Theft Operation Targeting Home Depot Stores Along the Atlantic Coast
The feds busted a massive theft operation run by Guatemalan immigrants

Feds bust illegal immigrant theft ring that targeted home improvement stores
Federal authorities said they have busted a massive theft operation run by Guatemalan immigrants that targeted Home Depot stores along the Atlantic coast, stealing and reselling power tools and other high-dollar items.

At least 15 people were involved and they scammed stores from Virginia to Maine, walking out with tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment, investigators said.

Prosecutors announced charges against four men this weekend. They had repeated entanglements with the law - one had six arrests for stealing from stores - yet all four were still in the country illegally. Brendan Cullen, a Homeland Security Investigations agent, told the judge in the case that the gang showed "a pattern of brazen criminal activity."

"Despite arrests in multiple states for retail theft beginning in 2019 and continuing into April of 2024, the Target Subjects repeat the same or similar patterns of conduct with little regard for any consequences," Mr. Cullen wrote in a search warrant application filed in federal court in Rhode Island.

He documented nearly 40 incidents starting in 2019 and calculated losses to be at least $238,000. He said investigators are working to link other cases to the list.

The case is the latest in a series of high-profile shoplifting and theft cases attributed to immigrants who are in the country illegally.  The four men charged are Marvin Estuardo Morales De Paz, 33; Abraham Dayger-Enrique, 24; Sebastian Lajuj-Soloman, 30; and Jonathan Josue Amperez-Perez, 31.

Mr. Cullen said all four men are here illegally and Mr. Morales De Paz has been deported twice before. He also said Mr. Morales De Paz has used a lengthy list of fake names when he's been arrested by both federal and local authorities, indicating the number of times he's gotten entangled with police. washingtontimes.com


New Legislation Hopes to Build on California's Anti-Theft Fight Momentum
CHP property crime task force has conducted 1,225 investigations, made over 1,800 arrests, and recovered almost a half million items of stolen merchandise valued at more than $21 million

More Muscle for Calif's Retail Crime Fight as Lawmakers Unveil New Bills
"The Assembly is moving forward with a comprehensive, balanced, and bipartisan legislative package that seeks to strengthen public safety, and protect shoppers, and business owners across California," Rivas said.

Jones-Sawyers introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 1802 - the Retail Crime Force Sunset Extension. The bill would eliminate the expiration date on another Jones-Sawyer bill, AB 1065, which was passed in 2018. AB 1802 would require the California Highway Patrol and the California Department of Justice to create regional property crimes task forces to assist local law enforcement with resources to fight retail theft in affected parts of the state.

Currently, the CHP property crime task force has conducted 1,225 investigations, made over 1,800 arrests, and recovered almost a half million items of stolen merchandise valued at more than $21 million in areas across California, according to information provided Jones-Sawyer's office.

The new package of bills arrives at a time when California-based 99 Cents Only stores announced on April 4 that it would shutter all 371 of its locations across Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas. About 14,000 employees will lose their jobs. sacobserver.com


Calif. Cities Get Tough on Retail Crime
Retail Theft, and What the City of Stockton Is Doing About It
According to research by the Public Policy Institute of California, retail theft has risen steadily in 14 out of 15 counties since 2021. Surprisingly, the only county in which retail theft has decreased is San Joaquin County. The report states that since 2019, retail theft has decreased by 25% in San Joaquin County.

The statement that offenders are not being punished, or not afraid of being punished, came up several times throughout my interviews with local business owners. I decided to research the laws in California surrounding retail theft to see if I could figure out why.

Many people believe, due to a false post that made its way around social media, that Prop 47 made it legal to shoplift if the value of the items stolen is under $950. This is not true; it merely ensures that the crime is considered a misdemeanor as opposed to a felony. There are laws in place that are supposed to prevent this sort of thing from happening, or at least to ensure that those who commit these offenses are punished. So what is happening?

The City of Stockton is not taking this problem lightly, and in the past years has taken steps towards both catching the offenders and offering help to businesses who have been victims of these crimes. The Broken Windows Grant Program allows businesses to receive $800 per window broken, with a maximum of up to $2,000 per business. In 2023, 50 broken windows were repaired through this grant. Recently, the City received a $2 million grant for expanding the Office of Violence Prevention and recently allocated another $2 million towards the police department to help increase wages and make Stockton a competitive place to work in law enforcement. thepacifican.com


Shoplifting Tripled After Oklahoma Enacted $1,000 Misdemeanor Threshold
Retail Crime Crackdown: Lawmakers Introduce New Bill to Cut Down Shoplifting

At the Capitol, lawmakers are trying to cut down on organized retail crime. There's a bill being discussed to address that.

At the Capitol, lawmakers are trying to cut down on organized retail crime. There's a bill being discussed to address that. Republican lawmakers say there is a rise in organized retail crime at gas stations and convenience stores, hoping that new legislation will curb that crime.

In 2017, voters approved that $1000 misdemeanor threshold with State Question 780. OSBI stats show since then, shoplifting cases have more than tripled. Senate Bill 1450 cracks down on this kind of organized retail crime.

The legislation passed out of committee with only two no votes, and will now head to the full House for consideration.  news9.com
 

Shoplifting in Major Cities 'Did Not Spike' During the COVID-19 Pandemic
New report dives into the current retail theft crackdown, offers policy solutions to empower retailers
As retailers step up security measures and stricter antitheft laws take effect in states across the nation, a new report claims shoplifting in major cities during the COVID-19 pandemic did not spike.

The report, called "Retail theft in US cities: Separating fact from fiction," dives into the current retail theft crackdown and explains why it's not based on actual crime trends.

On Monday's edition of "Closer Look," Thea Sebastian, the executive director at The Futures Institute, and Hanna Love, a fellow at The Brookings Institution, talk with host Rose Scott about the report and share what they call "sensible ways" to address retail theft and empower companies, employees and customers.

While there is a clear need to support businesses as they seek to recover from a tumultuous few years, the problem with the current retail theft crackdown is that it is not based on actual crime trends nor the evidence on what works to reduce theft. At the end of the day, the policy mistakes made now could engender literal life and death consequences for communities. wabe.org


Unrest & Violence Possible As Election Tensions Run High
Will Past US Election Turbulence Strike Again in 2024?

As experts warn of possible political violence, ACLED has relaunched the US Crisis Monitor to track what happens.

Ahead of the 5 November 2024 elections, ACLED is relaunching the US Crisis Monitor to produce monthly in-depth reporting on key election-related themes and explain how they may impact trends of violence in the US.

There are several elements that could increase the risk of political unrest leading up to the 2024 election. For example, the Supreme Court is set to hear a number of cases that could have drastic impacts on political activity in the US. The coming months could also drive an increase in protest activity among supporters of LGBTQ+ rights.

Unfounded claims of widespread election fraud have also raised concerns over the safety of poll workers and election officials. Lastly, the continued Israel-Gaza conflict has spurred protests across the US, with many calling for a ceasefire. These examples of ongoing political uncertainty and unrest may point to a political climate that is poised for additional tensions during the 2024 election cycle. acleddata.com


Gov. DeSantis mixes up retail theft data in bill rollout

Uber driver killed after being sent to pick up scammer's package, Ohio man arrested
 

 
Wyoming Most Dangerous State for Workers, Rhode Island Safest
10 Most Dangerous & Safest States for Workers

"It's clear we need to bridge the gap between existing safety protocols and the real-world needs of our workers."

A new survey analyzing fatality injury rates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics was recently released by Edge Fall Protection.

"Exploring the data from our latest study was both eye-opening and heart-wrenching," said Michael McCarty, chief safety officer at Edge Fall Protection. "Seeing the numbers laid out like this isn't just about stats on a page, but it is also a reminder that behind every number is a person, someone's family member, friend, or colleague. Our findings bring attention to a reevaluation of workplace safety across the nation. Especially in states like Wyoming, North Dakota, and Mississippi, where the risks are alarmingly high, it's clear we need to bridge the gap between existing safety protocols and the real-world needs of our workers."

Here are the lists of the most dangerous and safest states:
 

Throwing Cold Water on Ransomware Payment Ban
Top officials again push back on ransom payment ban

In lieu of a ban, the Institute for Security and Technology advises governments to achieve 16 milestones, most of which are already in place or in the works.

The Institute for Security and Technology's Ransomware Task Force threw cold water on the need for a ransomware payment ban in a report released Wednesday.

The nonprofit Institute for Security and Technology rejects the viability of a ransom payment ban for multiple reasons, including:

• Concerns about a ban's impact on ransom payment reporting by victims.
• The potential to drive more payments underground.
• And the unintended consequences and practicalities of critical infrastructure exemptions.

Rather than a ban, the RTF detailed 16 milestones it asserts would be "the most reasonable and effective approach to reducing payments."

"While a ban may be an easier policy lift than activities designed to drive preparedness, it will almost certainly create the wrong kind of impact," the RTF co-chairs said via email. "The number of organizations making payments is declining, which suggests we're on the right path."

"Unfortunately, most organizations still have little in the way of cyber resilience and are woefully underprepared for cyberattacks such as ransomware," the RTF co-chairs said via email. "Implementing a ransom payments ban will not change that and it is not an instant off switch for attackers. They will continue to launch attacks knowing that organizations lack sufficient defenses or mitigations."

Two of the primary efforts RTF is calling for were completed or advanced in the last couple years. Publicly traded companies must now report report material cyber incidents and disclose cyber governance and risk management strategies to the Securities and Exchange Commission.  cybersecuritydive.com


Inequality in the Cybersecurity Industry?
Cybersecurity jobs pay well, but gender disparities persist

ISC2's analysis found significant financial upside for professionals in U.S. cybersecurity jobs, but there are gaps across levels of seniority by gender.

Average annual salaries in the cybersecurity sector are strong, but substantial pay disparities persist across levels of seniority by gender.

In the U.S., cybersecurity professionals earn an average annual base salary of $147,138, according to newly analyzed data ISC2 pulled from a survey of almost 6,000 people it conducted in April and May 2023. Women in nonmanagerial roles reported average annual salaries of $131,000 and those in management roles earned $138,000, 5% and 9% less than what men in the same roles earn, respectively.

While entry-level respondents reported an average annual salary of $86,000, directors and middle managers earn $175,000 on average, the survey found. C-suite executives reported an average annual salary of $215,000. cybersecuritydive.com


MFA Service Compromised in Cyberattack
Cisco Duo's Multifactor Authentication Service Breached

A third-party telephony service provider for Cisco Duo falls prey to social engineering, and the company advises customer vigilance against subsequent phishing attacks.

A third-party provider that handles telephony for Cisco's Duo multifactor authentication (MFA) service has been compromised by a social engineering cyberattack. Now Cisco Duo customers have been warned to be on alert for follow-on phishing schemes.

Customers were sent a notice explaining that the company handling SMS and VOIP multifactor authentication messaging traffic for Cisco Duo was breached on April 1. The threat actors reportedly used compromised employee credentials. Once inside the service provider's systems, the unauthorized user downloaded SMS logs for specific users within a certain timeframe, the company said.

Cisco advised impacted users to notify anyone whose information was exposed, and to remain vigilant against additional phishing attacks using the stolen data. darkreading.com


Exposing the top cloud security threats

Geopolitical tensions escalate OT cyber attacks