When it comes to studying the nation’s shoplifting epidemic, Richelle Ross and Diego Rodriguez have a front-row seat. Working under the guidance of Read Hayes, a research scientist and criminologist at University of Florida, they are part of the Loss Prevention Research Council. It’s located in a high-tech lab inside of The Hub, part of UF Innovate, a business accelerator at the University of Florida that I visited recently.
With baby formula one of the top five most shoplifted items in stores, “shoplifting is not only a monetary issue, but also a health and safety issue,” said Rodriguez, who graduated from University of Florida in 2019 with bachelor’s degrees