Cool Solutions Unveiled at NRF Big Show
WATCH: Tech vendors at the NRF show

The show featured new smart carts, retail media networks, warehouse and inventory robots, AI-powered shrink prevention technology, and more. Supermarket News made the rounds and spoke with some of the most cutting edge companies in the industry. See more in the video roundup.
 

ORC Law Facing Repeal Efforts in Virginia
Move to repeal new Virginia law on organized retail theft blocked for this year
A move to repeal a new Virginia law that makes organized retail theft a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison was defeated for this year after members of a a House subcommittee voted Monday to send the bill to the Virginia State Crime Commission for further study.

The new law, which went into effect in July, was passed by the state legislature last year with bipartisan support, including from Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin and state Attorney General Jason Miyares. It makes it a Class 3 felony for anyone to conspire or act in concert with one or more people to steal retail merchandise with a value exceeding $5,000 in a 90-day period, with the intent to sell the stolen goods for profit.

The Virginia law was passed at a time when viral videos on social media showed groups of thieves brazenly stealing bags of merchandise from stores around the country. The National Conference of State Legislatures said then that at least two dozen states had enacted laws to address organized retail theft.

Some Democrats and criminal justice advocates opposed the bill, arguing that it could ensnare people who resort to stealing to survive, including low-income people, the homeless and those struggling with addiction.

Del. Fernando "Marty" Martinez, the lead sponsor of the bill, said he asked for the repeal bill to be sent to the crime commission because the new law has only been in effect for six months and its effectiveness is not yet clear. valawyersweekly.com


"Repeat Offenders Will No Longer Receive Get Out of Jail Free Cards"
New push underway to crackdown on retail theft repeat offenders in California: "An enormous violation"
On Monday afternoon, California lawmakers and law enforcement agencies gathered at the Governor's Press Room in Downtown Sacramento to address the punishment of repeat retail theft offenders. Assemblymember James Ramos authored the bill that he said will swing back the pendulum on retail theft. Assembly Bill 1772 would require jail time for repeat theft offenders.

For the past decade, Proposition 47 has made theft under $950 a misdemeanor. AB 1772 would require one to three years of jail time on conviction of a third theft crime. "Repeat offenders will no longer receive get out of jail free cards, even if the stolen goods are under $950," said one lawmaker who spoke in support of the bill on Monday.

Sheriff Cooper said that in Sacramento County, they currently have over 33,000 outstanding misdemeanor warrants. They recently arrested 300 people and 233 of these were cited because of Proposition 47. AB 1772 would not do away with the $950 threshold of Proposition 47 but instead target repeat offenders, making them serve time behind bars regardless of the dollar amount.

The change would mean jail time for repeat theft offenses including grand theft, burglary, robbery, mail theft and more. cbsnews.com


What's Driving San Francisco's Crime Drop?
"Safe Shopper" initiative driving down retail crime?

Mayor Breed credits policy changes for reduced crime in 2023
San Francisco Mayor London Breed credited campaigns such as the "Safe Shopper" initiative focused on Union Square for recent year-end police statistics that show fewer property crimes in 2023 than any year over the last decade other than the shutdown-inhibited 2020.

Last year San Francisco experienced its lowest rate of property crime in the last 10 years, outside of the 2020 shelter-in-place period, according to new police statistics shared by the office of Mayor London Breed on Tuesday.

San Francisco saw a 7% year-over-year decrease in overall reported crimes and its lowest level of reported property crime incidents in the last decade, excluding 2020. In a press release, Breed said the trends were a result of actions her office has taken to address public safety concerns, including retail theft, which have remained a focal point of the city's critics when it comes to the large number of vacant storefronts downtown.

Reports of violent crimes - at more than 5,400 for the year - were down 11% from 2019 but slightly increased from 2021 (4,967 reports) and 2022 (5,272 reports).

Breed has advocated for reforms to boost the technological tools at police's disposal to address organized retail theft and pushed for greater coordination with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

In the last quarter of 2023, Breed said property crimes dropped 34% year-over-year, which would coincide with the weeks of a significantly increased police presence. In the first three weeks of 2024, property crime reports were down 41% compared to the same period last year, while reports of violent crime were down 23%.

Going forward, city officials are hoping to boost anti-retail-theft efforts with the help of a $17 million state grant awarded in September, which funds those initiatives as well as the installation of hundreds of automated license plate readers citywide. bizjournals.com


Store Security Fortresses Becoming More Common in California
Sacramento Safeway installs new retail theft protection at self-checkout
A Sacramento Safeway installed additional retail theft protection at self-checkout, mirroring technology installed in the Bay Area last year. The receipt-scanning gate requires customers to scan their receipts as proof of purchase to exit the self-checkout area at the Safeway located on Alhambra Boulevard.

In addition, the store has installed entry and exit gates to the store that are monitored by multiple security guards. The anti-theft measures are becoming more common across California, as retail crime increases and companies look for more ways to slow down criminals looking to steal.

Customers at area big-box retailers told CBS13 on Monday that they avoid some items on days they are in a hurry or don't want to wait due to items being locked behind glass to prevent theft.

"I hate that if I want to get toothpaste, soap, I have to ring a bell, wait five minutes. I have to look for somebody. That's just not good customer service. Why is it locked up? Are we criminals?" asked Theresa Jones, a Sacramento shopper.

CBS13 reached out to Safeway for more information about the additional safety measures installed at the store but did not hear back as of Monday. Last year, the company confirmed the same technology was installed in Bay Area stores due to crime. cbsnews.com


DAs, Law Enforcement & Retailers Fighting Back
Sacramento County DA, law enforcement, business leaders speak out on organized retail theft
Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho, local law enforcement leaders and representatives from the business community spoke out in a show of force against organized retail theft on Tuesday. The group held a press conference outside a Walmart on Florin Road to highlight agency coordination efforts and new initiatives to combat organized retail theft in Sacramento County.

Ho promoted a recent effort by his office over the past two months to start an organized retail theft prosecution unit. The unit has a full-time investigator and a prosecutor assigned to work with law enforcement and prosecute cases "from beginning to end."

They have a state grant of $2 million over three years to fight organized retail thefts. Both Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper and Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester also spoke out on Tuesday. Cooper cited support for legislation at the Capitol that would stiffen penalties for organized retail theft. Lester announced a new tip line dedicated to the issue at her department.

CHP Chief Mike Dust spoke about a recent increase in state resources, with $474.5 million allocated to combat retail theft over four years.

He said that between September and December of 2023, there were 21 retail blitz operations throughout Sacramento, Placer and San Joaquin counties. Those resulted in 116 arrests and more than 21,000 assets recovered at a value of $325,000. kcra.com


Coast-to-Coast Fight to Bust ORC Rings
California and New York Law Enforcement Shut Down Crime Rings on Both Coasts
Law enforcement groups on both coasts of the U.S. are ratcheting up efforts to take down organized retail crime rings, this week announcing the arrests of groups collectively responsible for stealing more than $1 million in merchandise.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York on Thursday unsealed a five-count indictment charging six defendants with a rash of crimes including interstate transportation of stolen property, interstate transportation of stolen motor vehicles and conspiracy. The suspects stand accused of stealing cars from Hertz and other rental companies and using them as getaway vehicles as they shoplifted goods from stores like Lowe's and The Home Depot in a scheme that persisted for nearly two years. The defendants allegedly stole more than $800,000 in vehicles and merchandise, victimizing dozens of stores across 13 states, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Across the country, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that several individuals involved in a highly prolific organized retail crime ring were arrested and charged this week.

Felony charges were brought against three suspects accused of targeting high-end retailers, liquor stores and smoke shops between Sept. 8 and Nov. 14 of last year. The suspects perpetrated about 25 commercial burglaries and attempted burglaries that resulted in over $650,000 in losses to the victimized retailers over the course of just over one month. sourcingjournal.com


Facial Recognition Helps Law Enforcement Fight Crime
Police using facial recognition to arrest robbery suspect, convicted sex offender
The latest deployment - aimed at reducing serious violence in the Croydon area - led to the arrest of:

• A 32-year-old woman for failing to appear at court for burglary;
• A 50-year-old man for failing to comply with his conditions as a Registered Sex Offender;
• A 34-year-old man for robbery - wanted by police;
• A 36-year-old man wanted by the court for offences in relation to animal cruelty; and
• A 31-year-old woman wanted for failing to appear at court for drink drive-related offences.

LFR technology scans the faces of people passing through an area against a watchlist of people wanted by police and sets off an alert when a match is made. An officer will then review the match and decide whether to speak with the individual.

Lindsey Chiswick, who is responsible for LFR for the Met says: "As part of our commitment to building A New Met For London, we are using this technology to identify harmful criminals. Trying to identify people who are wanted by the police is not new. LFR does what the police have always done but with much more accuracy, precision and far quicker. If there is no match, all biometric details are immediately destroyed. We communicate each LFR deployment in the local area before the technology is in operation and use local neighbourhood officers and leaflets to explain the benefits of the technology while it's live." newsfromcrystalpalace.wordpress.com


San Francisco DA Brooke Jenkins lays out changes in Tenderloin & her 2024 priorities
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins spoke about the state of the Tenderloin, open-air drug markets, conviction rates, recidivism and some of her top priorities for 2024.

Downtown Raleigh sees increase in reported crimes, but police say it's because of increased enforcement

Charlotte City Council making plans to tackle crime - especially uptown & among teens

OSHA Violations Will Cost You More This Year
OSHA Adjusts Civil Penalty Amounts for 2024

The maximum penalties will increase from $15,625 per violation to $16,131 per violation.

OSHA announced on January 11 that it has made changes to its civil penalty amounts based on cost-of-living adjustments for 2024.

In 2015, Congress passed the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act to advance the effectiveness of civil monetary penalties and to maintain their deterrent effect. Under the Act, agencies are required to publish "catch-up" rules that adjust the level of civil monetary penalties and make subsequent annual adjustments for inflation no later than January 15 of each year. This year, January 15 falls on a federal holiday.

Therefore, new OSHA penalty amounts became effective Jan. 16, 2024.

OSHA's maximum penalties for serious and other-than-serious violations will increase from $15,625 per violation to $16,131 per violation. The maximum penalty for willful or repeated violations will increase from $156,259 per violation to $161,323 per violation.

Visit the OSHA Penalties page and read the final rule for more information. ehstoday.com


152,396 C-Stores in the U.S. - Up 1.5% from 2022
U.S. C-store count up 1.5% in 2023, with only seven states seeing decrease
The convenience store universe grew in 2023 for the second consecutive year - with small operators continuing to account for the majority of locations.

There are 152,396 convenience stores in the United States, up 1.5% from last year's count of 150,174 stores, according to the 2024 NACS/NIQ Convenience Industry Store Count, which is based on stores in operation as of Dec. 31, 2023.

Nearly every state increased its store count including Texas, which continues to have the most convenience stores (16,304 stores), or more than one in 10 stores in the United States. After losing 53 stores in 2023, California added 177 to its store count.

Only seven states saw a reduction in their store count: Alaska, Iowa, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Oklahoma and Vermont. chainstoreage.com


Is the Return-to-Work Push Dead?
The return-to-office wars are over
Just 6 out of 158 U.S. CEOs said they'll prioritize bringing workers back to the office full-time in 2024, according to a new survey released by the Conference Board. Executives are increasingly resigned to a world where employees don't come in every day, as hybrid work arrangements - mixing work from home and in-office - become the norm for knowledge workers.

"Maintain hybrid work," was cited as a priority by 27% of the U.S. CEOs who responded to the survey, conducted in October and November. A separate survey of chief financial officers by Deloitte, conducted in November, found that 65% of CFOs expect their company to offer a hybrid arrangement this year.

"Remote work appears likely to be the most persistent economic legacy of the pandemic," write Goldman Sachs economists in a recent note. About 20%-25% of workers in the U.S. work from home at least part of the week, according to data Goldman cites. That's below a peak of 47% during the pandemic but well above its prior average of around 3%.

"The battle is over," said Diana Scott, human capital center leader at The Conference Board. "There are so many other issues CEOs are facing."  axios.com


New Bill Requiring SF Grocery Stores to Give 6 Months Notice Before Closing
Will San Francisco grocery stores need to notify city before closing? Safeway saga drives plan for input
San Francisco Supervisor Dean Preston is proposing that grocers be required to notify and involve the community when they plan to close stores in the city. The proposed legislation comes in the wake of a battle with Safeway over the fate of its Fillmore district location.

The law would require six months' notice prior to the closure of a neighborhood-serving grocery store, as well as requirements that the store meet with community members prior to closure and explore a replacement supermarket.

Preston's proposal would resurrect the Supermarket Closure Ordinance, which was approved by the Board of Supervisors in 1984 but vetoed by then-Mayor Dianne Feinstein. He will introduce the law as the Neighborhood Grocery Protection Act.

"It was a good idea then, and it's an even better idea now," Preston said. "We need notice, we need transparency, community input, and a transition plan when major neighborhood grocery stores plan to shut their doors."  sfchronicle.com


San Francisco Centre could see another wave of vacancies
San Francisco's largest mall could be in store for more vacancies, even beyond the slew of name-brand closures this month, new information from reports on debt tied to the property reveals.

More than half (56%) of the leased space is set to expire before the end of June 2024, and another 11% between July 2024 anmd July 2025.

At least five name-brand retail tenants are planning to shut down this month or already have, per the San Francisco Chronicle: Madewell, Adidas, J.Crew, Lucky Brand and Aldo..

The 1.2 million-square-foot former San Francisco Centre is currently in receivership. bizjournals.com


Target Workers Terminated for Buying Popular Stanley Cups

Levi's, Sephora, Nike, Amazon, CVS among leaders in loyalty

Genetec named as one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People

Here are some of the reasons why Genetec Inc. was selected as one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2024):

• Genetec launched an apprenticeship program in 2022 to help candidates without the right qualifications for employment gain the necessary experience -- the four week training program helps participants develop technical skills through in-person training and virtual sessions and workshops.

• Genetec maintains an Office of Innovation and Strategic Technologies (OIST) department to deliver employee-driven training in-house -- the department hosts TechTalks, to encourage employees and teams to share the projects they are working on, and TechTalk+, a monthly series with industry experts and innovators -- the company also regularly encourages employees to participate in university hackathons.

• Genetec employed nearly 400 paid interns over the past year -- in 2022, paid interns accounted for approximately 20 per cent of new employee hires.

Read more here
 

Houston, TX: Nearly $500K in high-end vehicles found when Harris Co. investigators moved in on alleged chop shop
A 25-year-old man was arrested on Friday connected to a suspected "chop shop" where authorities found a $170,000 Corvette, records state. Landon Wayne Swonke was charged with aggregate theft of at least $300,000. He is free from jail on a $25,000 bond. According to court records, officers observed Swonke leave Stampede Diesel in a stolen vehicle. He was taken into custody. After obtaining a search warrant, officers entered and found six vehicles inside, three of which were stolen, records state. HCSO said nearly $500,000 in cars were recovered, including Dodge Chargers, a Cadillac Escalade, and a $170,000 Corvette.  abc13.com


Santa Clarita, CA: Owner angry after Southern California mini-mart ransacked by thieves
A Santa Clarita mini-mart is the latest target of a group of thieves that has been linked to a recent string of robberies. Security footage obtained by KTLA 5 News shows the mob ransacking the Seco Mini-Mart store around 5 a.m. Sunday. Police say the group may have been involved in two separate car thefts that took place in Valencia and Stevenson Ranch just hours before the burglary. "Never in this neighborhood did I think something like this would happen," store owner Deyar Alrabadi told KTLA 5's Jennifer McGraw. "It honestly just breaks my heart just seeing the neighborhood become what it is." The Arabaldis are thankful some from the local community came to his family's aid and helped clean up the store so it could be open for business on Tuesday.  ktla.com


San Ramon, CA: 2 arrested after 'large' theft from Ulta Beauty

Nashville, TN: Woman arrested for $2K theft at Green Hills Nordstrom using bear spray

Schenectady, NY: Man arrested for reportedly stealing over $1K in merchandise from Home Depot

Wheat Ridge, CO: Police release video of shoplifting arrest