NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Shoplifting is America's #1 property crime with more than $13 billion worth of goods stolen from retailers each year, according to pricegun.com.
That same group reports there are more than half a million shoplifting incidents every single day in this country.
Jessica Elizabeth Jordan could be one of the individuals the report is talking about. The 25-year-old is currently in the Metro Nashville jail facing at least 12 separate shoplifting charges, and all of them taking place in less than five months.
📧 Have breaking news come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts →
According to the Davidson County Criminals Clerk, the Nashville woman has been arrested and bonded out and then arrested again multiple times.
On four separate occasions in December 2023, Jordan was charged with theft under $1,000. Court records show her being arrested on December 10, 14, 17, and 23.
More arrests came in January of this year as Jordan went to jail on theft charges on back-to-back days, January 27 and 28.
She was arrested once in February and three times in March. She was arrested in April and again in May.
Twelve times in a little over four months for crimes like the one listed in a Metro affidavit from March 3, 2024. The report indicates that Jordan went into an Old Navy store on Charlotte Pike where she allegedly filled up shopping bags with merchandise and then walked out of the store without paying.
The report said there is clear surveillance footage of the crime and she is known to store security from previous thefts.
Glen Alred, President of Alert Mid South, an intel-sharing group between retailers and law enforcement said she, "has an extensive criminal history of victimizing multiple retailers."
Alred knows the story of Jordan because retailers and law officers have discussed her case. "First of all she takes orders from her Facebook page and she will complete their orders by stealing from retailers and shipping it to the person buying it."
Alred showed News 2 pictures from Jordan's social media accounts of merchandise that Alred says Jordan stole and then allegedly re-sold for pure profits.
"It's a lucrative business and they are not going to stop," said Alred. "They make more money stealing a couple of hours a day than most of us make in weeks or months. This is organized retail crime. These people boost and steal for a living to turn around and sell it to make a profit."
Alred said the biggest difference in organized retail thefts nowadays is that the suspects are willing to be violent with associates to get out of the stores.
According to the Davidson County jail, Jordan is currently behind bars, with a hold on her for crimes out of another jurisdiction.
News 2 checked with the Davidson County DA's Office which has a designated prosecutor that works with various malls and other retailers on these kinds of crimes. The prosecutor on this case is acutely aware of Jessica Jordan, sending the following statement:
"While we cannot comment on pending cases, our office takes retail theft very seriously, and prosecutes cases that threaten our public safety and the business community."
Officials with the DA's office told News 2, Jordan is due in court on her theft under $1,000 charges on July 15. Court records show she is also facing felony burglary charges and failure to appear charges.