The 8 Most Commonly Stolen Retail Products in the United States

According to Capital One Shopping, shoplifting could cost retailers over $150 billion by 2026. But what type of stolen products make up this number?

The Cost of Living Crisis and Impact on Retail

Over recent years many States have faced economical difficulties, leading to housing shortages, a rise in inflation, and overall cost of living crisis within some locations.

Although, for certain States this may have improved now, others still face difficulties, and it is likely that all States face residual consequences from this. 

The economical difficulties and hardship faced by the country have a knock on effect on American citizens as inflation causes prices for products and services to increase. Housing and other major expenses will also be impacted, leading the general cost of living to increase.

Unfortunately, crime will often increase in line with this, especially theft. An overwhelming 90% of shoplifters surveyed by Lendingtree said they steal secretly due to inflation and the current economy.

The Impact of Retail Theft on Businesses

When the economy struggles, everyone struggles, and as theft increases, retail stores are one of the hardest hit industries by this crime type. 

Big name retailers including Walmart, Safeway, and Target have all announced store closures due to theft and the increased safety concerns of employees related to this. 

Within Lendingtree’s survey it found that 52% of shoplifters are more likely to take from chain stores, however, local stores were still named as targets, and the consequences for them can be devastating.

Local retail stores are often the store owners' livelihoods, and theft can be extremely costly. Unlike chain stores, local retail businesses are likely to have less funding behind them, therefore in cases of theft this could lead to forced closures, job losses, and have a negative impact for the wider community.

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The 8 Most Commonly Stolen Retail Products 

There are various reasons thieves will target particular items. This could be due to financial gain, ease of theft, consumer demand, and personal benefits provided through the theft of retail products.

We reveal the 8 most commonly stolen retail products (in no particular order), exploring what challenges you stay alert of:

Electronics

From smartphones and tablets to laptops and gaming consoles, electronics can earn big profits for thieves, making them a popular target. 

Due to the profit margin on these product types, thieves can take fewer shoplifting sprees, as such reducing the chances of being caught and facing any criminal proceedings. 

In 2023, a masked man stole 50 iPhones on display in the California Apple store valued at $49,230, with footage being captured of him brazenly pulling phones from their stands. 

States including California, Washington, and Texas are some of the most affected locations for this crime type. 

Clothing

Clothing and accessories, especially from designer and luxury brands are often stolen due to their high-value and earning potential they have online.

Retail stores such as one mall in Los Angeles where thieves stole around $300,000 worth of merchandise face an increased risk of smash-and-grab theft, a technique where individuals will break a physical barrier and steal goods before making a quick getaway.

Considered to be one of the most brazen forms of retail theft, smash-and-grabs are one to look out for in 2025. 

Alcohol

Alcohol can bring more value to thieves than you might think, with expensive spirits and liquor holding high resale value for them. Bottles can be easily concealed with little risk of being caught.

In 2024 ABC 8 News reported on a group of thieves stealing over 14,000 bottles of alcohol worth $800,000 from various ABC stores in Virginia over a period of 6 months, totalling a number of 3,754 shoplifting incidents.

Although alcohol theft will earn less per incident compared to electronic goods, it is lower risk and therefore provides greater opportunities for thieves to get away with such crime.

Cosmetics

Similar to clothing, cosmetic products have good resale potential online and are even easier for thieves to conceal due to their small nature. 

They can be stolen in bulk and rake in quick profit due to their demand. The cost of living crisis has also pushed many consumers to look for bargains and discounted products meaning thieves can undercut store prices whilst still maintaining a good profit margin.

Back in 2022, a leader of an alleged US retail theft ring who stole around $8 million in cosmetics was arrested. It saw products being stolen from well-known retail stores including Ulta and Sephora which then were sold on Amazon.

Meat and Cheese

For grocery stores, meat and cheese are commonly stolen products as they are both easy-to-conceal and have a higher resale value compared to other food products.

They can be sold via the black market, often to restaurants and suppliers, or utilized for personal use due to the costs related to them. 

Two men were recently arrested following the theft of meat worth about $1,200 from a Safeway in the South Bay area. Although, on this occasion the criminals were caught, there are many instances where this type of crime remains concealed.

Baby Formula

The reason behind the theft of baby formula is simple, it is an expensive item that is in high demand. 

14 News reported an incident where thieves were caught stealing $20,000 worth of baby formula from local Walmarts. 

This type of product may not seem worth stealing, but with the cost of living crisis, many families are placed under strain financially and thieves will seek to take advantage of this by potentially undercutting the original price.

Home Improvement Supplies

Tools, hardware, and construction materials are valuable and easy to resell. There are various reasons behind their popularity with thieves including the high cost of materials and ease of carrying out theft.

Small tools provide low risk, high reward opportunities for thieves, whilst larger construction items and materials create larger financial gain for them. 

Also, for construction tools and materials where copper is present, the financial gain can be even greater as the price for this metal type continues to rise, making copper theft more valuable than in previous years.

Coffee

Coffee is a hot commodity for thieves which may come as a surprise to you. However, the price of coffee has increased over recent years and thieves have seen this as an easy opportunity for them to profit off of.

It is both easy-to-conceal and in high demand, making it easy to steal and even easier to sell.

The Importance of Parking Lot Security for Retail Theft

Retail stores face an uphill battle with theft and Organized Retail Crime (ORC) with predictions suggesting that this is only expected to rise.

In order to encourage in-person shopping and ensure positive customer experiences, retailers must combat this, and the best method to do so is through security.

At LotGuard, we have worked across various industries, including retail to supply parking lot security that can manage the challenges faced by the industry. 

Theft is becoming an uncontrollable matter, however, our LotGuard PRO Surveillance Trailers are specifically designed to create crime deterrence whilst monitoring and recording activity day to night. 

Most importantly, we focus on taking a proactive and reactive approach to security. Recording incidents of theft to be used as evidence later on is only useful when you have the identity of those involved. 

Our Surveillance Trailers are backed with remote monitoring services that help to quickly assess and respond to threats, so that there is a higher chance of crime being intercepted whilst it is still active. 

Additionally, we still ensure high-quality video is recorded of the event, so that criminal proceedings can be supported.

Concerned about retail theft or currently facing issues with it? Get in touch with one of our Surveillance Trailer experts today to see how LotGuard can support you.

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