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 4/13/23

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Genetec to highlight the benefits of a connected store at RILA

Genetec is showcasing its latest innovations at the Retail Asset Protection Conference April 30-May 1 (booth #801)

At booth (#801) Genetec
will show the latest innovations for Genetec Security Center, a unified security platform that combines all of a retailer's data points from the video management system (VMS), access control system (ACS), automatic license plate recognition (ALPR), intrusion monitoring, intercom, and more, along with other business systems and IoT devices, in one intuitive interface. It helps retailers tap into the full potential of devices and equipment they already own, using data in new ways to do more with less.

Highlights will include demonstrations of the solution resulting from the recently-announced collaboration between Genetec and Axis Communications -- the industry's first enterprise-level access control offering that combines Genetec access control software with Axis network door controllers in a single, all-in-one offering.

Genetec is also showcasing Streamvault Edge, a line of innovative connected appliances that help retailers modernize their physical security infrastructure while still leveraging their investment in existing sensors. It essentially enables them to migrate their physical security systems to a hybrid-cloud architecture gradually.

Learn more about RILA's AP Conference & register here
 




 



The U.S. Crime Surge
The Retail Impact


Organized Retail Crime Has Reached 'Epidemic Levels'
America's theft surge continues to make national headlines

Retail Theft - Its Impact Is Far Reaching And Very Costly

Here are some facts according to NRF Vice President of Asset Protection and Retail Operations David Johnston.

1. Retail theft is a serious, widespread problem. A daily review of national and local news highlights that the situation has reached an epidermic level. And, it has gone beyond individual theft to become a more organized operation. Shoplifting is no longer an invisible act of concealing merchandise - brazen scofflaws are openly stealing from national retailers and local businesses. Some retailers are curtailing their hours or even closing their doors due to theft. These criminal acts are beyond a by-product of a challenging economy or mental health concerns. The frequency, scale, and number of people stealing tells a different story.

2. Stolen items are not for personal use. Shoplifting to resell stolen merchandise is now part of an organized retail crime enterprise. Shoplifters might be stealing in order to enjoy a financial windfall or feed an addiction; they are selling the products to a fencing operation, pawn shop, or other illicit businesses for cash or drugs, etc.

3. Widespread retail theft impacts the customer experience. When items are unavailable for purchase, frustration mounts and consumers lose confidence in their local retailers. Worse, reduced store hours or store closings due to theft inconvenience shoppers and force some to travel farther for everyday needs.

4. Retailers understand the impact on their business and have been forced to act. Retail executives, asset protection personnel, and store associates fully recognize the impact retail theft has on their business, customers, and the industry. In response, businesses are incurring new costs, revising their operations, and developing new strategies to deal with customer service issues.

5. Communities must respond to the issue. Public leaders are feeling the pressure because these thefts affect both bottom lines and public safety. Some states have begun to re-structure and/or enact new laws or create tasks forces to go after these criminal groups.

6. It will take a "whole community approach" to resolve. Retailers must continue working with law enforcement and communities to provide data, report incidents, and support investigations. Law enforcement must partner with the retail industry across communities to target and capture those coordinating and leading these organized enterprises. forbes.com


San Francisco's Crime 'Doom Loop'
Closure of Whole Foods means prospect of S.F. 'doom loop' is now 'more doomy'
Its abrupt temporary closure on Monday was another sign of San Francisco's persistent public safety and economic challenges, fueling more criticism of city leaders and headlines around the world about the city's crime woes for the second straight week.

Whole Foods cited the safety of workers as the reason for the closure, and Supervisor Matt Dorsey said Monday that the store was hit by "drug-related retail theft, adjacent drug markets, and the many safety issues related to them."

As nearby Mid-Market office buildings empty out - Uber, Block and Reddit have left or plan to leave the neighborhood this year, and Twitter has laid off more than two-thirds of its staff - residential and retail activity is increasingly important for the area's economic vitality. Whole Foods' closure and its uncertain future - the company did not say when the store could reopen - is another worrying sign.

"Doom loop just got slightly more doomy," Arpit Gupta, a New York University professor who co-wrote a paper on potential urban death spirals, posted on Twitter in reaction to the closure.

San Francisco Police Department crime data for the Tenderloin Station area, which includes the Mid-Market Whole Foods location, shows an increase in assaults and motor vehicle thefts over the past two years. Burglaries spiked in the first two years of the pandemic, mirroring citywide trends, but have fallen below 2019 levels in recent months. However, police officials have said at past public hearings that retail crime and shoplifting is underreported.

Crime is also a major challenge for the Market, a grocery store located in the Twitter headquarters building two blocks west of Whole Foods.

"We are concerned about safety. We have private security. It's still very unpleasant," owner Chris Foley said.

The double whammy of remote work and theft led to a plunge in revenue during the pandemic, and the Market cut its hours and closed on weekends. Foley said that the Market will continue to stay open. He hopes more companies and government workers come back to the office more often.

"Downtown S.F. looks like a zombie apocalypse. People who've not been there have no idea," Twitter's owner Elon Musk wrote on the social media platform Monday. sfchronicle.com



Congressional Hearing Targets Progressive DA's Crime Approach
Bodega clerk Jose Alba among Bragg 'victims' at House Judiciary hearing
New York City bodega clerk Jose Alba will be among the witnesses who testify next week about District Attorney Alvin Bragg's performance at a special House Judiciary Committee "field hearing" near the DA's Lower Manhattan office.

Alba, then 61, was charged by Bragg's office with second-degree murder last year after he fatally stabbed ex-con Austin Simon, 35, who attacked Alba while he worked inside a Harlem shop.

Bragg ultimately dropped the case against Alba amid public outcry, determining that surveillance footage showed he acted in self-defense - but not before Alba was locked up on Rikers Island for several days.

Alba moved back to the Dominican Republic after being traumatized by the experience, sources told The Post. He reportedly is planning to sue Bragg for wrongfully prosecuting him.

The committee indicated that additional witnesses may join the unusual hearing, which targets Bragg's approach to crime after the DA indicted former President Donald Trump on charges linked to 2016 hush-money payments. Trump is the first former president to face criminal charges.

Before bringing charges against Trump, Bragg, an elected Democrat, downgraded the severity of charges against many offenders - and Republicans announced Monday they would spotlight Bragg's "victims" with the field hearing on his home turf.

In the first 11 months of his DA tenure, Bragg downgraded 52% of felony cases to misdemeanors. When felony charges were brought, his office won a conviction just 51% of the time. nypost.com


Employees & Customers Fuel Workplace Attacks
Advice on How to Deal with Workplace Shootings

Companies should have procedures for employees to report (including anonymously) concerns in the workplace, threats and acts of violence.

As the nation mourns with the employees of Old National Bank in Louisville where one employee shot five others, we again ask ourselves what could have been done.

In an article on PBS, James Densley, professor of criminal justice at Metropolitan State University in DePaul, Minnesota and co-founder of The Violence Project, made this observation. "We have built an industry around how to lock bad guys out. We have heavily invested in physical security measures like metal detectors, cameras and armed security guards. But too often in workplace shootings, this is someone who already has access to the building."

And the numbers bear this out as a recent study of mass shootings between 2016 and 2020 found that about half of all attacks were perpetrated at businesses, many by employees or customers.

How can companies address this? An article by Christina Jepson, of Parson Behle & Latimer, says a company's anti-violence policy should also contain policies that address other subjects including:

  • The company's right to conduct background checks to ascertain any patterns of violence in applicants' backgrounds

  • Mental health support for employees

  • Resources for employees who are involved in a violent incident

  • A zero-tolerance anti-violence policy

  • Disciplinary procedures for employees who violate the anti-violence policy

  • Workplace dispute mediation

  • Procedures for employees to report (including anonymously) concerns in the workplace, threats and acts of violence (including no retaliation policies)

  • Procedures for employees to comfortably report domestic violence and protective orders so employers can enact a safety plan

  • Procedures for when law enforcement should be contacted

  • The company's right to search employees' personal storage areas, such as desks and lockers

  • The company's right to conduct regular on-site inspections

  • A communication policy that informs employees their workplace email and messaging is subject to monitoring

  • Employee surveys to analyze and address existing safety concerns and threats

  • A threat management team

  • Training employees for an active shooter situation and other violent situations

Over the past few years, EHS Today has looked at this issue from a variety of angles and here are some of the articles:

SLC 2022 Mitigating Workplace Violence

Active Shooter Survival

Workplace Violence and Mass Shootings

Indicators of Workplace Violence
  ehstoday.com


Deep Dive Into Federal Law to Crack Down on Theft & Online Selling
New Law Requires Greater Transparency for Online Consumer Marketplaces
On December 29, 2022, President Biden signed into law the INFORM Consumers Act ("the Act") as Title III of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, which provides federal appropriations for the remainder of the 2023 fiscal year.[1] The Act, which takes effect June 27, 2023, imposes data collection, disclosure, and other requirements on online consumer marketplaces that host "high-volume" third-party sellers in order to "combat the online sale of stolen, counterfeit, and dangerous consumer products."

Greater transparency should "help deter the online sale of counterfeit goods by anonymous sellers and prevent organized retail crime rings from stealing items from stores to resell those items in bulk online."[5]

Who does the INFORM Consumers Act apply to?

The Act applies to "online marketplaces" that facilitate "high-volume third-party sellers." An "online marketplace" as defined in the Act is a person or entity, regardless of its size or revenue, that operates a "consumer-directed electronically based or accessed platform" that (A) includes features that facilitate or enable third-party sellers to sell, purchase, pay, store, ship or deliver consumer products in the United States; (B) third-party sellers use for such purposes; and (C) has a contractual relationship with consumers governing their use of the platform to purchase consumer products.[6]

How must online marketplaces comply?

1. Collect high-volume third-party seller information.
2. Keep collected information current and verified.
3. Maintain data security measures.
4. Make disclosures to consumers.


How is the INFORM Consumers Act enforced?
The FTC may investigate violations of and enforce the INFORM Consumers Act by the same means and with the same jurisdiction, powers, and duties as are granted to it through the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC Act). Violations of the requirements to collect, verify, and disclose information on sellers would be an unfair or deceptive act or practice in violation of section 18(a)(1)(B) of the FTC Act. Unless the FTC has already brought an action, state attorneys general may also bring a civil action in federal court to enjoin further violations, enforce compliance, obtain civil penalties or other remedies permitted under state law, and obtain damages or other compensation on behalf of state residents, with notice to the FTC and an opportunity to intervene. jdsupra.com


80% of Americans Believe Shoplifting is a 'Problem'
Exclusive: New survey reveals consumer attitudes on shoplifting
Results from a new survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers from YouGov that have been exclusively released to Chain Store Age show that a combined 80% of respondents believe shoplifting is either a very (43%) or somewhat (37%) serious problem in the U.S.

While two-thirds (67%) of respondents believe shoplifting is never acceptable, 4% say it is always acceptable and 19% say it can be acceptable under certain circumstances.

Security issues

Respondents were also asked a number of questions relating to security around shoplifting. Close to half (49%) think store employees should be required to intervene if a shoplifter has no weapon, although that number drops to 35% if a shoplifter is unarmed but threatening employees and only 20% in the case of an armed shoplifter.

Slightly more than half (51%) of respondents have reported or confronted a shoplifter. More than eight in 10 (82%) have been to a store where many products are kept locked behind security cases to reduce the risk of being stolen.

While about seven in 10 (69%) respondents think keeping products locked behind security cases reduces the risk of theft, 44% say it makes the shopping experience worse. One in five think security cases make the shopping experience better, while 29% say it makes no difference.

One in 10 respondents admitted to having shoplifted at least once as an adult aged 16 or older. The leading reason was not being able to pay (51%), but 20% wanted to make money reselling the item and 22% did it for the thrill. chainstoreage.com


Wichita and Derby report sharp increases in thefts, shoplifting

Portland PD begins 24/7 foot patrols at open-air fentanyl market


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Union Scare Tactics at Apple Stores Nationwide?
Apple reportedly held anti-union meetings at all of its US stores

Some workers described the gatherings as a "scare tactic."

Apple appears to have taken its most aggressive step yet to warn its retail employees against unionizing. According to Bloomberg, the company recently held meetings at all of its roughly 270 stores across the United States meant to "discuss the risks of unionization." The tone of the gatherings was "consistent" across Apple's retail footprint. Managers reportedly opened with a prepared statement from corporate leadership before turning to the state of union negotiations in Towson, Maryland, the location of the company's first unionized store in the US.

According to Bloomberg, Apple management cast the election at Towson, and the slow progress workers at the store have made toward securing a collective bargaining agreement "as a bit of a cautionary tale." Managers leaned on talking points that criticized union dues and the unionization process, including the collection of authorization cards. "While Apple didn't say it, the underlying message to the company's tens of thousands of retail employees: if your store unionizes, you may be at a disadvantage," according to Bloomberg.

Bloomberg suggests some employees saw the meetings as a "scare tactic" and an attempt to "pour cold water on the idea" of unionization. Last May, Apple Store employees in Atlanta accused the company of subjecting them to anti-union captive audience meetings. For decades, companies were allowed to hold such gatherings until 24 hours before a union election begins. In 2022, however, National Labor Relations Board general counsel Jennifer Abruzzo claimed captive audience meetings were a violation of the National Labor Relations Act. engadget.com


50K+ Stores Closures by 2027?
More than 50K stores may close by 2027: UBS

Retailers closed more stores in 2022 than they opened

Slowing consumer spending, reduced availability of credit and rising penetration of e-commerce may contribute to the closure of 50,000 retail stores by 2027
, UBS analysts led by Michael Lasser said in a report published Tuesday. That forecast is based on the assumption that 25% of online orders will be fulfilled by a retail store by 2027, up from 15% now.

If online penetration reaches 28-29% with 2.5% retail sales growth, up to 130,000 stores could close. Although that estimate is down from what UBS forecasted in 2021, with less access to capital needed to invest in omnichannel, smaller retail chains are most at risk of closing, the analysts said.

Retailers closed more stores than they opened in 2022, reversing a trend in 2021 that saw about 11,000 net stores added to the U.S. retail sector's brick-and-mortar footprint. That trend is likely to continue "as a tough macro backdrop and shift in spending away from goods forces closures at smaller, undifferentiated retailers," the analysts said. retaildive.com


Fallout from Walmart's Chicago Closures
(Update) Walmart's plan to abruptly close 4 Chicago stores slammed as 'unethical' and 'unceremoniously abandoning these neighborhoods'

Elected officials said that the decision to close the stores "worsens food deserts" in the area.

Walmart's decision to shutter four Chicago stores has drawn ire of elected officials representing the Windy City. In a rare press release on April 11 announcing store closures, Walmart said bluntly that these stores "have not been profitable since we opened the first one nearly 17 years ago."

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement she was "incredibly disappointed" by the decision. "Unceremoniously abandoning these neighborhoods will create barriers to basic needs for thousands of residents," Lightfoot said. "While near-term arrangements will be made for workers, I fear that many will find that their long-term opportunities have been significantly diminished."

Illinois' layoff law - broader in scope than the federal WARN Act - requires many large employers to provide 60 calendar days' notice before a location closure that is expected to result in 75 or more job losses. Walmart typically does file advance notice where required.

Local lawmakers meanwhile have expressed alarm over the swift closures - Walmart is shutting the stores five days after its announcement - and the impact on communities where shoppers rely on Walmart for everyday essentials businessinsider.com


Will Employees or Employers Win the Remote Work Battle?
Employers want everyone back in the office - for real this time
The power, once in the hands of workers with lots of options, is shifting back to employers, Challenger said, especially in industries with more layoffs and fewer openings.

Julia Pollak, an economist at ZipRecruiter, said most companies don't like fully remote work because studies show that, generally, candidates who tend to apply for those jobs are less productive.

"People who want to moonlight or want to smoke pot all day or watch movies while working or whatever," she said.

Workers in hybrid environments have the highest productivity levels because it allows for face-to-face meetings without the taxing daily commute. And Pollak said companies that list hybrid jobs get the most applicants. marketplace.org


Juul Reaches $462 Million Settlement With New York, California and Other States
The case ends major litigation over claims of marketing e-cigarettes to adolescents, resolving thousands of lawsuits and amounting to billions of dollars in payouts to states, cities and people.


Updated list of Walmart's 2023 store closures

JLL: Restaurant sales top $1 trillion in 2022

The list of oldest malls in every state



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Target's Cybersecurity Approach Balances Security & Convenience
How Target approaches identity and access management

Designing an identity and access management system that provides a good user experience while preventing unauthorized access is a critical responsibility.

The FBI and international law enforcement seizure last week of Genesis Market, a cybercrime marketplace that facilitated the purchase and sale of data that allowed threat actors to impersonate legitimate users, exemplifies the high-level risk posed by digital identities and how they can be exploited for nefarious activities.

Designing an identity and access management system that provides a good user experience while preventing unauthorized access is a critical responsibility for cybersecurity professionals. Balancing those requirements is a tricky proposition fraught with challenges.

Target and other organizations addressed the importance of IAM to mark the third annual Identity Management Day, which was created to boost awareness among business leaders, IT professionals and individuals.

"We believe that considering security versus convenience doesn't have to be a trade-off for our teams as we are developing solutions," Tom Sheffield, senior director of cyber solutions at Target, said in a blog post published Monday.

The use of biometrics, which Target uses in its single sign-on program, can achieve security and simplicity together instead of competing with one another, Sheffield said.

"It's not a trade-off," Sheffield said. "It's magnifying both the security and the user experience simultaneously to increase the value delivered instead of needing to promote one over the other."

Adoption is the most important measure of success, and to hit that goal it's important to consider the user's perspective as much as the cybersecurity benefits that will be gained, according to Sheffield.

Target also adheres to FIDO standards for authentication, which Sheffield describes as "phishing resistant, cryptographically backed and significantly stronger than a password."

Sheffield prescribes many of the same recommendations at Target, including the use of multifactor authentication and unique, strong passwords across every site.

Target has made multiple changes to improve its security posture during the last decade. The retailer suffered a data breach in 2013 that exposed financial records on more than 41 million customers. cybersecuritydive.com


No Company is Fully Safe from Cyberattacks
Cyberattacks hit almost all companies last year, Sophos says

A constant barrage of malicious activity has organizations reeling, negatively impacting their ability to strategize or accomplish IT projects.

Cyberattacks aren't a roll of the dice for organizations, but rather a near certainty. Almost all organizations, 94%, experienced a cyberattack of some form during the last year, according to research Sophos released Tuesday.

AdvertisementAll companies should assume they will be a target in 2023, researchers warned.

This constant barrage of malicious activity has organizations reeling. Most businesses are confronting threats that are too advanced to deal with internally, and a majority report cyberthreats negatively impact their ability to accomplish IT projects or dedicate time to strategic issues.

"Many organizations are overwhelmed and struggling to accomplish both routine operational tasks and strategic initiatives," John Shier, field CTO of commercial at Sophos, said via email. "This manifests itself in organizations that are reactive and unable to improve their situation because they are constantly on the back foot."

Nearly all respondents, 93%, said essential security operations tasks remain challenging and only half of security alerts are investigated. Three-quarters of respondents reported difficulty identifying the root cause of cyberattacks.

"It's not so much that security controls are failing, though for some that might be the case, but rather the overall system not operating," Shier said. "Like many complex systems, security infrastructure requires many layers operating together with redundancies applied throughout."

The top five cyberthreats of concern to IT and cybersecurity leaders surveyed include: data theft, phishing, ransomware, extortion, and DDoS attacks. Just 1% said they're not concerned about any cyberthreats affecting their organization this year. cybersecuritydive.com


CISA's 'Secure by Design' Principles
On heels of US cyber strategy, CISA set to release secure by design principles

CISA Director Jen Easterly said the agency plans to release the principles this week to encourage more safe coding practices.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency plans to release its secure by design principles this week to encourage the adoption of safe coding practices, which are a core part of the Biden administration's recently released national cybersecurity strategy.

The document isn't meant to be the "Holy Grail" on secure by design, said CISA Director Jen Easterly during the CrowdStrike Government Summit in Washington on Tuesday, but it's an important step when it comes to "shifting the burden to software companies from individual users and small businesses" when it comes to cybersecurity.

The secure by design approach to building software products isn't a new idea but it is gaining more traction. Before the release of the national cybersecurity strategy, Easterly and Eric Goldstein, CISA's assistant director for cybersecurity, wrote an op-ed calling on software vendors to "stop passing the buck on cybersecurity." Easterly also made the case for secure by design during a speech at a recent Carnegie Mellon University event, where she called for three "core principles" for technology manufacturers.

At the CrowdStrike summit, Easterly repeated those principals for software vendors, which are: take ownership of security outcomes for their customers, provide "radical transparency" to their customers, and improving design quality in product by focusing on building safe products. "It's incredibly important that we now focus on ensuring that the software that powers our lives is secure by design and secure by default," she said.

One early implementation of secure by design comes from the Department of Energy's cyber informed engineering strategy, a framework aimed at including cybersecurity in engineering practices. cyberscoop.com

   RELATED: CISA to unveil secure-by-design principles this week


Gartner: Human-Centric Design Is Top Cybersecurity Trend for 2023
In order to reduce cybersecurity risks and failures, organizations will need to focus on employees, management, and new operating models.

Cyber threat intelligence programs: Still crazy after all these years
Organizations are spending on threat intelligence, but ESG research reveals CTI may not be getting a good return on investment.
 
1M+ WordPress Sites Hacked via Zero-Day Plug-in Bugs


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It's that time of the year again - time for the NJ Cannabis Insider Live 2023 Awards!

We'd greatly appreciate if you would nominate Sapphire Risk Advisory Group for an award in the categories of "Excellence in Consultancy: Compliance, Security Planning and Insurance," and "Excellence in Consultancy: Application Development".

You can vote daily now through April 17!


 



'Unchecked Retail Theft' Hitting Cannabis Businesses in SF
S.F. cannabis merchants say they're the latest victims of retail theft - and they want police to help

Business owners gathered Thursday to highlight a recent spate of burglaries and the kidnapping of a dispensary worker

San Francisco cannabis merchants reeling from a spate of burglaries - one of which involved the kidnapping of a dispensary worker - made an impassioned plea to law enforcement Thursday, describing themselves as the latest victims of unchecked retail theft in the city.

Gathering Thursday outside of Stiiizy SoMa, the scene of the kidnapping, a group of local industry leaders agitated for more policing after a rash of terrifying attacks by thieves whom they described as calculating and methodical. In recent months the thieves have targeted at least six businesses across the city, taking with them hundreds of thousands of dollars in product.

Cannabis operators across the Bay Area have begun to pool security footage of other recent store burglaries from as far away as Sacramento, and the incidents are often strikingly similar, leading many merchants to believe they may be connected.

Nearly all of the cannabis leaders who spoke at the Thursday news conference had recently been victims of burglars armed not only with firearms but tools such as crowbars. Dispensary owners believe the thieves may also carry police scanners to track pursuits by law enforcement, enabling them to plunder dispensaries more efficiently.

Beyond the loss of merchandise, some business owners struck by thefts say they are grappling with insurance claims, while others struggle to get coverage. Many are struggling with whether to hire armed security guards, escalating what they say is an already high cost of doing business. Several expressed frustration that police officers are not doing more.

Reported break-ins and burglaries at cannabis businesses across the state more than doubled from 2021 to 2022, according to state data obtained through an investigation by MJBizDaily.

"The recent attacks have targeted cannabis establishments that have worked hard to build their businesses in compliance with state and local rules. These businesses and employees deserve to feel safe," said Nikesh Patel, director of San Francisco's Office of Cannabis.  sfchronicle.com


Security is Key to Cannabis Business Compliance
Prioritizing Physical and Installed Security During Cannabis Business Build Outs
During the construction and buildout phase of opening a cannabis operation, it is important to prioritize physical and installed security measures. Often, security system installation (i.e. cameras, alarms) and the focus on security takes place after the buildout of the operation. Physical, or installed security can include: doors, barriers, walls, or any other physically installed feature, that plays a part in securing the operation. If these features are not properly prioritized, the operation will likely face hindrances to security and potentially operating altogether. Once these features are appropriately prepared, it is then important to ensure that they work with the security technology that will be installed later.

AdvertisementCompliance: Installed security features are almost certainly part of your compliance standards for operating a cannabis business. Simply, if these features do not function properly, you will be out of compliance when operating. You could face fines and potentially suspension/revocation of your license, depending on severity and number of compliance violations.

Integration: Once you have identified the most important security features that are necessary to your compliance standards, as well as your operational security, you need to ensure that the technology (cameras, alarms, access control, etc.) works seamlessly with the installed security feature. After all, what good is a sturdy door, without a lock or access panel that is also built to last? This is a crux for you and your business, and if you have a weakness here, it means a threat to you operating compliantly down the road. sapphirerisk.com sapphirerisk.com


Minnesota Legalization Bill Sparks Concerns
Retailers, hemp farmers concerned with direction of Minnesota marijuana legalization bill
Lawmakers are making moves towards legalizing marijuana in Minnesota, after two dozen hearings in different committees at the Capitol. But that isn't stopping some in the hemp industry from raising concerns about how the bill will impact their existing cannabis businesses.

We've all seen the surge of products with the label: "contains THC." That's because state lawmakers here approved low doses of it in food and drink last summer as long as it comes from hemp, which is a cousin to marijuana and a plant that's legal at the federal level.

The huge marijuana legalization bill up for debate at the Capitol contains new regulations and taxes on hemp products, too. And those new rules are sparking some concern.

Tuesday, a coalition of hemp farmers and retailers had a news conference raising issue with some of the bill's provisions. They believe hemp should be left out of the bill in the first place. They say taxing the products at the same rate as marijuana is unfair, and that the new regulations are complex and overly burdensome. cannabisbusinessexecutive.com


Cannabis industry will add $100 billion to US economy in 2023

Germany waters down plan to legalize cannabis after talks with Brussels


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First-Ever 'Review Hijacking' Case Involving Amazon
FTC orders supplement maker to pay $600K in 1st case involving hijacked Amazon reviews
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has approved a final consent order in its first-ever enforcement action over a case involving "review hijacking," or when a marketer steals consumer reviews of another product to boost the sales of its own.

In this case, the FTC has ordered supplements retailer The Bountiful Company, the maker of Nature's Bounty vitamins and other brands, to pay $600,000 for deceiving customers on Amazon where it used a feature to merge the reviews of different products to make some appear to have better ratings and reviews than they otherwise would have had if marketed under their own listings.

The case exposes how sellers have been exploiting an Amazon feature that allows sellers to request the creation of "variation" relationships between different products and SKUs. The feature is meant to help marketers and consumers alike as it creates a single detail page on Amazon.com that shows similar products that are different only in narrow, specific ways, the FTC explains - like items that come in a different color, size, quantity or flavor.

However, The Bountiful Company exploited Amazon's feature to merge its newer products with older, well-established products which had different formulations, the FTC said.

The FTC cited and screenshotted more than a dozen examples from 2020 and 2021 in its original complaint against the vitamin and supplement maker, which in 2021 sold its core brands - including Nature's Bounty and Sundown - to Nestlé.

As a result of these product merges, consumers who happened across any of the newer products would believe them to be better received than they were in reality, as they were benefiting from the merged ratings and reviews of other, differentiated items.

"Boosting your products by hijacking another product's ratings or reviews is a relatively new tactic, but is still plain old false advertising," Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said this February when the consent order was first announced ahead of its public comment period and finalized version. techcrunch.com


COVID's Lasting Impact on E-Commerce
How the pandemic's e-commerce boom drove new packaging trends

While the effects are finally settling out, industry experts say the last three years have seen an uptick in "ships in own container" packaging as well as changes in design.

Even if the social distancing and vaccination campaigns that marked the early pandemic have largely faded, some 2020 shifts - namely, what kinds of packaging and envelopes brought online purchases to American doorsteps - are sticking around.

A 2022 report from the U.S. Census Bureau found that the value of e-commerce sales rose 43% in 2020. In that year, and in 2021, the number of packages moving through shipment systems had a compound growth rate hovering above 20%, said Jon Moss, a managing director and partner at L.E.K. Consulting. "That's a huge surge in relative growth of parcels."

Higher e-commerce sales volumes and the added complications of the channel have pushed brands to revamp their containers in recent years. Of the brand and packaging managers that said they have e-commerce sales, 86% said they altered packaging for items sold online, according to a 2022 survey from L.E.K. The firm, which solicited feedback from 421 individuals overseeing brands sold in the U.S., found the largest motivator for the reported changes was adapting for automated handling, which 39% of respondents said they did. retaildive.com


Amazon opens massive 1,000,000-square-foot fulfillment center in Liberty, MO

Some welcome inflation news: Prices for goods online are falling


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New York, NY: Thieves take off with $242K in Hermes handbags from Manhattan auction house
Hundreds of thousands of dollars of handbags were stolen from a Manhattan auction house. The NYPD released video of a group smashing the windows of Heritage Auctions on Park Avenue. It happened on March 7 at around 4 a.m. The group took off with $242,000 in Hermes handbags, approximately eight bags.  abc7ny.com


Beverlywood, CA: $58K Sofa Stolen From Beverlywood Furniture Store
A Beverlywood business was hit with the theft of a very expensive sofa, but now with a little help from some alert community members, the owners think they know who did it. Anyone who visits Merit in Beverlywood will notice they sell a lot of things, like "stuff that's hard to find" such as mid-century furniture, art, objects and taxidermy, owner Paul Bearman said. But early Monday, a burglar cut the video feed from a camera and broke into the business to steal a $58,000 sofa. "It's called the Mah Jong Sofa. Missoni fabric -- it kind of looks like a woman's dress. It's just really pretty -- silk and corduroy -- a beautiful pattern," Bearmn said. Marcos, the gallery director, described surveillance that shows a man backing up a white van in front of the business. He cut the video feed, then broke into the store and committed the crime.   nbclosangeles.com


Salt Lake City, UT: Group accused of stealing $10K in diesel fuel
The men are believed to have participated in a fuel theft ring in which thousands of gallons of diesel fuel were stolen from gas stations in at least four counties and then sold at well below market value to local trucking companies, according to police.  deseret.com


Sarasota, FL: Two Arrested For Grand Theft At Sarasota Home Depot
The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office arrested two men Friday morning for Grand Theft and one with an additional charge of Cocaine Possession. Deputies were initially alerted to the theft by the Loss Prevention Officer at the Home Depot store on Cattlemen Road in Sarasota. These two were identified as the same two men who had committed grand theft at another business in North Port less than an hour earlier. As deputies responded, the suspects gathered numerous items totaling just under $5,000.  wengradio.com


Medford, NY: Trio Nabs Massage Guns, Lego Sets From Medford Target

Tulsa, OK: Women arrested for allegedly stealing $1,000 worth of merchandise from Kohl's

Southington, CT: Police identify suspected shoplifter who stole over $600 worth of items from TJ Maxx



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Shootings & Deaths


Fort Worth, TX: Man died of gunshot in head in killing at Fort Worth C-store
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office has released the name of an 18-year-old man who was slain on Monday at a southeast Fort Worth convenience store. Marques Parker died of a gunshot wound in the head, according to the medial examiner's office. At the same time, another man was shot and critically injured by the same assailant at the store, Joe's Food Mart, in the 4200 block of Miller Avenue, Fort Worth police said. The killing occurred about 2 a.m. during a disagreement between the assailant and Parker, police said.  star-telegram.com


Nashville, TN: Update: Man accused of killing a Security guard pleads not guilty
The man accused of disarming and killing a liquor store security guard in Nashville was in court Wednesday morning. Randy Levi, 41, is accused of shooting Frugal MacDoogal security guard Robert Meek in June, before firing at Metro officers inside of the store. Meek died after the shooting. Levi pleaded not guilty to all charges against him during his arraignment Wednesday. He's charged with first-degree murder, multiple counts of attempted murder and weapons offenses. In June, Meek's family told WSMV4 he was a selfless man who dedicated his life to helping and protecting others. He was a trained security guard with decades of experience. "It sucks that it happens to the best people," Meeks' stepdaughter Madison Howard said. "There are people that walk freely every single day that are awful people, and the best people are the ones that get taken so soon. It is just not fair." Levi was injured by officers who fired back during the shooting. He is expected back in court in July.  wsmv.com


St. Paul, MN: Shoplifter sentenced for shooting liquor store worker over 6-pack
A Minneapolis man was sentenced to nearly 11 years in prison Wednesday for shooting a liquor store employee over a six-pack of beer last year in St. Paul. Jalen William Dyson, 29, was charged with attempted murder in connection with the daytime shooting at Park Liquors on Snelling and Hague avenues. A February plea agreement called for a 130½-month prison term, which was handed down by Ramsey County District Judge Jacob Kraus. Jalen William Dyson (Courtesy of the Ramsey County sheriff's Office) According to the criminal complaint, liquor store workers reported that a man wearing a full face mask left without paying for a six-pack of beer at 3:45 p.m. on Jan. 23. A worker who followed the shoplifter out of the store told him, "I'll take that stuff back that you took," when the man, who was later identified as Dyson, turned and shot him twice from five to seven feet away. The worker was wounded in the abdomen, in tremendous pain when police arrived and had surgery to repair damage to his internal organs.  twincities.com


Tacoma, WA: Smoke shop clerk shot in attempted robbery
The Tacoma Police Department (TPD) is investigating a shooting that injured a store clerk Wednesday morning. Police received reports at 10:40 a.m. that someone was shot in the 9300 block of South Steele Street. Officials say at this time, it appears armed suspects tried to rob a business on South Steele Street and a clerk was shot. The 26-year-old man was taken to the hospital with serious injuries and is in stable condition, according to police. "It's not right, they go in there to rob other people who are trying to make a living," store customer Diana Garcia told KOMO News.  komonews.com


West Valley City, UT: 5 Shots Fired at Workers in Jewelry Booth Robbery
A man wearing a mask fired five shots at employees while robbing a jewelry booth at an indoor swap meet in West Valley City, UT. He entered the swap meet at about 6 p.m. on March 25 and went to a jewelry booth, according to a press release from the West Valley City Police Department. He took out a gun and began shooting toward employees, police said. He then took out a hammer, smashed showcases and took jewelry.  instoremag.com


Bronx, NY: 4 people shot after fight broke out inside restaurant in Soundview, the Bronx
 



Robberies, Incidents & Thefts


Escambia County, FL: 3 store employees stop alleged robber from stealing thousands in cash
The Escambia County Sheriff's Office has released more information about the robbery suspect, Michael Bryant. On top of the robbery and larceny charge he received for this incident, Bryant also had multiple warrants out for his arrests. Those warrants included: Burglary at a laundry mat, Burglary at a gas station, Burglary at a restaurant, Burglary at a restaurant, and Burglary at a gas station. A man was arrested after he allegedly tried to rob a grocery store, according to a Facebook post from the Escambia County Sheriff's Office. The post said deputies were called to the store on Brent Lane Tuesday night for a robbery in progress. At the store closing time, Michael Bryant went into the store, grabbed money bags and attempted to run out of the store. Three store employees saw the attempted robbery and were able to stop Bryant and hold him until deputies arrived. The post said the employees saved the store from "losing thousands of dollars."  wkrg.com


Chicago, IL: 3 armored truck robberies reported in Chicago area

Boston, MA: Feds bust $2M theft ring that targeted catalytic converters

Omaha, NE: Man sentenced to 3 years in federal prison for gun theft

 

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Auto - Fairfield, OH - Burglary
C-Store - Alexandria, VA - Armed Robbery
C-Store - Takoma Park, MD - Armed Robbery
C-Store - Steuben County, PA - Burglary
C-Store - Reading, PA - Robbery
Furniture - Beverlywood, CA - Burglary
Grocery - Missoula, MT - Robbery
Grocery - Escambia County, FL - Robbery
Hardware - Billings, MT - Robbery
Hermes - New York, NY - Burglary
Jewelry - West Valley City, UT - Armed Robbery / shots fired, no injuries
Jewelry - Victorville, CA - Robbery
Pet - Graham, NC - Burglary
Restaurant - Kyle, TX - Armed Robbery
Restaurant - Moorhead, MN - Armed Robbery
Restaurant - Glenview, IL - Armed Robbery
Restaurant - Eugene, OR - Burglary
Target - Medford, NY - Robbery
Tobacco - Tacoma, WA - Armed Robbery

 

Daily Totals:
• 13 robberies
• 6 burglaries
• 1 shooting
• 0 killed



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Loss Prevention Analyst
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This position pays $67,725 - $75,000 per year:
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Region Asset Protection Manager: Fresco y Mas Banner
Hialeah, FL - posted January 18
Responsible for managing asset protection programs designed to minimize shrink, associate and customer liability accidents, bad check and cash loss, and safety incidents for stores within assigned region. This position will develop the framework for the groups' response to critical incidents, investigative needs, safety concerns and regulatory agency visits...
 



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Surveys show that happiness at work significantly improves performance and productivity. It translates into higher energy levels, better reviews, faster promotions, higher wages, better health and overall a better environment. While it shouldn't be surprising it often times needs to be remembered. When fellow executives are unhappy for long periods or with their co-workers it needs to be addressed because productivity and overall team health will suffer. Attitudes are contagious and happier teams produce more and have better results. Is your team happy?


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