7-Eleven Zone AP Manager Frank Pindulic Recognized by Orange County Sheriff
Recently, the Orange County Sheriff's office awarded a certificate of appreciation to 7-Eleven Zone Asset Protection Manager Frank Pindulic for his assistance in keeping Central Florida safe. He accepted the award on behalf of the Florida Zone Team.

Frank and his team go above and beyond to help law enforcement solve crimes and put criminals behind bars. Detectives expressed their thanks for the support provided from the Asset Protection Team, Corporate and Franchised stores.

This is a great example of how close relationships with your local police force don't go unnoticed and make a positive difference in the community. Congratulations Frank!

Thank you to Byron Smith, Corporate Asset Protection Manager - Corporate Security, International, Business Continuity & Supply Chain, 7-Eleven, for this article submission.

ISIS 'Hostage Siege' in Trebes, France
Terrorist shot dead as police storm supermarket after hostage siege
Gunman kills two inside supermarket, holds several people hostage; Prosecutors said the gunman had pledged his allegiance to the Islamic State group.

An Islamic State terrorist has been shot dead by counter terrorism police after killing a butcher and a supermarket shopper in a hostage siege at a shop in France. The man, said to be armed with guns and grenades, was shot and killed after taking as many as 20 hostages in the siege at a branch of Super U supermarket in south west France.

The attack came after a group of four plainclothes police officers in the neighboring city of Carcassonne were followed by an armed man in a car who shot at them, according to Prime Minister Édouard Philippe. One officer was wounded, but his life is not at risk, Mr. Philippe said. standard.co.uk

'Weaponized' Real Estate
Fired Broker Says Mattress Firm Execs - Including CEOs
Knew About Kickback Scheme & Encouraged Insider Deals
Mattress Firm's former real estate broker, whom the retailer is suing claiming he was part of a massive fraud and bribery scheme, has filed a countersuit alleging Mattress Firm executives knew and encouraged the deals they are suing their former real estate team over.

Mattress Firm accused Former Colliers International Atlanta executive Alexander Deitch of being one of the ringleaders - along with former in-house real estate executives Bruce Levy and Ryan Vinson - in a scheme to steer the company toward high-priced real estate in exchange for developer kickbacks and other incentives in a lawsuit filed in November.

Deitch filed his countersuit Wednesday, claiming Mattress Firm's aggressive growth strategy and desire to corner the mattress retail market was why it entered into leases that were above market rates, including at times to steal market share from competitors.

Mattress Firm's real estate committee - which was manned by a number of top executives, including current CEO Steve Stagner and former CEO Ken Murphy - had full knowledge of those deals and signed off on them, Deitch said in the lawsuit.

"Mattress Firm essentially weaponized the real estate department and its brokers to advance the larger agenda of removing all competition it could," Deitch's attorneys wrote in the claim. "Mattress Firm's aggressive roll-up was reckless, resulting in massive clustering of stores, assumption of bad locations which needed to be propped up, and astounding redundancies in certain markets."

A spokesperson for Mattress Firm denied Deitch's claims. "The allegations made in the recent counterclaim are baseless and false, and we look forward to addressing them in court as opposed to in the media," the spokesperson wrote in an email to Bisnow.

Mattress Firm accused Deitch, Levy and Vinson of accepting gifts, including expensive trips and hotel stays and even co-ownership of a yacht, in exchange for favorable real estate deals in its initial lawsuit. bisnow.com

Mitigate Cargo Losses Package Testing & Data Trends
Preventing loss is a top priority for any carrier or shipper, but the prevention of cargo claims really begins with the basics, and that is packaging, blocking and bracing. And according to panelists at the 44th annual Transportation & Logistics Council meeting in Charleston, SC, not enough is done at that level to mitigate losses.

"I would suggest shippers test their packaging before testing it in the supply chain," said Daniel Hill, director-SRV, cargo claims & prevention for ABF Freight. He added that it's always surprised him that more carriers are not involved in the process of designing packaging for cargo.

ABF employs four full-time professionals that work with shippers to ensure packaging is secure, compact enough to maximize space, and sufficient for transport. Hill suggested shippers reach out to carriers for assistance. "A lot of carriers don't even charge a service fee for helping with packaging design," he noted.

Losses come not only from theft, but also from preventable damage. Ed McQueen, director of loss prevention for Southeastern Freight Lines, noted that some shippers will simply put cargo into a crate and assume it is protected. "Just because it is in a crate doesn't mean it is secure," he told the audience. "You can stack things eight pallets high in a warehouse, but a warehouse isn't moving 60 mph."

Of course, packaging is only one portion of the loss equation. As Hill explained, data can help mitigate losses by identifying areas of concern. ABF will look at damage claim trends to try and identify potential problems and, in some cases, has found that the way items were packed into a particular area of the trailer has impacted their security. This is where some of the science comes into play.

The other area of concern is straight out theft of product or trailers. At Southeastern Freight Lines, which handles primarily LTL freight delivered within a day or two, all LTL trailers use locks and linehaul trailers are equipped with seals, McQueen said. If a seal is on an LTL trailer or vice versa, it's an indication of a potential issue. freightwaves.com

March for Our Lives protest scheduled tomorrow in Washington D.C.
and 830 other cities against gun violence and mass shootings
On March 24, the kids and families of March For Our Lives will take to the streets of Washington DC to demand that their lives and safety become a priority and that we end gun violence and mass shootings in our schools today.

"March with us in Washington DC or march in your own community. On March 24, the collective voices of the March For Our Lives movement will be heard." marchforourlives.com

LP Marketing Group Steps-Up to Help
Calibration Group Provides Free Hotline Posters for Schools To Prevent Future Violence
In light of the tragic school shootings impacting communities across the nation, the Calibration Group, LLC, had to act by providing schools with free hotline posters designed to help students confidentially report information that may help prevent future acts of violence.

Any school wishing to download the various hotline posters for free created by The Calibration Group, LLC, can do so by visiting www.calibrationgroup.com.

Read full press release here.


Gucci Donates $500,000 To Gun Control Student Protest "March For Our Lives"

Businesses offer discounts to student March for Our Lives participants

Retailers Slam Tariffs, Saying They'll Amount to $50 Billion Tax
U.S. retailers came out swinging against new tariffs that will be imposed against China, saying they represent a $50 billion tax on American consumers.

"Taxing American families with widespread tariffs on everyday consumer products clearly misses the mark," Hun Quach, vice president of international trade for the Retail Industry Leaders of America, said in a statement on Thursday.

The remarks follow a White House announcement that U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will levy tariffs on about $50 billion in Chinese imports. Within 15 days of President Donald Trump signing an executive memo on Thursday, the agency will come up with a proposed list of products that will face higher tariffs. bloomberg.com

China responds to Trump tariffs with proposed list of 128 US products to target
China's commerce ministry proposed a list of 128 U.S. products as potential retaliation targets, according to a statement on its website posted Friday morning.

The U.S. goods, which had an import value of $3 billion in 2017, include wine, fresh fruit, dried fruit and nuts, steel pipes, modified ethanol, and ginseng, the ministry said. Those products could see a 15 percent duty, while a 25 percent tariff could be imposed on U.S. pork and recycled aluminium goods, according to the statement. U.S. agricultural products, particularly soybeans, have been flagged as the biggest area of potential retaliation by Chinese President Xi Jinping's administration. cnbc.com

Used Louis Vuitton bags push Japan pawn-shop startup to IPO
The resale of Hermes bags, brand-name jewelry and other luxury items is a thriving industry in Japan, with one critical bottleneck: building inventory is tough. SOU Inc. offers a solution: pawn shops dedicated only to buying up second-hand merchandise. Business has been so good for founder Shinsuke Sakimoto - who posted profit of 1.14 billion yen ($11 million) on sales of 22.7 billion yen for the year ending August - that he's taken the company public. Shares of SOU opened for trading in Tokyo Thursday at 4,100 yen a share, 24 percent higher than the IPO price of 3,300 yen. themalaysianreserve.com

Companies get set for ISC West in 2018
ISC West 2018, which will be held in Las Vegas from April 11 through 14, is one of the biggest trade shows and gathering points for the security industry. From mid-February to mid-March Security Systems News gathered opinions from its readers on the upcoming show.

At time of writing, in mid-March, most respondents had decided whether or not they would be attending ISC West this year. Eighty percent are planning to go, five percent said they won't be attending this year, and 15 percent were undecided.

ISC West now holds several expos each year. In 2016, Reed exhibitions - which hosts ISC West - debuted The Connected Security Expo @ ISC West, which addressed the need for cybersecurity along with physical security. In 2017, Reed incorporated the Unmanned Security Expo, a space for exhibiting drone- and robotics-related security technologies. securitysystemsnews.com

Toys R Us Approved To Liquidate US Stores By June 30
A Virginia bankruptcy judge on Thursday officially authorized Toys R Us Inc. to wind down its U.S. operations and close over 700 stores, giving the iconic retailer until June 30 to empty store shelves and maximize returns, on the same day the company's founder passed away. law360.com

Toys 'R' Us founder Charles Lazarus dies at 94

Target could gain $600 million in sales from Toys 'R' Us demise

Target, Kroger shares rise on merger report, but source says there are no talks

Walmart expands car-buying service to 250 stores

How To Fly Without Catching the Flu Or, Say, Ebola


Quarterly Results
At Home Q4 comp's up 5.7%, net sales up 25.2%; full yr. comp's up 6.5%, net sales up 24.1%
Lands' End Q4 comp's up 5%, net revenue up 11.3%; full yr. comp's up 2.7%, net revenue up 5.3%
New York & Co. Q4 comp's up 3%, net sales up 4.7%; full yr. comp's up 1%, net sales down 0.2%
Michael's Q4 comp's up 2.5%, net sales up 8%; full yr. comp's up 0.9%, net sales up 3.2%
Cato Q4 comp's down 8%, sales down 3%; full yr. comp's down 12%, sales decreased 11%
 

Wilson Safe Offers Extensive Line of Vaults
to Protect Your Business

Vaults and vault doors are the ultimate way to protect your home or business. Wilson Safe offers an extensive line of GSA class 5 doors, fire vault doors, day gates, B rate, BF, TL-30, and class 1, 2, and 3 vault doors, including modular vaults. Wilson Safe also offers Isotec security solutions.

For over 110 years Wilson Safe has provided service and sales for safes all over the world. Their showroom is open in Philadelphia, PA to view safes in person or a sales rep is available to answer your call today!

Visit wilsonsafe.com for more information

Genetec Helps North American Security Directors Get Ready For GDPR:
Europe's New Data Regulations
As security professionals and manufacturers prepare to participate in ISC West, the largest security industry trade show in the United States, Genetec, a leading technology provider of unified security, public safety, operations, and business intelligence solutions, is urging North American security directors to get ready for the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

While the initiative is led by the European Union, the territorial scope of the GDPR is global. As of May 25, 2018, any business that is collecting or storing personally identifiable information (PII) of EU citizens (including surveillance video, cardholder information and activities tracked by an access control system, and license plate numbers captured by an automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) system) will be held accountable, regardless of where the organization is based. This includes any business with offices, stores, warehouses, websites, employees or customers in the EU.

Should a security breach occur that impacts personally identifiable information, companies will be mandated to report it within 72 hours. Failure to comply with these new regulations could result in up to 20 million Euros in penalties (US$25 million), or 4% of the company's global annual turnover, whichever is higher. securityinfowatch.com

Blockchain to 'radically' transform anti-fraud, anti-money-laundering efforts
Blockchain could be the answer to increasingly tough anti-money laundering (AML) statutes and enterprise fraud management (EFM) requirements looming for the financial services industry.

Last year, the cost of retail fraud - everything from fraudulent transactions to fraudulent returns - amounted to 1.9% of revenue, up from 1.47% in 2016. With Forrester's estimate of $3.56 trillion in U.S. retail sales in 2017, fraud will cost U.S. merchants almost $68 billion. On top of that, the cost of detecting and preventing money laundering is steep, as are the fines for businesses that fail to do so.

Widespread availability of sensitive consumer information on the darknet and synthetic identity fraud - where criminals use stolen data combined with fake information to create credit and bank accounts - has proven traditional know-your-customer verification and knowledge-based authentication is unreliable.

AML and EFM are harder than ever to enforce and need to rely on the most diverse data possible, Forrester said, adding that "verifying identities before allowing them to transact helps avoid fraud losses in a complex payment ecosystem."

That's where blockchain can be useful. Because it is an immutable, auditable electronic record, blockchain ensures that transaction records contain artifacts and identifiers of previous transactions. "This allows authorized investigators to backtrack transactions on the blockchain more easily than with current AML and EFM systems," Forrester said. computerworld.com

Starbucks explores potential use of blockchain tech for 'bean to cup' pilot program
How about a little blockchain with your coffee? Starbucks is the latest company to consider the use of blockchain technology. The Seattle-based giant announced today that it will start a pilot program with farmers in Costa Rica, Colombia, and Rwanda to develop a new way to track the "bean to cup" journey. geekwire.com

Amazon's latest patent is a delivery drone that understands when you shout at it
Amazon has filed a patent for a delivery drone that responds when you call or wave at it. The patent was spotted by GeekWire and the concept drone is designed to recognize human gestures, and then respond accordingly. Gestures the drone would recognize include, for example, waving arms, pointing, the flashing of lights, and speech.

While the concept drone is impressive, it's still only a patent and it's still not clear if the drone will ever be produced. Amazon has also filed other patents that haven't turned into products yet, including a self-destructing drone and a mirror that dresses you up in virtual outfits. cnbc.com

Kroger's customers are fans of 'Scan, Bag, Go' tech
The Cincinnati-based grocery giant has introduced its latest cashier-less technology - Scan, Bag, Go - at two central Ohio stores. Scan, Bag, Go gives customers use of a small scanner, slightly bigger than a mobile phone, that can locate items for customers, tell them what coupons are available, and give shoppers a running tally of their bill. Shoppers use the scanner to log items into their cart and bag them as they go. (Bags are provided at the initial kiosk and at other stations throughout the store).

"I think it is the best thing to happen to Kroger since ever," said Bob Fischer, who was shopping with his wife, Deb, on Thursday afternoon. "We absolutely love it."

For now, customers still need to stop at a self-checkout lane to pay and return the scanner. Kroger also lets shoppers skip the scanner and use their mobile phones, via Kroger's app, to log items. The phone's camera takes a picture of the product bar code and the app has all of the features of the hand-held scanner, including a running tally and coupons. dispatch.com

U.S. Police Unlock iPhones with Fingerprints of Deceased

Survey: Americans Spent $1.4B on Credit Freeze Fees in Wake of Equifax Breach

Survey says 'Siri' and 'Alexa' among famous women tech leaders

Solution Providers: Have a video or commercial you want to publish? Contact us 

A Business Insider mission to buy a fake Rolex on Facebook reveals how the company is playing host to countless criminal enterprises
● Facebook is struggling to keep fake products off Marketplace, its two-year-old listings service that allows anyone over the age of 18 to buy and sell goods.

● Business Insider bought a fake Rolex watch, Gucci bag, and Tiffany bracelet from illegal UK sellers, who didn't declare the items as counterfeit.

● Tiffany alone said it has removed more than 2,000 fake listings from Marketplace since 2017, while Trading Standards said the issue is "significantly under-reported."

● We found there are minimal rules and protections in place for users, with unscrupulous sellers attempting to secure our personal information and bank details.

● A detective at the UK's intellectual property policing unit said buyers of fake goods on Facebook might be financing serious organised crime.

● Facebook told BI it takes counterfeit issues seriously and uses machine learning to detect fake items, and will ask some sellers selling luxury brands for identification.

Marketplace lets users buy and sell almost anything they want on Facebook. A Business Insider investigation found that it was easy to buy illegal knock-off luxury goods, including a fake Rolex watch, Gucci bag, and Tiffany bracelet for 50 UK pounds ($70) or less. None were flagged as fake, and the genuine articles can cost thousands of pounds.

Facebook has little protection in place for users who knowingly or unknowingly buy fake goods through its platform. Users don't pay for items through Marketplace itself, and Facebook never handles a payment. Instead, you deal directly with the seller. Read more at businessinsider.com

Artificial intelligence that prevents Internet fraud
Online retailers can further protect customers by utilising AI for increased security
Despite the fact that online shopping is becoming progressively common, cyber security is also grabbing attention and rising as a new concern. Luckily, incredible development in machine learning and artificial intelligence in the past couple of years has facilitated the decrease of payment frauds, as stated in a report by technology experts.

"Online shoppers must get aware of the cybersecurity threats. Individuals who use free public Wi-Fi while shopping online perhaps conveniently fall prey to the hotspot con," said Erwin Huang, an associate professor of entrepreneurship at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Visa organized the Visa Security Summit at the beginning of 2017 in South Korea, to ensure security for online payments. It was done with the intention to announce and highlight the number of initiatives taken to improve the user experience, as well as payment security. They concluded it could be done by protecting data, devaluing data, interlinking the data, and empowering consumers to find solutions about the threats they can overcome. itproportal.com

Amazon may face a 3% revenue tax in the EU

Strong online holiday sales give a boost to FedEx's bottom line

FedEx Launches New Returns Service for eCommerce

Study: Majority of Amazon shoppers are not influenced by digital ads

Gresham, OR: Albertson-Safeway bust $32,000 ORC thief
Police arrested a woman in connection with an organized retail crime operation that resulted in the loss of thousands of dollars in merchandise from Safeway. Meagan Bradley, 27, was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center earlier this month after being arrested by Gresham police. Hours later, the jail released her on her own recognizance and told her to appear in court. Also this month, a Multnomah County grand jury handed up a 17-count indictment against Bradley.

She is accused of selling product that she knew was stolen from Safeway. Investigators with Albertsons-Safeway and the Northwest Organized Retail Crime Alliance said Bradley was selling items like Pepcid Complete, electric toothbrush heads, vitamins, Nasacort, Allegra, Zyrtec and Flonase. KOIN 6 News has learned the total amount recovered in the Bradley case was more than $32,000. According to the indictment, Bradley was selling the stolen items from November 2017 through February 2018. koin.com

Louisville, KY: Two men accused of leading juvenile accomplices on cell phone theft sprees
Louisville Metro Police say they've arrested two men after they and a number of juveniles stole smart phones from several stores in the Louisville area. According to arrest reports, 18-year-old Dominique Taylor, 19-year-old Antwan Toogood and two juveniles walked into the Verizon Wireless store on Outer Loop, across the street from Jefferson Mall, just after 2 p.m. on Wednesday. While there, they allegedly stole three cell phones worth more than $500 each -- and when a store employee tried to stop them, they pushed the employee to the ground. The suspects then drove away, but were tracked using the GPS on the phones When confronted, Toogood allegedly admitted that he, Taylor and the two juveniles would regularly steal cell phones and sell them for $200 to $300 each. He himself said he had been involved in four separate thefts from T-Mobile stores where they stole smart phones that were on display. wdrb.com

North Coventry Township, PA: Four thieves hit Victoria's Secret for over $1,300
Police are investigating yet another case of thieves making off with a loot of lingerie from a Victoria's Secret store. The latest theft happened shortly after 11 a.m. Thursday, when three men and a woman entered the store at the Coventry Mal. One of the thieves distracted a store employee while the other three filled garment bags with merchandise, police said. The four people, seen on surveillance images, then fled the mall in a black, four-door suv with out-of-state license plates. Police put the value of the stolen merchandise at $1,304. wfmz.com



Williamsburg, VA: Two men have been accused of stealing more than $1,200 of items at the Guess Factory store in the Williamsburg Premium Outlets
James City County Police said two men stole various merchandise at the Guess Factory on March 12. vagazette.com




Foley MN: Local Hardware store offers reward for Thieves who fled with thousands in Chainsaws, Leaf Blower and high end Power Tools

2 Women Steal $250 worth of Children's Clothing from Marshalls

Shootings & Deaths

Arnold, MO: Pawn Shop Employee shoots and kills Armed Robber
A person came into the Pawn King around 4 p.m. attempting to rob the store. The suspect, who was armed, was shot and killed inside the building. At present, it's unclear who else was in the store when it happened. A longtime customer said that the store owner, his wife, and brother were almost always there manning the shop. He said the store sells a lot of guns and that the store owner and his brother are experienced with guns and always carrying. fox2now.com

Queens, NY: Gunman walks into an Elmhurst bodega and opens fire, killing one
Police say a man was killed in a shooting inside a bodega in Queens Thursday night. The shooter walked into 5 De Mayo Food Market at around 8:15 p.m. and shot the 31-year-old victim. The shooter fled the scene on foot. abc7ny.com


Baltimore, MD: C-Store employee shot in the chest during violent Armed Robbery
Baltimore Police are asking for the public's help in identifying a suspect who entered a convenience store in the city late Tuesday night and shot at an employee with a shotgun. The suspect exits a pickup truck and walks into the store, firing at a worker behind a counter. The suspect is in camouflage clothing, surveillance video shows. A 34-year-old man was shot in the upper body and was taken to an area hospital, where he's listed in critical condition. baltimoresun.com

Mexico City: Two Mall Shootings in Mexico City in a week
On Tuesday in the north-central state of Queretaro, two men opened fire at a shopping mall, killing three men and wounding a fourth. It was the second shooting at a shopping mall in Mexico this week. On Monday, a man burst into a mall in downtown Mexico City and killed the mother of his daughter before shooting and seriously wounding himself. vancouversun.com

Three Nine Trey Gangsters Convicted of 2015 Violent Crime Spree in Virginia
Three members of the Nine Trey Gangsters were convicted today by a federal jury in the Eastern District of Virginia for their roles in a racketeering conspiracy that included five murders, six attempted murders, and various drug trafficking, robbery, and firearms crimes that spanned all five cities in south Hampton Roads, Virginia in 2015. justice.gov

Warner Robins, GA: Man gets life in prison for shooting, paralyzing store clerk

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Follow the Leader, Act Like a Puppy, Use Improv to Be a Better Leader
 

Follow the Leader: The Skills and Qualities of a Good Boss
Strong leadership is crucial if your organization is going to stay ahead of any competition, and thrive. However, not everyone knows what it takes to be the best boss possible. Here's what skills and qualities you'll need to harness to be the best leader you can be. Strong-willed

The Unlikely Skill That Can Make Anyone a Better Leader
Improv isn't just for comedians. Leaders can build trust and infuse creativity into their workplaces by wielding tools used in improv comedy. Through using these techniques, leaders can build on ideas, reimagine failure and deepen bonds with their teams. Play together

Why the Best Leaders Act Like Playful Puppies
Puppy behavior is a great example of what it means to balance work and play. They know how to grab an audience and when to use certain body language. Here are three ways you can improve your leadership style just by learning from man's best friend! Improve your play stance

Master This One Simple Habit to Significantly Improve Your Leadership
Leaders who like to be inconsistent may think it helps keep everyone on their toes, but instead, your team might not know where they stand with you. Use predictability to keep your team on their toes and always striving to improve. You need a perfect blend

Professionalism or the lack thereof is a reflection of a person's inner self. How an executive presents themselves and talks about their former jobs, bosses and colleagues is a real indication of how they'll talk tomorrow about who they're working with today. And while it's human nature to be interested in the gossip, it's usually the wolf in sheep's clothing and the one who has the need to rationalize that has the most to say.

Just a Thought,
Gus

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