Using RFID to Battle Theft Surge
Macy's Aims RFID at Organized Retail Theft

Radio-frequency identification chips provide insights into where, when and what items are being stolen, says Macy's vice president of asset protection

Amid a recent spate of high-profile thefts targeting retailers nationwide, Macy's Inc. said it is leaning on radio-frequency identification technology for asset protection.

RFID chips tagged to merchandise provide the retailer real-time information on where and when certain products are being stolen, said Joe Coll, vice president of asset protection, operations and strategy at Macy's. RFID data can also inform the chain on where best to focus security in stores, he said.

Strategies combating retail theft have become especially important during a surge in organized retail crime-incidents where items are stolen in order to be resold. Recent high-profile "flash mob" thefts at stores like Nordstrom Inc., Best Buy Co. Inc. and Louis Vuitton have brought national attention to the issue.

In retail scenarios, RFID can take the form of stickers with a metallic overlay attached to an item's tags, said Sandeep Unni, a senior director analyst in Gartner's retail industry research practice. The technology isn't new, and retailers have been experimenting with it since the early 2000s with varying degrees of success, he said, adding that its most common use is for inventory tracking and management.

At Macy's, data is collected when the identification chip passes through "smart exits" equipped with sensors, according to Mr. Coll. Macy's can then access the relevant video footage and determine which criminals took which merchandise, he added.

The technology also gives Macy's the ability to understand what types of items were more likely to be stolen at what times of year, Mr. Coll said. Winter coats, for instance, were a huge target for thieves in the late summer and early fall, he said.

After Macy's introduced the technology to the asset-protection side of the business in 2016, sensors were placed at both customer and employee exits, Mr. Coll said. The store was immediately able to identify employees-some of whom had worked at the company for over 20 years and never been under investigation-stealing merchandise, he said. wsj.com

Florida Theft Bill One Step Closer to Becoming Law
House committee advances bill tackling organized retail theft

The bill comes as authorities scramble to stop a nationwide crime retail crime wave.

Lawmakers took another step Tuesday toward cracking down on organized crime in Florida. Under a proposal (HB 1511) by Newberry Republican Rep. Chuck Clemons, the state would levy stiffer penalties against thieves who steal from multiple stores within a short period of time.

The House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Subcommittee OK'd the bill with a 15-3 vote. It will appear next before the House Judiciary Committee, marking the bill's final committee stop.

The proposal comes as lawmakers nationwide wrestle with a wave of organized shoplifting rings. The crime - coined "boosting" - involves multiple thieves coordinating to steal multiple items across different retailers.

The thieves often return the merchandise later for a store credit or sell the merchandise online, the latter of which makes it nearly impossible for law enforcement to trace, according to a staff analysis.

But in an effort to deter organized theft, the bill would subject perpetrators to a third-degree felony if they commit five or more retail thefts within a 30-day period and steal 10 or more items from at least two different locations. Those who steal 20 or more items, meanwhile, may face a second-degree felony.

"This is becoming a larger and larger problem not only in Florida, but across the nation," Clemons said.

Attorney General Ashley Moody is among the bill's proponents. In early February, she stressed the measure's importance on Fox Business and suggested criminals may have more luck in cities with "liberal executives." floridapolitics.com

Seattle's New ORC Partnership
Seattle, King County prosecutors will partner on organized retail theft
The King County Prosecutor's Office and the Seattle city attorney are launching a new partnership to tackle organized retail theft. The move comes as local merchants say they've seen an increase in high-volume shoplifting. They partly blame the increase on third-party sellers who unload stolen products online.

Leesa Manion is Chief of Staff for the King County Prosecutor's Office. Her office met with members of the Seattle City Attorney's office, the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, and the Downtown Seattle Association in late January to launch the effort.

Manion said her office is looking at combining multiple misdemeanor offenses into a single felony charge.

"We in the King County Attorney's Office may have the ability to aggregate those cases and file them as felonies," she said. "It is the idea of bringing together multiple acts, aggregating the value of the theft, aggregating the number of crimes, the number of thefts, and combining those into a felony filing."

Manion said their threshold for felony prosecution is $7,500 in stolen merchandise. Anything between $2,000-$7,500 gets filed as a misdemeanor that is charged as an expedited crime in district court.

This week, Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison also announced a new policy to promptly charge new misdemeanor crimes. She said her office will now make a filing decision within five days once criminal cases are referred to them from the Seattle Police Department.

Previously, the office put new cases at the back of the line, while addressing the thousands of cases that built up during the court closures of the pandemic. But Davison said that means victims and defendants could have to wait up to two years to get the case resolved. With this change, she said new cases will be charged more quickly.

"We must close the time gap between when a crime is committed - which is our opportunity to intervene with someone engaged with criminal activity - and shorten that time to when we decide what we are going to do in response," she said. kuow.org

Associate AG Vanita Gupta Delivers Remarks at Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA) Winter Conference | Washington, DC ~ Tuesday, February 8, 2022
This relationship is especially important today. Law enforcement faces unprecedented challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, low officer morale, staffing shortages and a rise in violent crime. And the recent spate of killings of officers is simply gut-wrenching and unacceptable.

Last year, the department invested $4 billion in programs to reduce violent crime, strengthen communities, and enhance officer wellness. We hope that Congress will pass the President's budget which would give DOJ $7 billion - that would be an additional $2.5 billion over what we had this year - to do even more.

As the Attorney General just highlighted, reducing violent crime is a top priority for the department. justice.gov

Super Bowl LVI Security Operation
LAPD & LA County Sheriff's Department are leading the security effort along with federal partners, including 500 Homeland Security officials

Feds prepare 'extensive' Super Bowl security operations, no 'credible, specific' threats, coordinator says

Local law enforcement are leading the charge, but the FBI, Secret Service, Defense Department & DHS are helping secure the big game

The federal coordinator for security at Super Bowl LVI said Wednesday he's "cautiously optimistic and comfortable" about security plans leading up to the game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, in less than two weeks, noting that "extensive manpower" is being deployed to protect the stadium and public.

Security will be led by the local agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, with federal partners such as the FBI, U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Fans attending the game can expect an enormous police presence at the stadium, which will have a tightly monitored security perimeter. Meanwhile patrol officers, tactical teams, canine units and paramedics will be been deployed across Los Angeles County.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said at least 500 members of his department are devoted to safety for the big game, including agents focused on ferreting out cyber threats and preventing human trafficking.

There are currently no known "credible, specific threats" to the Super Bowl, Jesse Baker said, but added that "you don't want to say that we've had a failure of imagination ... A perimeter can only go so far."

The Federal Aviation Administration has designated the Los Angeles area a 'No Drone Zone' for the Super Bowl, prohibiting drones within a 30-nautical-mile radius of the stadium up to 18,000 feet in altitude from 2:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. PST on February 13, 2022.

The Super Bowl is designated a "Special Event Assessment Rating Level 1", which means the local police department is in charge of security, but a federal security coordinator is appointed to provide support, manage federal assets and work with the local jurisdiction.

CBP helicopters and Defense Department fighter jets will be available to help protect the air space, Baker said. Cyber threats have also been examined ahead of the game. cnn.com  yourbasin.com lasvegassun.com

Homeland Security On Alert For Counterfeit Super Bowl Merch in Malls
Super Bowl fraud: How homeland Security targets counterfeit merchandise
With the Super Bowl LVI set to take place Sunday in Los Angeles, a major concern for visiting fans will be avoiding counterfeit game merchandise. From street corners and swap meets, to flea markets and even inside malls, Homeland Security Investigations has a targeted approach to stopping vendors that prey on unsuspecting fans in Super Bowl host cities.

"From the day after one Super Bowl, we start working on the next city. So, for this year, in L.A., we started this last year back in Tampa," said Lamar Jackson, the assistant special agent of L.A. Homeland Security.

Jackson said it may seem like a harmless crime, but lead investigators say the money acquired for a fake jersey, hat or T-shirt, is often used elsewhere for something more egregious.

"Whether its gangs using it to buy firearms, or terrorists using it to fund terrorist operations, the proceeds are often used to fund other crimes," Jackson said.

Just in the year leading up to last year's Super Bowl in Tampa, Homeland Security's "Operation Team Player" seized over $45 million in counterfeit NFL merchandise.

While there is no federally mandated minimum sentence for selling fake merch, trafficking counterfeit goods can land someone up to 10 years in prison for a first offense, and 20 years for a second.

They can't catch them all. Fans traveling to L.A. for the Super Bowl are advised to be vigilant and check merchandise for some sure-fire signs, starting with the 3D NFL logo hologram. Plus, don't be afraid to examine jerseys hands on or turn them inside out. wdtn.com

The Big Game: Officials ramping up Super Bowl security

Authorities: No known threats to Super Bowl or LA region

Eyes in the skies provide extra Super Bowl security

From the Feb. 3 Daily: LA Crime & Homelessness Could Disrupt Super Bowl
 

US: 78.5M Cases - 932.4K Dead - 48.8M Recovered
Worldwide: 401.8M Cases - 5.7M Dead - 321.5M Recovered

Former Senior Loss Prevention Executive
Know of any fallen LP exec? Let's remember & recognize.

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 346   Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 635
*Red indicates change in total deaths

COVID Cases, Hospitalizations & Deaths

Omicron is Fading Quickly - But What Comes Next?
As Omicron recedes, Americans unsure on how to live with pandemic long-term

New Axios/Ipsos poll shows two-thirds do not believe it's possible for the U.S. to eradicate the coronavirus within the next year

With COVID-19 cases starting to decline across the nation, the American public is completely divided on how to handle the pandemic in the near term, according to the latest Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index.

As the country wrestles with how to move on (or not), one thing is clear: two in three Americans do not believe we will be able to eradicate the coronavirus in the next year.

In coming to grips with the fact that COVID isn't going away, seven in ten say they are likely to get an annual shot, if the COVID-19 vaccine becomes something that requires an annual booster (like a flu shot). ipsos.com

The End of Mask Mandates?
New York joins several other U.S. states in rolling back mask mandates

New York joins California, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, and Oregon in rolling back at least some mask mandates

Gov. Kathy Hochul will drop New York's stringent indoor mask mandate on Wednesday, ending a requirement that businesses ask customers for proof of full vaccination or require mask-wearing at all times, and marking a turning point in the state's coronavirus response, according to three people briefed on her decision.

The decision will eliminate a rule that prompted legal and interpersonal clashes over mask wearing, especially in conservative parts of New York. It was set to expire on Thursday and would have required renewing.

The easing of New York's pandemic restrictions on businesses comes as Democratic-led states from New Jersey to California have announced similar moves this week, in a loosely coordinated effort. The moves highlight how even local officials who installed sweeping safety measures early in the pandemic are now preparing to live permanently with the virus.

Shortly after the New Jersey announcement, the Democratic leaders in California, Connecticut, Delaware and Oregon separately said they would also end some mask mandates. nytimes.com

Illinois Expected to Roll Back Mask Mandate
Gov. JB Pritzker to announce Illinois mask mandate changes Wednesday

Chicago mask mandate update: If statewide requirement lifted, individual municipalities can impose own rules

Sources briefed on the matter said Gov. JB Pritzker will announce plans Wednesday to start rolling back the statewide indoor mask mandate at some locations.

The governor recently hinted at imminent changes, saying at a news conference, "We've been watching this very closely and are very close to making announcements, so you'll be hearing about that very shortly."

The source said the changes will impact malls, restaurants, bars and places of business, but not schools. Schools are governed by a separate mandate, and will be addressed separately.

"Because it's such a central focus of communities, and literally sometimes thousands of people are interacting in a school, we've got to be very careful about how we remove those mask mandates," Pritzker said previously.

A downstate judge's ruling against the school mandate and the governor's subsequent appeal have led to protests and confusion in districts across the state. The source said the mandate for those other locations will be lifted by March 1. abc7chicago.com

CDC Disagrees with Loosening Mask Policies
Covid-19 cases, hospitalizations still too high for changes to mask guidance, CDC director says
The head of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is standing by the agency's mask guidelines, emphasizing Tuesday that now is not the time to change the recommendations or loosen restrictions aimed at preventing Covid-19.

The CDC "still recommends that all schools encourage students to wear well-fitting masks consistently and while indoors. And that's consistent with our guidance that still also recommends that people mask in public indoor settings in areas of high or substantial transmission," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a radio interview with WYPR's Tom Hall on Tuesday's edition of the show "Midday."

A growing number of states, from California to Delaware, have announced this week their intentions to drop indoor mask mandates in the coming days. Some others, like Connecticut and New Jersey, are eliminating mask mandates in schools. cnn.com

Post-Omicron Retail Boom Coming?
As COVID Fades, Signs Point To Late Feb-Early March Retail Foot Traffic Surge
A recent report from location intelligence researcher PlaceIQ forecasts a significant surge in retail foot traffic by the end of this month, while both COVID case counts and Google searches for "COVID" have fallen sharply, driving volumes have passed pre-pandemic levels and radio listening levels have recovered.

Omicron variant-driven cases, which took off just before Christmas, peaked in mid-January and have fallen 57% over the past two weeks in the U.S., according to the New York Times. At the same time, COVID searches based on Google Trends data have followed suit.

"Right at the end of December, the search volume for the word 'COVID' was higher than at any period over the past two years, but in the past two weeks there's been a sharp drop-off," Bouvard says, citing search volumes down from mid-January's 83 index to early February's 32.

As a result, PlaceIQ's prediction is for in-store activity to increase by late February or early March, starting with casual restaurants and shopping malls, those being most reactive to changes in foot traffic.

"In the short term, we're looking at a uniformly tired population who is likely ready to bolt out the door once the all-clear is sounded for this wave, just like last year," its report says. "We strongly suggest you make preparations to capture and ride this wave of enthusiasm." insideradio.com

CVS tops expectations as customers get vaccinated
CVS Health reported that COVID-19 vaccines and store pickup of prescriptions were contributing factors in an eight percent gain in fourth quarter sales. The company's profits rose nearly 33 percent during the quarter. apnews.com
 
Coming Soon to the U.S.?
Denmark, Overflowing With Virus Cases, Embraces a 'Bring It On' Attitude

L.A. County still weeks away from lifting indoor mask mandate

Identity Thieve Hits Twice - Hired as Director of Accounting & Then Comptroller & Pays $2.4M to His Shell Companies
Talk about the Double Insider Threat - I9 Forms? Ban-the-Box Stings - Background Screening?

Danville ILL., Man Gets 8.5 Yrs. Prison for Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, & Money Laundering in Two Different Jurisdictions
Jeffery T. Henson (also known by the alias, Matthew Burns), 44, obtained high-paying jobs by using stolen identities to avoid his prospective employers learning of his long criminal history involving multiple prior convictions for theft and computer fraud. In addition to the sentence of imprisonment, Judge Bruce ordered Henson to pay restitution of $436,496 to a Danville employer and $2,047,424 to a Chicago-area employer.

Henson pretended to be an online job recruiter to obtain the personal identifying information of a job seeker. He then used the stolen personal information to obtain a job in that person's name as the Director of Accounting at a Schaumburg, Illinois, consulting firm. Once employed, Henson set up fraudulent companies with names similar to legitimate vendors of the consulting firm and used his position to forge company checks and direct them to his fraudulently created companies. Henson defrauded the firm of over $2 million before he fled the Chicago area and moved to Danville in 2018.

In Danville he did the same scheme and was hired as Comptroller of Watchfire Signs and defrauded them for over $400,000. justice.gov

Retail's War for Workers
Apple Ups Benefits for Retail Workers in Tightening Labor Market
Apple Inc. plans to significantly increase its benefits for U.S. retail store workers as it grapples with a tightening labor market and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The company, which operates around 270 stores in the U.S., is making changes for both full-time and part-time employees, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the move hasn't been announced publicly.

The iPhone maker plans to adopt the following changes for U.S. workers beginning on April 4:

● Doubling paid sick days for both full-time and part-time workers. The days can be used for mental health leave and taking family members to the doctor. This change will give full-time workers 12 paid sick days, instead of six.

● Workers will receive more annual vacation days, beginning at three years of employment instead of five.

● Part-time employees will now get as many as six paid vacation days for the first time. Another first: They'll get paid parental leave. That benefit will cover up to six weeks and will include the ability to gradually ramp up work time for the first four weeks back.

● Part-time workers also will get access to discounted emergency backup care for children or elderly family members.

An Apple spokesman confirmed the changes, saying they were in development for several months. bloomberg.com
 
Union Busting at Starbucks?
Starbucks fires 7 involved in Memphis union push
Starbucks fired seven workers who were involved in unionizing in Memphis, Tennessee, fueling accusations that the company is retaliating against a growing labor movement at its locations across the United States.

Starbucks denied that the firings were linked to the employees' organizing efforts. A company spokesman, Reggie Borges, said the workers were fired for serious security violations. The firings stem from an incident last month in which the employees allowed members of the media into the store as part of the public launch of their unionization effort.

Borges told CNN Business that Starbucks employees are allowed to speak freely with media if they choose, but that the members of the press and some of the staff did not have authorization to be in the store after the close of business. The employees allowed the media into the private back-of-house area while leaving an unlocked door unattended, Borges said. Another staffer opened a safe when they weren't authorized to do so. dailynews.com

J.C. Penney launches new menswear brand