ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A decades-old law enforcement tool designed to dismantle the mafia may now be used to tackle the retail theft crime rings.

The federal plan will assist local stores that are targets for theft.

What You Need To Know

  • A decades-old law enforcement tool designed to dismantle the mafia may now be used to tackle the retail theft crime rings

  • U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is calling on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to use the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act to investigate and prosecute organized retail theft rings in New York

  • Congress passed the RICO Act in 1970 to help federal agents take on major organized crime rings

Schumer says communities across New York, including in Rochester, Ontario County, the Hudson Valley and more have seen millions in merchandise stolen from stores, which is hurting local businesses and shoppers by causing prices to rise and making access to goods more difficult.

“We’re here today because in Rochester and Ontario County, stores like those here at the Victor Cross Shopping Plaza are on the front lines of a growing trend we’re seeing across America. It’s organized retail theft," said U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Standing near one of the victimized retailers, Sen. Schumer said it’s time to break up the retail theft crime ring.

"A lot of these crime rings are national,” he said. “For instance, right there, Ulta. Ulta stores have been robbed across the country.”

Schumer states that $100,000 worth of products were stolen from this one individual store between 2023 and today.

And in Monroe County, four large retailers report a combined $7 million worth of stolen goods last year.

Now Schumer is calling on the Department of Justice to increase enforcement and utilize the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO Act. The RICO Act was originally passed in 1970 to help federal agents take down organized crime syndicates.

“National RICO will allow our FEDs to come in and pursue things,” Schumer said. “RICO has a lot of advantages. A, it crosses state lines, B, it has tougher penalties, and C, it uses the long arm of the federal government to put evidence together in different places that can convict these crime rings under the RICO statute.”

The sheriffs of two counties were on hand at Tuesday's news conference in support of the additional resources of RICO.

“We’ve seen an increase not just in the frequency of retail theft, but the complexity as well,” Ontario County Sheriff David Cirencione said. “We’re not talking about single shoplifters going into a store and grabbing an item or two. We’re talk about criminal enterprises that have real hierarchy that basically have pawns that come out here and do this theft, a lot of it."

“It’s a clear indicator that we’ve got a problem,” Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter added. “And here’s another solution. It’s another tool in the tool box. We’ve clearly shown in our retail theft investigations that this is linked to violence. This is linked to millions of dollars of theft, that’s going across state lines.”

The plan of attack with RICO is going after the ring leaders.  

"We need to stop these crime organizations in their tracks by holding the people at the top accountable,” Sen. Schumer said.