A special task force with the Knox County Sheriff's Office made nearly 200 arrests connected to retail crime during the holiday season this year.
The sheriff's office said its Organized Retail Crime Unit Task Force arrested 237 adults, 20 juveniles, and recovered $120,192.20 worth of stolen property and three stolen vehicles.
While petty theft is common nationwide, organized retail crime is a particular problem in East Tennessee.
State Representative Jason Zachary passed a bill in 2015 that made the creation of an Organized Retail Crime Unit possible for Knox County and other departments statewide.
The Knox County Sheriff's Office reports so far this year, Belk, Home Depot and Kohl's are the stores where they've recovered the most stolen merchandise.
