SF's 'SAFE Streets Act' Wages War on Fencing
San Francisco leaders work to stop sale of stolen goods in San Francisco
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie is taking a new step in tackling the problem of illegal sales of stolen goods. Some believe it all starts with so-called fencing, which is happening out in the open on city streets - a problem former Mayor London Breed also tried to address.

Breed along with state Sen. Scott Weiner introduced SB 925 last year to try to tackle the city's fencing problem, but it fell short of the support needed to move out of a Senate committee. On Monday, Lurie and Weiner announced the SAFE Streets Act. SAFE stands for San Francisco allows for fencing enforcement. It is largely similar to SB 925.

SAFE would require permits for the sale of merchandise that is deemed frequently obtained through retail theft. That list will be determined by the board of supervisors if the legislation passes.

Vendors who sell without a permit are subject to infractions for the first two violations. That can escalate to a misdemeanor and six months of time at the county jail.

It does not apply to the majority of street vendors who are selling any goods with a permit; selling goods on the list, with a permit or with proof of purchase; and selling prepared food, with or without a permit.

In November 2023, Breed and then-Supervisor Hillary Ronen implemented a street vending moratorium along Mission Street to target the sale of illegal goods. The moratorium was extended in February 2024 and is still in effect. As of now, city workers - not San Francisco police - are enforcing the moratorium, which is supposed to cover street vendors along Mission Street.

SAFE will need to go through committees, Senate and Assembly votes, and the governor's desk before possibly going into effect at the beginning of 2026. nbcbayarea.com


One of America's Largest Cities Curbs Violent Crime
Violent crime drops in top 10 largest US city as police use grids to target worst offenders

The Dallas Police Department reported an 8.2% decrease in violent crime across the Texas city in 2024

The Dallas Police Department saw a drop in violent crime in 2024 by implementing proven strategies to proactively fight crime in Texas. Interim Chief of Police Michael Igo told Fox News Digital that its violent crime reduction efforts resulted in both fewer incidents and fewer victims throughout 2024.

Igo explained that the city gathered information on where violent crime and nonviolent crime occurred and created 300-by-300-yard grids in Dallas that police say experience disproportionate levels of crime.

"On that data, we worked together on putting together a crime plan where our grids were identified," he said. "We had what we called tag areas, where the majority of our crime was in the city. And in these grids, what we found out was where a majority of our violent crime was occurring."

"Really the premise was we took the data, and we placed a squad car, with its lights on, in a high-violence area for just 15 minutes," he said. He said that over the last three years the Dallas Police Department has worked to address individuals who have "shown the most propensity to commit crimes in those areas." foxnews.com


Fewest NYC Shootings in Over 30 Years
NYC shootings down 21% in January to lowest level in 3 decades: NYPD
Shootings in New York City dropped by 21% last month compared to January 2024 - reaching milestone low not seen in January for more than three decades, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Tuesday. The drop in shootings was bolstered by a five-day streak with no shooting victims that coincided with a brutal cold snap, officials said.

"Major crime was down 16.8%, compared to January 2024 (that's 1,700 fewer index crimes), with crime decreases in all five boroughs, as well as subways (-36%) and public housing (-14.5%)," Tisch wrote on X. "Double-digit declines in murder (-24%), robbery (-26%), grand larceny (-22%), and auto theft (-23%).

The five-day stretch without a shooting victim between Jan. 19 and Jan. 23 was "the first time in 30 years, there have been 0 shooting victims in New York City for a 5-day period," the NYPD noted last month.

Mayor Adams last month announced that cops had seized more than 20,000 illegal guns during his administration. The official tally - 20,137 since the start of 2022, including 377 so far this year - is updated daily on the NYPD website. More than 1,400 of the seized weapons were untraceable ghost guns. nydailynews.com

 
'Well-Off, Middle-Aged Women' Fueling Shoplifting Spree?
Middle-class shoplifting: how bougie bandits got in on the act

"Well-off, middle-aged women" are being blamed for a shoplifting spree in Surrey, amid rocketing rates of retail crime by the middle classes.

It seems that most middle-class shoplifting is carried out at big supermarket chains: robbing the comfortable to feed the comfortable. I "helped myself to more than £1,000 of goods" over 12 months, said Samantha Donnelly on the Mail Online. It all started when I forgot to scan a large bag of nappies hanging from my daughter's buggy. My shoplifting escalated before I was eventually caught when, for reasons I'll "never fully understand", I decided to "chance my luck and steal the whole weekly shop".

In an article for The Independent, an anonymous "middle-class shoplifter" described getting a "buzz" after "I took the tag off the organic leeks and pretended they were normal leeks at the checkout". I've since moved on to regular shoplifting, she wrote, including "tins of tomatoes (the posh brands)", "Linwoods seed mix", "organic salmon" and "sourdough crumpets".

It's no surprise that the "middle-class crim with a sense of entitlement" is on the rise, said Zoe Williams in The Guardian. There is "an assumption of middle-class probity", which means "nobody checks my bag" and, "when there's an unidentified item in the bagging area, the assistant will wave it through without a glance". theweek.com
 

Police Tell Store Associates Not To Risk Lives to Stop Theft
MPD warns retail workers to prioritize safety over merchandise
Now Memphis Police (MPD) are urging business owners and workers to prioritize safety over merchandise. "Merchandise can be replaced. Your life can't," said Sgt. Andre Jones of MPD.

"It is very scary when you are coming to work, trying to do your best for your family, and you have to worry about somebody gonna come in and rob you or pull a gun on you," said Rita Ricks, a Dollar General employee. Ricks works at the Dollar General in Raleigh. She said she lives with fear each time she clocks into work.

"Those businesses don't have on-hand security, and any time they know they can get away without confrontation, they will go for it," MPD Sgt. Jones told FOX13. He added: "We're asking the store clerk to be safe, be the best witness they can, give a good description."

"My life cannot be replaced at all, period," Ricks said. "This stuff has insurance. No one has any insurance on my life." fox13memphis.com


Pharmacy Exec's $2M Fraud Scheme
DOJ: Tampa Pharma Exec to Pay Back $2 Million in Stolen Taxpayer Dollars for Role in Medical Fraud Scheme
According to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida, Mihir Taneja, a Florida pharmacy executive, has agreed to repay $2 million in illegally obtained taxpayer dollars to resolve allegations that he violated federal law by orchestrating a medical fraud scheme. Fraudulent reimbursement claims, submitted by Taneja's company for compounded pain and scar creams, were tainted by a kickback arrangement, ultimately leading to improper reimbursements from TRICARE, a federal health insurance program for active and retired military service members and their families.

The allegations in the settlement revolve around Taneja's collaboration with Larry Smith, the owner of Z Stat Medical, LLC, operating as Oldsmar Pharmacy, and Centurion Compounding, a marketing company. The settlement agreement alleges that Taneja and Smith worked out a deal with Centurion that involved paying the company a percentage of the profits from TRICARE reimbursement claims it referred to Oldsmar Pharmacy. Between November 2014 and February 2015, this arrangement resulted in Oldsmar Pharmacy submitting thousands of false claims for compounded drugs, which were all reimbursed by TRICARE - a violation of the False Claims Act.

The settlement is part of an ongoing effort by the U.S. government to tackle a larger issue of fraud targeting TRICARE, particularly in relation to compounded prescriptions. The cost of compounded drugs for TRICARE has escalated dramatically, from $5 million in 2004 to a staggering $1.75 billion as of 2015. These inflated costs, which the Department of Justice says is often driven by fraudulent claims, place a significant burden on taxpayers that fund the federal TRICARE program. newsbreak.com


Upstate NY county is in top 5 statewide for violent crime; search data for all of state

Trump admin deporting illegal immigrants convicted of a crime is wildly popular among New York voters
 

Innovative Security Solutions Deliver Peace of Mind for Restaurant Franchise in High-Crime Area

St. Louis, MO - February 05, 2025 - Interface Systems, a leading managed service provider of security, actionable insights, and purpose-built networks for multi-location businesses, today announced that Nicker Management, a fast-food franchise operator in the Los Angeles area, has successfully implemented Interface's Virtual Security Guard solution. By deploying Interface's advanced security technology, Nicker Management has enhanced safety, reduced operational costs, and provided a secure environment for employees and customers.

Nicker Management, led by sisters Nicole Harper Rawlins (CEO) and Kerri Harper-Howie (Co-owner), operates 24 fast-food restaurants across South LA, Compton, Lynwood, and Carson. Faced with persistent security challenges, including loitering, panhandling, and criminal activity, the company sought a modern, cost-effective solution to protect its employees and guests.

Addressing Critical Security Concerns

"We're faced with lots of challenges with crime, unhoused people, and individuals suffering from mental and/or substance abuse issues," said Harper Rawlins. "It creates significant risk at our restaurants. Over the years, we experimented with a range of security solutions, and hiring on-site guards quickly became costly and unsustainable."

After evaluating various options, Nicker Management chose Interface Systems to implement the Virtual Guard solution at one of its restaurants, ensuring a proactive and scalable approach to security.

How Interface's Virtual Guard Solution Helps Nicker Management:

• 24/7 Monitoring & Rapid Response - Trained intervention specialists continuously monitor restaurant locations to deter loitering, panhandling, and aggressive behavior in real-time.

• Automated Voice-Downs - Proactive announcements throughout the day signal active monitoring and reinforce security presence.

• Virtual Tours - Scheduled and unscheduled remote video assessments help identify threats, suspicious activities, and compliance issues.

• Employee Security Escorts - Live monitoring ensures employees' safe passage to and from their vehicles during vulnerable times such as shift changes, opening, and closing hours.

New York, NY: NYC Diamond District raid allegedly linked to burglary of Bengals QB Joe Burrow's home
Two people were taken into federal custody Tuesday following an investigation linked to the burglary of the home of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, sources tell CBS News New York. Prosecutors arrested and charged Dmitriy Nezhinskiy and Juan Villar with conspiracy to receive stolen property. Nezhinskiy, 43, of North Bergen, New Jersey, and Villar, 48, of Queens, allegedly received stolen luxury goods ripped off by organized South American gangs operating across the U.S., prosecutors say. Those gangs have been targeting multimillion dollar homes nationwide -- allegedly including Burrow's. The two are due in court Wednesday. If convicted of receipt of stolen goods, they could face up to 10 years in prison.  cbsnews.com


Renton, WA: 3 arrested, charged in connection to Renton, WA beauty store thefts
Renton police have identified and arrested three people suspected in an organized retail theft ring targeting cosmetics stores since October 2024. According to authorities, the three are accused of working together to steal more than $143,000 worth of luxury items from stores like Ulta in Renton, Tukwila, Federal Way, Issaquah, Seattle, Auburn, Lakewood and Redmond. FOX 13 Seattle obtained video of these alleged incidents, which appear to show the three discreetly swiping items from shelves and dropping them in their bags, then strolling out the front door without paying. Renton police say the three were coordinating these thefts between October 2024 and early January 2025. Detectives worked with Ulta's loss prevention team to eventually identify and arrest the suspects.  fox13seattle.com


Boardman, OH: Southern Park Mall business reports theft of $10,000 worth of glasses
Detectives are hoping fingerprints will lead them to whoever stole thousands of dollars' worth of glasses from a store at the Southern Park Mall complex. A Boardman Police report doesn't name, but only discloses the address of the store where an employee reported finding $10,000 worth of glasses missing at the start of business Monday morning. Among the items reported missing from a display was a pair of Gucci sunglasses priced at $450. The theft took place sometime between late Saturday and early Monday. Police don't have surveillance videos. However, they are examining fingerprints lifted from the crime scene.  wfmj.com


Nashville, TN: Woman in Organized Retail Crime trio charged with shoplifting
A woman accused of organized retail crime has been arrested seven months after Metro police announced she was wanted on multiple outstanding theft warrants. According to court documents, Melissa Mayes, 25, was arrested by Metro police Monday. News 2 previously reported in 2024 she was wanted by the MNPD alongside her sister, Myiesha Mayes, for stealing thousands of dollars in merchandise from retail stores across Nashville. Since then, more charges have been added. In several theft reports, Mayes was identified alongside Orlexus Elliott, who was arrested in January for 22 shoplifting charges dating back to 2023. According to court documents, the women are accused of carrying out thefts together as there are some overlapping charges between the three. On multiple occasions, Mayes and the other women were identified after posting photos of stolen merchandise on social media after the thefts. Mayes is charged with over $50,000 of shoplifting incidents since April of 2024.   wkrn.com


Menomonee Falls, WI: Best Buy retail theft; $5K value of stolen property

Dauphin County, PA: 2 men charged with stealing $4,000 in merchandise from Dick's Sporting Goods

Rochester, NY: Man charged with $1200 grand larceny after theft at Best Buy / Eastview Mall

Oklahoma City, OK: UPDATE: Suspect identified in $1K theft investigation, says OKCPD