In Case You Missed It Are You Going to the NRF Big Show in NYC? Take the D&D Daily's survey about your plans to attend (or not attend) the NRF Big Show in NYC The NRF Big Show kicks off from Jan. 16-18 in New York City. For research purposes, the D&D Daily is conducting a survey about whether COVID-19, particularly the Omicron surge, has impacted industry executives' plans to attend. Take the 30-second survey here

CNN Continues Coverage of Nationwide ORC Epidemic
Shoplifting is surging across America with dangerous and costly consequences
Retailers have always been vulnerable to shoplifting. But the emergence of coordinated and organized robberies at high-value stores, even during shopping hours, has the industry on edge.

Chris Lowe an expert on retail crime and research scientist at the Loss Prevention Research Council, said retailers are very worried about the escalation in these organized group-led "smash-and-grab" robberies in multiple cities around the country.

"The anatomy of these attacks show they are more aggressive, dangerous and happening more frequently," said Lowe. "When I talk to retail loss prevention veterans, the best comparison they come up with is what crime was like in New York in the 1970s. But even then, it was more street robberies and not like retail theft as brazen as this."

As stores boost security measures to keep employees and shoppers safe, retailers have to contend with another consequence of organized theft: Its high cost to stores.

The surge in store-related theft is costly in other ways, too. Employee retention takes a hit when retail crimes spike.

"Think about retailers that are staffed predominantly by women, like cosmetics stores and high-end fashion," said Lowe. "Criminals target these stores because these are high-dollar items and they anticipate little pushback from the staff. But the fear makes it difficult to keep employees."

Best Buy's CEO Corie Barry said in November that the retailer has seen a jump in theft at its stores by gangs of thieves. Some of these incidents have involved weapons such as a gun or crowbar, she said.

"This is traumatizing for our associates and is unacceptable," Barry said during a call with analysts in November. "We are doing everything we can to try to create [an] as safe as possible environment."

Pandemic impact

Although organized shoplifting sprees were on the rise even before the pandemic, Lowe said that post-Covid lifestyle adjustments have made it easier for offenders to get away with the crime. cnn.com

Walgreens Shrink Rate Surges
Walgreens executives say the drugstore chain is losing 50% more money due to loss and theft

Walgreens has lost 50% more income to theft and damaged items in the last two years.

Roz Brewer, the chief executive of Walgreens Boots Alliance, said the company has a shrink rate, or the loss of inventory attributed to theft, fraud, and damage, at about 3.25%. The shrink rate had been a little over 2% 10 years ago, she added.

Brewer said the last two years have led to a 40% to 50% increase in shrink, due in large part to organized crime.

"This is not petty theft," Brewer said on a January 6 call with investors. "It's not somebody who can't afford to eat tomorrow. These are gangs that actually go in and empty our stores of beauty products. And it's a real issue."

Walgreens reported a net earnings from continuing operations of $2 billion in the 12 months ending August 31. With a shrink rate of 3.25%, the company's could have lost $65 million from its net earnings last year because of theft.

US retailers lost an estimated 1.62% of revenues to shrinkage in 2020, totalling an record $61.7 billion, according to the National Retail Federation.

Retailers said the growth of third-party e-commerce stores exacerbated retail crime. Two retail spokespeople told Insider's Áine Cain anonymous online merchants can make it easier for thieves to market their loot without drawing suspicion.

Twenty retailers, including Target, Best Buy, and Kroger, have asked Congress to pass legislation to curb illegal business activity by anonymous vendors online. markets.businessinsider.com

Proposition 47 Under Fire From Both Sides
Prop. 47 targeted by Dem, GOP lawmakers

A Democratic bill would reverse a key aspect of Prop 47 by reducing the felony threshold for petty theft and shoplifting, while a GOP one would overturn Prop. 47 altogether.

Little did California voters know, when they approved a 2014 ballot measure that reduced penalties for certain theft offenses, that their decision would still be making headlines in 2022.

On Tuesday, Democratic Assemblymember Rudy Salas of Bakersfield introduced a bill that, if passed by state lawmakers and a majority of voters, would reverse a key aspect of Prop. 47 by moving the felony threshold for petty theft and shoplifting from $950 back to $400.

Salas: "Enough is enough, we need to fight back against the criminals who are stealing from our communities. We have seen the unintended consequences of Prop. 47's weakening of our theft laws and I believe California voters are ready to make their voices heard on this issue again."

Salas' statement sharply contrasts with those from prominent Democrats including Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta, who have repeatedly emphasized that Prop. 47 has nothing to do with California's surge in smash-and-grab robberies. But it could help Salas, who's running for the U.S. House of Representatives seat currently held by Republican David Valadao, court GOP voters - many of whom blame Prop. 47 for the uptick in organized retail crime.

Indeed, a few hours after Salas unveiled his bill, a group of Republican state lawmakers - including Assemblymembers Kevin Kiley of Rocklin, James Gallagher of Yuba City and James Patterson of Fresno - introduced a proposal to repeal Prop. 47 altogether. calmatters.org

   RELATED: California bill would reverse Prop 47 to crack down on rising retail theft


6,000 Murder Suspects & 84,000 Fugitives Arrested
U.S. Marshals Arrest More Than 6,000 Murder Suspects in 2021, Over 84,000 Fugitives Apprehended
The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) released its 2021 statistics in a Department of Justice press release, published Monday, 3 January. From October 2020 through September 2021, USMS arrested more than 84,000 fugitives, including more than 10,000 sex offenders, 6,000 gang members, and 6,000 homicide suspects.

USMS has a varied mission. It provides law enforcement and protection for federal courts and judicial systems, apprehends and extradites federal fugitives, transports and houses prisoners, investigates cases involving missing children, enforces sex offender compliance laws, operates the federal witness protection program, and manages the sale of criminal assets seized as part of federal law enforcement.

Compared to the previous year, USMS arrested nearly 7,000 more fugitives-an 8.7 percent increase. However, in FY 2020, the marshals were able to clear four cases from their 15 Most Wanted list.

"The outstanding work this year by the U.S. Marshals Service exemplifies that the Department of Justice has no higher priority than keeping our communities safe," said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. "At a time of unprecedented challenges posed by a global pandemic, the U.S. Marshals continue to deliver on their mission, tracking down and arresting more than 84,000 fugitives. The Department of Justice, through our law enforcement components like the U.S. Marshals Service, will continue to prioritize our efforts to reduce violent crime and keep our neighborhoods safe." asisonline.org justice.gov

Western Hemisphere's Biggest Toy Trade Show - Biggest Retailers Pull Out
Toy Fair loses major retailers over Omicron fears - but still slated for Javits Center
The Western Hemisphere's biggest trade show for toys is the latest victim of the Omicron virus, with some of the biggest retail buyers - including Walmart, Target and Amazon - pulling out of the in-person event, On the Money has learned.

They join Hasbro, Jazwares and MGA Entertainment among others in ditching plans to attend the fair, still set to take place at the Javits Center in Manhattan from Feb. 19-22. Others, including Tonka Truck maker Basic Fun, are on the fence about attending, sources say.

"It's a fluid situation," said one toymaker, Albert Maslaton, chief operating officer of Brooklyn Lollipops, who's booked to attend, but said he'd rather not go - and is trying to get his money back.

The show was canceled in 2021 for the first time in 117 years, but this year's show is set to go on - and organizer The Toy Association pointed out that biggies Lego and Mattel are still attending.

"There is still a strong core," TIA spokeswoman, Adrienne Appell told On the Money. "It is fluid, but more driven by rumor mill." Amazon, she added, is registered to attend. But industry insiders tell On the Money Amazon reps have told them they will not be there. nypost.com

CES 2022 may be down over 50% from 2020's 170,000 in-person attendees
Tech notes from Day 1 of CES 2022

In-person conference returns to Las Vegas with a multitude of groundbreaking technologies

CES 2022 may be down over 50% from 2020's 170,000 in-person attendees, but the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) partnered with CLEAR and created an efficient badge pickup, ID and vaccination verification process. Nevada has also been struggling to keep up with Covid-19 testing demand, up from 100 collections per day to 1,500 per day post-New-Year's, but the CTA indeed achieved a milestone: Every in-person CES 2022 attendee is receiving an Abbott Labs BinaxNOW Covid-19 Antigen Double Self-Test Kit, authorized by FDA under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).

The aisles are wider and there are fewer of the larger exhibitors, but there was no shortage of leap-forward technology leveraging artificial intelligence, using new robotics platforms and helping to identify potential threats. Health and safety solutions were also in abundance, adding to Covid-19 mitigation strategies with new autonomous vacuums and small office and bus air circulation systems claiming to kill the virus. securityinfowatch.com

Bottom Line - Be Responsible - Get Vaccinated & Wear Your Mask
What a bumpy CES means for brands and live events in 2022
A rocky CES has become a warning sign for the live events circuit, indicating that not everyone is ready for a return to in-person conferences.

Still, that doesn't mean brands should abandon appearances in 2022; they just need to plan better.

Brands that had pulled out of attending CES in Las Vegas, like LG Electronics, still have plans to send people to the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Orlando in February.

The omicron wave of COVID-19 forced many companies to pull staff from attending CES. Major electronics companies, including LG, Lenovo, Panasonic, Google and Microsoft, withdrew at the last minute, leaving open spaces in typically packed convention center halls. Usually about 170,000 people show up to CES, which last year had to host an online-only show because of the pandemic. Consumer Technology Association organizers anticipated a far smaller headcount this year. Official numbers will be released after the show, but by all accounts lines in Las Vegas were shorter, hotel lobbies less packed, and shuttles easier to board.

Despite the troubles, CES was also a harbinger of how events could carry on, with attendees walking around fully masked and vaccinated, and organizers handing out personal COVID-19 testing kits. Even if only tens of thousands, and not hundreds, made it to Las Vegas, that would still make CES one of the larger in-person trade shows since the start of the pandemic

"These events can happen in a responsible way, and CES was the same," said Roxy Fata, chief operating officer of Infinite Objects, an NFT electronics display maker. "People were masked. They were very diligent with protocols. It was very organized." adage.com

Fashion Industry Reputational Conundrum - Global Perspective
Should Brands Cancel Fashion Shows?

Omicron has thrown a wrench in Fashion Month, leaving brands to weigh their options for handling an increasingly familiar conundrum.

Once again, fashion month is here, with menswear and haute couture shows scheduled to kick off next week and continue throughout January. And, once again, the new season has coincided with a surge in coronavirus infections across Europe and the US, leaving the industry to grapple with whether it's safe enough, or worth it, to carry on.

Governments in Italy and France have given the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana in Milan and the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM) in Paris the green light to go ahead with in-person shows, providing they comply with national coronavirus regulations, such as reduced guest capacity, social distancing, mask-wearing and requirements for up-to-date vaccine passports for attendees. The British Fashion Council (BFC) announced in December it would not stage men's fashion week in January due to Covid-19 uncertainties, but the body is still planning for in-person events for the women's shows in February, as is the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) in New York.

In practice, it's being left up to individual brands to make the call on whether to go ahead with fashion week plans or not.

Some brands have already made the decision to cancel, move or scale down fashion week plans. Ann Demeulemeester, which was due to stage an event during menswear trade show Pitti Uomo in Florence next week, has postponed the show until June. Giorgio Armani pulled two menswear shows and its couture show from the January line-up in Milan and Paris. Brunello Cucinelli decided to shelve its Pitti Uomo plans, while still going ahead with a planned presentation during men's fashion week in Milan. Meanwhile, the charity fashion dinner hosted by the FHCM and Sidaction that traditionally closes Haute Couture Week in January has been postponed to July.

Should more follow their lead?

The decision raises a financial and reputational conundrum. Shows can be valuable, but they are costly, and right now brands need to decide whether they are comfortable with the risks posed by rising infection rates. businessoffashion.com

SDNY Class Action Challenges Amazon's Criminal Background Screening Practices
A woman who applied for an unspecified job with Amazon sued the company on Monday for violation of her rights under the New York State Human Rights Law, arguing that Amazon.com Inc. employment to qualified applicants. Specifically, the lawsuit says that the company applies an overbroad and discriminatory blanket refusal to hire many applicants with criminal convictions.

The complaint explains that the plaintiff applied for a job in 2017 after having received a conviction for Welfare Fraud in the 5th Degree, a misdemeanor, in 2015. The plaintiff reportedly paid the amount due in restitution and never served jail time.

Yet, the filing says that Amazon denied the plaintiff employment without inquiring into the circumstances of the conviction and without analyzing the statutorily-required factors. The analysis reportedly helps an employer determine whether "the individual poses an unreasonable risk or was convicted of a crime that is directly related to the ability to perform the job sought."

As a result, the plaintiff alleges that the denial was improper, and part of a larger practice of disregarding the law. The suit seeks to certify a class of any people who were denied or terminated from Amazon in New York state based in whole or in part on their prior criminal convictions within the last three years.

The filing requests injunctive and declaratory relief requiring Amazon to change its practices. It also requests back pay and compensatory damages, an award of nominal and/or exemplary damages, punitive damages, and attorneys' fees and costs.The plaintiff and putative class are represented by Watkins Law. lawstreetmedia.com

Shopping Online for COVID Tests
Is that COVID-19 test you found online a fake?

Florida's Attorney General warns consumers to watch out for COVID-19 testing scams

Is that COVID-19 test you ordered online real? Or what about the pop-up testing site that promises no long lines near your house? What about the caller who claims they can come to your house without a wait and easily give you an at-home test?

Florida's attorney general is warning Floridians that there are cons taking place as the increase in people seeking ways to get tested for COVID-19 surges due to the rise in the omicron variant.

There are recent reports in Florida and nationwide of potential fake COVID-19 testing sites, imposter health care workers at legitimate sites and at-home testing scams.

"With the recent rise in the number of people seeking COVID-19 tests comes an increased risk that scammers will try to take advantage of the demand. Please take precautions to protect your personal information when seeking a test-whether at a legitimate site or when purchasing an at-home test," Attorney General Ashley Moody said.

The Food and Drug Administration has a listing of COVID-19 related warning letters to companies who have been ordered to stop selling certain at-home test kits, such as the Easy Rapid Now COVID-19 Nasal Swab Antigen Test (Collodial Gold). That warning letter was sent to a company in Delray Beach in December of 2021.

Hallandale Beach Police previously received reports of people knocking on doors offering tests and kits and posted a warning on Twitter. local10.com

Senior Job Posting
Director, E-Commerce Fraud job posted for GameStop in Grapevine, TX
The Director, E-Commerce Fraud is responsible for leading and executing the e-commerce fraud strategy for the organization. This role will work cross functionally with multiple departments to align the fraud prevention strategy with company objectives. The principal business outcome for this position is to help guide the organization's order verification/fraud mitigation strategy and enhance online fraud prevention, including minimizing losses related to chargeback fines, theft, and other significant losses. careers.gamestop.com

4 trends that will define e-commerce in 2022

FDA authorizes at-home COVID-19 tests from Amazon, Roche, Siemens

Update: Woman stole nearly $1 million from Walmart stores in 24 states, feds say
The nearly $1 million in checks that a woman and a man cashed at more than 300 Walmart stores in 24 states looked like legitimate bank checks, federal prosecutors said, but they were counterfeits. The pair spent the money - more than $850,000 - on prepaid debit cards, including from other retailers, and on gift cards, Walmart shopping cards and other merchandise, according to court documents. Cyianna Ashley Woods, a 38-year-old from Atlanta, hoodwinked Walmarts for seven years with co-conspirator Andre Marquese White, a 35-year-old from Norcross, Georgia, according to court documents. The retailer eventually caught onto the scheme, which the pair pulled off from 2013 to 2019, prosecutors said.

In U.S. District Court in Charlotte Thursday, Judge Kenneth Bell sentenced Woods to five years in prison on wire fraud and money laundering charges, according to a news release Friday by U.S Attorney Dena King's office. Bell also ordered Woods to serve three years of supervised release and pay $923,915 in restitution, according to the release. The judge previously sentenced White to three years and 10 months in prison and three years of supervised release, records show. The pair previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges. "This criminal duo engaged in an extensive scheme that defrauded Walmart of hundreds of thousands of dollars," King said in a statement Friday. "This type of financial crime impacts not only affected retailers but also consumers, in the form of higher prices for goods and services." The sentencings should warn "others thinking they can get away with schemes like this" that federal agents, police and businesses "are watching," said Ronnie Martinez, special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations in the Carolinas. denvergazette.com

Simi Valley, CA: Two arrested for theft of Over-the counter Meds valued at nearly $20,000
On January 7, 2022, at 9:40 PM, Simi Valley Police Officers responded to a local business in the 1100 block of E. Los Angeles Ave for a theft investigation. An employee witnessed two subjects stealing over-the-counter medications. The employee provided the subjects' descriptions as well as the description of their vehicle. A short time later, an officer spotted the vehicle driving East on the 118 Freeway. The vehicle was stopped and three subjects were arrested: Gary Jackson (23 years old from Los Angeles), Brenden Hardson (21 years old from Los Angeles), and Kyleigh Caliz (18 years old from Los Angeles). Numerous items of stolen property from multiple stores were discovered in the vehicle. Approximately $18K to $20K worth of stolen property was recovered. The subjects were booked at Ventura County Main Jail for Organized Retail Theft and Conspiracy. local.nixle.com

3 charged with felonies after burglary at Ulta Beauty store in Palm Desert
Three Coachella Valley residents have been charged with several felonies for burglaries at Ulta Beauty stores in the area, including one at the Palm Desert location on Tuesday. Deputies from the Palm Desert Sheriff's Station responded to the 72-300 block of Highway 111, which is located at the intersection of Highway 111 and Fred Waring Drive, in Palm Desert regarding a report of grand theft from "a retail location" at 7:19 p.m. on Tuesday. The charging document for the three residents identifies the retail location as the Ulta Beauty located in the Desert Crossing Shopping Center. news.yahoo.com

San Jose, CA: Group of 8 to 10 Smashes showcases at local jeweler