Let me save you two clicks: in 2021, some dude made some unsubstantiated claim in Congress that organized retail theft account for 45 billion in losses. The retail trade group in question picked up this number and ran with it without ever validating the underlying claim. The guy and or his company that made the underlying claim isn’t returning calls or requests for comment.

So this is why I have three “secret shoppers” following me every time I go into a store with my backpack on…Even though I’m on camera the whole time and they can see that I don’t take my backpack off the entire time.