Criminals Posing as Migrants 'Turning Suburban Malls into Danger Zones'
Migrant gang members are terrorizing these cities, and soft-on-crime Dems abetting the mayhem

Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, feared for how it tortures its victims, is setting up shop in New York City

Criminals posing as asylum seekers are turning American cities into war zones. The Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, feared for how it tortures its victims, is setting up business in New York City, police sources reveal.

Gang members recruit migrants from shelters and as they come off buses from Texas, putting them to work in retail theft rings or on mopeds, grabbing phones and handbags and roughing up pedestrians.

"This is organized crime. It's just like the Mafia," says Paul DiGiacomo, president of the NYC Detectives' Endowment Association.

NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban warns of a "wave of migrant crime." Migrants in moped gangs and retail theft rings, some carrying guns, are terrorizing the Big Apple, Yonkers and New Jersey.

Two-man teams snatch pedestrians' phones and deliver them to Tren de Aragua stash houses, where professional hackers make fraudulent banking transactions and drain cash from all accounts. Then the phones are wiped clean and shipped to South America for resale.

Chicago is also being terrorized. There, professional criminals enlist migrants from the shelters to raid luxury stores at the suburban Oakbrook Center shopping mall, 20 miles west of downtown. These migrants wouldn't have a clue where Oak Brook, an upscale suburb, is, or how to get there without the criminal masterminds.

South American gangs are turning suburban malls into danger zones, explains retired Riverside, Illinois, Police Chief Tom Weitzel. "You're at one of the suburban malls... pushing your kids in a stroller" and you can get caught in the violence, he said in an interview with Fox News. foxnews.com


'California Retail Theft Reduction Act' Focusing on 'Professional Thieves'
Stiffer penalties for shoplifting, retail theft? State lawmakers propose new bill
Nearly four months after forming a bipartisan select committee and two hearings later, state Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas announced legislation Thursday to combat shoplifting and organized retail theft.

He joined Democratic Assemblymembers Rick Zbur of Los Angeles and Kevin McCarty of Sacramento to unveil the California Retail Theft Reduction Act, which Rivas described as "critical legislation" to address "a serious crime that's hurting businesses and impacting our communities."

Focusing on "professional retail thieves," Zbur said the measure would create a new crime with a penalty as long as three years behind bars for possession of stolen property with the intent to sell. Because "intent to sell" can be difficult to prove in court, evidence can include repeated offenses or possessing an amount of goods that is "inconsistent with personal use."

Other key provisions of the bill, according to Zbur:

• Aggregation: The value of thefts from different retailers can be added up so they can be prosecuted as grand theft.

• Resellers: Online sellers would be required to maintain records to show that goods were obtained legally, and large retailers would be required to report "theft data" (though details remain unclear).

• Enforcement: Police could arrest shoplifters based on a witness's sworn statement or video footage of a crime.

• Intervention: Courts could refer some shoplifters to alternative programs instead of jail or prison.

Thursday's measure is in response to a 29% jump in 2022 in shoplifting (though the rate was still 8% below pre-pandemic levels), including some high-profile smash-and-grabs. Also, there was a 16% rise in commercial burglaries of items totaling more than $950 between 2019 and 2022, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.

The $950 is the threshold set by Proposition 47, which voters approved in 2014, to prosecute shoplifting as a felony. Zbur noted that the new bill could be enacted and signed into law without a ballot measure to overhaul Prop. 47, which Republican lawmakers and some Democrats propose. sfstandard.com

   Related coverage of California's new theft bill:

   • Retail theft outrage could bring California crackdown
   • Democratic lawmakers introduce legislation to target organized retail theft, online resellers
   • How California lawmakers want to target retail theft
   • Calif. lawmakers unveil plan to target organized retail theft - without changes to Prop 47


'Holding Repeat Retail Thieves Accountable'
San Diego County DA, 14 mayors work to put initiative on November ballot
San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan was joined by mayors from cities across the county Sunday in an effort to encourage the public and boost signature gathering to place the Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act on the November ballot.

DA Stephan says the measure would make communities, businesses and streets safer by restoring the rule of law, holding repeat retail thieves and fentanyl dealers more accountable, and incentivizing individuals who are addicted and homeless to accept life-saving treatment.

Supporters say the ballot measure is a way to fix the unintended consequences of Proposition 47. The 2014 measure reclassified drug possession and nonviolent theft of less than $950 in property as misdemeanors rather than felonies.

Neighborhood Market Association President Arkan Somo says many businesses had to shut down due to rampant theft. "Proposition 47 unleashed a tidal wave of theft and violence that harms our small business owners, their employees and families, and most importantly, our customers." said Somo. "This proposed ballot measure will give law enforcement the tools it needs to keep all of us safe. "

The Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act would impose stronger penalties for those engaged in the trafficking of hard drugs or for repeat offenders of retail theft. It will still give first and second chances for those who commit theft and possess hard drugs to be treated with a misdemeanor.

However, on the third conviction, there's a requirement that drug treatment be completed to earn a misdemeanor or be held accountable for a felony creating a new category of "Treatment Mandated Felony."

A fourth conviction results in a felony crime. fox5sandiego.com


Walmart & Target Donate $1.5M in Campaign to Change Prop 47
Target and Walmart embrace controversial shoplifting stopper
San Francisco Mayor London Breed and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan have served as the lead voices for the effort to change Proposition 47. Walmart has donated $1 million to the cause while Target has put up $500,000.

The attempt to change the law, which would appear on the ballot during the state's next statewide election, would "allow separate thefts to be added up to surpass the $950 threshold for felony charges, and it would also ramp up sentencing for people working as a group to steal goods or for taking more than $50,000 in property," Supermarket News reported.

If the rule change passes, it would enable both retailers to use security footage to build cases against repeat offenders. It would also continue to protect people who fail to scan an item or make another mistake that may or may not be an attempt at shoplifting.

Organized retail crime has been growing and California is not the only state taking steps to prevent it. The National Retail Federation has been working with Congress and various states to pass laws that make it easier to go after people who work in groups to steal from stores.

"The effort has been successful, with at least 32 states passing ORC laws, and NRF is currently urging states to update the definition of ORC and adopt sufficient criminal penalties."

Despite those efforts, 87% of retailers surveyed by NRF say that a national law is needed. thestreet.com


Another State Considers Retail Theft Bill
Yates' bill addressing organized retail theft in Ky. up for vote Feb. 23
Legislation sponsored by Senate Minority Whip David Yates, D-Louisville, to address the growing challenge of organized retail theft in Kentucky, has been scheduled for a Senate floor vote on Feb. 23.

Yates says Senate Bill 48 has a targeted approach to the issue, "This bill will give law enforcement the tools they need to track organized retail theft to more effectively stop crime that is hurting our local businesses."

The heart of the measure is expanding the theft aggregator period from 90 days to one year. That means if a person commits two or more separate thefts during that time the crimes can be combined to increase the value of the thefts to be treated as a single offense, since higher theft amounts have stronger penalties.

Yates says the bill would allow law enforcement agencies to more effectively track, connect, and analyze criminal activities over extended periods and across jurisdictions. This will provide law enforcement agencies the opportunity to identify and prosecute the "unindicted co-conspirator" who often orchestrates these organized crimes without direct involvement in thefts.

For more information on the legislation, you can go to Senate Bill (SB) 48. kentuckytoday.com


Feds Step Up Gun Store Scrutiny
Gun shops that sell the most guns used in crime revealed in new list
The federal government has stepped up its scrutiny of gun stores that sell guns used in crimes, with the number of stores singled out more than doubling in the past four years.

Which gun stores sell the most crime guns has been kept secret for more than two decades, since 2003 under the George W. Bush administration. But a Freedom of Information Act request from USA TODAY unearthed a glimpse of them.

Among the more than 1,300 outlets targeted in 2023 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are many of the largest sellers - Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's, Rural King and Sportsman's Warehouse - along with some less well-known stores, such as Town Guns in Richmond, Va. and Ammo Bros in Ontario, Calif.   usatoday.com


Mass Shootings in the US Fast Facts
There have been more than 50 mass shootings in the United States so far this year, leaving more than 75 people dead and 175 injured, according to the Gun Violence Archive (GVA).


Hochul shares more details on plan to fight retail theft

Sacramento ranked 7th highest in U.S. for organized retail crime
 

100+ Walmart Closures in 2023
Walmart quietly closed at least 101 locations last year - a smart move for what's next in 2024

Walmart quietly reduced its store count in 2023 even though the company was doing really well.

Last year was unquestionably a good one for Walmart, with the retail giant showing respectable performance across nearly every aspect of its business. The coming year is also set to be a big one for the company, due in large part to the kickoff of an expansion plan that will see 150 new or upsized Walmart locations over the next five years.

But when Walmart reports earnings on Tuesday, one figure is sure to stand out as having gotten noticeably smaller last year: the number of US stores. The company quietly reduced its fleet by more than 100 locations between January and August last year, according to data from the company's investor website.

Walmart reported a combined 4,717 supercenters, discount stores, and smaller format locations at the start of its fiscal year, and declined to 4,616 in the span of two quarters.

Given what Walmart has planned for the next few years, the shuttering of so many smaller locations makes sense. Analysts told BI that both the closing of underperforming stores and the pivot away from unsuccessful formats are smart moves for a company that wants to stay in good financial shape. businessinsider.com


The Future of Retail: Better Store Locations & Customer Experiences
What will retail look like in five years? Top industry executives share their predictions
Covid-related shocks have upended retail, after clogged ports and merchandise shortages gave way to excess inventory levels and shifting consumer demands amid persistent inflation.

Those disruptions accelerated transformations in the industry that were just hitting some companies before the pandemic, such as the growth of curbside pickup and increased use of mobile apps.

As retail leaders enter 2024 hoping the turmoil is now behind them, they're building businesses for the future and making changes that will transform the industry.

Fran Horowitz, Abercrombie & Fitch CEO: The future of retail is small, efficient, omni stores, and they're located where the customer tells us.

Michelle Gass, Levi Strauss CEO: The role of the store needs to be much more experiential than it is today. I think consumers are going to raise the bar, and they're just going to expect that because when you can just shop and do a transaction a click away, there has to be a higher purpose for a store.

Jens Grede, Skims CEO: Higher concentration [of stores] in better locations. Trends come and go, but Fifth Avenue by the park will be Fifth Avenue. It was that a hundred years ago, it will be so in another hundred years, right? So important locations are only becoming more important.

Geoffroy van Raemdonck, Neiman Marcus Group CEO: Five years from now, there'll be even bigger what we call "retail-tainment" - when you come in the store and you have a multisensory experience.

Read more responses: cnbc.com


The FRT Expansion Continues Across U.S.
Facial Recognition: Coming Soon to an Airport Near You

Biometric technology is expanding at airports across the United States - and the world - and transforming the way we move through them, from checking a bag to boarding the plane.

This year could be the "tipping point" for widespread biometrics use in air travel, said Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst for Atmosphere Research. Time-consuming airport rituals like security screening, leaving your luggage at bag drop and even boarding a plane may soon only require your face, "helping to reduce waiting times and stress for travelers," Mr. Harteveldt said.

In the United States, major airlines have increasingly invested in facial recognition technology as have government agencies in charge of aviation security. Overseas, a growing number of international airports are installing biometrics-enabled electronic gates and self-service kiosks at immigration and customs.

The technology's adoption could mean enhanced security and faster processing for passengers, experts say.

The T.S.A. has experimented with facial recognition technology since 2019. Screening verification currently offered at Denver and Los Angeles International Airports and some 30 other airports starts when a photo is taken of the traveler. Then facial recognition software is used to match the image to a physical scan of a license or passport. The photo is deleted shortly afterward, according to the agency. This process, which passengers can opt out of, will be available at some 400 more airports in the coming years, the agency said. nytimes.com


Nike to lay off more than 1,600 employees
On the heels of a cost-savings plan announced in December, the activewear giant confirmed it plans to cut about 2% of its total workforce.

Rite Aid to lay off employees as it transitions California warehouse operations

REI to close its Santa Monica store, the retailer's second move out of a bustling city center this month

Making Sense Of Retail's Conflicting January Results

Last week's #1 article --

Taking Employee & Customer Surveillance to the Next Level
Should AI Be Used To Monitor Employee Performance in Real Time?
Artificial intelligence (AI) has infiltrated various aspects of human life, evolving from a mere tool for checking the weather to a pervasive force in surveillance and efficiency. Recently, a video surfaced on social media showing the controversial use of AI in a coffee shop, raising eyebrows and sparking debates among netizens.

In the video, a coffee shop is seen employing a video analytics tool provided by NeuroSpot, dubbed the Neuro Bionic Video Recorder. This tool purportedly offers real-time monitoring of employee performance and customer behavior. It tracks metrics such as the number of cups served by baristas and the duration customers stay at tables.

Netizens expressed discomfort at the intrusive nature of the technology, with some likening it to dystopian surveillance tactics. While NeuroSpot claims its focus is on security and theft prevention, skeptics argue that its implementation feels dehumanizing, raising concerns about employee privacy and autonomy. retailwire.com

Retailers Hit with 'Creative' Cyber Scams
Fraudsters have found creative ways to scam some businesses
70% of businesses report that fraud losses have increased in recent years and over half of consumers feel they're more of a fraud target than a year ago, according to Experian. To thwart fraudulent activity in 2024, businesses need to deploy more sophisticated fraud protection solutions that harness the power of data and technology to mitigate risk and protect consumers.

Experian suggests consumers and businesses watch out for these five fraud threats in 2024:

Generative AI accelerates DIY fraud

Experian predicts fraudsters will use generative AI to accelerate "do-it-yourself" fraud with a wide range of deepfake content, such as emails, voice and video as well as code creation to set up scam websites and perpetuate online attacks. Fraudsters may also use generative AI to socially engineer "proof of life" schemes.

Consumers still choose bank branches for account openings

Experian forecasts that lenders will introduce more digital identity verification steps, such as physical biometrics, at branches for in-person account openings to protect legitimate customers and mitigate losses.

Retailers hit with empty returns

With a rise in online shopping, fraudsters have found creative ways to scam some retailers and small businesses. The customer says they're returning their purchased item but when the business receives the box, it's empty.

The customer then says they returned the product and it must have gotten lost in the mail. Experian predicts that more criminals will use this method to keep merchandise in 2024, leaving businesses with lost goods and revenue.

Synthetic identity fraud will surge - Fraudsters expand into cause-related and investment deception  helpnetsecurity.com


Walmart Delivery App Facing Hacks
Hackers are targeting Walmart Spark drivers' accounts and using them to shop for the delivery service, drivers say

Some Walmart Spark drivers say their accounts and identities have been stolen.

Medellin is among the gig workers whose Spark accounts - and identities - appear to have been compromised by others trying to gain access to them. Insider spoke with two other drivers who also said that someone else gained access to their accounts and used them to deliver orders for Spark.

The problem has popped up in about half a dozen posts in Facebook groups for Spark drivers over the last two weeks. In one post earlier this month in the "Spark Drivers Uncensored" group, another Texas Spark driver said that their location in the Spark app had been changed to North Carolina even though they hadn't changed locations.

After calling Spark support, the driver said they found out that someone else had used their account to accept and deliver 14 orders. The driver hadn't been offered or accepted any of them, according to the post.

Walmart's Spark service has struggled to keep unauthorized drivers off its platform. Some drivers are using multiple accounts under names that aren't their own to deliver orders for Walmart, BI reported last year.

On social media, some users claim to sell accounts for Spark and other delivery services for hundreds of dollars - allowing people to work for the apps without disclosing their real identities to the companies or customers.

Walmart rolled out changes aimed at curbing that kind of unauthorized use, the big box store said last fall. For instance, drivers now periodically have to take a selfie, which Spark compares with the ID photo that the service keeps on file for the driver. businessinsider.com


Spear Phishing & Credential Harvesting Attacks Against U.S. Targets
'A court-ordered operation to disable hundreds of small office/home office routers'

FBI-led operation disrupts botnet controlled by state-linked Forest Blizzard

Russia's GRU-backed group exploited hundreds of vulnerable routers to conduct spear phishing and credential harvesting attacks against U.S. targets.

The Department of Justice disrupted a botnet controlled by the Russia state-linked threat group Forest Blizzard, also known as Fancy Bear, in a court-ordered operation to disable hundreds of small office/home office routers used for malicious cyber activity.

The botnet used Moobot malware installed on hundreds of vulnerable Ubiquiti Edge OS routers to conduct spear phishing and credential harvesting attacks in the U.S. The threat group has previously targeted NATO government organizations, critical infrastructure providers and other organizations. The impacted routers were still using default passwords.

The action marks the second U.S. disruption of a botnet since January, following the disruption of the KV Botnet backed by Volt Typhoon, a threat group linked to the People's Republic of China.

The FBI-led disruption comes amid an increase in malicious activity from rogue state-linked threat groups in recent months.

Forest Blizzard has been actively exploiting a critical escalation of privilege vulnerability in Outlook, tracked as CVE-2023-23397, to gain unauthorized access to Microsoft Exchange servers. cybersecuritydive.com


Cybersecurity sectors adjust as DDoS attacks reach new heights

Balancing "super app" ambitions with privacy