Migrant Crisis Fueling Retail Crime & Violence

Migrants Fueling Retail Crime in Big Cities
'Ghost Criminals': NYC migrant allegedly ran sophisticated robbery crew
Police are hunting for the leader of a group of migrant "ghost criminals" who have allegedly robbed more than 60 people in New York City over the past few months, authorities said. Victor Parra, 30, who came to New York from Venezuela last year, is the alleged leader of the robbery crew that used mopeds to snatch phones and wallets from over 60 victims citywide, police said.

The phones would then be sent to Parra, where he paid a tech guy to hack the phones, clear out the victims' bank accounts, and make fraudulent purchases, police said. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been stolen from the victims. The phones would then be sent to Columbia, police said.

The scooter operators made $100 a day and the phone snatchers were paid between $300-$600 per phone, according to NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny.

"These perpetrators are part of a sophisticated criminal enterprise made up of immigrants who have recently arrived in the United States," Kenny said at a press briefing Monday. "This network of thieves predominantly lives in the migrant shelter system."

Investigators have had difficulty tracking some of the suspects because there are no photos, social media presence, or even names, in some cases, according to NYPD Commissioner Eddie Caban. Most of the suspects don't know each other.

"They're essentially ghost criminals," Caban said. pix11.com


Migrant Attack on NYPD Officers Sparks Backlash Against Prosecutors
Brawl between migrants and police in NY's Times Square touches off backlash
A video showing a group of migrants brawling with police in Times Square has touched off a political furor and renewed debate over a long-standing New York City policy that limits cooperation between local police and federal immigration authorities.

The surveillance footage, recorded Jan. 27 outside a Manhattan homeless shelter, shows several men kicking officers on a sidewalk and trying to pry them off a man police had taken to the ground. Police have arrested seven people in connection with the attack, though prosecutors dropped charges against one person they say may not have been involved.

Nobody was seriously hurt, but the video of officers being pummeled has prompted waves of public outrage. Some of that fury has been directed at prosecutors and the court system after several of those arrested were freed from jail while awaiting trial. apnews.com

   Scooter-riding migrants drag woman down street & into pole in 'wave of migrant crime'


Calif. Governor Sends 120 Officers to Oakland Amid 'Alarming' Crime Surge
'900% increase in state law enforcement personnel'

Newsom sending 120 California Highway Patrol officers to Oakland to crack down on 'alarming' crime surge

Newsom says Oakland crime surge 'unacceptable,' residents 'deserve' sense of safety

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday announced he is deploying over 100 California Highway Patrol officers to Oakland and the surrounding area plagued by a surging crime wave that has prompted some businesses to close or hire security guards to protect workers.

The law enforcement surge operation will send 120 officers to Oakland and the East Bay to work on a targeted crackdown on criminal activity, including vehicle theft, retail theft and violent crime, Newsom's office said in a news release.

"As crime rates across California decrease - including right across the Bay in San Francisco - Oakland is seeing the opposite trend," Newsom said in the release. "What's happening in this beautiful city and surrounding area is alarming and unacceptable. I'm sending the California Highway Patrol to assist local efforts to restore a sense of safety that the hardworking people of Oakland and the East Bay demand and deserve."

The effort marks a 900% increase in state law enforcement personnel in those areas, according to the governor's office.

Crime in Oakland is rising at a disproportionate rate compared to other urban centers in California, officials said, noting increases in violent crime, robbery and vehicle theft by 21%, 38% and 45%, respectively, in 2023.

The rampant crime prompted Oakland's only In-N-Out and Denny's restaurants to close after years of providing food for the city's residents. foxnews.com


Mixed Reaction to Newsom's Plan
Will CHP deployment into Oakland lead to a drop in crime?

Some 120 officers are expected to target vehicle theft, retail theft and violent crime

Gov. Newsom promised that the swell of CHP officers - who began their deployment Tuesday - will work with local agencies to tackle a broad range of criminal activity, including vehicle theft, retail theft, cargo theft and violent crime. The boost will include "specialized units" as well as "advanced investigative technology," though the governor's statement offered few details as to what those measures might entail.

The influx represents a nine-fold increase in the number of CHP personnel in Oakland and Alameda County and comes amid stubbornly high crime rates in Oakland and a wave of business closings often attributed to robberies and car-break-ins. Unlike other major cities, Oakland's precipitous rise in crime since 2020 still has yet to recede to pre-pandemic levels.

It also arrives in a region long suspicious of law enforcement after a host of policing scandals and violent encounters - among them the June 2020 killing of Erik Salgado by CHP officers.

Community violence prevention nonprofits and police accountability groups voiced distrust of a plan to thrust so many new officers into a region in so little time. Ricardo Garcia-Acosta, director of Community Peace at the violence prevention nonprofit CURYJ, questioned why he had only heard of the surge from media reports - saying "we as a community-based provider are in the dark." mercurynews.com

   RELATED: Rising crime risks turning Oakland into a 'ghost town'


Another Theft Task Force Making Progress in a ORC Hot Spot
Portland, OR: Multnomah County DA says theft task forces are working to catch worst offenders
Local law enforcement agencies say a targeted effort to combat organized retail theft and auto theft in Multnomah County is working. On Monday, county and law enforcement leaders met at the Multnomah County Courthouse to highlight accomplishments which they attributed to their Auto Theft and Organized Retail Theft Task Forces.

"Today we can say that those investments have paid off," said Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt. The DA's office launched the task forces in May 2023 with the goal of targeting the most prolific offenders in retail and auto theft.

The Multnomah County District Attorney's office noted several accomplishments they attributed to their task forces:

Retail theft

• Case issuance rates for theft are at 77% - a seven-year high.

• The Task Force has trained over 375 retail employees.

• The Task Force has indicted 10 high-profile cases, representing $164,143 in retail theft and $125,038 in organized retail theft.

• 2023 retail theft missions led by PPB have resulted in more than: 300 arrests, 144 felony charges, and 238 misdemeanor charges. kgw.com

   RELATED: Portland struggles with increasing retail thefts


Violent, property crime in Las Cruces goes down slightly in 2023
Despite more calls for service when compared to 2022, crime declined in 2023 according to the Las Cruces Police Department. According to the statistics, there was a 4 percent decrease in total violent and property crime from 2022 to 2023 compared to a 23 percent increase in the same crimes from 2021 to 2022.  lcsun-news.com


Gainesville crime data for 2023 shows uptick in violent and property crimes

Salt Lake City property crime has dropped since 2019, Tribune analysis shows
 

Surge of Security Resources Swarms Las Vegas Ahead of Big Game
Downtown Las Vegas intensifies security for Super Bowl festivities
Along with the excitement comes a serious job. K9 teams with Protective Force International working to keep the pedestrian mall safe. "We're a very specialized unit that augments existing security," says CEO and Chief of Security Jonathan Alvarez.

From now through Super Bowl Sunday, he says it's all hands on deck. "During F1 it was condensed to the Strip, so all our resources were condensed there," explains Alvarez. "Now with the Super Bowl, everyone is celebrating so our teams are spread out throughout the whole valley."

Along with Protective Force, a new substation on Fremont Street houses both Metro Police and City Marshals. With downtown planning three full nights of free concerts leading up to the Super Bowl, security will be tight.

"We are so prepared. We have been waiting for this for years," says Andrew Simon, President, and CEO of Fremont Street Experience. "It (the Super Bowl) is probably going to be the first of many (in Las Vegas). After we do one, they're going to want to come back."

Protective Force International will be on so many properties, Alvarez is hiring. "We're looking for military and ex-law enforcement professionals. National guardsmen, reservists," he says. news3lv.com


4,500 Super Bowl Counterfeits Worth $1M Already Seized
Super Bowl Safety: Law enforcement cracking down on human trafficking, counterfeit merchandise
With Super Bowl festivities this week and the big game Sunday, security is tight. There are layers of security. This week there are a number of local, state, and federal agencies working together to keep everyone safe.

At a joint news conference Monday, law enforcement shared they now have resources in place looking for human trafficking and its victims. One strategy to deter this type of crime is a large police presence, not only at the Super Bowl events, but also at places like the airport.

Agencies are also honing in on counterfeit merchandise sales. "Last year alone, we seized just under $23 million in counterfeit sports merchandise," Davies revealed.

Hundreds of thousands of people will be in Vegas this week ahead of the big game and they are all a target of people trying to sell illegal fan apparel and goods, even Super Bowl rings and Lombardi trophies.

Just this past weekend, more than 4,500 counterfeit items worth just under $1 million were already seized. This operation will continue through Super Bowl weekend and into the week after. Homeland Security also explained the negative impacts these sales can have on all parties involved.  fox5vegas.com


DHS Watching for Super Bowl Fakes Too
Homeland Security closely watching for Super Bowl counterfeit merchandise
The US Department of Homeland Security is ramping up its presence in Las Vegas ahead of the Super Bowl. This includes cracking down on counterfeit merchandise.

Every year, Homeland Security investigators come across bogus merchandise during the Super Bowl. Many buyers are unaware they're purchasing counterfeit jerseys, hats or even rings. Investigators typically find the merchandise at flea markets or with street vendors. wnyt.com


WATCH: Las Vegas prepares for Super Bowl with beefed up security

LVMPD plans 'tunnel sweeps' of homeless people as part of Super Bowl security
 

$4.4M Sexual Assault Case Against McDonald's
The case prompted a strike by McDonald's workers in 12 cities

McDonald's franchisee agrees to pay $4.4M after manager sexually assaulted teen
A franchisee of fast food giant McDonald's has agreed to pay a teenage girl $4.4 million to settle her lawsuit over having been sexually assaulted by a Pittsburgh-area restaurant manager who was a registered sex offender, the victim's lawyers announced on Monday.

The deal between the girl, who was 14 at the time of the 2021 sexual assault, and McDonald's franchisee Rice Enterprises LLC, compensates her for the attack by Walter A. Garner in the restaurant bathroom. At the time, Garner, now 44, had served prison time and was listed on the Megan's Law website for sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl.

The lawsuit helped prompt an October 2021 strike by workers in 12 U.S. cities, an effort to get the company to better address what they described as an ongoing problem of sexual harassment and violence in McDonald's stores.

Through a McDonald's spokesperson, Rice Enterprises said it fired Garner as soon as they learned of the allegations against him in 2021.

"Since then, we've redoubled our efforts to ensure a positive and respectful experience for all employees in our restaurants, and our organization maintains a zero-tolerance policy for harassment of any kind," Rice Enterprises said in the emailed statement. The company said it puts new hires through "safe and respectful workplace training" and has enhanced security. myjournalcourier.com


Israel-Hamas War & Boycotts Impacting Sales
McDonald's and Starbucks blame the Israel-Hamas war for slower sales - and the recovery might take a while

McDonald's and Starbucks both said the Israel-Hamas war and related boycotts hurt their sales in the latest quarter.

McDonald's and Starbucks, two of the biggest U.S. restaurant companies, both said the Israel-Hamas war hurt their sales at the end of last year.

The two restaurant giants became some of the largest U.S. companies to say the Middle East conflict hurt their sales - and will likely hit demand in future quarters, as well. It is unclear whether other restaurant companies will see a similar downturn.

Starbucks became a target of boycotts when Starbucks Workers United, which represents hundreds of the chain's unionized cafes, posted in support of Palestinians, leading to backlash from conservatives. Starbucks sought to distance itself from the tweet, which the union deleted, and sued Workers United for trademark infringement. cnbc.com


NYC McDonald's sued by man who claims Big Mac nearly killed him

Super Bowl LVII Party Costs Might Be Lower for Big Game Spreads

Defending Against Retail Cyber Threats
How to Battle Retail Cyber Security Threats and Win
Businesses that invest in solutions to protect against the top retail cyber security threats position themselves for a safer and more prosperous 2024.

Ransomware Still a Top Threat

According to a report by Corvus Insurance, ransomware attacks increased by 95 percent in 2023. Ransomware can affect everything from e-commerce platforms to POS systems, customer databases, and inventory management systems.

To prevent ransomware attacks and minimize the damage they cause, retailers need to strengthen endpoint protection and email fortifications. Geo blocking will help prevent foreign hackers from accessing business systems. Additionally, retailers should assess and improve their data backup and recovery practices.

E-commerce Threats Require Multi-faceted Approach

Protecting against e-commerce attacks requires a multi-faceted approach, beginning with multi-factor authentication and strong password policies. Timely patch management for all systems also helps to close vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit. And improved security awareness training for employees will educate them about social engineering techniques.

Data Skimming Prevalent Online and on POS Systems

To protect credit card data, retailers should implement firewalls to control traffic between the POS network and external networks. They should also inspect card readers regularly for tampering and quickly install the latest security patches to keep hackers from exploiting known vulnerabilities. And they should ensure data encryption both in transit and at rest.

Access Management Critical to Address Supply Chain Attacks

To guard against supply chain attacks, retailers must strengthen access management. Zero trust architecture, for instance, requires identity verification every time any user, device, or application attempts to access the system. Additionally, privileged access management will provide visibility into the actions taken by privileged accounts that hackers may target.

Mitigate Retail Cyber Security Threats with Comprehensive Solution: emazzanti.net


Young People Fueling Crime In Stores & Online
Teens Committing Scary Cybercrimes: What's Behind the Trend?

Crypto theft, sextortion tactics, swattings, and ransomware: teenagers are increasingly taking up cybercrime for fun and profit - and experts credit an array of contributing factors.

The rise of teens committing serious cybercrimes on a large scale - and doing real harm is the process - has become hard to ignore. What's driving the scary trend?

Recent reports include a 17-year-old from California who cops allege was behind hundreds of swattings and bomb threats against various targets, including mosques, FBI offices and agents, and historically Black colleges, according to CNN.

Then there's Wizz, a dating app for teens similar to Tinder. It was yanked off the Google Play and Apple stores in late January, after it was discovered cybercriminals were using the platform to lure kids into participating in and becoming victims of "financial sextortion," according to reports.

"Curiosity, isolation, financial pressure, the thrill of the challenge, misguided idealism, and even peer pressure can all play a role can all lure teens to cybercrime," according to Sarah Jones, a cyber threat research analyst at Critical Start. "Teens might innocently explore vulnerabilities, seek acceptance in online communities (even those centered on cybercrime), be tempted by quick money, view it as a game, or hold misplaced beliefs about their actions supporting a cause."  darkreading.com


Another Top Threat in 2024: Deepfakes
Deepfaked video conference call makes employee send $25 million to scammers
A deepfake video conference call paired with social engineering tricks has led to the theft of over US$25 million from a multinational firm, the South China Morning Post has reported.

The attack started with messages sent to several of the firm's employees, but it seems that only one - employed in the finance department of the company's Hong Kong branch's - was ultimately bamboozled.

According to the SCMP, the employee's suspicion were raised when they received the message, purportedly by the company's UK-based Chief Financial Officer, asking the employee to carry out a secret transaction. But they have been later quelled by a group video conference to which the employee was invited.

Present in the video conference were the company's CFO, other company staff and even outsiders - or so it seemed.

In reality, the fraudsters used previous video and audio footage and artificial intelligence technology to create the illusion these individuals were present on the call and make these digital recreations "speak" to pull off the illusion. helpnetsecurity.com


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