What is InfoShare?

RILA's InfoShare program is an online incident-sharing platform that allows retailers to share important data relating to organized retail crime, theft and major criminal incidents. The sharing of this information will allow retailers to better analyze criminal activity, enabling them to better protect their customers, employees, merchandise and brands. One of the key benefits of RILA InfoShare is its ability to tie in with all incident management systems.

Who Participates in InfoShare?

The RILA InfoShare committee, comprised of the senior loss prevention executives from Big Lots, Dollar General, Family Dollar, Food Lion, Gap, Limited Brands, Lowe's Companies, Office Depot, Payless ShoeSource, PEPBOYS Auto, Kmart (Sears Holding Corporation), Target Corporation, Walgreen Company and Wal-Mart Stores, are developing and piloting this initiative. These retailers alone represent more than $450 billion in sales with more than 45,000 store locations-making it the largest program of its kind.

Why InfoShare?

Retailers have known for some time that serious losses from theft come not from small-time shoplifters but from sophisticated organized crime rings. What's different today from a just a few years ago is that we have the technology to fight these organized rings from a united front. Getting this message out to the public is an important step in helping retailers and law enforcement tackle the problem.

It is estimated that ORT costs retailers $34 billion a year. These crimes are attributable to groups of well-organized thieves stealing goods to resell them into the stream of commerce -- characteristic that distinguishes ORT from petty thievery or shoplifting. This results in higher costs to retailers and consumers, since retailers are compelled to make major security investments that are eventually passed on to consumers. According to experts, state sales tax revenues are reduced by $1 billion a year due to lost sales. These crimes also present public health risks, since ORT gangs often steal infant formula, pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter medicines, diabetes testing kits and other consumer health care products that require proper storage and handling -- issues for which ORT gangs have little regard. There is also evidence that these gangs have connections to international terrorist groups.