"Societal changes and a shift to digital" during the pandemic leading to increase in organized retail crime, according to the National Retail Federation.

29% of retailers reported an average loss of a thousand dollars a day in 2010, but that number rose to 50% last year.

The report is partly attributed to a rise in online shopping where criminals can re-sell items they steal.

"In previous years, trends indicate we are going to see an increase," Niles Police Department Captain John Marshall said, "and especially November and December in particular."

We've seen it happening recently in Youngstown at Family Dollar where a man loaded a 30-gallon tote with merchandise, as well as the string of smash and grabs in Trumbull County stores.

The National Retail Federation said general, common items targeted range from household items and medicine to designer bags and liquor.

The NRF adds a small group can "make off with thousands of dollars in merchandise in less than a minute."

Niles police said they're not surprised to hear about the trend because they have seen a consistent number of retail crimes happening over the years with their big retail presence. Marshall said the new Boscov's is a recent target.

"It's an increased market for people that are looking to steal so with all the products they have with the size of the store and it being very new," he said, "People are in there more so it's giving thieves a place to steal that wouldn't otherwise exist prior to last month"

Marshall said the holidays only add to the problem.

The NRF also said 39-percent of retailers say the greatest increase in fraud was in "multichannel sales, like buy online and pick up in stores" up 19% more than last year and pointing to criminals "returning stolen items without receipts and claiming it was a gift or defective."

Local police plan to increase their visual presence around retailers and inside malls and remind those out shopping not to try and not leave valuable items in their cars.