A new multi-agency task force led by the Franklin County Sheriff's Office has recovered more than $145,000 in stolen merchandise and secured nine indictments since launching in March 2026. Its reach extends across Franklin County, including Hilliard's commercial corridors.

Sheriff Dallas Baldwin announced the F.O.R.C.E. task force on Aug. 5. The acronym stands for Fraud & Organized Retail Crime Engagement.

"These criminal networks impact businesses, employees, and consumers throughout our communities," Baldwin said. "By bringing together our law enforcement partners, prosecutors, and retailers, we strengthen our ability to investigate and hold organized crime accountable."

The task force was established under Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson's Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission and operates under the FORCE Act, a state law signed by Governor Mike DeWine in April 2025. That law, House Bill 366, allows prosecutors to aggregate retail thefts by the same person over a 12-month period and makes retail property theft of $7,500 or more a third-degree felony.

Partner agencies

Six law enforcement agencies partner with the sheriff's office: the Delaware County Sheriff's Office, Clinton Township Police Department, Grandview Heights Division of Police, Westerville Police Department, Homeland Security and the Columbus Division of Police, the newest member agency.

Nine defendants face charges.

Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Shayla Favor said her office's Economic Crimes Unit will handle cases. She described the targets as organized operations, not isolated shoplifting, that "drive up costs for businesses, put workers at risk, and destabilize the retail centers our communities rely on."

The Delaware County Prosecutor's Office is also a prosecutorial partner.

Why it matters locally

The Ohio Council of Retail Merchants estimates organized retail theft costs Ohio businesses $2 billion to $3 billion a year, according to the sheriff's office. Those losses translate to higher prices for shoppers and, in some cases, unsafe conditions at stores.

A 2025 National Retail Federation report found that 54% of retailers nationwide reported an increase in repeat-offender theft from the prior year, while cargo and supply chain theft rose 48% and shoplifting increased 46%.

Since March 2026, the task force has coordinated with agencies in five states: Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Indiana and Pennsylvania. The sheriff's office did not specify which Franklin County retail locations have been involved in investigations so far.

Residents who witness organized retail theft or have information about theft rings can contact the Franklin County Sheriff's Office at 614-525-3333.