Retail Associations to Upgrade Retail Crime Database

U.S. retail industry associations plan to launch an enhanced version of the Law Enforcement Retail Partnership Network (LERPnet) -- a secure national database that allows retailers to share information on retail criminal activity – to more effectively combat organized retail crime (ORC).

The ISO Crime Analytics unit of Verisk Analytics is developing and will manage the new system, LERPnet 2.0 (www.lerpnet2.com), on behalf of the retail trade groups.

“Organized theft rings steal billions of dollars of merchandise every year, victimizing retailers, endangering the safety of retail employees, and raising the price of consumer goods,” said Joe LaRocca, VP of loss prevention for NRF. “We’ve built a strong alliance with retailers, and we’re building on a strong platform while applying the lessons that we’ve all learned in the last five years to strengthen the message to criminals: we will not tolerate your behavior, and we will stop you.”

In response to an alarming rise in organized retail crime the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), National Retail Federation (NRF), and Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) collaborated with the FBI to create LERPnet in 2007. Since then, retailers have used the system to share information on retail theft and other critical incidents among themselves and in collaboration with law enforcement.

“By strengthening LERPnet and enhancing its functionality, retailers and law enforcement can leverage recent technological advances to further protect our stores, our brands, our employees, and — most important — our customers,” said Lisa LaBruno, VP of loss prevention and legal affairs for RILA. “Verisk Analytics [has an] exceptional track record in developing and managing world-class crime data management and analysis systems.”

According to the 2010 NRF Organized Retail Crime Survey, retailers lose more than $30 billion dollars annually to theft and loss, resulting in decreased profits, higher prices, and safety concerns for retail employees and customers. Eighty-nine percent of retailers said they have been victimized by organized retail crime and 59 percent say the problem has increased.

“LERPnet has demonstrated the potential for retailers and law enforcement to identify and respond to a variety of theft patterns while making connections between events not easily identified by a single retailer,” said Rhett Asher, VP of industry relations for FMI. “LERPnet 2.0 will allow retailers and law enforcement to fully realize this potential.”

ISO Crime Analytics, a unit of Verisk Analytics, encompasses divisions that help retailers, manufacturers, logistics companies, equipment owners, and their insurers combat crime through data management, analytics, and theft-prevention services. ISO Crime Analytics follows a crime-fighting strategy that includes prediction, mitigation, response, and recovery