Is Seattle's ORC Crisis Finally Improving?
Prosecutors are now charging three cases per day - but still more work to be done

King County, Seattle prosecutors claim progress made to curb organized retail theft
King County prosecutors and the Seattle City Attorney's Office claim they are making progress in an attempt to reduce organized retail theft. Nicole Lawson is a King County Deputy Prosecutor and claims her department has charged 75 cases since August, with 509 theft or attempted theft charges overall, which works out to three a day.

"It's not to be tolerated," she told KOMO News about the effort, part of a task force launched last year to combine resources to tackle the issue. Both Attorney General Bob Ferguson and Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison have also weighed in and suggested referrals were not being acted upon, allowing the issue to fester.

For instance, Davison's office says only 630 cases were charged in 2021 out of 1865 referrals. There were 1377 charges already in 2022, out of 2073 referrals.

The Deputy Prosecutor wasn't speaking directly about the cases, noting that some of what she is seeing involves chronically homeless individuals and people from outside the state who are consciously coming to Washington with the intent to steal.

"The hope is that with increased coordination between the law enforcement partners, the retailers, myself, the city attorney's office, and the aging Task Force, we can create a message that organized retail fast is something that we take very seriously."

Renee Sunde, President of the Washington Retail Association, said by email:

"The partnerships between Seattle Police and the King County Prosecuting attorney's office have been critical in supporting this effort. In the past year more than half of Washington State retailers have report an increase in theft, resulting in a $2.7 billion problem. 80% of retailers have reported a rise in violence and aggression towards frontline workers. Clearly we are still dealing with a significant problem and addressing the public safety issues haves required a multi-pronged approach. The AG's Task Force will need funding through the state's budget in order to accomplish the coordination necessary to tackle organized crime in Washington. WR is supporting the full $3 million requested by the AG's office. There is much more work to be done." komonews.com


Businesses Continue to Flee Portland Amid Retail Crime Surge
Cracker Barrel is latest company to flee Portland amid rising crime, retail theft

Walmart announced earlier this month it is closing all of its Portland, Oregon, locations

Cracker Barrel this week became the latest company to announce it is leaving the Portland, Oregon, area shortly after Walmart announced its departure following comments from the CEO that crime and theft were taking their toll.

Cracker Barrel, which has over 600 locations nationwide, blamed the COVID-19 pandemic for its decision to close its final eateries in the Portland metro area.

The company said in a statement, "We are saddened that we have been unable to overcome the impact the pandemic had on our business and have made the difficult decision to close the Beaverton, Tualatin, and Bend locations on March 20."

Cracker Barrel's decision comes shortly after Walmart announced it was closing all of its Portland stores due to financial reasons.

Just a few months earlier, Walmart's CEO had warned that stores will close if retail crime, a significant issue across the country and specifically in Portland, did not subside.

"Theft is an issue. It's higher than what it has historically been," Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said in December on CNBC. He added that "prices will be higher and/or stores will close" if authorities don't crack down on prosecuting shoplifting crimes.

Crime and homelessness have been a growing issue in Portland over the last couple of years, and the Daily Mail reported that over 2,600 downtown businesses have filed a change of address with the U.S. Postal Service.

Last November, a Nike store in northeast Portland abruptly closed after a string of brazen shoplifting incidents.  foxbusiness.com


New DA Has Quickly Returned 'Law and Order' to San Francisco
New San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins Overturns Policies for Criminal Justice Reform Made by Chesa Boudin
SAN FRANCISCO - After San Francisco's unconventional District Attorney Chesa Boudin was ousted in July 2022, Boudin's successor Brooke Jenkins has advised prosecutorial cases throughout the city. In the wake of backlash against Boudin's restorative approach to the position and the increase in crime, Jenkins has taken a tougher stance on crime with her provisions.

While in office, Boudin advocated for some of the most progressive criminal justice reform policies in the country, including no cash bail as well as reducing jail and prison populations.

UC Berkeley alum Brooke Jenkins became Boudin's successor after the recall, and has also referred to herself as a "progressive" prosecutor. During Jenkin's time in office, however, she has scaled back many of the progressive measures implemented under Boudin.

Thus far, Jenkins has removed Boudin's no cash bail system, an integral part of his campaign. In fact, she has expanded the use of cash bail in misdemeanor cases.

While in office, she has consistently prioritized waging a war on drug offenses by promising to prosecute more drug charges and increasing sentences for people charged with selling drugs. The District Attorney's Office says this is an attempt to curb drug addiction in San Francisco.

Law and order media outlets and politicians have pushed the idea that crime is on the rise across the country, and they targeted San Francisco, painting a picture of the city as a city of crime. This rhetoric caused many residents to quickly turn on the idea of a non-conventional district attorney's office. As a result, we have reverted back to the traditional system of criminal justice that was just beginning to be widely criticized. davisvanguard.org


NYC Braces for Unrest, Chaos & Possible Violence
NYC Ready for Possible Trump Indictment, Mayor Says
New York City is ready for potential chaos if and when former President Donald Trump gets indicted, Mayor Adams said in an interview aired Sunday. "We're always ready," he said on PIX11, repeating the message he's made since Trump declared earlier this month that he expected to be indicted.

"The NYPD does an amazing job of just really dealing with any type of incident that takes place in the city," Adams added.

The city has remained on edge since Trump himself said he expected to be indicted. Unfounded bomb threats were called in against local authorities last week. On Friday, lower Manhattan courthouses were sent into a frenzy when white powder was found in an envelope marked "Alvin" with a return address for "Donald Trump." The threat was found to be bogus.

The grand jury that is weighing the possible indictment against Trump is set to meet Monday, the Daily News previously reported.

The NYPD has stepped up security for protests while scouring social media for threats, The News reported last week. Trump, who's seeking the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, on Friday warned of "death and destruction" if he's indicted.

The feds haven't uncovered specific threats related to the potential indictment, the senator said, citing FBI briefings. "They've seen no specific strains, but the level of rhetoric on some of these rightwing sites has increased," Warner said. nydailynews.com


Progressive Criminal Justice Reform Faces Backlash in the Big Cities
Big-city Democrats slow to recognize power of crime as top issue
National Democrats have shifted dramatically on crime over the past year based on signs that voters have tired of liberal criminal justice reform.

Congressional Democrats sent a clear signal earlier this month that they've abandoned the progressive push for reforms when dozens of them voted to overturn a new crime law in Washington, D.C., that the city's local leaders had overwhelmingly approved.

Some big-city Democrats seem to have yet to recognize that peril, even though attitudes on criminal justice reform have changed significantly even in the most reliably liberal enclaves.

Democratic voters in San Francisco last year ousted their district attorney, Chesa Boudin, in a recall vote after Boudin's refusal to prosecute lower-level crimes led to widespread fears about the city's safety.

Baltimore voters rejected their top prosecutor in the Democratic primary last summer over crime fears.

In Atlanta, voters chose a mayor who ran on adding more police officers to the streets and jailing gang leaders.

And in Chicago, voters' rejection of Mayor Lori Lightfoot during a primary earlier this month was widely seen as a signal that they had had enough of the public safety status quo.

The Denver mayoral contest is revolving around which candidate can best restore a sense of safety.

The mayor's race in Philadelphia, set for November, has also focused heavily on what candidates would do to stop a wave of violence. washingtonexaminer.com


Businesses Losing Customers Over Violent Crime Fears
'Trashing our city': Did New Orleans' crumbling infrastructure set the stage for rising crime?
Elected officials have failed to keep the Big Easy clean, with trash lining the streets - a failure that has helped fuel the city's crime surge, a lifelong resident told Fox News.

Violent crime has spiked dramatically in New Orleans in recent years. The city had the most homicides per capita among major U.S. cities in September, briefly earning it the title of the nation's murder capital. Carjackings and homicides in the Big Easy have more than doubled since 2019.

There are people that "won't come into the city because of the crime," Murdock previously told Fox News. The restaurant owner added that her business lost some of its customers due to the crime.

If city officials work to clean up trash and fix the roads, people are going to want to treat the city with respect, Murdock said. The restaurant owner said that improving the city's upkeep won't by itself stop the violent crime surge, but it will at least encourage residents and visitors to hold the city in higher regard.

Some studies have shown that violence and at least the perception of safety improved after eliminating detritus.

In Philadelphia, neighborhoods where vacant lots were cleaned up saw a 29% reduction in gun violence, according to a 2018 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Of the 445 nearby residents sampled in the research, 58% said they felt safer once the lots were cleaned. foxnews.com


Clackamas County DA calls on support of senate bills to combat organized retail theft after local man sentenced to 72 months in prison

Aurora, CO: Police chief says we need to work together to stop youth crime

Retail's Facial Recognition Expansion Continues
Consumers are increasingly embracing biometrics for authentication, including palm & face ID

JPMorgan to Test Biometric Payments at Some US Retailers
J.P. Morgan says it will begin testing biometric-based payments at some U.S. retailers. The pilot program, announced Thursday (March 23) includes palm and face identification to approve in-store transactions and comes at a time when consumers are increasingly embracing biometrics for authentication.

"J.P. Morgan Payments' biometrics pilot offering should allow for fast, secure and simple checkout experiences for its merchants' customers, delivering a modern payments experience to enhance customer loyalty," the banking giant said in a news release provided to PYMNTS.

The initial pilots will be carried out at brick-and-mortar stores in the U.S. If successful, a wider rollout would happen next year.

The release notes that the pilot could also extend to the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix, which aims to be the first Formula 1 race to test biometrics-based payments.

Recent research by PYMNTS finds that consumers now see biometric tools as the most secure method for transaction authentication, and the preferred authentication tool for more than half of U.S. consumers.

"In what may represent a so-called changing of the guard, 52% of consumers who use biometrics prefer the authentication method over other options, while only 25% of consumers who use passwords feel as positive about passwords," PYMNTS wrote earlier this year.

PYMNTS also spoke last year with Hamza Al-Ghatam, CEO at FACEKI, who said that while biometrics use is still in the early stages, "there are a lot of [untapped] industries and fields that can benefit from such a technology" beyond the financial world.

Those benefits include a blend of security and convenience and the use of iris recognition and 3D scanning to ensure systems are not misled by photographs.

"Imagine a world where anyone can turn up at an airport, buy a ticket, pass through security and board a flight without even a smartphone or passport on them. That technology exists to make this futuristic vision a reality, and payments are leading the charge." pymnts.com


Is Remote Work Fading?
Work-From-Home Era Ends for Millions of Americans

Share of businesses with workers on-site most of the time neared prepandemic levels in 2022, Labor Department finds

Some 72.5% of business establishments said their employees teleworked rarely or not at all last year, according to a Labor Department report released this week. That figure climbed from 60.1% in 2021. T

The new number is also close to the share of establishments-76.7%-that said they had no employees teleworking before the Covid-19 pandemic, and that were open in February 2020, the Labor Department said. Employers recently have begun pushing harder to get staff to work on-site more often, as recession fears prompt an increased emphasis on worker productivity.

"There's a sense that innovation, creativity and collaboration can suffer when teams are apart," said Mike Steinitz, senior executive director at Robert Half. A survey by the global recruitment firm found that 92% of managers prefer their teams to work on-site.

Several large companies have said they expect their employees to report in person, more often. Walt Disney Co. now pushes for four days a week on-site. Starbucks Corp. has asked office staff to come in more. This month, Meta Platforms Inc. Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg told employees at the Facebook parent that in-person time helps build relationships and get more done. wsj.com


'2023 Breakout Retailer Awards'
Winning Lineup: CSA reveals winners of 2023 Breakout Retailer Awards
Chain Store Age is proud to announce the winners of its annual Breakout Retailer awards. The winning lineup for 2023 features Academy Sports + Outdoors, Boot Barn, Choice Market, Condado Tacos and It'Sugar.

"The Breakout Retailer awards recognize retail, restaurant and non-traditional specialty concepts that are investing in innovation and growth in brick-and-mortar," said CSA editor-in-chief Marianne Wilson. "The honored companies understand the critical role physical retail in today's omnichannel world."

The awards, sponsored by architecture and design engineering firm Stantec, were presented at Chain Store Age's 59th annual SPECS Show, March 19-21, in Grapevine, Texas. Senior executives from the five brands were on hand to accept their awards and to share insights into their companies during a special panel discussion.

Accepting the awards on behalf of their companies were:

• Jim Conroy, president and CEO, Boot Barn;
• Mike Fogarty, founder and CEO, Choice Market;
• Sumeet Mittal, Mittal, VP, construction and design, Academy Sports + Outdoors;
• Jeff Rubin, founder and CEO, IT'SUGAR; and
• Jason Siegler, chief development officer, Condado Tacos. chainstoreage.com


Amazon's Rocky Brick & Mortar Experiment
The tragic blown promise of Amazon Go

Eight of Amazon's 'just walk out' stores are closing, including all the ones in San Francisco.

The recent Amazon Go shutterings are part of an ongoing downsizing at Amazon-most notably including 27,000 layoffs across the company. Twenty-three Amazon Go stores will survive, including eight in New York City (two operated in partnership with Starbucks), five in Chicago, and five in Seattle.

Other than its embrace of newfangled technology and the product-return counter, Amazon Go didn't even feel all that Amazonian, at least in ways that worked in its favor. It sure didn't live up to the company's brand promise of offering every product you could ever need, and just as many that you probably wouldn't. Moreover, the utilitarian nature of Amazon shopping just isn't as appealing when translated into physical retail: When my colleague Mark Wilson dropped by one of Manhattan's hybrid Starbucks/Amazon Go outlets in 2021, it struck him as resembling "a bodega crossed with a morgue, or perhaps a vending machine extrapolated into concrete." Ultimately, the fact that humanity had been stripped out of the experience-except for the security guard up front saying goodbye when customers left-didn't seem like a plus.

Whatever the fate of Amazon's remaining Go outposts, I hope other companies push forward with cashierless retail. fastcompany.com


Deadly Chocolate Factory Explosion
Pennsylvania Chocolate-Factory Explosion Death Toll Rises to Seven
Authorities were investigating the cause of a large explosion at a chocolate factory in Pennsylvania that killed at least seven people, officials said. The explosion at the R.M. Palmer Co. factory in West Reading, Pa., occurred just before 5 p.m. Friday. It destroyed the building and caused damage to a second structure, officials said.

R.M. Palmer Co. said it is focused on supporting its employees and their families. "Everyone at R.M. Palmer is devastated by the tragic events at one of our West Reading facilities," it said. "We have lost friends and colleagues." R. M. Palmer Co. sells seasonal chocolate novelties. The company's customers include discount retailers and drugstores across the country as well as in Canada, Mexico, and Russia. wsj.com


UK retail sales boosted by second-hand and discount stores
Sales volumes rose by 1.2% in February, official figures showed, the biggest monthly gain since October last year.

Dollar General begins international expansion - opens its first store in Mexico

Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan to work in stores, addresses union drive

Americans tip less as more businesses request tips

Last week's #1 article --

Retailers Deploy Facial Recognition to Battle Theft Surge

NYC Stores Deploy Facial Recognition to Catch Thieves
Stores are using facial recognition to help stop repeat shoplifters

NYC is seeing record high numbers of shoplifting.

Data from the NYPD shows there were more than 63,000 retail thefts reported last year up 97% from 2020. The crime is affecting the bottom line of many business owners who are now taking on the task of fighting crime on their own.

The Fairway market on the corner of Broadway and West 74th street on the Upper Westside is resorting to technology to help them catch the thieves, it is now using facial recognition.

It says retail theft and shoplifting has a high rate of repeat offense and drives up grocery costs for all customers, telling Fox 5, "This technology is helping our stores reduce retail crime, an industry-wide challenge that has increased dramatically over the last few years.

Only trained asset protection associates use the system, which helps us focus attention on repeat shoplifters.  fox5ny.com

Retail Cyberattack Surfaces are Growing
Understanding how cybersecurity is set to impact the retail industry
With the integration of technology and data, the retail industry is also facing an increased threat of cybersecurity breaches. For example, Sportswear chain JD Sports recently suffered a security breach leaving 10 million customers at risk due to stored data being stolen. The more technology is integrated into retail solutions, the more potential threats will be uncovered. Retailers will need to embrace cybersecurity and understand the threats posed to them while they continue to enhance experiences for customers.

The power of technology in retail

Retailers now have access to a wealth of information including visibility into supply chains, inventory status, and detailed customer insights, among many other things. However, with an abundance of data and variables, this also increases the potential for security breaches, making it important for retailers to have proper measures in place to protect the large attack surface that comes with this increased data and activity.

This has caused a need for advancement in cybersecurity. Data is stored in various locations that must be protected, requiring cybersecurity measures with visibility and detailed access controls to ensure that authorised individuals have access to the appropriate information at the appropriate time.

The Retail Cyber Security Landscape

The retail sector faced a record number of ransomware attacks last year, with a 75% rise compared to the previous year. Specifically, 77% of retail companies were affected by a ransomware attack in 2021, up from 44% in 2020.

The retail industry is seeing a growing emphasis on cybersecurity innovation. Retailers gather valuable information such as customer data and payment card information, making them a desirable target for cybercriminals. The rise of contactless payment methods and increased e-commerce options has expanded the potential for attacks, making it more challenging for retailers to safeguard customer data.

The rising threat of ransomware is a worrying trend for retailers. Cybercriminals take advantage of weaknesses in retailer networks to install ransomware, encrypt systems, and halt transactions until the retailer pays a ransom. This results in substantial financial losses and harm to the retailer's reputation. customerthink.com


Underground Cybercrime Community Rocked by Latest FBI Bust
The FBI's BreachForums bust is causing 'chaos in the cybercrime underground'

The dramatic fall of one of the preeminent cybercrime communities on the web will have major implications for the cybercrime markets.

On March 16, 2022, about a month after the FBI took down a popular online forum for buying and selling stolen data known as RaidForums, another criminal marketplace quickly sprung up to take its place. The title of first post on the new forum known as BreachForums simply said "Welcome."

Over the next year, the forum administered by "pompompurin" would post hacked data related to approximately 14 billion people globally, according to the FBI, and become one of the most prolific cybercrime forums in the world. It hosted breaches that included data related to 7 million Robinhood customers in November 2021, 23 terabytes of Shanghai National Police data in June 2022 and, more recently, roughly 60,000 records from the D.C. Health Link insurance exchange, exposing the personal details of members of Congress, their families and staffs and tens of thousands of other Washington area residents.

All of that came to an end last week after the FBI arrested a 20-year-old named Conor Fitzpatrick, who the bureau believes operated BreachForums from his parents' house in a small town about 40 miles from New York City. Fitzpatrick admitted to being pompompurin and owning and operating the forum and claimed to earn roughly $1,000 per day trading in stolen information, according to a detailed affidavit published Friday when he was scheduled to appear in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia.

Additionally, the Justice Department said on Friday that the FBI and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector general "conducted a disruption operation that caused BreachForums to go offline."

The dramatic fall of one of the preeminent cybercrime communities on the internet will have major implications for the cybercrime underground, experts say. Not only will hackers looking to sell data have to find a new venue, threat researchers who track illicit activity by cross-referencing posts and monikers across sites will have to find new ways in, too.

"In the short-term, we will see chaos in the cybercrime underground due to many looking for a new place to call home," said Will Thomas, a CTI Researcher at Equinix. "It takes time and effort to build up a reputation on a cybercrime forum and losing it overnight will affect the illicit incomes of many. This 'new home' could come in the form of another new forum started from scratch by some of the old members of BreachForums or we may see users flock to a new site."  cyberscoop.com


10 Organizations Hit By New Ransomware Gang in Less Than a Month
Zoom Zoom: 'Dark Power' Ransomware Extorts 10 Targets in Less Than a Month

A new threat actor is racking up victims and showing unusual agility. Part of its success could spring from the use of the Nim programming language.

A nascent ransomware gang has burst onto the scene with vigor, breaching at least 10 organizations in less than a month's time.

The group, which Trellix researchers have named "Dark Power," is in most ways like any other ransomware group. But it separates itself from the pack due to sheer speed and lack of tact - and its use of the Nim programming language.

What's odd is that there seems to be no rhyme or reason as to whom Dark Power targets, Trellix researchers said. The group has added to its body count in Algeria, the Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Israel, Peru, Turkey, and the US, across the agricultural, education, healthcare, IT, and manufacturing sectors.

The attacks themselves follow a well-worn ransomware playbook: Social-engineering victims through email, downloading and encrypting files, demanding ransoms, and extorting victims multiple times regardless of whether they pay.

The gang also engages in classic double extortion. Even before victims know they've been breached, Dark Power "might have already collected their sensitive data," Pham explains. "And then they use it for the second ransom. This time they say that if you're not going to pay, we're going to make the information public or sell it on the Dark Web."

As always, it's a Catch-22, though, because "there is no guarantee that if you pay the ransom, there will be no consequences."  darkreading.com


Enhance security while lowering IT overhead in times of recession
"Is cybersecurity recession-proof?" That's the question on the minds of many security professionals and executives as a possible economic downturn of indeterminate length and severity looms and many organizations are tightening their belts.

Malicious ChatGPT Extensions Add to Google Chrome Woes

Top ways attackers are targeting your endpoints

Tigard, OR: Shoplifter who bit off Nordstrom Security Guard's earlobe sentenced to prison
An Oregon woman has been sentenced to more than five years in prison after biting off part of a security guard's earlobe while stealing merchandise from a Nordstrom store last year, officials said. Security guards stopped Ashlie Ruth Clark, 31, attempting to leave Nordstrom at the Washington Square Mall in Tigard on July 22, 2022, with over $800 worth of items that she did not pay for, the Washington County District Attorney's Office said Friday. But Clark resisted the guards and yelled obscenities at them as they attempted to recover the stolen goods. During the scuffle, Clark bit one of the guards, chewing off "at least a half inch" of their earlobe, officials said. The victim was rushed to a hospital, but doctors were unable to reattach the earlobe. As Clark was arrested, she gave a false name and date of birth to officers, who later learned that she had two outstanding warrants for her arrest. Clark pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and first-degree attempted robbery on Friday at the Washington County Courthouse. She was handed a sentence of 70 months in prison followed by three years of post-prison supervision after her release. "The Washington County District Attorney's Office acknowledges the work of the Tigard Police Department, and the Nordstrom loss prevention team and Washington Square Mall security for their assistance in this investigation," the district attorney's office said.  news.yahoo.com


Antioch, CA: Update: Suspect arrested after two Antioch eyeglass store burglaries
A suspect was arrested after two optometry businesses were burglarized on Friday night, according to the Antioch Police Department. Garret Louie Optometry and Eye to Eye Optometry were both burglarized, according to police. In each of the burglaries, the suspect shattered the windows to enter. The suspect then filled bags up with glasses before fleeing the scene, police said. Police added extra watches around optometrist offices in the city, including Diablo Valley Optometric Group. As police were watching the business, the same suspect arrived and shattered a window, according to police. As he was inside, officers attempted to contact him, and he fled the scene, police said. The suspect was caught nearby, and his vehicle was found in a Walmart parking lot. Police say they found the stolen glasses from the other two businesses inside. He was arrested for charges related to burglary and resisting arrest before being booked into the Martinez Detention Facility.  kron4.com


Oak Brook, IL: Oak Brook Perfume Theft Yields Arrests
Two men were arrested last week after stealing perfume from an Oak Brook store and then leading officers on a high-speed chase, authorities said. The men were identified as Kovadis Stewart, 29, and Antwan Davis, 46, both of Chicago. About 6 p.m. Thursday, Davis entered Ulta Beauty, 2155 22nd St., alone, went directly to the fragrance section and filled a tote bag with nine perfumes, totaling $1,250, prosecutors said. Davis left the store without paying for the fragrances and got into a car driven by Stewart, according to a news release from the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office. Officers found the men a short distance away and activated their emergency lights and sirens, but the men did not stop, police said. They led officers on a high-speed chase on Butterfield Road, reaching speeds of 78 mph in a 35 mph zone, prosecutors said.  patch.com


Bridgewater, NJ: 2 charged with Theft of $850 in merchandise from Nordstrom Rack