(The Center Square) – Georgia’s Organized Retail Crime Unit is a first, and Assistant District Attorney Timothy Ruffini has been tapped to lead it by state Attorney General Chris Carr.
Carr said the initiative will work to stop the rise in organized retail theft and cyber crimes across the state.
“From North Georgia and metro Atlanta to South Georgia and the coast, we have seen unprecedented success in putting away some of Georgia’s most dangerous criminals,” Carr said in a release. “Now we’re strengthening our efforts to combat an alarming increase in retail theft and cybercrime while continuing to pursue violent gang activity wherever it occurs.”
Every year, retail businesses in Georgia lose more than $3 billion to theft, according to a 2021 report by the Retail Industry Leaders Association.
This loss in revenue means billions are lost in economic activity, there are thousands of fewer jobs generated, and wages and benefits for current employees are down.
Ruffini made his name by spending the last few decades prosecuting gun violence, robberies and investigating gang activity and violence throughout southern Georgia.
“I’m honored to join Attorney General Carr as we continue to build upon the excellent work and reputation of the Department of Law’s Prosecution Division,” Ruffini said. “I look forward to building a team of dedicated prosecutors and investigators who will work alongside our business partners, as well as local, state and federal law enforcement, to relentlessly combat the growing problem of organized retail crime and the violence associated with it.”
The Organized Retail Crime Unit has been a long time coming for the state, with Carr first announcing plans to address the rise in organized retail crime back in 2022.
The unit started on July 1, at the start of the new fiscal year. It operates out of the state’s Attorney General Office and received $1.4 million from the 2024-25 fiscal year budget.
Republican Gov. Brian Kemp supported the organization of the unit, saying it will fill a critical need in the state.
“Those who steal from Georgia businesses will absolutely face consequences,” Kemp said. “That’s why we made funding this unit a budget priority: to put those who profit from the loss of others on notice that we will not stop in ensuring justice.”