GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Not that long ago, shoplifting was a crime considered the purview of kids looking to score a pack of cigarettes or little old ladies suffering from a slight case of kleptomania.

But now the crime has been moved out of the misdemeanor range to a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison, thanks to the newly passed organized retail crime law that went into effect this spring.

The law is aimed at people who steal things with the express purpose of reselling them. A task made easier with the advent of online sellers such as Craig’s List and eBay, which eliminates the cumbersome step of having to “fence” the stolen goods.

The National Retail Federation in Washington, D.C., estimates that shoplifting – which they call "shrinkage" — costs each consumer about $500 per year as retailers are forced to boost prices to compensate for the $35 billion lost annually to the five-finger discount.

Grandville, with its rapidly expanding shopping district around the RiverTown Crossings Mall, sees more than its fair share of thefts from businesses ranging from someone running out of the liquor store with a 6-pack, to people clearing off a rack of slacks at a high-end clothier.

Lisa Dawn Ehorn, a 26-year-old mother, was arrested May 17 after a store loss prevention officer spotted her and some juveniles, presumably her children, stealing items valued between $200 and $1,000 at the JC Penney at RiverTown, according to court records.

Ehorn allegedly told the store security personnel that she planned to keep some of the goods for herself and her kids. That alone would have been enough to see her charged with second-degree retail fraud, a crime punishable by a maximum of one year in jail.

But Ehorn also allegedly admitted she planned to sell some of the items. That opened her up to the charge of organized retail crime and the potential five-year prison sentence attached to it.

Ehorn’s and the Kent County Prosecutor’s office could not come to a plea agreement so her trial is slated for Oct. 21 before Kent County Circuit Court Judge George Buth.

Ehorn’s attorney, Judith Raskiewicz, was not available for comment.

Grandville Police Department Sgt. Detective Renee Veldman said the statute has been a welcome addition to the tools used by law enforcement. She says it filled a gap between the low level grab-and-stash ne'er-do-well’s and the more organized criminals.

“I think the law makes sense,” Veldman said.

She said they still see plenty of shoplifters who will move the goods out of the trunk of their car, but the Internet has made it easier to move goods and collect funds quickly.

Michigan’s law was sponsored by Genesee County State Rep. Joseph Graves, whose wife was a manager at Meijer. The law passed handily, moving to the desk of the governor.

The law took effect March 31, leading to Graves being named Legislator of the Year by the Michigan Retailers Association.

The organization spearheaded getting the law passed last year to fill a gap that existed between the petty thefts of single items and the more sophisticated criminals who are looking to make a profit, according to William Hallan, vice president for governmental affairs and general counsel.

“These aren’t opportunistic criminals who steal a pack of gum,” Hallan said. “There is a whole network of individuals involved in this organized crime.”

Hallan sits on the statute-mandated Organized Retail Crime Advisory Board along with representatives from the State Attorney General’s Office, State Police and county prosecutors. The board is tasked by Gov. Rick Snyder to monitor the effectiveness of the new law over time.

He said there is more to the law than just protecting businesses and consumers from monetary loss. He said one of the main targets of resellers is baby formula and prescription drugs, which can become spoiled or tainted if stored inappropriately or carelessly repackaged.

Hallan said the organized criminals also tend to be more aggressive and willing to resort to violence.

“Store employees are at risk,” he said.

The law is new enough that, so far, no one in Kent County has been convicted under the statute and even some large jurisdictions such as Wyoming have yet to charge anyone with the offense.

Read the law: Organized Retail Crime Act

E-mail Barton Deiters: bdeiters@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/GRPBarton