NY Lawmakers Unveil 'Urgent' Legislation to Protect Retail Workers
The bill would put retail workers in the same category as cops and fire fighters 

Pols target NYC's violent, repeat shoplifters with bill to protect retailer workers just like cops, firefighters
The Big Apple's shoplifting epidemic has sparked new moves in Albany aimed at clamping down on violent and unrepentant thieves, The Post has learned.

A bill set to be introduced in the Legislature as early as this week by state Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (D-Staten Island) and Assemblyman Manny De Los Santos (D-Inwood) would make it a felony to commit even minor assaults against retail workers.

The proposal would put retail workers in the same protected category as cops, firefighters, paramedics and other front-line workers. That proposal would also allow judges to set bail for the accused perps because second-degree assault is among the crimes not covered by New York's controversial, 2019 bail reform law.

Scarcella-Spanton said the bill wasn't meant to serve as a "rollback" of bail reform. "It's all about making fixes where we can," she said.

Another bill introduced on Feb. 8 would elevate the crime of petit larceny from a misdemeanor to a felony if it's committed within two years of a previous conviction.

The proposal by state Sen. Kevin Thomas (D-Long Island) and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-The Bronx) would increase the maximum punishment to 1-1/3 to four years in prison for a first-time felon, up from one year in jail.

Both moves were demanded recently by Collective Action to Protect our Stores, a group that represents nearly 4,000 independent grocers, The Post reported at the time.

In a statement Tuesday, the coalition said, "As we have seen with numerous attacks on workers and stores, this is urgent legislation." nypost.com


ORC Fueled 'Hundreds of Millions of Dollars' in Losses at Target
Target CFO: ORC contributed to hundreds of millions in lost profits in 2022
With all due respect to Walgreens CFO James Kehoe, inventory shrinkage mostly at the hands of organized retail crime is still worth crying over if you are a retailer. Take Target, for example.

"It [inventory shrinkage] was certainly a headwind [last year]," Target CFO Michael Fiddelke told Yahoo Finance on Tuesday (video above). "We know we're not alone in seeing elevated levels of shrink and organized retail crime driving some of that theft."

Fiddelke said the profit impact amounted to "hundreds of millions of dollars of headwind." The issue is likely to challenge Target's bottom line in 2023, he added.

The increased amount of theft has caused retailers to take additional measures, such as hiring more security guards and locking up easy-to-shoplift items, notably household essentials such as toothpaste.

"These highly sophisticated criminal rings jeopardize employee and customer safety and disrupt store operations," Mark Mathews, NRF vice president for research development and industry analysis, wrote in the report. "Retailers are bolstering security efforts to counteract these increasingly dangerous and aggressive criminal activities."

While Target and other retailers are still pulling out all the stops to prevent organized retail theft in their stores, Walgreens (WBA) appears to be over the matter.

During an early January earnings call, Walgreens' Kehoe said inventory shrinkage was down to about "mid-twos" in terms of a percentage of sales. In 2022, the number was closer to 3.5%.

"Maybe we cried too much last year when we were hitting numbers that were 3.5% of sales," Kehoe crowed. "We've put in incremental security in the stores in the first quarter. Actually, probably we put in too much, and we might step back a little bit from that."

Send those security folks over to Target, James. finance.yahoo.com


Nike's Plan to Fund the Police Makes National Headlines
The company wants to pay officers to guard its store in Portland

Nike Offers to Pay Police to Guard Portland Store From Shoplifters

Nike has reportedly offered to pay for police officers to guard its community store in Portland, Oregon, in an effort to combat shoplifting and retail theft.

According to Oregon Live, the footwear manufacturing company sent a letter to Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler earlier this month asking for additional security at its community store, which has been mostly closed to the public, to increase safety. Nike also said in its letter that it would cover the cost of the additional officers needed.

"The safety of our employees and consumers is a responsibility Nike takes very seriously," a Nike spokesperson told Newsweek. "Our first Community store on Union Street, now NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, opened in 1984. We actively invest and participate in the community, providing grants to local schools and community-based organizations, building and renovating play spaces, organizing community sporting events, volunteering time to get kids active, and through the community engagement of our Nike teammates.

"Because a safe and secure workplace is essential for our employees, consumers, and communities, we have proposed a sustained and coordinated partnership with the City to better protect employees, consumers, and the community surrounding our MLK Community Store."

The report comes amid a wave of crime in Portland and other parts of the state, which include a rise in homicide and retail theft. According to Oregon Live, in 2022, Portland recorded 101 homicides, which broke the record of 92 from the previous year. A report from the National Retail Federation found that in 2021, "retailers saw an average 26.5% increase in ORC [organized retail crime] incidents in over the previous year." newsweek.com


Another Progressive Targeted for Recall Amid Crime Surge
New Orleans mayor under fire as the city becomes 'Murder Capital' of America

Amid a crime spike, New Orleans mayor faces a possible recall election
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell faces a possible recall election as violent crime spikes, uncollected trash overflows into the streets and she contends with allegations she had an affair with a member of her security detail.

The first Black woman to be elected mayor in 2018, Cantrell easily won re-election in 2021. But her popularity has waned as the number of murders has climbed, allowing New Orleans to capture a title last year that no municipality wants - the murder capital of the nation.

Organizers of an effort to recall Cantrell delivered nearly a dozen boxes of signed petitions to the registrar of voters' office last week, just ahead of a deadline to seek a recall election. Organizers said they gathered enough signatures to force a recall vote.

With a population of 377,000 that is 58% Black, New Orleans had the highest number of murders per capita in the nation in the first half of last year, after falling off dramatically in 2019, according to NBC affiliate WDSU in New Orleans.

Homicides in New Orleans had increased about 144% through mid-September in 2022, compared with the first nine months of 2019, according to data from the Metropolitan Crime Commission, a public safety nonprofit. By the end of the year, a total of 265 homicides had been committed in the city, according to official numbers.

In January, Cantrell announced the formation of a violent crime reduction task force, saying New Orleans was part of a trend occurring in major cities across the country, where violent crime is rising and the number of officers on the streets is falling because of staffing shortages. nbcnews.com


Voters Fire Chicago Mayor Over Crime Fears
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot of Chicago Loses Her Bid for Re-election

The result was a resounding defeat that reflected widespread dissatisfaction from voters over her handling of crime. Challengers to her political left and right advanced to a runoff.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot of Chicago lost her bid for a second term on Tuesday, The Associated Press said, a resounding defeat that reflected widespread dissatisfaction from voters over her handling of crime and policing in the nation's third-largest city.

Four years ago, Ms. Lightfoot made history as the first Black woman to be elected mayor of Chicago when she swept all 50 of the city's wards. But she saw her popularity plunge during the coronavirus pandemic as Chicago suffered a spike in violent crime, with looting and destruction on its famed Magnificent Mile in 2020.

The race showcased the political divide that has emerged in some of America's largest, most liberal cities, where hard-on-crime policies have increasingly resonated with voters.

The contest for mayor is now narrowed to two candidates with starkly different views on policing and education. Mr. Vallas has portrayed Chicago as being in a state of turmoil under Ms. Lightfoot's leadership. With an endorsement from the local Fraternal Order of Police, he has run an aggressive campaign arguing that he can make the city safer, calling for bolstering the police force, improving arrest rates for serious crimes and expanding charter schools. nytimes.com


Mass shootings: What would you do vs. what should you do?

Alabama prosecutors want mandatory prison for felons who violate gun prohibitions

COVID Did Not Kill In-Person Shopping After All
Cities with the most opportunity for new retail storefronts

Cities with the most opportunity for new retail storefronts

COVID-19 was supposed to change the way Americans shopped. Experts widely predicted that people's new habits of purchasing most goods online or using in-store and curbside pickup would remain after the pandemic ended. But two years later, consumers have gone back to in-person shopping.

Brick-and-mortar retail sales topped $382 billion in August 2022, according to Lee & Associates, almost 25% higher than before COVID-19. In-person Black Friday shopping in 2022 was also up 12% from 2021, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse.

As consumers flock back to stores, retailers are opening more physical locations. U.S. retail space is at its lowest vacancy rate in 15 years, at 4.3%, according to Lee & Associates.

Cities with the most opportunity for new retail storefronts
 

The Rest of the World is Returning to the Office
As Americans Work From Home, Europeans and Asians Head Back to the Office

Return-to-office rates in Paris and Tokyo have climbed to over 75%, while U.S. often sits around half

While U.S. offices are half empty three years into the Covid-19 pandemic, workplaces in Europe and Asia are bustling again.

Americans have embraced remote work and turned their backs on offices with greater regularity than their counterparts overseas. U.S. office occupancy stands at 40% to 60% of prepandemic levels, varying within that range by month and by city. That compares with a 70%-to-90% rate in Europe and the Middle East, according to JLL, a property-services firm that manages 4.6 billion square feet of real estate globally.

Return to office was even more common in Asia, JLL said, where rates ranged from 80% to 110%-meaning that in some cities more people are in the office nowadays than before the pandemic.

Bigger homes, longer commutes and a tighter labor market help explain why Americans spend less time in the office than Europeans and Asians, workplace consultants say. wsj.com


Lawmakers Study the Impact of COVID Lockdowns
House Republicans warn about loss of public trust after COVID lockdowns
The Republican-led House panel investigating the COVID-19 pandemic kicked off its first public event Tuesday, with multiple GOP lawmakers laying blame for Americans losing trust in health officials directly at the feet of those who promoted lockdowns and vaccine mandates.

The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic held a roundtable on "Preparing for the Future by Learning From the Past," grilling medical experts on what broad public health restrictions during the pandemic did to Americans of all ages.

Multiple studies have been done on the effectiveness of lockdowns since the pandemic's peak.  foxnews.com


How the pandemic damaged creativity-and why remote work is only part of the problem

Shanghai's return to business tests China reopening
 

Fire Marshals Closing Down Dollar General Stores Over Safety Concerns
Dollar General stores are so overcrowded that fire marshals are closing them

Some Dollar General stores have temporarily closed because they are overcrowded with goods.

Some Dollar General stores are so full of stuff that local fire marshals are ordering the stores to close until they can cut down on the clutter.

At some locations, aisles are clogged with plastic tubs and metal-framed dollies, called "rolltainers," that hold goods still wrapped in their shipping containers, according to photos shared with Insider.

Typically, these items are stored in back rooms until employees can unpack them. But some Dollar General stores appear to be unloading truck deliveries directly onto sales floors. In some cases, the merchandise has blocked aisles, exits, and access to fire extinguishers, according to fire safety officials.

Insider counted at least six Dollar General stores around the US that have closed temporarily within the last few months after local officials said they violated fire safety codes. Insider identified the stores using local media reports, interviews with local officials, and public records of Dollar General store inspections.

A Dollar General spokesperson told Insider that it "is committed to providing a safe work environment for its associates and shopping experience for its customers."

"We regularly review and refine our safety programs, and reinforce them through training, ongoing communication, recognition and accountability," the spokesperson said. "When we learn of situations where we have failed to live up to this commitment, we work to timely address the issue and ensure that the company's expectations regarding safety are clearly communicated, understood and implemented." businessinsider.com


Walmart Warns Employees Not to Share Company Data with AI Technology
Leaked Walmart memo warns employees not to share 'any information about Walmart's business' with ChatGPT or other AI bots

Walmart Global Tech warned employees in a memo not to enter confidential information into ChatGPT.

Walmart had a clear directive for its employees Tuesday regarding generative artificial intelligence, like ChatGPT: Do not share any information about Walmart with the rising technology.

In an internal memo to employees, Walmart Global Tech, the retailer's technology and software engineering arm, said it had previously blocked ChatGPT "after we noticed activity that presented risk to our company." The memo, which Insider has viewed, added: "We've since taken the time to evaluate and develop a set of usage guidelines around generative AI tools and are now opening ChatGPT for usage within the Walmart network."

Walmart spokeswoman Erin Hulliberger did not address inquiries about when the company blocked the generative AI and what was the nature of the activity, telling Insider in a statement: "Most new technologies present new benefits as well as new risks. It's not uncommon for us to assess these new technologies and provide our associates with usage guidelines."

The new guidelines include telling Walmart employees they should "avoid inputting any sensitive, confidential, or proprietary information," such as financial or strategic information or personal information about shoppers and employees, into Chat GPT.

Employees "should not input any information about Walmart's business - including business process, policy, or strategy - into these tools," the memo said. businessinsider.com

   RELATED: ChatGPT is coming - what it means for your enterprise


Was Last Year's 'Union Boom' Just a Bunch of Hype?
You may have heard of the 'union boom.' The numbers tell a different story
Last year, labor unions in America looked like they were turning a corner. Employees at more than 250 Starbucks stores voted to unionize. Workers at Amazon warehouses, Trader Joe's, and REI were joining the fight. Grad students. Uber and Lyft drivers. Even the knights, queens, and squires at Medieval Times were jousting to join a union.

Headline writers began declaring things like, "Employees everywhere are organizing" and that the United States was seeing a "union boom." In September, the White House asserted "Organized labor appears to be having a moment."

However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics recently released its union data for 2022. And their data shows that - far from a resurgence - the share of American workers in a union has continued to decline. Last year, the union membership rate fell by 0.2 percentage points to 10.1% - the lowest on record. This was the second year in a row that the union rate fell. Only one in ten American workers is now in a union, down from nearly one in three workers during the heyday of unions back in the 1950s.

To be sure, various data makes clear that the hubbub over a union resurgence last year wasn't all hype. For one, the absolute number of American workers in unions did, in fact, grow in 2022 - by approximately 200,000. It's just that the number of non-union jobs grew faster. npr.org


Walmart is closing a batch of stores in 2023 - here's the full list

Full List of Party City Store Closures, Including Several in Midwest

Americans have unspent gift cards totaling about $21 billion

Dole Cyberattack Shows How Vulnerable Supply Chains Are
The attacks can trigger a ripple effect that impacts the supply chain and retailers

Ransomware Attack Brings Dole Operations to a Temporary Halt
At a time when companies are plagued by supply chain issues, inflation is skyrocketing and cyberattacks proliferate, Dole PLC recently found itself the victim of a ransomware attack that temporarily shuttered some of its North American operations.

"The Dole ransom attack highlights how the just-in-time nature of food supply chains makes them particularly vulnerable to financially motivated cyberattacks, like ransomware," said Morten Gammelgaard, EMEA, co-founder at BullWall. "As production and distribution are tightly coordinated to minimize waste and cost, any disruption caused by a cyberattack can have a ripple effect throughout the supply chain, leading to shortages and inevitable price increases."

The alert on February 22, 2023 followed a message the company sent to retailers earlier in the month. "Dole Food Company is in the midst of a cyberattack and have subsequently shut down our systems throughout North America," Emanuel Lazopoulos, senior vice president at Dole's fresh vegetables division, said in that February 10, 2023 missive, according to a CNN memo leaked on Facebook.

"While continuing to investigate the scope of the incident, the impact to Dole operations has been limited," the company's breach alert noted, although a CNN Business report cited grocers who said they could not stock Dole salads. And Lazapoulos told retailers that operations were down for the day and shipments were on hold. In addition to alerting law enforcement and investigating the incident, he said, "All our businesses are implementing our Crisis Management Protocol to resume 'business as usual' post haste, inclusive of our Manual Backup Program, if needed."

The speed at which attackers can breach and leverage a network infrastructure is now unparalleled, with the time to deployment down from 60 days to less than four days," said Williams. "Detecting and responding to these events manually is no longer feasible for an organization. Focus must be around prevention and stopping data exfiltration before any damage can be done."

The incident at Dole highlights how devastating ransomware can be-and the damage often doesn't stop with the victimized company. "When ransomware attacks force giant food processing operators like Dole to shut down production, the effects can ripple through the entire economy," Gammelgaard said. securityboulevard.com


DOJ Reveals 'Major' Cyberattack Against US Marshals Service
US Marshals Ransomware Hit Is 'Major' Incident

Unknown attackers made off with a raft of PII, the Justice Department says - but witnesses in the protection program are still safe.

The US Marshals Service (USMS), which is tasked with hunting down fugitives and administering the Witness Security Program, was hit with a "major" ransomware incident and data breach in mid-February, officials said.

Despite the ransomware element, USMS's fugitive-hunting operations have continued in the wake of the cyberattack, officials said. However, on Feb. 17, unidentified cyberattackers absconded with a treasure trove of important data, according to Drew Wade, a Justice Department spokesperson.

"The affected system contains law enforcement sensitive information, including returns from legal process, administrative information, and personally identifiable information [PII] pertaining to subjects of USMS investigations, third parties, and certain USMS employees," he told NBC News.

Meanwhile, the outlet cited unnamed sources within the DoJ as confirming that the Witness Security Program (known as the "witness protection program" in films and TV) was not affected.

The attack impacted a "standalone USMS system," Wade said, which was quarantined from the rest of the network. Even so, the incursion should be seen as a "major incident," he added.

A concrete motive for the attack and the culprits behind it may emerge over the course of the investigation, but targeting the PII could be a prelude to a broader cyber offensive, according to Lior Yaari, CEO and co-founder of Grip Security. darkreading.com


'Stealthy' Ransomware Tool Makes Undetected Attacks a 'Cakewalk'
New Tool Empowers Hackers with Stealthy Ransomware Attacks on Enterprises
A new post-exploitation framework called EXFILTRATOR-22 (aka EX-22) has emerged in the wild with the goal of deploying ransomware within enterprise networks while flying under the radar.

"It comes with a wide range of capabilities, making post-exploitation a cakewalk for anyone purchasing the tool," CYFIRMA said in a new report.

Some of the notable features include establishing a reverse shell with elevated privileges, uploading and downloading files, logging keystrokes, launching ransomware to encrypt files, and starting a live VNC (Virtual Network Computing) session for real-time access.

It's also equipped to persist after system reboots, perform lateral movement via a worm, view running processes, generate cryptographic hashes of files, and extract authentication tokens.

The cybersecurity firm assessed with moderate confidence that threat actors responsible for creating the malware are operating from North, East, or Southeast Asia and are likely former affiliates of the LockBit ransomware.

Advertised as a fully undetectable malware on Telegram and YouTube, EX-22 is offered for $1,000 a month or $5,000 for lifetime access. Criminal actors purchasing the toolkit are provided a login panel to access the EX-22 server and remotely control the malware. thehackernews.com


Ransomware attack on chip supplier causes delays for semiconductor groups
Disruption from a ransomware attack on a little-known supplier to the world's largest semiconductor equipment manufacturers will continue into March, in a new setback to chip production after years of coronavirus-related delays.

Stay one step ahead: Cybersecurity best practices to prevent breaches

Dish Network Shares Hit 14-Year Low After Cyber Attack Caused Major Outage

Top 10 Under 40 Recipients
Canadian Security announces Top 10 Under 40 recipients for 2023

Canadian Security announces the recipients of the 5th annual Top 10 Under 40.

We would like to extend our congratulations to all the winners and thank all the nominators who took the time to recognize the accomplishments of their co-workers and colleagues. Selecting only 10 recipients is a difficult task, since there were many deserving candidates.

Winner profiles will appear in the Spring issue of Canadian Security. Please join us in congratulating them. They are (in no particular order):

• Jeff Peng, vice-president of innovation & transformation, Paladin Security, 37
• Anna Stasienko, loss prevention manager, Amazon Canada, 37
• Meagan Brylikowski, client services manager, Securiguard, 35
• Sergio Angelucci, coordinator, security, parking & emergency response, West Park Healthcare Centre, 38
• Michael Spaling, team lead - information security, University of Alberta
• Megan Doherty, technical specialist, Microsoft Canada, 26
• Dave Pym, manager, occupational health, safety and security, Quinte Health, 34
• Cadisha Miceli, senior corporate security coordinator, City of Toronto, 35
• Daniel Bosiljevac, national portfolio director, GardaWorld, 30
• Braeden Cockburn, manager, security and life safety, Cadillac Fairview, 33 canadiansecuritymag.com

(Update) Queens, NY: Crew that beat 79-year-old in NYC jewelry heist made off with $1.1M
The cowardly crooks who pistol-whipped a 79-year-old woman during a caught-on-video jewelry heist in Queens last week made off with $1.1 million in merchandise - more than twice what was initially reported, police said Tuesday. Cops said the four thieves - including one dressed like an Amazon deliveryman - remain on the loose following the harrowing Feb. 22 robbery that left the victim at Diamond Collect in Flushing battered with a blood clot to her head. "It was pretty brutal what they did to that [79]-year-old female," NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig said at a press briefing Tuesday. "She gets knocked on the floor, pistol-whipped, both kicked her, they drag her to the back trying to get her to open the safe with a gun. It's pretty harrowing. "She says they don't say anything to her," Essig said. "She, heroically, closes the safe and takes out the key. And that's when he has the gun on her asking her to open up the case."  nypost.com


Rehoboth Beach, DE: Delaware State Troopers Arrest Five Subjects for Organized Retail Theft
On February 27, at approximately 3:31 p.m., troopers were dispatched to the Cosmetic Company outlet store in Rehoboth Beach, DE in reference to a shoplifting. It was reported four females and one male fled from the store with stolen merchandise and drove off in a light blue minivan with California registration. Troopers located a vehicle matching the description traveling on Route 1. A traffic stop was initiated and contacted was made with the operator identified as Vidu Miclescu (20 years-old), and four occupants identified as Mirela Velcu (41), Madalina Pirvu (29), Speranta Dumitru (34), Ancuta Ignat (37) all of Middle River, MD. Upon contact the trooper observed stolen merchandise in plain view inside of the vehicle. All subjects were taken into custody without incident, and a subsequent search of the vehicle lead to the discovery of approximately 92,322.98 worth of stolen merchandise, which included fragrances, clothing, purses, and blankets, $9,866 of US currency, two large fixed blade knives and brass knuckles. At this time, there has been three stores identified with having merchandise stolen by the suspects. The stores included are the Cosmetic Company Outlet, Cracker Barrel, and the Coach Outlet.  dsp.delaware.gov


Nassau County, NY: Trio Make Off With $24K In Versace Handbags At Manhasset Store
Police are searching for a man and two women who allegedly made off with more than $24,000 in handbags from a Versace store on Long Island. The incident took place in Nassau County around 3:50 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28 at the Versace store in Manhasset, located at 2006 Northern Blvd. According to detectives, a man, and two women entered the store and grabbed various bags, and exited the store without making a payment.  dailyvoice.com


Lake Worth, TX: 2 arrested in Lake Worth for Organized scented candle theft ring
Two siblings in Texas were arrested Monday after stealing thousands of dollars in merchandise from a local business, authorities said. Destiny Goynes, 22, and her 19-year-old brother, Dexter Goynes, were taken into custody after more than $2,000 in merchandise, including dozens of scented candles, were stolen from a store in Lake Worth, the local police department said. They are also working with law enforcement officials from five other agencies who suspect the Goynes siblings are connected to similar crimes in their cities. foxbusiness.com


Escambia County, FL: Two Women Charged With Working Together On Multiple Retail Thefts
Madonna Faith Barnhill, 57, and Carolyn Faye Harris, 42, were both charged with second degree felony retail theft act in concert with another person and more than one location within a 30 day period. Barnhill was charged with felony petit theft with two or more prior convictions and felony possession of an anti-shoplifting device after she was accused of placing $606.46 worth of merchandise inside an empty microwave box and walking past all points of sale at the Walmart on Pensacola Boulevard. The merchandise was recovered by Walmart's loss prevention, and the incident was captured on camera, according to an arrest report. According to the Escambia County Sheriff's Office, Harris eluded capture in that incident but was observed on video stealing items, and Walmart chose not to prosecute Harris. When Barnhill's vehicle was searched, "an excessive amount of brand new property" was inside, an arrest report states. The vehicle contained brand new power tools, four brand new purses, multiple pieces of clothing and several boxes of jewelry. The clothes and jewelry were from Belk. Also in the vehicle was a wallet with multiple credit cards belonging to Harris, along with her driver's license. The report notes the driver's license confirmed that it was Harris on the Walmart security video.  northescambia.com


Havertown, PA: Hundreds In Items Stolen From Havertown Kohl's
Thieves are still targeting major retailers in Havertown, with Haverford Township Police issuing a new alert regarding the theft of hundreds of dollars of merchandise from a department store. According to police, the woman above stole from the Kohl's department store, 250 West Chester Pike, on Feb. 15. Police said the woman seen above came into the store and picked up paper bags from behind a cash register. She then went and put $386.20 of merchandise in the bags, police said.  patch.com


Fresno, CA: Rookie Mistake: Man steals Funko Pop after store already had his personal information
Saturday morning a man stole a collector's Funko Pop item from Chunko Pop in Downtown Fresno--the only thing is, the store knows exactly who the man is and where he lives. ccording to Luis Melchor, one of the co-owners of Chunko Pop; at 11:24 a.m. Jorge Garcia of Fowler entered their store to pick up an online order. In the surveillance video, you can see Garcia look at some of the other Funko Pops on the checkout desk in the front of the store, grab an item and then replace it with a different box. He then moves to a different part of the store and places the box on a shelf. Melchor said just a few seconds later he grabs the same box and slips it under his jacket and left. The store owners said they don't understand why Garcia stole the item, when they know exactly who he is and have all his contact information. The store did file a police report with the Fresno Police Department. According to the store, this is its first theft since it opened two years ago.  kmph.com


Suffolk County, NY: Female suspect wanted in $2,600 Theft/ Fraud at Best Buy

Rochester, MN: Woman accused of stealing nearly $2000 in shoes from DSW