Arizona’s ORC Playbook

Why it mattersOrganized retail crime in Arizona is coordinated, profit-driven, and increasingly mobile — making shared intelligence the key to stopping repeat offenders.The big pictureDetective Mark Holtzen, Vice President of AZ ORCA, says the state’s strategy hinges on uniting law enforcement, retailers, and prosecutors to connect cases in real time and treat ORC as organized crime not isolated theft.Policy backdropArizona recently strengthened tools, including a new gift card fraud statute, and prosecutors are pursuing ORC cases as felony-level organized crime, including extradition when necessary.What’s nextThe biggest opportunity for 2026: expand training beyond specialists so patrol officers, retail employees, and prosecutors recognize ORC earlier and build stronger cases from day one.Bottom lineORC operates as a network. Arizona’s response is building one to match.Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance.