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Black Friday Becomes Shoplifters' 'Super Bowl' as Organized Retail Theft Surges

A former NYPD detective warns that Black Friday has become a major target for organized retail theft, with professional rings operating across state lines and reselling stolen goods online. A 2024 National Retail Federation report shows retail theft rose 93% in 2023 versus 2019 and related dollar losses climbed about 90%. Experts urge retailers to secure high‑value items, increase loss‑prevention measures and coordinate with law enforcement as crowds swell between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday.

12:33 AM, 11/29/2025Security
Black Friday Becomes Shoplifters' 'Super Bowl' as Organized Retail Theft Surges

A former NYPD robbery squad detective warns that Black Friday and the surrounding holiday shopping weekend have become a prime target for organized retail theft, likening the days to a "Super Bowl" for well‑coordinated theft rings. Retail loss specialists say the problem has evolved from isolated incidents of petty shoplifting into a multibillion‑dollar, cross‑state enterprise.

Rising losses and the scale of the problem

A 2024 report from the National Retail Federation found that reported retail theft rose 93% in 2023 compared with 2019, and losses in dollar value tied to shoplifting increased by roughly 90%. The group also estimates about 186.9 million Americans will shop between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, creating large crowds and heavier store traffic.

How organized retail crime works

Former NYPD detective Patrick Brosnan, who founded Brosnan Risk Consultants and advises major retailers, says today’s organized retail crime is highly professional. "These are professional theft rings operating across state lines, reselling through sophisticated and widely networked online marketplaces," he said. "They are a sophisticated, super‑profitable, multibillion‑dollar business."

Patrick Brosnan: "Black Friday is their Super Bowl. Stores are crowded and it's easy to blend in. High‑value goods are out, staff are stretched, and heavy traffic can camouflage escape routes. Law enforcement faces significant hurdles on those days."

Challenges for retailers and law enforcement

Crowded stores and prominently displayed high‑value items — such as electronics, fragrances and designer goods — make it easier for organized teams to operate quickly and efficiently. Police departments often increase patrols on Black Friday, but Brosnan says the speed and coordination of professional rings make prevention difficult.

Recommendations to reduce losses

Brosnan recommends that retailers take a layered approach to security: secure high‑value merchandise in locked displays, use plainclothes and uniformed loss‑prevention staff, improve inventory tracking, control store access points, and coordinate with local law enforcement and other retailers to share intelligence.

"Retailers are doing what they can," Brosnan said, "but when legitimate shoppers and bad actors are in the same space at high volume, there are limits to what stores can do without disrupting business. The most effective strategies combine physical security, staff training and partnerships across the industry and law enforcement."

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