The Great Debate Over Prop 47 & Rampant Theft
California lawmakers want to reverse Prop 47; 'make crime illegal again'

The voter-approved measure has come under intense scrutiny over the past year amid rampant theft across California

As crime continues to concern communities throughout California, Republican state leaders are making efforts to repeal a much-debated measure critics say has emboldened criminals and tied the hands of law enforcement.

In March, state legislators on the General Assembly's Public Safety Committee will conduct a hearing on AB 1599, which would pose the question of Proposition 47 - known as the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act -- to voters once again in an effort to crack down on rampant theft.

The measure was ushered in by voters in 2014 and has been blamed for the many brazen smash-and-grab thefts and shoplifting incidents plaguing cities up and down the state.

"It has essentially legalized theft and open drug use in California, culminating in these unbelievable smash-and-grab robberies," state Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, who is one of three GOP lawmakers who introduced AB 1599 in January. "Voters were egregiously misled about what this would do."

Hailed as a step toward criminal justice reform by supporters, Prop 47 downgraded charges pertaining to certain theft and drug possession crimes from a felony to a misdemeanor if the value of the stolen goods is less than $950. As a result, thieves feel emboldened to commit crimes because of the soft penalties, said Kiley, whose assembly district includes portions of Sacramento County, northeast of San Francisco.

In addition, the measure also allows defendants serving sentences for felony offenses that would have qualified as misdemeanors under the measure to petition courts for re-sentencing under the new misdemeanor provision and authorizes those who have completed their sentences to ask that their convictions be re-classified as misdemeanors.

The new legislation introduced by Kiley and other lawmakers would overturn much of what's in Prop 47 in an effort to "make crime illegal again," he said. foxnews.com

Federal Anti-Theft Bill Passes the House of Representatives
Congress looks to stem mass retail thefts by cracking down on online marketplaces
Legislation that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says would help undercut mass retail thefts passed the House on Friday and has a shot at becoming law. Instead of going after the thieves directly, however, the bills would target how the theft rings make money - fleecing the goods online.

Such burglaries have plagued the Bay Area in recent months, as organized groups have carried out smash-and-grab crimes in San Francisco and beyond, further harming stores and shopping districts already struggling amid the pandemic and the growth of online shopping.

The two retail laws in question - the Inform Consumers Act and Shop Safe Act - have bipartisan sponsors in both chambers, and could survive negotiations to get into the final package. The measures sidestep the thorny questions of how much to criminalize certain behavior or how harshly to prosecute crimes, focusing instead on how thieves make their money.

The INFORM bill would require online marketplaces to collect identifying information like government ID and tax ID from "high-volume" third parties that sell on their platforms, defined as those who make more than 200 sales amounting to $5,000 or more in a year. The Shop Safe bill focuses mostly on counterfeit goods, but would similarly require that marketplaces verify the identity of sellers, require attestations from sellers that their goods are authentic and would hold the marketplaces liable for certain violations.

The Buy Safe America Coalition, a group that represents retailers and industry associations including many that have been plagued by thefts, hailed the Inform Act's passage in the House.

"The INFORM Consumers Act would modernize our nation's consumer protection laws, addressing the sale of counterfeit and stolen merchandise on e-commerce platforms," said Michael Hanson, Buy Safe America Coalition spokesperson. "Our focus now lies on ensuring the Senate advances Inform Consumers as it stands and getting the bill signed into law." securityinfowatch.com

Retail Theft Surging in Southwest Florida
How legislators are working to protect consumers from stolen goods
People steal almost everything from designer clothing, baby formula and even razors from Southwest Florida stores. Authorities say thieves do it most of the time to sell the stolen goods. It's becoming a matter of routine at Crime Stoppers.

If you think retail theft is soaring, you're right, and in the end, you pay for it: "At the end of the day, they're going to jack up the prices of the items that are stolen. So ultimately, it trickles back to the consumer," said Trish Routte with Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers.

Routte puts out the posts that ask for your help locating the many thieves across our area. She said there is a reason people are stealing and stealing specific items. That source sells them online at a very attractive price to buyers.

CVS said they experienced a 300% increase in retail theft since the pandemic began. The Florida Retail Federation said 70% of our retailers reported an uptick in thefts last year.

A new bill working its way through the state legislature. Senate Bill 944 would require eBay and other middlemen between remote sellers and buyers to verify identity and contact information for anyone who sells more than $20,000 a year on a platform.

"If somebody's selling something, one new item in a box on an online platform, it certainly makes sense. Sometimes you have something, you know, one, if you've got 30 products that are in the box brand new, that's a little suspicious. So the legislation is designed to collect a little information about that seller, and really create a better avenue to understanding where the products came from and, and cut off that out for anonymous sales," said Shalley. winknews.com

Nationwide Backlash Over 'Soft-on-Crime' Progressive DAs
They Wanted to Roll Back Tough-on-Crime Policies. Then Violent Crime Surged.

With violent crime rates rising and elections looming, progressive prosecutors are facing resistance to their plans to roll back stricter crime policies of the 1990s.

Four years ago, progressive prosecutors were in the sweet spot of Democratic politics. Aligned with the growing Black Lives Matter movement but pragmatic enough to draw establishment support, they racked up wins in cities across the country.

Today, a political backlash is brewing. With violent crime rates rising in some cities and elections looming, their attempts to roll back the tough-on-crime policies of the 1990s are increasingly under attack - from familiar critics on the right, but also from onetime allies within the Democratic Party.

In San Francisco, District Attorney Chesa Boudin is facing a recall vote in June, stoked by criticism from the city's Democratic mayor. In Los Angeles, the county district attorney, George Gascón, is trying to fend off a recall effort as some elected officials complain about new guidelines eliminating the death penalty and the prosecution of juveniles as adults. Manhattan's new district attorney, Alvin Bragg, quickly ran afoul of the new Democratic mayor, Eric Adams, and his new police commissioner over policies that critics branded too lenient.

The combative resistance is a harsh turn for a group of leaders whom progressives hailed as an electoral success story. Rising homicide and violent crime rates have even Democrats in liberal cities calling for more law enforcement, not less - forcing prosecutors to defend their policies against their own allies. And traditional boosters on the left aren't rushing to their aid, with some saying they've soured on the officials they once backed. nytimes.com

Retailers Get Creative to Fight Theft
Has shoplifting increased since the pandemic?

A new Axios report shows shoplifting has gotten so bad that some national chains like Rite Aid are closing stores and sending terrified employees home.

Retailers that have already been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic are dealing with a new problem: Shoplifting. Industry experts say it's getting out of control and store owners are having to get creative with new security features. But why has shoplifting gotten so bad since the pandemic began?

A new Axios report shows shoplifting has gotten so bad that some national chains like Rite Aid are closing stores and sending terrified employees home. Retailers say a lot of the uptick is due to how easy it is to sell stolen goods online.

The National Retail Federation says gangs typically steal designer clothing, laundry detergent, razors, handbags and deodorant. The NRF also reports that shoplifting losses cost companies anywhere from $700,000 to $1 billion in sales.

But retailers are fighting back by locking up high-theft items and arming more products with security tags. Retailers are also tightening return policies to crack down on stolen product returns for store credit or gift cards. wcnc.com

Crime fears, homeless crisis shaping LA mayor election

DOJ Ramping Up Law Enforcement Efforts For Cryptocurrency
Should be a highly sought after speaker for LE conferences

Justice Department Announces First Director of National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET)

The Justice Department today announced the selection and appointment of Ms. Eun Young Choi to serve as the first Director of the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET).

With the rapid innovation of digital assets and distributed ledger technologies, we have seen a rise in their illicit use by criminals who exploit them to fuel cyberattacks and ransomware and extortion schemes; traffic in narcotics, hacking tools and illicit contraband online; commit thefts and scams; and launder the proceeds of their crimes," said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. "The NCET will serve as the focal point for the department's efforts to tackle the growth of crime involving these technologies. Eun Young is an accomplished leader on cyber and cryptocurrency issues, and I am pleased that she will continue her service as the NCET's inaugural Director, spearheading the department's efforts in this area."

Prior to her service as Senior Counsel to Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, Director Choi began her career at the department as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, where she served as the office's Cybercrime Coordinator and investigated and prosecuted cyber, complex fraud and money laundering crimes, with a particular focus on network intrusions, digital currency, the dark web and national security investigations. justice.gov

   RELATED: FBI to form new cryptocurrency unit

4-Day Workweek Coming to America?
The four-day workweek is gaining ground in Europe. It's time Americans give it a serious look.

As Belgium adopts a shorter workweek, shorter shifts and regular three-day weekends hold growing appeal for workplaces confronting burnout and the 'Great Resignation'

With the "Great Resignation" still in full-swing, and work-induced burnout an official occupational hazard according to the World Health Organization, a growing number of employers - and countries - are rethinking the standard 40-hour workweek. Iceland led the way in experimenting with shorter workweeks, without pay cuts, over several years. The experiment has largely been hailed as a success, with an estimated 86 percent of workers expected to adopt it.

Perhaps the biggest argument in favor of a shorter workweek is that it doesn't seem to harm productivity, counterintuitive as that may seem. The other part is that minds and muscles can function for only so long before fatigue kicks in and starts affecting long-term health. After a certain length of time, most workers start getting diminishing returns on their efforts. After 50 hours in a week, stress-induced damage starts appearing in the form of high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, insulin resistance, and other dangerous symptoms. washingtonpost.com
 
Former top employee of workout supplement manufacturer convicted of misleading consumers
McALLEN, Texas - A 26-year-old former leader at Science Production Products LLC (SPP) admitted he committed a felony relating to importing and selling misbranded drugs.

Robert Lance Schuffert, 28, Auburn, Alabama, entered a guilty plea to one count of importing, causing misbranding and distributing misbranded drugs for sale with the intent to mislead and defraud the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and consumers. He also admitted the company caused SARMs to become misbranded drugs and sold them to workout supplement brick-and-mortar retailers throughout the United States. This included a retailer located in McAllen.

FDA has warned against the use of SARMs like those found in SPP's products. They issued a public safety alert in 2017, which advised consumers against ingesting workout supplement products containing SARMs. The FDA reported that these products were linked to life-threatening reactions, including liver toxicity and increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Schuffert faces up to three years in prison and a possible $10,000 maximum fine. justice.gov

Kroger expanding into Oklahoma City as it builds national delivery network


Quarterly Results

Walmart Inc. Q4 sales were $152.9B up 0.5%, negatively affected by $10.1 billion due to divestitures
   Walmart Q4 U.S. comp's up 5.6%, eCommerce sales grew 1% and 70% on a two-year stack,
   Sam's Club Q4 comp sales increased 10.4%, and 21.2% on a two-year stack,
   Walmart Int'l net sales were $27B, a decrease of $7.9B, or 22.6%, negatively affected by $10.1B due to divestitures

Walmart Inc. FY 2021 total revenue was $572.8 billion, up 2.4%, negatively affected by $32.7 billion related to divestitures
   Walmart U.S. comp sales up 6.4% & 15.0% on a 2-year stack, eCommerce sales grew 11.0% & 90% on a 2-year stack
   Sam's Club comp sales up 9.8% and 21.6% on a two-year stack
   Walmart Int'l net sales down 16.8%, negatively affected by approx. $32.6B related to divestitures.

DoorDash Q4 revenue up 34% Y/Y to $1.3N, Total Orders grew 35% Y/Y to 369M, Marketplace GOV grew 36% Y/Y to $11.2B
   In 2021, over 6M people dashed, earning a total of well over $11B. Monthly active users jumped 22%.
 

Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Senior Manager, Field Safe & Secure job posted for Carvana in Georgia
The Safe & Secure Leader will work closely with the Director of Enterprise Security in supporting the development of the program, but will be primarily focused on implementing and executing the program within our facilities. Key to implementation will be the development of a team of Safe & Secure Protection professionals who can provide partnership and expertise to our facility leaders. indeed.com
 

$250K in merchandise stolen from gaming store; suspect punched hole in wall to avert alarms and motion sensors
Thursday, Jan. 10 was an otherwise normal morning for Mike Johnson. He got to Punch-Out Gaming, the store he co-owns with his brother Eric Johnson at about 9:30 that morning, and opened up shop as usual. But things took a downward turn when he opened the storage area to see shelves in disarray and the entire inventory of Pokemon merchandise gone - and a hole, right through the back wall. He went right through the hole, and saw another hole kicked through both slabs of drywall leading right to another other storage area. He let out a couple expletives, and called Eric, who at first didn't believe what his brother was saying.

"I didn't believe it, because we have 16 4K camera in here, sensors, alarm, like everything - this covers it. If something happens in here, the motion sensors go off, the cops are two blocks away and they'd have been here in 10 seconds, plus my phone would've blown up with notifications," Eric said. "Then he said something about through the neighbors."

That was when Eric rushed over, and saw for himself what his brother had tried to describe. The thief had stolen roughly $250,000 of value in Pokeman cards and merchandise, shuffling it all through the holes he had punched in the wall, thus averting any alarms and motion sensors. hometownsource.com

Palo Alto, CA: Serial ATM Suspect Charged In $50K Jewelry Store Burglary; Nearly $200K in Items & Money Stolen

The man was suspected of 20 commercial burglaries in Santa Clara County, and one of them took place in Palo Alto.

A man charged this week in connection with 20 commercial burglaries around Santa Clara County also stole more than $50,000 in jewelry from a Palo Alto jewelry store last November, according to the Palo Alto Police Department.

Charles Edward Hastings, 42, of San Jose, was suspected in 20 commercial burglaries, in which he and accomplices often used a saw to break into businesses and cart away entire cash-filled automatic teller machines, or ATMs, according to a news release from Deputy District Attorney Gabriella Jarvis.

Hastings has also been charged with committing multiple acts of felony vandalism in connection with the burglaries, which were committed in six different cities across the county. Authorities estimate the value of items and money taken by Hastings is $189,654 and that the cost to repair the damage inflicted by Hastings is $65,200. patch.com

(Update) Blaine, MN: 8 Adults, 2 Juveniles Charged In Blaine Best Buy Mass Theft
Authorities in Blaine say 10 people have been charged in connection with a mass theft at Best Buy on Black Friday. Each of the 10 individuals - eight adults and two juveniles - is charged with felony theft, according to the Blaine Police Department.

Police say the group stole about $5,600 worth of merchandise from the Best Buy on Northtown Drive Nov. 26, 2021. Authorities say they analyzed multiple social media posts to identify suspects in the Blaine grab-and-run. Spears, Ross, Robinson-Love, and Wright were previously charged with felony theft in connection to Best Buy robberies in Maplewood on Black Friday.

The group also stole merchandise from the Best Buy in Burnsville and a Dick's Sporting Goods in Richfield that day, authorities say. Police say a total of $26,000 worth of merchandise was stolen during the mass thefts. minnesota.cbslocal.com

Cedar City, UT: 5 arrested after stealing $4,500 in merchandise from Home Depot
Five people were arrested in Cedar City on Valentines Day after they allegedly stole more than $4,500 worth of merchandise from Home Depot. According to a probable cause statement filed in support of one of the arrests, the group was spotted leaving the store at approximately 1 p.m. Monday. "Officers were informed that the suspects had left the store with a lot of items," the affidavit said, adding that the group was seen leaving the parking lot in a blue SUV. During the ensuing search for the vehicle, a police officer reportedly spotted it pulling into a convenience store gas station near Exit 51 of Interstate 15. The five suspects, who each face one count of theft, a third-degree felony, made their initial court appearance on Wednesday before 5th District Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen. The five continue to be held without bail in Iron County Jail. stgeorgeutah.com

Clarendon, VA: Police investigating grand larceny involving stolen eyeglasses at local business
Arlington County Police are looking for three men who robbed a Clarendon business by force on Wednesday night, according to the daily crime report. Officers responded around 6:13 p.m. or the report of a robbery by force at a business in the 3000 block of Wilson Boulevard. The officers determined the incident was a grand larceny. A preliminary investigation revealed that first one and then two other men entered the business, began grabbing eyeglasses, and then fled the business carrying their stolen merchandise. They then all got into a black sedan and drove away. patch.com

Bethalto, IL: Walgreens ORC effort stopped, one charged, one on the loose
Walgreens employees reported that Yates along with a second unknown male had unlawfully entered a secured area of the store, which leads to where they maintain their high-end liquor. Shortly after officers entered the store, the unknown male exited the restricted area with numerous bottles of liquor in his hands and began fleeing from officers, the chief said. riverbender.com

Menomonee Falls Kohl's theft, $400+ worth of merchandise stolen

Dickson City trio suspected of stealing $400 worth of beauty supplies