The Springfield Police Department has been awarded a $500,000 dollar grant to fight organized retail theft.
The Oregon Criminal Justice Commission grant will support efforts already underway by Springfield’s Crime Reduction Unit, which has arrested dozens of suspected retail thieves over the past year and recovered thousands of dollars of merchandise.
Justin Myers is a Lieutenant with the Springfield Police Department. He told KLCC the bulk of retail theft isn’t “organized."
But, he said, “I was certainly surprised to see how much organization goes into even what I would on the surface level think was local retail theft. Just in the metropolitan area, in Eugene-Springfield, there are criminal elements that are directing thieves: What they want stolen, where to go to get these items.”
Myers said the grant money will bolster the Crime Reduction Unit and enable them to buy surveillance equipment. He said the hope is to target those behind large operations, who pay to send people out to commit theft.
Myers said there’s been a perfect storm lately for this type of crime, given that some retailers don’t focus heavily on loss prevention. He said people are taking advantage of theft as a revenue stream to further their criminal goals, and that SPD can make the longest-lasting impact by removing the incentives for such criminal groups.
Myers said the Crime Reduction Unit will work with retailers of any size, whether it’s a chain in the Gateway or Olympic Street area, or a smaller retail location.
