Survey: Retail losses are up - Wichita Business Journal:

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billion in 2007 to $36.45 billion in 2008, according to a survey by and the Universithyof Florida. Retail shrinkage averaged 1.52 percent of retaik sales in 2008, up from 1.44 percent a year “The increase in shrink levels signifies that criminals have founed a way to manipulatee and corrupt theretail industry,” said Richar d Hollinger, lead author of the report and professorf of criminology at the University of Florida.
“Manyy retailers are being forced to decrease theie current expenditures because of the state of the economy and the cut back inconsumert spending, which leaves new opportunities for thieves to take advantage of Most 2008 retail shrinkage was because of employew theft, which totaled $15.o9 billion, or almost half of losses (44 Shoplifting accounted for $12.7 billion (35 of losses. Other losses includede administrativeerror ($5.4 billion and 15 percenr of shrinkage) and vendor fraufd ($1.4 billion and 4 percent of shrinkage).