

I check the seller’s account every time I order something. I don’t buy from any sellers who appears to sell random items to avoid fake products. This video is another reason I only buy from sellers who shows they are specialized in particular product and not random stuffs on the street.

[@adrianalvarado2421]

Ridiculous! Talk about tip toeing around the real issue here. Policy!!🤦‍♂️

[@ScarletAdhesive]

Ive been wondering that with Ebay.

[@MrBobochow]

Amazon should be charged also.

[@ScarletAdhesive]

Even if someone puts the items on credit cards and doesn't pay the bill to sell online is in my opinion illegal.

[@b21raider27]

It’s happening all over online marketplaces, it’s happening via local fencing.

[@phillipabramoff7374]

How about this: Bringing back an active police force to help prevent the thefts occurring in the first place. Then, places like Amazon wouldn't have to institute "algorithms" to determine whether or not the products being sold on their site are stolen. But, that won't happen because that would make too much sense for a state like California.

[@vistazo9]

The word is out that about theft, law enforcement and Courts are quite lenient.... so criminals feel very confident to continue stealing.

[@BL-hg8bo]

pretty sure it’s hopeless. shopping centers, malls etc all closing down a ton of shops (big names too!)

[@KrisKraft101]

There is a lot of evidence that many large retailers are scapegoating/exaggerating the extent of the shoplifting losses to cover up their ongoing self-inflicted & market-driven losses. NPR had a very revealing discussion of this issue.

[@robertm.6583]

Make all stores like a gas station in a bad neighborhood where you can't go inside and have to pay for your items before they are handed to you.

[@Kaykaywin1st]

Amazon doesn’t care where they get it from Long as they pay Amazon to resell online, that’s all that matter. Amazon doesn’t care

[@maxinef6654]

The retail stores need to step up too. It’s just not Amazon. You’re letting people walk in and walk out with your goods without any intervention.

[@UpUpDnDnLtRtLtRtBAStart]

It’s called putting an armed guard at the front door. Here at oaklands 18th st and 5th Ave walgreen location there is an armed guard. No crime. It Is That Simple. They just want to pull out of the otc market and more into the online sales.

[@shaunmc013]

What’s the point? An armed guard cannot use force if someone come in and shoplift. You have guards in court right now, getting jail sentences for trying to play hero. It’s not worth it..

[@pheelingoode1646]

Are the cops going after all the Subcontractors that stole the stuff? Didn't they get that info in the raid.

[@christianroman780]

I always knew cops were slow playing it for the last few years and this was the result of them allowing these crimes to fester and grow.

[@w.urlitzer1869]

amazon complicit in major crime.

[@cinnabonthepug]

Never steal corporations. They’ll get you

[@myjourney1011]

They have been doing this for a decade. Terrible

[@cecilr7986]

Notice how the interviewer continually tries to pin everything on Amazon. In the meantime, the police couldn't find these thieves for years, but Amazon should have known right away.

[@kaykpegasus]

Are his eyes different colors?

[@alankooiker4653]

Thanks greasy Gavin

[@Nicolas-ig1bf]

It’s no surprise California is spotlighted for this problem.. it is real deal problem for our state

[@MegTelevised]

So the black kids steal for Michelle while she remained a silent boss

[@Usernotfound31231]

These retailers steal from consumers every single day.

[@mikeseal3053]

I m out of job because of this

[@jvanek8512]

Funny how these people who sit around a table and talk about stuff think they have all the answers.

[@sidharthchand8072]

It must be reelection season for bob

[@seancornish9607]

Maybe we ought to just enforce the already existing laws.

[@k.m.h7480]

They could shut this down if they wanted to but they don’t it provides jobs and businesses such crap

[@irenecontreras1838]

You have let criminals get away with for so long now realize you should do something about now is too late

[@SingleSuccessfulMomMBA1422]

Sanctuary States are illegal. How they can ever be allowed in the first place is beyond me but allowing criminals to roam your city and state is illegal. Those officials needs to be removed from office

[@sbar39]

7:00 the commentators don't blame the thieves??? 🤔

[@KrisKraft101]

I think the point is that daily press always love to talk only about the thieves -- usually poor, usually ethnic. It sells papers & plays to people's fears. They rarely look beyond to show that this is a well-organized multi-million dollar industry -- usually rich, usually white -- that enlists these expendable/replaceable folks do the "work" and take the fall. (Sort of like Capitalism.)

[@bizzz.R]

Give them 10 years each and call it a day.

[@bizzz.R]

screw it 20 years.

[@KrisKraft101]

Right -- that's worked so well over the last 100 years. I don't want to derail this discussion, but urge folks to read the actual statistics regarding punishment and deterrence. There's plenty written about it. Here's the conclusion of one large study, conducted by Minnesota government: Criminal laws, in part, exist to create some assurance that people are unlikely to harm one another, or take property that belongs to someone else........ That is, an appropriate level of punishment coupled with a high likelihood of being caught is likely to deter some potential criminals. Legislators can consider those two prongs, certainty and severity of punishment, in crafting legislation to deter crime. ...... But, if the goal of a policy change is to deter crime, research suggests that an increase in the likelihood of being caught has a greater deterrent effect than an increase in the potential penalty. Other studies indicate that removing the conditions that lead folks into criminal activity has a greater effect than harsh punishment.

[@bizzz.R]

In a perfect world yes. What you described is what SF been doing... Lots of companies leaving SF due to it.@@KrisKraft101

[@frankjquinn120]

I was shocked to hear this news report suggests that victims of these thefts are trying "to cover up their own misteps". Obviously, the reporter is someone who believes in being soft on crime, and likely a supporter of Prop 47.

[@KrisKraft101]

Not necessarily. There is a lot of evidence that many large retailers are scapegoating/exaggerating the extent of the shoplifting losses to cover up their ongoing self-inflicted & market-driven losses. They've been losing money for years -- specially during the pandemic. It didn't start with the shoplifting. NPR had a very revealing discussion of this issue.

[@kingmaafa120]

A white woman no way 😮

[@southrichmondtofl]

She's not American

[@HoneyLove77]

ALL FOREIGN ASIANS AND EASTERN EUROPEANS!! SMH!

[@KrisKraft101]

HAH?? A white criminal -- Who woulda thought............................. The daily press always love to talk only about the low-level thieves -- usually poor, usually ethnic/dark-skinned. It sells papers & plays to people's fears. They rarely look beyond to show that this is a well-organized multi-million dollar industry -- usually rich, usually white -- that enlists these expendable/replaceable folks do the "work" and take the fall. (Sort of like Capitalism.)

[@ryanthrives5152]

Solution: get rid of California’s anti-gun legislation, and stiffen theft penalties.

[@davinxi5926]

Lawlessness and organized crime cartel

[@AY-8478.]

Amazon paid the national corporate tax!. 9:36

[@xlavahott4547]

Weird how the organized retail crime got big just when pot got legal.

[@moneyman24258]

U just now hearing about it

[@GerzhusTV]

“Since event Y followed event X, event Y must have been caused by event X." It is often shortened simply to post hoc fallacy. “ en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_hoc_ergo_propter_hoc

[@TaataGeo]

Blaming weed for shoplifting is damn near criminal

[@samuelmbowa6755]

@@moneyman24258 one of these realtors recently admitted that employees steal more merchandise than these shop lifting gangs.

[@xlavahott4547]

Nobody blaming pot. Criminals gonna crime. Selling weed or selling makeup.@@TaataGeo

[@Shield.Maiden]

Duh 😮

[@freddiecarr7602]

Thats what will make Newsom such a good President---he thinks outside the box ( they never take the box).

[@AnotherBrownKid]

this is victim blaming.. reprimand the thieves not the retailers for not catching them wtf

[@shihtzusrule9115]

California's A.G. ought to charge Amazon, too. Without them, they couldn't move their stolen merch. I wonder if Amazon has any of their stuff at one of their warehouses? Are they a distributor of Ulta - that would be real easy. Ebay too. Shopify. Actually, since the republicans passed that law that doesn't hold online platforms responsible for things that are posted, Amazon and the rest who fence for these thieves may NOT be prosecutable. Section 230, unless it only regards freedom of speech.

[@wrayovac]

Here they go blaming Amazon!! and if Amazon stops third party vendors then they cry Monopoly.

[@KrisKraft101]

They only have to stop the criminal third party vendors, not the legit ones!! The real question is what those platforms like Amazon, eBay etc are doing -- other than collecting hefty commissions from these sellers of stolen goods. Those platforms know everything about us -- our buying, browsing, credit cards -- but they don't know these folks selling at unbelievable low prices are crooks? Gimme a break!

[@SilverBackELTorro]

😮

[@graphdatascientist]

USA USA

[@jaredlopez2926]

Police are finally doing their job

[@nicholasyoung2794]

Maybe will find they all report to "The Big Guy", they also look similar to Gavin Newsome and Wine Business

[@Clunit0621]

Listen to her narrative about Amazon and attacking Amazon throughout the news coverage 😂

[@KrisKraft101]

What are those platforms like Amazon, eBay etc doing -- other than collecting hefty commissions from these sellers of stolen goods. Those platforms know everything about us -- our buying, browsing, credit cards -- but they don't know these folks selling at unbelievable low prices are crooks? Gimme a break!

[@vivienne192]

They’re pretty late to the game. Hasn’t this been going on for a few years already? Lol

[@edwardsmith9403]

Sue Amazon

[@sashasavisha146]

Amazon spends more money than anyone to prevent fraud. 😂

[@user-pt2qv2zq2r]

You pushed for this now look at the problem

[@Roaringchicken582]

CNBC panel seriously discussing what the public has known about for years. Actually wondering off their political narrative. Naughty, naughty CNBC. Andrew, you should be ashamed of yourself.

[@sashasavisha146]

Funny how they only show the face of the white woman. 🤔 Not the others.

[@southrichmondtofl]

She's not American

[@KrisKraft101]

IMPOSSIBLE A white criminal -- who woulda thought?? Don't worry though -- every other day it's only black or Latinx full-frontal faces. Your reputation is safe. The daily press always love to talk only about the low-level thieves -- usually poor, usually ethnic/dark-skinned. It sells papers & plays to people's fears. They rarely look beyond to show that this is a well-organized multi-million dollar industry -- usually rich, usually white -- that enlists these expendable/replaceable folks do the "work" and take the fall. (Sort of like Capitalism.)

[@KrisKraft101]

@@southrichmondtofl Are you serious. "Not American" -- does that make you feel better? My eyes aren't what they used to be -- She is white/blond though, yes?

[@Prizmatic1658]

The Cloward-Piven strategy is a political strategy outlined in 1966 by American sociologists and political activists Richard Cloward and Frances Fox Piven. It is the strategy of forcing political change to societal collapse through orchestrated crises. The “Cloward-Piven Strategy” seeks to hasten the fall of capitalism by overloading the government bureaucracy with a flood of impossible demands, amassing massive unpayable national debt, and other methods such as unfettered immigration, thus pushing society into crisis and economic collapse.

[@chevypreps6417]

There is less crime and murder in Somalia

[@antoniomanuel6002]

Election time, that's the reason politician are active

[@mikec7220]

Good business since they let you walk out of the store with whatever you want.

[@dmimcg]

Democrats doing what they do best. Protecting their own.

[@user-tz7kt9iz9l]

Biden’s America

[@martinphillips4567]

Why is cnbc surprised this is happening Amazon needs to be held accountable, the majority of the states are controlled by Democratic, do your job prosecute, prosecute, prosecute.

[@jhockey11liu91]

You guys defund police. What do you expect?

[@josealquimia023]

Venezuelan 😂😂😂😂😂

[@helpme100]

Not Natasha brand 😮😮 these ppl definitely doing waay too much but I'll only become more tracked over items, won't be worth it unless you know enough of what you're doing