Illinois legislation would crack down on retail theft, sale of stolen goods amid trend of smash-and-grab thefts
CHICAGO (CBS) -- We've been tracking the growing trend of smash-and-grab retail thefts in Chicago and their impact on how people shop.
Now, as CBS 2's Tara Molina reported Tuesday, there is a new push to crack down on the theft and reselling of stolen goods.
Prime districts such as the Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue have been hit again and again by smash-and-grab thieves. A brand new bill is the State of Illinois' way of fighting back – targeting the criminals behind the mass thefts and third party sales of stolen goods.
You've seen the videos of mass thefts - targeting stores across Chicago across Illinois. They've scared off shoppers and workers and have changed the way many of those stores operate.
The bill to take aim at such crime was sponsored by state Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Oakbrook Terrace).
"When you want to go Christmas shopping, you don't want to be in the midst of a smash-and-grab," she said.
Glowiak Hilton spoke out in Springfield Tuesday about the economic impact every one of these mass thefts has.
"Foot traffic is down, stores are closed, and people are concerned about going back," Glowiak Hilton said.
The Oakbrook Center mall, where hundreds of thousands of dollars of worth merchandise has been stolen from high-end stores in these mass thefts, is in Glowiak-Hilton's district.
"People fear for their lives at that point," she said. "I don't want my constituents or people in Illinois to feel like they can't go to Oakbrook mall."
Her office, and others, are working with Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul's office and the Illinois Retail Merchants Association to come up with something that targets all angles of the organized retail crime problem.
"It's a best-practices approach," said Rob Karr, president and chief executive officer of Illinois Retail Merchants Association.
The Organized Retail Crime Bill closes current state prosecution loopholes by giving jurisdiction to one State's Attorney when the crimes happen in more than one county. It provides funding for investigators and attorneys in the Attorney General's office to focus on the issue.
It also creates a statewide intelligence platform for all stakeholders - something they've seen work in other states. There is an emphasis in particular on cracking down on online third-party marketplaces, where stolen goods are sold, requiring them to verify the seller and goods offered for sale - and get contact info from each seller.
"The online world has become the flea market or the pawn shop of the 70s and 80s," Karr said.
ORC Talking Points 032922 by Adam Harrington on Scribd
And at the end of the day, with so many of these crimes happening in the city's prime shopping districts, Karr said the bill passing is essential to bringing back the tourism numbers Chicago saw pre-pandemic.
"If we are going to be whole again, we need to reignite our tourism industry so people can't have concerns coming here," he said.
"Economic regrowth is also going to be stunted by the increase of crime like this," added Glowiak Hilton. "I've never seen anything like these brazen attacks on our stores."
The bill will be heard by an Illinois State Senate committee on Wednesday.
"Organized retail crimes have wreaked havoc on our workers our businesses and local economies," said state Sen. Doris Turner (D-Carlinville). "When people are nervous to go to work, visit a mall or our local boutiques, action needs to be taken."
The Illinois Attorney General's Office runs the Organized Retail Theft Task Force that is focusing on this issue. We did not immediately hear back from the IG's office late Tuesday.