Organized retail crime continues to pressure retailers nationwide, and the role of private security is changing fast. In the latest episode of Retail’s Most Wanted, WGS Group CEO Marcus Skeen breaks down what’s shifting on the ground and why deterrence still matters.

Why it matters

Even with tougher penalties in some states, ORC remains a daily operational issue. Shrink, safety concerns, and store disruptions continue to ripple across the industry.

What Skeen is seeing

Threat levels may have dipped slightly, but complexity hasn’t.

He notes that many security providers drifted into passive roles—observing and recording incidents rather than actively deterring them.

The shift back to deterrence

Skeen argues the industry needs a reset.

That includes better training, clearer expectations, and tools that support professionalism, like body-worn cameras monitored in real time and supervisors who can respond quickly when situations escalate.

What retailers often underestimate

Visible, confident security presence influences more than theft.

It affects how employees feel at work, whether shoppers choose to stay in the store, and how likely repeat offenders are to target the same location again.

The bigger picture

Retailers frequently hesitate to leverage stronger security measures due to liability concerns.

Skeen’s view: risk grows when expectations aren’t clear, and training isn’t consistent.

Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance.