Fun at the LPRC 2021 Kickoff Webinar
'Talking about Cabin Fever'

Gus Downing, D&D Publisher & Editor, Moderates Panel Session with Industry Leaders:

Scott Glenn, LPC - Vice President of Asset Protection, The Home Depot
Cathy Langley, LPC - Sr. Director of Asset Protection, Rite Aid
Mike Currier, CPP - Associate Director of LP/Corporate Security, Verizon Wireless

While the picture above looks like a barrel of laughs, yesterday's discussion on "The Takeaways From An Unprecedented Holiday Season" covered a variety of serious topics impacting retail LP/AP operations. The panel discussed the ever-changing protective measures and regulations, complex and evolving transactions, BOPIS/BORIS, mobile, curbside, multi-source delivery/pickup, emerging fraud, theft, and violence threats.

The LPRC 2021 Kickoff Webinar, held yesterday in partnership with the D&D Daily, featured the Loss Prevention Research Council team, retail executives, technology experts, and thought leaders as they reviewed LPRC's current initiatives and held three panels on crucial industry topics.

Miss the webinar? The on-demand recording will be released next week on LPRC Connect and the D&D Daily. Stay tuned.
 

Protests & Violence

Nearly 50 arrested in crackdown on violent robberies, carjackings
in south Minneapolis

The operation resulted in 69 felony-level charges.

Authorities arrested 46 people in a crackdown on carjackings and violent robberies that have plagued parts of south Minneapolis.

Officers recovered 15 firearms and 12 stolen vehicles - six of which were occupied when they were seized, according to a news release from the Minneapolis Police Department. The operation, which took place over three days last week, resulted in 69 felony-level charges.

The effort comes as crime has spiked in the Twin Cities, following the George Floyd protests in May. startribune.com

Unlicensed Pinkerton Guard Shot & Killed Protester Oct 10th
Pinkerton to appear for hearing into hiring of unlicensed security guard charged in deadly shooting

Isborn Security Services has surrendered its license for the hiring of an unlicensed security guard involved in a deadly Oct. 10 shooting in Denver.

Pinkerton Consulting and Investigations is slated to appear before the Denver Department of Excise and Licenses for a hearing into what led up to the hiring of an unlicensed security guard, 30-year-old Matthew Dolloff, who is now charged with second-degree murder for the death of a man at dueling Denver rallies.

Wednesday's hearing is slated to begin at 9 a.m. Dolloff is slated to be arraigned on Feb. 19 and is currently out on a $500,000 bond. During a previous court appearance, an attorney representing Dolloff called his actions self-defense.

Dolloff is accused of fatally shooting 49-year-old Lee Keltner outside the Denver Art Museum. It happened near the end of two dueling demonstrations that included members of Black Lives Matter as well as people attending what they dubbed a "Patriot Muster."

Dolloff was contracted through Pinkerton by 9NEWS. It has been the practice of 9NEWS for a number of months to contract private security to accompany staff at protests.

Witnesses said Keltner was seen holding a bottle of OC spray before he hit Dolloff on the side of the head with an open hand, the PC statement says. Dolloff then took a gun out of his waistband and fired one shot at the same time Keltner sprayed the OC spray, according to the PC statement. 9news.com

Portland riots caused at least $2.3M in damage to federal buildings in city
For weeks, the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse was a ground zero for protesters in downtown Portland, drawing hundreds to thousands of protesters night after night. At one point, demonstrators shattered the glass on the doors and threw fireworks into the building. The building's façade and entry were covered with graffiti. Federal officials said they also must repair or replace mounted security cameras and access control devices that people had vandalized or stolen. Now the bill has come due for the cleanup, U.S. Attorney Billy Williams said Tuesday. It amounts to $2.3 million so far for cleaning the courthouse and four other federal properties. oregonlive.com

Portland: Local Antifa Group Distances Itself From Protesters Who Smashed Windows, Vandalized Property

LAPD vows arrests if protesters again disrupt Dodger Stadium vaccine site

LA County sheriff claimed protesters tried to derail a train. Footage suggests otherwise

Rochester, NY: After Police Pepper Spray 9-yr-old, Bill Tries To Ban Its Use On Children
 

Coalition of Law Enforcement and Retail Joins Buy Safe America Coalition

CLEAR Joins Coalition to Combat the Sale of Fraudulent & Counterfeit Goods Online

Washington, DC - The Buy Safe America Coalition, a diverse group of retailers, consumer groups, wholesaler-distributors, and manufacturers who support efforts to combat organized retail crime and protect consumers and communities from the sale of counterfeit and stolen goods, announced its newest member - The Coalition of Law Enforcement and Retail (CLEAR).

As a non-profit, non-partisan national association of Law Enforcement Retail Loss Prevention professionals, CLEAR works to build and support efforts to improve the safety of communities. CLEAR joins the coalition as organized retail crime, which refers to criminal networks that steal merchandise in mass quantities from storefronts and sell those goods online, continues to increase. CLEAR will take part in the coalition alongside existing members including Walgreens, CVS Health, The Home Depot, Rite Aid, Ulta Beauty, DICK's Sporting Goods, HP Inc., OpSec Security, and Philips.

The opportunity for organized retail crime groups to resell stolen merchandise has experienced some difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The use of digital platforms to sell stolen merchandise has grown exponentially in recent years, and with traditional shops and markets closed, many criminals have further expanded their online channels to sell stolen products.

Despite the increasing sales of stolen and fraudulent goods online, e-commerce marketplaces have not taken sufficient action to solve the problem. The Buy Safe America Coalition is urging Congress to pass the INFORM Consumers Act, which addresses this issue by requiring online marketplaces to collect and verify basic seller information and having sellers provide that information to consumers.

"The consequences of organized retail crime are severe. Profits from the sale of stolen and counterfeit goods have been closely linked to criminal organizations involved in other serious crimes including terrorism and human and drug trafficking," said Ben Dugan, CLEAR President. "The INFORM Act is a commonsense measure that will help address the growing problem and consequences of organized retail crime by increasing transparency and accountability on online marketplaces." buysafeamerica.org

Previous D&D Daily 'Buy Safe' Coverage:
1-27-21: Home Depot Talks ORC & Partnership with Buy Safe Coalition
12-7-20: DICK'S Sporting Goods, HP Inc., OpSec Security & Rite Aid Join Buy Safe Coalition
10-21-20: Home Improvement Retailers Join Coalition to Fight Counterfeit & Stolen Goods
9-28-20: Retailers, brands and NACDS join Buy Safe America Coalition
9-17-20: Toymakers, retailers & The Toy Association the Buy Safe America Coalition
8-31-20: ICSC, RILA and other industry groups seek online seller transparency
8-14-20: RILA: Leading Retailers Launch Coalition to Protect Consumers Online

Click here to see D&D Daily's INFORM Consumers Act toolkit and how you can help get it on the president's desk.

The Need for Chief Risk Officers

While many organizations understand the need for a security executive, organizations that have taken a holistic approach, have added the chief risk officer (CRO) position to evaluate all organizational risk. After speaking with academics, experts and executives in the risk and security field, I have found an increasing interest toward risk identification and mitigation and identified key factors in developing the ideal role and finding the perfect candidate for any enterprise.

The CRO takes a higher-level approach than the chief security officer (CSO), who is tasked with overseeing the physical and/or cybersecurity of an organization. The CRO looks at all aspects of risk and how it may affect an organization. This includes physical security and cybersecurity, but also may include financial, insurance, reputational and other risks.

Currently, only about 2,000 CROs exist in the U.S., according to Bloomberg, but as of this summer, "their ranks already have grown by 5% since last year." Additionally, many companies do not have someone specifically titled a CRO, but instead have a vice president of risk management, a risk committee, or another executive, such as a CSO, pulling double duty.

How a CRO can Improve Your Organization

Traditionally, the CRO position sat most often in the financial world; however other organizations are seeing the need for an executive solely focused on risk identification and management. "Financial services and healthcare have led the way" with prioritizing risk management, Trowbridge shares. "It depends on the size and complexity of other industries whether you see the chief risk officer really becoming a real role." securitymagazine.com


How can racial bias be removed from retail stores?

According to a new study, "Racial Bias In Retail," commissioned by Sephora, two in five U.S. shoppers have personally experienced unfair treatment on the basis of their race or skin tone. The perception of bias is said to be particularly prevalent among Black shoppers.

Among races, 53 percent of Black shoppers felt such unfair treatment versus 36 percent for LatinXers, 35 percent for Asians and 24 percent for whites. The study was conducted over a year-long period, from fall 2019 until late 2020.

Retail shoppers who have experienced mistreatment in-store were found to be three times more likely to say it happened while they were browsing than at checkout (38 percent vs. 12 percent)

To avoid feeling underserved or ignored Black, indigenous or people of color, BIPOC, customers say they often dress nicely or interact with employees to make it known they are interested in spending money. To avoid feeling watched or to avoid theft accusations, they adjust their body language and leave purses or bags at home.

Sephora has rolled out a number of actions to curb racial bias in the in-store experience:

● Rolling out a new greeting system across stores to ensure a consistent experience for visitors upon entry;

● Creating new training modules for associates to define what behaviors will not be tolerated;

● Delineating recovery responsibilities to loss prevention specialists to enable associates to focus solely on client service;

● Reducing the presence of third-party security by replacing them with in-house professionals;

● Implementing new feedback mechanisms;

● Establishing a D&I (diversity & inclusivity) in-store experience dashboard to provide analytics on client service and feedback for monthly checks. retailwire.com

Celebrating Black History Month
How Brands & Retailers Are Tackling Diversity in Their Organizations
Following a year marked by national unrest over racial inequity, a number of retailers, fashion groups and footwear brands are taking a new approach to celebrating Black History Month.

Beyond product launches and collaborations with Black talent, retailers are upping the ante on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives by donating millions of dollars in product and funds to nonprofits, addressing representation within their own organizations and committing to allocate shelf space for Black-owned brands, among other moves.

As the country observes the start of Black History Month, here's how retail players are bringing more attention to the many contributions - fashion and otherwise - of the Black community:

   DTLR - Gap - Macy's - Neiman Marcus - Nordstrom - PVH - Walmart - footwearnews.com


Group of Retailers in Spain Stole Millions From U.S. Banks
105 arrested for stealing over $14.4M U.S. from US-based banks
A cross-border 8 month long operation coordinated by Europol and led by the Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional) and the US Secret Service resulted in the dismantling of an organized crime group involved in fraud and money laundering.

The criminal organization, mainly formed of Greek nationals, set up shell companies in the United States and opened bank accounts for these companies. To gain the trust of the financial institutions, members of the criminal network made transfers to the US-based accounts from different locations in the EU. Based on this trust, the American-based banks issued debit and credit cards for these accounts. A group of retailers in on the scam, most of whom were in Spain, used the payment cards to finance the available credited amounts on the cards. To launder the stolen funds, they transferred them to different bank accounts, owned by members of the criminal network located in several EU countries. More than 50 American financial institutions became victims of these fraudulent activities losing over 12 million euros.

Europol and law enforcement carried out more than 88 house searches, arrested 105 suspects and seized 14 luxury cars. The follow up actions led to the freeze of 87 bank accounts worth $1.5M U.S. europa.eu

Using Safety as a Competitive Advantage & Creating Safer Homes
Ikea U.S. Commits to Customer Safety by Issuing New Sales Requirement

Preventing Tip-Over Accidents & Saving Lives

Ikea Retail U.S. has announced a new sales requirement to help raise awareness of the need for wall attachment on chests of drawers and other select clothing storage units as part of the company's continued commitment to consumer safety.

Customers at all U.S. stores must now acknowledge the need to attach the product to the wall and provide their name and email address before the sale can be finalized. This new sales requirement strengthens the focus on reducing the risk of tip-over incidents and helping create safer homes for Ikea U.S. customers and their families. hfbusiness.com


Quarterly Results
The Container Store Q3 no comp data, consolidated net sales up 20.5%, TCS net sales up 21%, online sales up 98.1%
 

Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Director, Asset & Revenue Management job posted for Caleres in St. Louis, MO
Can ensure the protection of all our companies assets including Associates, Customers, Properties, Inventory and Brands. Proactively partner with business leaders in order to deliver the financial metrics related to shrinkage, mismates, worker's comp, and general liability. Will review and recommend capital and expenses for projects with the greatest ROI. Directs and maintains the physical security for all offices and facilities and manages all high profile investigations within the organization. jobs.caleres.com

Director of Safety & Loss Prevention job posted for Trinity Logistics (a Burris Logistics company) in Milford, DE
This position requires a hands-on leader with warehouse and food safety experience, who can help create, implement, and uphold a safety strategy! The team member in this role will work directly with leadership to create and maintain a safe work environment of trust, transparency, teamwork, accountability, and productivity. (S)he will provide clear plans and procedures and communicate regularly with the team to create and implement a successful strategy of safety and compliance. trinitylogistics.com