Operation ‘Fed-Up’ looks to crack down on organized retail crime in Gastonia

GASTONIA, N.C. ( QUEEN CITY NEWS ) — An organized retail crime ring is oftentimes comprised of a group of thieves who steal from stores like Walmart, CVS and Walgreens.

They sell the products to another person called a “booster” who then sells those products online.

“It is becoming more sophisticated,” said Stephen Stout, the general manager at Eastridge Mall.

Undercover informant video from 2022 shows Kings Mountain man Jeremy Huffmann loading stolen goods into a white bag. Authorities say he would buy these items at a discount from 15-20 different shoplifters and resell them to the network level above him. It earned him $5,000 a week—as a side hustle.

When his place was raided, investigators recovered more than $165,000 worth of stolen goods.

“Retailers have been forced to keep their products under lock and key,” said Gaston County District Attorney Travis Page, “and when that has failed, they have been forced or compelled to close their doors.”

In Gastonia, police departments, the SBI, DA and Homeland Security have teamed up to lay down the law.

“Maybe it’s a $200 theft here in Gastonia, but over in Mecklenburg County, it’s $800 or $1,300, and so we can work and choose the jurisdiction, compound those cases together, and it bumps it up to a higher classification with a stiffer penalty.” Page explained. Gaston County’s proximity to I-85 and I-485 plays a role in the number of organized retail crime cases they see.

“They look for easy access, easy transportation and that makes Gaston County a ripe target for these folks,” Page said

Also concerning: 67% of retailers surveyed say the offenders have grown more violent, perhaps explaining why more stores and malls have implemented policies to protect workers.

“We do have a no-chase policy with our security, and we try to stress it’s not worth it,” Stout said about Eastridge Mall’s policy.

Stout says this type of theft impacted one of their former tenants: Victoria’s Secret.

‘They would have somebody to occupy salespeople,” Stout said, “coming in and talking while another person just basically take the merchandise and putting it into a bag.”

Ultimately, the innocent consumer online purchasing that item at a discount is contributing to the problem… which only ends up costing everyday customers, as retailers are forced to increase their prices.

“It’s a problem,” he said. “It’s not unique to Eastridge Mall, to the Charlotte area. It’s all over the country, and the solution? It’s what we have to keep working on.”

It’s estimated that retailers lost $112 billion in 2022 as a result of organized retail crime.

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