Rob Karr of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association is absolutely right in how he has framed the problem of organized retail theft in Illinois, and it’s important to say it plainly.
— Sheriff James Mendrick for Governor (@Mendrick4Gov) December 15, 2025
What law enforcement is uncovering are not random thefts. These are sophisticated fencing… pic.twitter.com/vruul2ymr1
Rob Karr of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association is absolutely right in how he has framed the problem of organized retail theft in Illinois, and it’s important to say it plainly.
What law enforcement is uncovering are not random thefts. These are sophisticated fencing operations. Millions of dollars in stolen merchandise are being stored in warehouses across Chicago, transported to other states like New York and California, and resold through physical locations and online marketplaces. These operations create real public safety risks, generate money that funds other criminal activity, and undermine our way of life at every level.
They also damage Illinois’ tax base. When stolen goods are resold through illicit channels, no sales tax is collected. That burden gets pushed onto law-abiding retailers and taxpayers while criminals walk away with the profit.
I fully support the efforts being discussed to go after these criminal networks, to hold sellers accountable for non-compliance, and to suspend those who knowingly participate in illicit trade. These steps are necessary, long overdue, and directly tied to public safety.
But what I bring to the table is not just support—it’s execution.
As a law-enforcement executive with a proven record of reducing crime, I understand that retail theft cannot be addressed in isolation. You don’t fix this problem by chasing individual thefts after the fact. You fix it by dismantling the entire criminal supply chain.
As Governor, I will treat organized retail crime as the public safety threat it is. That means targeting fencing operations, warehouses, and trafficking routes—not just street-level theft. It means strengthening coordination between local, county, state, and federal law enforcement. It means ensuring retailers have direct access to law-enforcement partnerships and rapid response tools. And it means restoring real consequences so repeat offenders and criminal organizers are removed from circulation.
Illinois retailers do not need more press conferences or studies. They need leadership that enforces the law, protects workers and customers, and restores fairness to the marketplace. I’ve already shown this approach works—and I’m prepared to bring it statewide.
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