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Attorney General Ashley Moody announces statewide task force to tackle organized retail theft

Attorney General Ashley Moody was flanked by law enforcement officials and retail executives during the press conference in Polk County. Image: PCSO via Facebook
Attorney General Ashley Moody was flanked by law enforcement officials and retail executives during the press conference in Polk County. Image: PCSO via Facebook

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has announced a statewide task force of police agencies, prosecutors and business representatives targeting organized retail theft.

She made the announcement at a press conference Thursday in Polk County.

Moody says the task force will focus, not on petty theft, but on organized criminal schemes that can result in major losses.

It will help law enforcement agencies find the leaders and their associates working across county lines.

She says they'll develop FORCE, the Florida Organized Retail Crime Exchange, "adatabase, an exchange of information which allows us to track what seem like single incidents of theft and allow us to put together the pieces to identify the larger scale criminal organizations that are going into our stores and stealing large amounts of merchandise."

Moody made a point of contrasting Florida's leadership with California, where some cities have seen organized mobs raiding stores.

Joe Byrnes came to Central Florida Public Media from the Ocala Star-Banner and The Gainesville Sun, where he worked as a reporter and editor for several years. Joe graduated from Loyola University in New Orleans and turned to journalism after teaching. He enjoys freshwater fishing and family gatherings.