Rolling Back Prop 47 Won't Be a Silver Bullet to Solve Retail Crime
By primarily targeting petty crimes, they do not address robberies or other violent felonies

California officials debate Prop. 47 changes to curb crime. On the street, the answer isn't that simple.

How do you stop retail theft? For local and state elected officials, it's a question of changing Proposition 47. For business owners, the answer is much more nuanced.

Many retailers big and small are fueling a growing frustration about crime in California. While violent and property crime rates have increased statewide since 2020, they remain relatively low compared to the 1980s and 1990s, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.

Recent rising crime - highlighted by tales and videos of shoplifting, robberies and "smash-and-grabs" - has reignited a policy debate among local and state elected officials, who are vowing to curtail retail crime.

Much of their focus is on whether to overhaul Proposition 47 - a voter-approved law in 2014 that lowered penalties for petty thefts and minor drug offenses.

But the proposed changes would only address a sliver of the concerns among many Californians: By primarily targeting petty crimes, they do not address robberies or other violent felonies, which some residents and business owners now confront more frequently. Without a clear answer in sight, they are considering different solutions.

Critics of Prop. 47 have long blamed it for a rise in crime, even though data on its effectiveness is far from conclusive. Statewide associations representing district attorneys, police chiefs and sheriffs - as well as mayors in San Francisco and San Jose - are backing a proposed ballot measure to roll back Prop. 47. Last week, the anti-Prop 47 campaign turned in 900,000 signatures, making it likely the measure will qualify for the November ballot.

Meanwhile, California's top Democrats, reluctant to change Prop. 47, are instead pushing legislation that would create new crimes and toughen penalties for organized retail theft and repeat offenders. Attorney General Rob Bonta told reporters earlier this month the legislation is necessary even though data on retail theft is mixed. calmatters.org


Over 50% of Small Businesses Hit By Retail Crime Last Year
Protecting Small Businesses from the Impact of Retail Crime
U.S. Chamber of Commerce - Across the country, small businesses are feeling the effects of retail crime, with over 50% falling victim just last year. Statistics show small business owners believe the matter is only getting worse, making it more important than ever to find a solution to support entrepreneurs nationwide and promote a safe marketplace for all.

During the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Retail Crime event, John Flynn, District Attorney of Erie County, NY, and Chair of the Board at the National District Attorneys Association, discussed the impact of retail crime on small businesses and shared methods entrepreneurs can implement to protect themselves and their customers.

Who Is Involved in Retail Crime?

Retail crime has been on the rise in recent years, yet some believe district attorneys are unwilling to address the issue - whether due to political reasons or a lack of budget and resources. However, according to Flynn, these district attorneys are "few and far between."

To fight back against crime, Flynn believes it's important to identify the suspects and act accordingly, citing three types of individuals who are generally involved in retail crime: Multi-national criminal organizations, such as the Mafia, cartels, and crime families; Low-level organized crime, such as a group of acquaintances who plan a theft together, but on a smaller scale; and an individual with a mental health or drug problem who steals to support their vice or habit.

Despite Headlines, Violent Crime May Not Have Increased Proportionally

Nationwide, government agencies and local communities have been working together to create retail crime task forces. According to Flynn, his local force meets monthly to discuss cases from various stores county-wide.

Through these meetings, Flynn has learned of retail crime trends from second-hand accounts. With this insight - and despite common rhetoric - he believes there hasn't been an increase in violent retail crimes overall; rather, we are now more aware of these crimes and their ensuing violence.

Creating a Task Force in Your Neighborhood Can Keep the Community Safe: detroitchamber.com


Anti-ORC Plexiglass Stirs Up Debate
Atlantic Superstore defends use of plexiglass to prevent 'organized crime.' Shoppers unconvinced
New measures aimed at preventing shoplifting at Loblaws-owned Atlantic Superstore locations are stirring debate in the Halifax area.

The grocery chain has been rolling out plexiglass barriers in stores - around the perimeter and the self-checkout areas - to help cut down on what it calls "organized crime." However, the additional anti-theft measures have some left questioning the customer impact.

"All I see right now is an industry that's protecting itself without really trying to understand the client's experience," said Sylvain Charlebois, the director of Dalhousie University Agri-Food Analytics Lab. He argues grocers are compromising the shopping experience for the sake of theft prevention, but points out it's also difficult to quantify the shoplifting losses.

All this comes as consumers across the country speak out against high grocery prices and rising company profits.

Canada's grocers have been facing enhanced scrutiny as food inflation at many stores remains in the spotlight. Prices had risen by 4.7 per cent year over year in November 2023 before holding steady in December 2023.

There is even an online movement to boycott Loblaws stores in the month of May. Some customers have also been expressing safety concerns about the partitions, and whether it could pose a fire safety risk. That's something Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency is looking into.

'Industry-wide way to prevent theft'

Loblaw public relations declined to answer if theft was on the rise, or provide data on the issue. In a statement to Global News, it said "organized crime is a real problem" in the industry that affects "safety, security and wellbeing."

"Using plexiglass partitions is a proven, industry-wide way to prevent theft and keep a positive, open-concept-style customer experience," the statement continues. globalnews.ca


Banning Bags & Checking Receipts to Fight Theft
DC Harris Teeter bans certain bags, now checking receipts to fight theft
Harris Teeter is the latest big box company forced to change their polices, responding to rampant theft in the District. The changes begin Wednesday, April 24th. Reddish signs at the entrances of the stores are warning customers.

A spokesperson for Harris Teeter told FOX 5 in a statement:

"Effective April 24, we will implement improved safety measures at stores in District of Columbia, including the checking of receipts as customers exit the store and a new policy prohibiting suitcases, duffel bags, oversized backpacks and roller bags.

These measures will help us maintain a safe shopping experience and continue providing the best service and goods at competitive prices to our customers. We thank our valued associates and customers for their cooperation and patience."

The spokesperson tells FOX 5 's Stephanie Ramirez, Harris Teeter has experienced an increase in theft.

Last year, the president of Giant Foods raised possibly having to close a needed Southeast D.C. Giant supermarket in response to rampant theft. They ended up not closing the store. However, other measures like hiring more security and closing off multiple entrances and exits were implemented to address the issue.

A spokesperson for Harris Teeter says a third-party company will be doing the checks. That same spokesperson explained when theft happens, it forces the store to absorb the losses. That could mean increased prices for customers. fox5dc.com


'ORC Research Series'
The Boosters: Don't Get Used to the Boost
Criminal boosters-individuals who steal and transport merchandise in support of Organized Retail Crime (ORC) enterprises-serve as the enterprise's foundation, acquiring the goods it sells for profit.

Boosters regularly employ traditional methods of stealing; however, many also use unique or sophisticated methods to lift merchandise from retailers.

While boosters generally steal from and interact directly with retailers, many events have the potential to become confrontational or violent.

We provide the following recommendations to merchants who fall victim to ORC. These actions will allow retailers, law enforcement, and Managed Intelligence partners (Nisos) to use the intelligence gathered to identify, disrupt, and dismantle ORC enterprises. In addition, the intelligence can help retailers develop prevention measures to deter ORC.

• Invest in store security measures that deter and stop booster activity
• Document and monitor for stolen inventory, as boosters deliver products to fencers
• Monitor local online marketplaces, particularly within the first 24-48 hours
• Maintain lists or pictures of repeat shoplifting offenders, as boosters hit the same stores multiple times
• Pay attention to previous arrest information to identify repeat offenders
• Maintain documentation of IDs used in returns
• Consider enforcing stronger return policies
• Closer inspection of IDs used during returns or return limits could deter ORC enterprises securityboulevard.com


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Growing Global Trend of Requiring Cybersecurity Licenses?
Licensed to Bill? Nations Mandate Certification & Licensure of Cybersecurity Pros

Malaysia, Singapore, and Ghana are among the first countries to pass laws that require cybersecurity firms - and in some cases, individual consultants - to obtain licenses to do business, but concerns remain.

Malaysia has joined at least two other nations - Singapore and Ghana - in passing laws that require cybersecurity professionals or their firms to be certified and licensed to provide some cybersecurity services in their country.

On April 3, the upper house of the Malaysian Parliament, known as the Dewan Negara, passed the Cyber Security Bill 2024, following its passage in the lower house the previous month. The bill, which will become law following its signing by the King and its publication in the Government Gazette, is structured as umbrella legislation and will act as a framework for future government activity securing critical infrastructure and improving the national state of cybersecurity.

While the legislation mandates licensing, the actual requirements for cybersecurity professionals and service providers will come later, Malaysia-based law firm Christopher & Lee Ong stated in an advisory.

Malaysia joins Asia-Pacific neighbor Singapore, which has required the licensing of cybersecurity service providers (CSPs) for the past two years, and the West African nation of Ghana, which requires the licensing of CSPs and the accreditation of cybersecurity professionals. More widely, governments such as the European Union have normalized cybersecurity certifications, while other agencies - such as the US state of New York - require certification and licenses for cybersecurity capabilities in specific industries. darkreading.com


Concealing Malware Behind Brand Names
Hackers Create Legit Phishing Links With Ghost GitHub, GitLab Comments

An utterly innocuous feature in popular Git CDNs allows anyone to conceal malware behind brand names, without those brands being any the wiser.

Hackers are using unpublished GitHub and GitLab comments to generate phishing links that appear to come from legitimate open source software (OSS) projects.

The clever trick, first described by Sergei Frankoff of Open Analysis last month, allows anyone to impersonate any repository they wish without the owners of that repository knowing about it. And even if the owners do know about it, they can't do anything to stop it.

According to Bleeping Computer, the issue affects both GitHub - a platform with more than 100 million registered users, and its closest competitor, GitLab, with more than 30 million users. darkreading.com


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