Gatekeeper announced as winners at the Australian & UK Fraud Awards

Australian Fraud Awards 2022: Award for most innovative physical retail risk management solution

Here the judges are looking for innovative approaches to either emerging or well-established challenges. The solution may have been developed by a vendor, retailer or security/guarding team or be the result of collaborative effort. The solution must address an in-store retail problem, including new challenges and those that overlap with an online customer order, such as fulfilment from store or kerbside pick-up, but excluding supply chain (which is part of the online category). retailrisk.com


2022 LPRC Open House: Visit the Labs

April 28th - 10 AM to 2 PM | Gainesville, FL

The LPRC labs are open again for visitors! We are inviting anyone who would like to visit our labs, come stop by and check them out.

April 28th from 10 am to 2 pm at the Innovation Hub we are hosting an open house for anyone to come to visit. Attending RILA? Come on up to see our labs. We will have the labs available for a walk-through and meet and greet with our team! We look forward to seeing you soon!

If you have any questions please reach out to diego@lpresearch.org | Register here


ISC West
Register Now: The clock is ticking…2 weeks away

As the first major security & public safety event of the year, ISC West is taking place just two weeks away on March 22-25, 2022 at the Venetian Expo in Las Vegas (SIA Education@ISC: March 22-24 | Exhibit Hall: March 23-25). Register today to experience this year's re-designed and re-imagined Show Floor, plus experience the introduction of The Bridge, the new heartbeat of ISC West, powered by Intel. Learn more below about what’s coming NEW to ISC West this year, and don’t forget: rates increase onsite starting Tuesday, March 22!

Register here
 

'Category 5 Hurricane' of Theft
Lawmakers approve retail theft crackdown despite objections to felony penalties

One bill sponsor says retail theft is headed to Florida like a Cat. 5 hurricane.

The Legislature has passed a bill to crack down on organized retail theft, a move House Democrats say would penalize low-income Floridians. The bill (SB 1534), which passed the House 80-36 on Tuesday, stiffens penalties against thieves who steal multiple items from multiple stores in a short period of time.

Bradenton Republican Sen. Jim Boyd and Newberry Republican Rep. Chuck Clemons filed the legislation following a rise of organized retail theft across the country last year.

“I’m telling you, it’s coming. It’s like a Cat. 5 hurricane and you’ve got Jim whatever-his-name-is. He is out there on the shore and the wind’s blowing. It’s going to come to Florida,” Clemons told House members.

Under the measure, theft of 10 or more items from at least two different locations is deemed a third-degree felony if committed within 30 days. The theft of 20 or more items, meanwhile, would be a second-degree felony.

Additionally, stealing more than $750 of merchandise from one or more stores within 30 days would be a third-degree felony, and stealing $3,000 or would constitute a second-degree felony. Businesses would need to tabulate their losses within those 30 days.

Islamorada Republican Rep. Jim Mooney told members he comes from a background in retail and was once punched by a shoplifter. Shoplifting rings are nothing new, and not cracking down on them would send a message that stealing is OK, he continued.

Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office is also supporting the bill. The bill next heads to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk. If approved, the increased penalties would take effect in October. floridapolitics.com

3rd Year of NYC's New Crime Wave - Honeymoons Don't Last Forever
Stick to your promise and have cops’ backs, NYC Mayor Eric Adams
During the city’s mayoral campaign last year, Eric Adams promised that fighting crime would be his top priority.

Last Friday, amid fresh reports that crime is leap-frogging to new highs, Adams insisted the city is on the right track. “We’ve got to get it right,” he said then. “Two months in, we’re executing our plan and we’re going to defeat crime. I’m clear on that.”

On Monday he announced that the first of his anti-gun squads will hit the streets next week after a “very thorough, well-organized training.”

So Adams is correct that he has been clear about his plans and he continues to say all the right things. His determination to win the war against crime and disorder remains refreshing.

But no honeymoon lasts forever and the fact that crime is still taking parabolic leaps suggests the perps aren’t intimidated and maybe aren’t convinced Adams means what he says.

The NYPD reports that major crimes in the five boroughs spiked by an extraordinary 58% in February compared to last year. In response, former top cop Bill Bratton tweeted “Staggering doesn’t begin to describe the crime increase in New York City.”

For the year through last Sunday, the department recorded a 47% increase in overall major crime, with huge leaps in robberies, grand larceny and auto thefts. Fortunately, there was just one more murder than a year ago.

And remember, too, that 2021 saw big increases in nearly every major category over 2020, and 2020 saw big increases over 2019.

For example, there were 318 murders in 2019, 468 in 2020 and 485 in 2021.

Thus, the city is now in the third year of a new crime wave.

When shoplifting is ignored in one store, copycats assume they are free to fill bags full of stolen items at other stores — and do. nypost.com

Big City Mayors Feuding with Progressive DAs Over Crime Surge
Op-Ed: The Real Reason Democrats Can’t Agree on How to Address Rising Crime
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the rise in shootings and homicides that began amid the turmoil of 2020 has undermined support for progressive-leaning criminal legal reform. But the apparent schism within Democrats—with many moderate Democratic leaders, including the president, calling for fairly conventional policing responses to the rise in violence—may be more unexpected.

Notably, the break within the Democrats runs alongside a fault line across institutions. The divide isn’t just between “moderate” and “progressive” Democrats. It’s between moderate mayors and progressive prosecutors. It’s Eric Adams vs. Alvin Bragg in New York City, Lori Lightfoot vs. Kim Foxx in Chicago, London Breed vs. Chesa Boudin in San Francisco, LaToya Cantrell vs. Jason Williams in New Orleans.

Yet this fracture exposes a long-running but underappreciated tension within the movement to address both the scope of and the disparities within the justice system, one that makes political sense but also raises serious policy problems.

Policing is just one component of our sprawling criminal legal system. And there is a real and underappreciated cost of prosecutors, instead of mayors, being the leading proponents of progressive reforms. Progressive prosecutors, by and large, can minimize some criminal legal system harms, but they have no ability to push for solutions that fall outside of the justice system.

The split between progressive prosecutors and more punitive mayors is rooted in real schisms permeating the criminal legal morass, but it comes with real costs for advancing reforms. Those with the greatest ability to put forth empirically supported alternatives to policing appear to be least willing to do so. slate.com

'Operation New Day' Crime Crackdown
Seattle's crime crackdown continues after announcement last week
Three days after top city officials and police announced a stepped up operation to combat crime in Seattle, the effort -- dubbed Operation New Day -- continued Monday with several suspects now facing charges.

“We've arrested dozens of people suspected of felonies,” Diaz said, adding that among those taken into custody were "arrests for illegal trafficking of fentanyl, cocaine, heroin."

"It's a combination of narcotics dealing and firearms, (which are) always going to be a priority for the federal government," he said Monday. "That is a really dangerous combination and we've seen a rise in shootings across our city."

Casey McNerthney, spokesperson for the King County Prosecutors' Office, said: “I think we all see what's going on downtown. Everybody in that teamwork that was in Operation New Day on Friday has the same concerns. We want Seattle to look better than it is now.”

McNerthney spoke about worries, that certain suspects arrested in these areas, are getting out of jail, given either a low bail, or sent on their own recognizance as granted by a judge. komonews.com

San Diego PD releases 2021 crime statistics

US: 81M Cases - 987.6K Dead - 55.2M Recovered
Worldwide: 450.2M Cases - 6M Dead - 384.4M Recovered

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

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 353   Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 700
*Red indicates change in total deaths

'Return to Normal': 90% of People No Longer Need Masks
Cautious Covid experts start to lower guard as Biden urges return to normal

The CDC says 90 percent of people no longer need masks. Experts who've been very careful thus far are starting to shift their approaches — but just a little.

In recent weeks, governors across the United States, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and even President Joe Biden have all offered a new, hopeful message about the pandemic: "Covid-19 need no longer control our lives."

That's how Biden put it in his State of the Union speech March 1, in front of a nearly maskless House chamber: "It’s time for Americans to get back to work and fill our great downtowns again. People working from home can feel safe to begin to return to the office," he said.

The day before Biden's address, California, Oregon and Washington announced that school mask mandates would lift this Saturday, and many cities, including New York and Minneapolis, have recently ended proof-of-vaccination requirements. Then on Thursday, the CDC released data showing that, according to its new safety criteria — which is based primarily on Covid hospitalization rates and local hospital capacity — more than 90 percent of people in the U.S. no longer need to wear masks. nbcnews.com

Europol: 5.8% of ALL Imports are Counterfeit - Reinforced by the pandemic & widespread online consumption

Counterfeit & pirated goods get huge boost from pandemic, new report confirms

● Criminal networks have quickly adapted to new opportunities and demand for products generated by the pandemic.

● Fake cosmetics, food, pharmaceutical products, pesticides and toys all pose a serious threat to consumers’ health.

● Counterfeiting now relies heavily on the digital domain to source components and distribute their products (both tangible and non-tangible) to consumers via online platforms, social media and instant messaging services.

● Most counterfeit goods distributed in the EU are produced outside the EU.

The latest Intellectual Property Crime Threat Assessment, produced jointly between Europol and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), reveals that the distribution of counterfeit goods has been thriving during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report, based on EU-wide data and Europol’s operational information, confirms that counterfeiting and piracy continue to pose a serious threat to the health and safety of consumers, as well as to the European economy. Imports of counterfeit and pirated goods reached EUR 119 billion in 2019, representing 5.8 % of all goods entering the EU, according to the latest data from OECD and EUIPO.

Counterfeiting has become more professional and sophisticated, with some counterfeiters covering the whole supply and distribution chain.

The report also shows some key trends in various product sectors primarily targeted by counterfeiters. Clothes, accessories and luxury goods remain among the most popular product categories for counterfeit goods, sold both online and in physical marketplaces. They are one of the top categories of the approximately 66 million counterfeit items seized by authorities in the EU in 2020.

IP crime has been included as one of the EU’s priorities in the fight against serious and organized crime from 2022 to 2025 as part of the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT). europa.eu

Russia-Ukraine crisis replaces Covid as top risk to global supply chains,
Moody's says
Covid-19 drove global supply chains to the breaking point, causing shortages and sending prices skyrocketing. Just as the pandemic has calmed down, Russia's invasion of Ukraine threatens to further scramble those fragile supply chains.

Russia is a major producer of commodities, everything from oil and natural gas to palladium and wheat. Ukraine is also a major exporter of wheat as well as neon. The crisis is casting doubt on the availability of a sizable chunk of those vital supplies.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict also could pile further pressure on the worldwide computer chip shortage, which began during Covid and has been at the heart of the spike in new and used car prices. cnn.com

Covid-19 vaccinations decline to new lows

Businesses Seek Help After Costly COVID Protests
Feds announce $20 million to support Ottawa businesses impacted by downtown COVID demonstrations
Ottawa businesses impacted by the 'Freedom Convoy' demonstration will be eligible for $10,000 in federal funding to help cover operating costs.

The federal government has announced up to a $20 million investment to provide "non-repayable contributions" to Ottawa businesses who have suffered losses during the three-week blockade.

The Rideau Centre and several small businesses and restaurants have been closed since Jan. 29, when vehicles began blocking downtown streets to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other public health measures. The Retail Council of Canada estimated the first seven days of the closure cost the Rideau Centre $19.7 million in lost revenue.

Small businesses will have to apply for non-repayable contributions of up to $10,000 for non-deferrable operational costs not covered by other federal programs.

“We have heard the growing concerns and frustrations from many of the Business Improvement Associations and small businesses in Downtown Ottawa that were forced to close, or have seen their business drastically impacted due to the illegal blockades in Ottawa," Helena Jaczek, Minister of Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, said. ottawa.ctvnews.ca

Canada's 'National Emergency' Ends
Trudeau revokes emergency powers after Canada blockades end
anadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Wednesday he is removing emergency powers police can use after authorities ended the blockades at the borders and the occupation in Ottawa by truckers and others opposed to COVID-19 restrictions.

Trudeau said the “threat continues” but the acute emergency that included entrenched occupations has ended. His government invoked the powers last week and lawmakers affirmed the powers late Monday.

“The situation is no longer an emergency, therefore the federal government will be ending the use of the emergencies act,” Trudeau said. “We are confident that existing laws and bylaws are sufficient.”

The emergencies act allows authorities to declare certain areas as no-go zones. It also allows police to freeze truckers’ personal and corporate bank accounts and compel tow truck companies to haul away vehicles. witn.com

Retail's Bright Post-COVID Future in Canada
Canadian Retail Market Adapting to New Reality 2 Years In
A commercial real estate report by CBRE says the retail market continues to evolve and adapt to the changing landscape, and innovation and a focus on experience will see the sector reinvigorated this year. The Canada Real Estate Outlook said consumer confidence remains positive and spending is forecast to stabilize in 2022.

“I think going into the spring and summer it’s going to be super positive. I think it’s going to feel like the Roaring 20s this summer in retail,” said Arlin Markowitz, Executive Vice President at CBRE. “People are going to be out and about. There’s still pent-up demand. I still think there’s some revenge shopping to be had. We’ve talked about that a lot over the past couple of years and I think the US has already seen it and benefited from it and we haven’t yet because of the continuous lockdowns, especially in Ontario.

“When this summer hits, there’s going to be a major explosion in spending, that people still haven’t been able to do comfortably. When people get the chance to enjoy a summer day with no lockdowns, potentially no more masking mandates, they’re going to be out and about feeling pretty damn good and they’re going to be out spending.” retail-insider.com

Ontario will lift mask mandates by end of March if COVID-19 keeps declining

Canada relaxes entry requirements for vaccinated travellers

Canada to require vaccinations, COVID tests for cruise passengers and crew
 

Washington Post Article 3/9/22

Amazon Execs Obstructing Congressional Investigation
House panel flags Amazon and its senior executives to Justice Department for potentially criminal conduct
A bipartisan group of members on the House Judiciary Committee has alerted the Justice Department to “potentially criminal conduct” by Amazon and its senior executives related to a committee investigation into competition in digital markets.

In a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, the lawmakers, including Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), accuse Amazon of engaging in a “pattern and practice” of misleading conduct that appeared designed to “influence, obstruct, or impede” the committee.

The panel has been conducting a 16-month investigation into competition in digital markets.

(Amazon’s founder, Jeff Bezos, owns The Washington Post.)

Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In the past, a company spokesman has denied that it misled the committee.

The 24-page letter, dated March 9, accuses the Seattle-based company of lying in sworn testimony to the committee in 2019 about whether it uses data that it collects from third-party sellers to compete with them. “[C]redible investigative reporting” and the committee’s investigation showed the company was engaging in the practice despite its denial, the letter said.

Subsequently, as the investigation continued, Amazon tried to “cover up its lie by offering ever-shifting explanations” of its policies, the letter said.

Furthermore, “after Amazon was caught in a lie and repeated misrepresentations, it stonewalled the Committee’s efforts to uncover the truth,” according to the letter. washingtonpost.com

Why brand safety is key in the emerging metaverse

Virtual reality opens a new dimension to harassment and sexual content that marketers will have to navigate

Brands are eager to explore the metaverse, but in virtual worlds of infinite possibilities, they must navigate safety threats around every corner.

As the metaverse opens up with decentralized virtual worlds, there are risks for people and businesses, just like there would be for a brand opening a store in an unfamiliar neighborhood. It’s like Disney dropping into Times Square in 1997, positioned near seedy shops and littered streets, said Albert Thompson, managing director of digital innovation at Walton Isaacson.

In the real world, brands know the boundaries of “red light” districts, but in the metaverse, “They have no idea,” Thompson said. “Brands just don’t know. Brands have showed up in person before, they’ve been to an event or to sales in stores, but they will not actually be going into the metaverse on a daily basis, just to have fun.”

Unruly lands

Virtual reality platforms are very much like the iPhone ecosystem or gaming consoles, where there are apps and games of every variety; there are chat apps, poker tables, theme parks, fitness and sports in virtual reality. The metaverse is like the early days of AOL or Yahoo in the 1990s, where there were chat rooms for every interest, and often inappropriate conversations, especially for children. There have been recent exposés of sexual content in VR, too, including strip clubs in apps like VRChat. The language in virtual casinos can be as raunchy as the language in a real casino.

That doesn’t mean brands shouldn’t go into the metaverse, it just means they need to understand that they won’t have full control. adage.com

Amazon acquires Veeqo, a start-up that helps sellers manage their online businesses