Another Mall Hit With Deadly Mass Shooting - One of 11 This Weekend Alone

On May 6, 2023, a mass shooting occurred at Allen Premium Outlets, an outlet center in Allen, Texas, United States. Nine people were killed, including the perpetrator, who was shot by a police officer already in the area on an unrelated call. Seven were injured. The shooter was reportedly a security guard, and he killed a 20-year-old security guard who was on duty at the outlet mall at the time of the attack.

9 Killed, 7 Injured in Mall Shooting Attack
What we know about the Texas mall shooting

Saturday's mall attack was the second-deadliest shooting of the year

The man suspected of killing eight people and injuring seven others in a shooting at Allen Premium Outlets on Saturday was identified as a 33-year-old man who had been living in a motel, per AP.

Driving the news: Authorities identified the suspect as Mauricio Garcia. He was one of seven people who died at the scene. Two others died at the hospital. Police found multiple weapons at the outlet mall, including an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun, per AP.

The latest: Three people remained in critical condition and four others were in fair condition, including one at Medical City Children's Hospital, hospital officials said Sunday. Officials haven't identified any of the victims or given ages, but AP reported that Medical City Healthcare treated eight of the victims ranging from ages 5 to 61.

What happened: An Allen police officer responding to an unrelated call at the outlet mall reported hearing gunfire around 3:35pm Saturday. The officer followed the sound and fatally shot the gunman. Videos posted online that appear to have been taken during the shooting show people fleeing in the parking lot as gunshots ring out. One video showed a man get out of a car and start shooting.

What they're saying: Witnesses described chaos and carnage after the shooting. Steven Spainhouer described finding a child under his mother's body. "No one can see what we saw today and not be affected by it," Spainhouer said, per CBS.

Details: Until recently, the alleged gunman had been living with his parents in northeast Dallas. Neighbors told WFAA they often saw Garcia wearing a security uniform. A heavily armed man wearing a security uniform appeared to be among the dead at the outlet mall Saturday. The gunman had a patch on his chest that said "RWDS," an acronym for Right Wing Death Squad, per the Washington Post. Sources told WFAA that Garcia had been in the U.S. Army in 2008 but was removed due to mental health concerns.

Of note: The FBI is assisting in the investigation and searched the alleged gunman's parents' home and a motel Saturday. They are asking anyone with video from the scene to upload footage here.

According to the Gun Violence Archive, the Texas mall shooting was just one of 11 mass shootings reported this weekend, from Friday, May 5 through Sunday, May 7. axios.com  nypost.com  nytimes.com


One Victim of Shooting Was Unarmed 20-Year-Old Security Guard
Texas mall shooting victim ID'd as security guard Christian LaCour, 20
One of the eight people fatally shot at a Texas mall was identified Sunday as a 20-year-old security guard who worked at the shopping center.

Christian LaCour of Farmersville was on the job at the Allen Premium Outlets on Saturday afternoon when suspect Mauricio Garcia, 33, opened fire in the parking lot outside H&M, local Fox 4 reported.

Sandra Montgomery, LaCour's grandmother, mourned the loss of her "beautiful grandson" while confirming he was among the fatalities. The young man's family became terrified when it couldn't reach him after Saturday's bloodbath.

"Christian LaCour, was the security guard killed in the shooting at Allen Texas," Montgomery wrote on Facebook. "He was such a beautiful soul, 22 years old with goals for his future. nypost.com  privateofficerbreakingnews.blogspot.com

 
Mall Shooter Was Reportedly a Security Guard
Allen outlet shooting suspect identified as 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia
The gunman who carried out the deadly shooting at the Allen Premium Outlets Saturday afternoon has been identified as Mauricio Garcia, multiple sources told CBS News Texas.

Garcia, 33, had been living at a motel and did not have any felonies, J.D. Miles reported. He was reportedly working as a security guard.

Miles added that Garcia's younger brother, Christian-who has a lengthy criminal record-has been inaccurately accused of being the gunman. President Biden has since responded to the shooting, even stating that Garcia used an AR-15 style assault weapon to carry out the massacre.

According to the Mass Shooting Tracker, Allen marked the 242nd mass shooting in the United States this year. cbsnews.com


200+ Mass Shootings So Far in 2023
The Texas Mall Shooting is the 199th Mass Shooting of 2023

The number of mass shootings in 2023 continues to grow after Saturday's mall attack

Saturday's mass shooting at an outdoor mall in Allen, Texas, that left 8 victims dead, and 7 more people injured, is the 199th mass shooting of 2023, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

The Gun Violence Archive, an independent research and data collection organization, defines a mass shooting as an event where at least four people were shot or injured, outside of the gunman. More than 14,500 people have also died from gun violence this year alone.

Numerous mass shootings have cost the lives of some 273 people in 2023 alone, with another 781 people injured. time.com


Gunman in Allen mall shooting may have had right-wing extremist beliefs
The shooter wore a patch that said, "RWDS," an acronym for Right Wing Death Squad, according to people familiar with the investigation. The phrase is popular among right-wing extremists, neo-Nazis and white supremacists, they said.

Biden again demands action after Texas mall mass shooting
The US leader called on Congress to ban assault weapons after the latest mass shooting, which left nine dead.

   Witnesses of Allen outlet mall shooting describes carnage: 'It's just unfathomable'

   Mall shooter was removed from Army over mental health concerns

   Officials Probe Texas Mall Shooter's Possible Link to White Supremacy


Violence & Crime in Retail Settings is a Growing Concern in the Industry

From the Feb. 27th D&D Daily:

The Alarming Rise in Mall Violence
Could it send shoppers back home like COVID did?

Experts worry mall violence could discourage shoppers
Since mid-summer of 2022, five people have been shot to death at central Indiana shopping malls. Retail experts fear that gun violence may discourage shoppers from returning to malls that were empty due to the COVID pandemic of 2020.

"If these incidents become more salient, and unless indoor shopping malls can convince shoppers that they are taking active security measures to mitigate that risk, there is a chance that shoppers like you and I might start preferring open-air shopping malls or even on line shopping," said Professor Vivek Astvansh of the IU Kelley School of Business.

"What the shopping mall owners need to do is enforce those rules and convince the shoppers that they are taking all the precautionary measures. So, it's one thing to take actions, but it's another thing to communicate those actions so that the shoppers will be perceiving elevated risks might realize that, 'Yeah, we're in a safer environment and the shopping mall owners are aware of the risk and taking precautionary measures'."

Following last week's shooting at Castleton Square, mall management issued a statement that its own security personnel, who work alongside off-duty IMPD officers, utilized a K9 officer to help apprehend two suspects and that IMPD would provide stepped-up patrols over the weekend which were in place for the two arrests late Saturday afternoon which resulted in one man being banned from the mall for life.

"I can imagine there will be an erosion of trust, an ongoing erosion of trust," said IU Kelley School Professor John Talbott. "I think there will be groups of individuals to make that decision that, 'I don't feel safe,' and because of that choose to make that purchase online."

Talbott said that while researchers have surveyed consumer attitudes regarding the online retail experience versus in-store shopping, he's unaware of any studies on the impact of perceived safety on store foot traffic.

"Now you have this perception that someone is suffering harm in a shopping center every single day. That's probably too strong," said Talbott. "The incidents of it is still relatively low and I would say truthfully there probably is more danger in parking in a shopping center mall from a statistical probability standpoint but that doesn't change peoples' fear." fox59.com


New Retail Crime & Violence Initiative Unveiled at RILA
RILA and NDAA Collaborate on Vibrant Communities Initiative

The Vibrant Communities Initiative aims to address some of the root causes of habitual retail theft.

Over 100 district attorneys and retail asset protection leaders from across the country convened at the retail industry's annual Asset Protection Conference in Denver, CO to address the issue of rising crime and violence impacting retailers and local communities. At the conclusion of the 2nd Annual Retail Theft Workshop, the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) and National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) unveiled an innovative pilot project to address root drivers of habitual theft, violence, and other unlawful activity in and around retail establishments - mental health issues, substance use, homelessness, and other complex societal challenges.

The newly-launched Vibrant Communities Initiative will see retailers collaborate with key stakeholders - including district attorneys, police departments, social service organizations, local policymakers, civic and business groups, and others - to tackle systemic social challenges, enhance information sharing, prosecute habitual and violent offenders, propose meaningful second chance opportunities to reduce recidivism and explore cutting edge technology solutions that prevent retail crime and deter violence against employees. Successful solutions piloted in select communities will ultimately serve as models for broader implementation across the country.

"The damaging effect of retail crime and violence goes well beyond economic harm to retailers-it impacts lives and livelihoods and threatens the vibrancy of entire communities. This isn't a problem that manifested itself overnight, but there is no denying that the pandemic significantly exacerbated the problem," said RILA Senior Executive Vice President Lisa LaBruno. "The goal of this partnership is to go beyond identifying the problem; our plan is to embed a cross-functional group of private and public sector leaders in the community and test solutions that tackle the root causes of retail crime. We've made tremendous progress in just the last year since we announced our partnership with NDAA, and we are optimistic that expanding the scope of our partnership in this way can make a difference in every community across America." rila.org


Effort to Ban Some Theft Arrests Defeated in San Antonio
Proposition A overwhelmingly defeated in San Antonio

The criminal justice-focused ballot measure lost by a margin of 72 to 28

Called the "San Antonio Justice Charter" by supporters, Prop A would have decriminalized marijuana possession and abortion, expanded the city's expanded cite-and-release program, created a new "justice director" position, and embedded bans on choke holds and no-knock warrants in the city charter.

The cite-and-release expansion proved to be the most controversial element, with opponents arguing it would increase crime. The proposition would have made it largely mandatory for officers to issue citeable offenses whereas they currently have discretion to cite or arrest.

San Antonio Safe PAC, a business group that opposed the proposition, released the following statement:

"San Antonio voters made the right call. Prop A sought to enshrine in our City Charter the exact sorts of measures that brought disastrous consequences to cities like San Francisco, Portland and Austin. The defeat of Prop A is a victory for local families, for local businesses, and or our quality of life. San Antonio is one of America's unique, great cities and today our citizens professed with a loud and unequivocally clear voice we want to keep it that way. We came a long way in a very short period of time. Just 6 weeks ago a group of dedicated community members came together in an effort to educate voters about what Prop A really meant for San Antonio, and we accomplished just that. Once San Antonians realized Prop A banned arrests for theft up to $750, graffiti vandalism up to $2,500, and for certain simple assault and family violence offenses, they united in opposition and ensured that the safety and security of local families and local businesses remains our top priority."

The enforceability of the ballot initiative was also in doubt. San Antonio's city attorney said only the justice director position was enforceable. The rest, he said, went against state law, and the city wouldn't enforce them even if it passed. ksat.com


Michigan Hopes New ORC Unit Will Make a Dent in Theft Surge
Retail theft increasing in Michigan, how it impacts businesses
The Michigan Retail Association says theft has increased across the state. This is a problem because this cost the stores. Whether it's a big box store like Meijer or Target or even small local businesses in our community. The Michigan Retail Association says it then will come back to you and prices will have to go up at the store.

"We have over the last few years retail theft has increased Michigan's retailers across the state, whether they be grocery stores, hobby stores," says Andrea Bitely is the Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the Michigan Retailers Association.

She says whether it's a big store or small store it leaves an impact when people steal.

"When they lose out on the ability to sell product that means they aren't getting income which makes it harder for them to pay their employees, pay the rent or the taxes on their business and order more product to sell," says Bitely.

The National Retail Federation found last year alone, that organized retail crime increased by 26.5% on average.

Last year, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation that allowed for the Michigan Attorney General to start an organized retail crime unit. The AG's office says this allows them to crack down on retail theft and hold people accountable. wwmt.com


Organized retail crime increasing in Kansas

Opinion: Costs of crime must be shifted to criminals

San Francisco's Retail Industry Still Hasn't Recovered from Pandemic Plunge
Map shows just how bad the retail plunge has been in downtown S.F. versus the rest of the city
Even before Nordstrom's recent decision to close two San Francisco stores, shopping in the city's downtown area was floundering, sales tax revenue data shows.

While sales tax isn't as important to San Francisco's finances as other revenue streams - most of the tax money goes to the state - it gives a sense of how consumer spending has changed over time. And downtown, the city's tax data shows, sales are still struggling the most of any neighborhood two years after the pandemic began.

San Francisco's sales tax revenue in 2022 was about $141 million, a nearly 22% decrease from the $181 million - adjusted for inflation - generated in 2019.

Downtown revenues dove even more. Revenue from business in the South of Market neighborhood fell by 34%, from $21 million in 2019 to $14 million in 2022. The Financial District/South Beach area, which still produces the most sales tax revenue of any neighborhood, dropped around 30% from $41 million to $28 million.

The Tenderloin saw the biggest relative decline: nearly 53%, from $10 million to less than $5 million. sfchronicle.com


California's Mass Exodus Continues
San Jose, Oakland, San Francisco, L.A. all lose population amid California's tumble

Exodus from Golden State and its big cities persists, state says

The Bay Area and California as a whole endured yet another population decline in 2022, and the dip may mean San Jose can no longer crow about being the 10th largest city in the country.

California lost 138,400 residents and now has a population of 38.94 million, for a decline of 0.4%. The shrinkage was tempered by a rebound in foreign immigration and other factors, according to the state report that explores the ongoing exodus of residents from the nation's largest state.

While nearly tripled in 2022 compared to the previous year, it plummeted during the pandemic and is still in the process of recovering to pre-pandemic levels. The state also saw about 21,000 fewer deaths in 2022 compared with 2021.

Still, the population decline engulfed seven of California's 10 largest cities, including the four biggest - Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose and San Francisco. That means the decline isn't merely isolated to certain pockets of the state, but extends to its major population centers in the Bay Area and Southern California that are plagued by high housing costs. Fresno, Sacramento and Bakersfield in the Central Valley each saw a slight uptick in residents, and many of the fastest growing cities in the state are located in more affordable locales like Lathrop and Manteca. mercurynews.com


Apple's 1st Unionized Workers Set Steep Demands
Employees at Apple's first unionized retail store want tips from customers, 10% raise, and more
Apple has been facing disputes with its retail workers in the US since some stores decided to unionize. This time, a unionized Apple Store in Maryland has been demanding something rather unusual. In addition to higher pay and additional time off, which is expected, the employees want to be able to receive tips from customers.

As reported by Bloomberg, Apple Retail employees represented by the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers are "conducting negotiations" with the company on Wednesday and Thursday. In their latest proposal, they asked for a 10% increase in their pay, as well as changes in vacation, bereavement leave, and overtime policies.

But there's something different about their request. In addition to a pay raise, the employees are asking Apple to adopt a tipping system. This way, customers would be able to tip the employees 3%, 5%, or a custom amount for in-store credit card transactions. 9to5mac.com


Survey: Well-maintained restrooms can increase business
Retailers who fail to keep their restrooms clean, well-kept and up to modern standards risk losing customers.

Christmas Tree Shops is latest retailer to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Full list of stores shutting their doors in the US in the next few weeks


Last week's #1 article --

Shoplifter Shooting Brings Out Hundreds of Protesters Blaming City Leadership
San Francisco D.A. Will Not Prosecute Security Officer In Fatal Walgreen Shoplifter Shooting

Last week, a security officer in San Francisco California was charged with murder after shooting a female shoplifter at a Walgreen store on Market Street.

This week, after the San Francisco district attorney's office reviewed all evidence, a decision has been made not to prosecute the security officer and he has been released from jail.

District Brooke Jenkins stated on Monday that her office reviewed video surveillance, conducted interviews, and looked at the evidence and she does not believe that her office can substantiate or prove the murder charge beyond a reasonable doubt.

Michael Earl Wayne Anthony, 33, the security officer involved in the shooting is now, once again, a free man.

Authorities say that the shoplifter, China Brown attacked the security officer violently and that he had no choice but to use lethal force to defend himself. sfchronicle.com

Former Uber CISO Avoids Prison Time Over Data Breach Cover-Up
However, the judge put other cybersecurity leaders on notice and promised jail time for those involved in similar future cases

Judge Spares Former Uber CISO Jail Time Over 2016 Data Breach Charges

Tell other CISO's "you got a break," judge says in handing down a three-year probation sentence to Joseph Sullivan.

On May 4, a federal judge in California sentenced former Uber chief information security officer Joseph Sullivan to three years of probation for his role in covering up a 2016 data breach that exposed data on more than 50 million customers. Judge William Orrick of the US District Court for the Northern District of California also ordered Sullivan to pay a $50,000 fine and do 200 hours of community service.

A Fortunate Break

The no-prison-time sentence is likely to come as a relief of sorts for some within the industry who had perceived Sullivan as the fall guy for a broader security failure at Uber. Others, including prosecutors in the case who had argued for a 15-month prison term, will likely view the sentence as not doing enough to deter similar behavior by executives in high-stakes situations.

In handing down the sentence, Judge Orrick himself appears to have minced no words in making clear that other cybersecurity leaders would not be so fortunate if they ended up before him like Sullivan did.

"If I have a similar case tomorrow, even if the defendant had the character of Pope Francis, they would be going to prison," some media outlets quoted Judge Orrick as saying said during the sentencing. "When you go out and talk to your friends, to your CISOs, you tell them that you got a break not because of what you did, not even because of who you are, but because this was just such an unusual one-off."

Not Reporting and Concealing a Breach

A federal jury found Sullivan guilty last October on two felony counts related to a data breach at Uber in November 2016 that exposed data belonging to some 57 million customers and 600,000 drivers at the ride-sharing giant. One of the counts had to do with Sullivan actively concealing the breach from Federal Trade Commission officials who, at the time, were investigating an earlier 2014 breach at Uber. Federal prosecutors charged Sullivan with deliberately withholding and concealing the 2016 breach from FTC investigators even as he provided sworn testimony to them about the 2014 breach.

The second count on which the jury convicted Sullivan was for misprision of a felony, or for working to cover up the 2016 breach from others, including executives at Uber. Prosecutors said Sullivan did this by paying $100,000 to the two hackers responsible for the breach, to keep them from making it public. Sullivan, working with other members of his security team, arranged for the hackers to receive payment via Uber's official bug bounty program and then got the hackers to sign a supplemental nondisclosure agreement (NDA), in essence to buy their silence. To receive the money the hackers agreed that they had not accessed any sensitive data at Uber, when, in fact, they had. darkreading.com


Ransomware Remains 'Debilitating Threat' to Critical Infrastructure
2 Years After Colonial Pipeline, US Critical Infrastructure Still Not Ready for Ransomware

Sweeping changes implemented since the May 2021 cyberattack are helping - but more work remains to be done, security experts say.

As the second anniversary of the massive ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline nears, experts warn that efforts to thwart the potentially debilitating threat to US critical infrastructure have not been enough.

The cyberattack on its IT infrastructure forced Colonial Pipeline to shut down its entire operations for the first time ever, triggering a fuel shortage and price hikes that prompted four US states along the East Coast to declare a state of emergency. The incident immediately elevated ransomware to a national security level threat and galvanized concerted action from the Executive Branch down.

Since the attack - and another one shortly thereafter on JBS that threatened domestic meat shortages - the US government has said it would treat the use of ransomware on critical infrastructure as terrorism. An Executive Order signed by President Biden just days after the Colonial Pipeline attack mandated new security requirements for critical infrastructure organizations. And there have been numerous other initiatives at the federal level and by regulatory bodies to bolster resilience to attacks on US critical infrastructure.

However, two years on, the ransomware threat to critical infrastructure remains high, as a recent attack on America's largest cold-storage provider, Americold, showed. The attack - like the one on Colonial Pipeline - forced Americold, to shut down cold-storage operations while it worked to remediate the threat. Last year 870 of the 2,385 ransomware complaints that the FBI received involved critical infrastructure organizations. The FBI's data showed 14 of the 16 designated critical infrastructure sectors had at least one ransomware victim.

The trend continues unabated in 2023: BlackFog's State of Ransomware Report for April 2023 showed ransomware attacks on healthcare, government, and the health sector are continuing to grow, despite other vendor reports of a slowdown in attack volumes. darkreading.com


Cyberattack Preparedness Has Improved - But More Needs to Be Done
Organizations brace for cyber attacks despite improved preparedness
Cyber-risk levels have improved from "elevated" to "moderate" for the first time, but insiders represent a persistent threat for global organizations, according to Trend Micro.

Jon Clay, VP of threat intelligence at Trend Micro: "For the first time since we've been running these surveys, we saw the global cyber risk index not only improve but move into positive territory at +0.01. It means that organizations may be taking steps to improve their cyber-preparedness. There is still much to be done, as employees remain a source of risk. The first step to managing this is to gain complete and continuous attack surface visibility and control."

The Cyber Risk Index (CRI) found that cyber-preparedness improved in Europe and APAC but declined slightly in North and Latin America over the past six months. At the same time, threats declined in every region bar Europe.

Most organizations are still pessimistic about their prospects over the coming year. The CRI found that most respondents said it was "somewhat to very likely" they'd suffer a breach of customer data (70%) or IP (69%) or a successful cyber-attack (78%).

The top four threats in the latest Cyber Risk Index

• Clickjacking
• Business Email Compromise (BEC)
• Ransomware
• Fileless attacks

"Botnets" replaced "login attacks" in fifth place. helpnetsecurity.com


Scammers Want Your Data
Think your data has no value? Scammers disagree
The Avast report also found a 40% rise in the share of phishing and smishing attacks over the previous year. Overall, two out of three threats people encounter online today use social engineering techniques, taking advantage of human weaknesses.

Malware, scams, and phishing attacks

Malware, scams, and phishing attacks attempt to steal consumers' sensitive data, like passwords, Social Security numbers, and other personal identifiable information. When this data gets into the wrong hands, cybercriminals have the arsenal to easily steal someone's identity.

Identity theft can lead to a nightmare of events, from scammers ruining people's credit score, to selling their information on the dark web, and even impersonating people to pass background checks.

"If you think your data has no value then why would scammers spend so much time trying to steal your data if it's worthless? The truth is that anyone can be affected and it is important to stay vigilant and use proper protection," said Jakub Kroustek, Avast Malware Research Director. "Unfortunately, scammers have made it nearly impossible to take any message as face value - all communications, whether seemingly from a friend, boss, or household brand, have potential to be fraudulent." helpnetsecurity.com


New White House AI Initiatives Include AI Software-Vetting Event at DEF CON
The White House this week announced new actions to promote responsible AI innovation that will have significant implications for cybersecurity.

Apple Patches Bluetooth Flaw in AirPods, Beats

$150 Million ORC Ring
California Governor Gavin Newsom Announces Statewide CHP Enforcement Operation Targeting $150 Million Stolen Merchandise Crime Ring
On Friday Governor Newsom announced the California Highway Patrol's Organized Retail Crime Task Force (ORCTF) - expanded by the Governor in 2022 - along with CHP investigators assigned to the Cargo Theft Interdiction Program conducted a statewide enforcement operation targeting a criminal operation believed to be responsible for over $150 million in stolen merchandise. CHP's operation led to the arrest of 40 suspects, the recovery of over $50 million in stolen merchandise, the recovery of 20 stolen cargo trailers, and the seizure of several vehicles, multiple firearms, including ghost guns, over $550,000, and 13 gold bars.

WHAT GOVERNOR NEWSOM SAID: "This large-scale enforcement operation is part of CHP's everyday work to keep our residents, communities, and businesses safe. I'm grateful for all the men and women who helped shut down this criminal operation and get dangerous firearms and stolen merchandise off our streets."
WHAT CHP COMMISSIONER SEAN DURYEE SAID: "This team has worked tirelessly to unravel this complex case. I continue to be impressed by the dedication and commitment put forth daily by our officers and investigators. Their efforts help make California a safer place to live and work."

The case originated in March 2022 and resulted in CHP conducting over 50 targeted operations involving multiple surveillance teams, undercover officers, arrests, and the authoring and serving of several search warrants. The suspects are believed to be responsible for the theft of more than 200 cargo loads, valued at over $150 million. Major retailers are among the victims of the thefts investigated. The suspects involved are facing several felony charges involving conspiracy to commit grand theft, grand theft of cargo, vehicle theft, and identity theft.

Governor Newsom continues to prioritize combating organized retail theft. In the last year alone, he invested more than $241.4 million to bolster law enforcement efforts to address organized retail theft and other crimes, and support affected businesses.  goldrushcam.com


Bakersfield, CA: California Big Lots managers claim they were fired for chasing down stolen merchandise
A manager at a Big Lots store in California claimed she and her colleague were fired after wrangling back a shopping cart from an alleged shoplifter who made off with a haul of laundry detergent. Lily Oxford said she and another manager were trying to recover the shopping cart after a homeless man left the store in Bakersfield without paying for 17 jugs of Tide pods last month, according to local NBC affiliate KGET. The managers were trying to maintain their dwindling supply of carts without even attempting to recover the stolen merchandise, Oxford told the local outlet. The thief reportedly had to drag the cart to his alleged getaway car because the cart's wheels locked when he left the store. When the Big Lots managers caught up with him, he was loading the pilfered detergent into the car as they began recording the incident on their phones, according to KGET. The shoplifter was reportedly flustered that he was being recorded and ran away from the car, but the driver who was with him apologized to the managers when they arrived. "The other guy got out of his car and said, 'Here, ma'am, take it all, take it all,'" Oxford said. "I'm thinking, 'Oh great, I'm getting all my stuff back.'" Several appreciative onlookers reportedly gathered around the scene to cheer on the managers. "I had people, at least three different people out here, applauding me, because it happens so much," Oxford said. "So many customers see it happen on a daily basis. At least four to five times a day this happens, whether they go out the front door or whether they go out the back door." Oxford said she and her coworker were subsequently fired despite managing to recover both the cart and the Tide pods. She said she is a single mother of two teenagers and has filed for unemployment as she struggles to pay rent, according to her GoFundMe.  foxla.com


Santa Monica, CA: Santa Monica resident indicted on $800,000 retail theft scheme
A man and a woman from Southern California have been arrested on an indictment charging them with conspiracy and 10 counts of wire fraud related to an organized retail theft scheme amounting to $800,000. Jalen Amir Thomas, 27, of Santa Monica and Armia Ta'Jae Timmons, 25, of Los Angeles, were arrested on the 11-count indictment. They appeared in the US District Court in the Central District of California on Wednesday. According to US Attorney Nick Brown, the pair traveled through 23 different states and hit nearly 200 stores. Prosecutors will ask that they be detained and transported to the Western District of Washington for arraignment. "Organized retail theft has exploded across the country, due in large part to the growth of an online resale marketplace," said Brown in a statement. "In this case, we allege the co-conspirators hatched a scheme to rent high-value construction equipment and then fail to return it. They allegedly sold the stolen goods on websites such as OfferUp and Facebook Marketplace."  smdp.com


Nassau County, NY: Trio of suspects arraigned in Roosevelt Field Mall thefts; Loss Prevention injured
A trio of suspects were arraigned Saturday after being accused of stealing thousands of dollars' worth of merchandise from a store at the Roosevelt Field Mall and assaulting an officer. Police say at around 7 p.m. Friday night, store security noticed three men walk into the Macy's at the Roosevelt Field Mall and caught them stuffing merchandise into a suitcase. As the suspects attempted to flee, officers found 26-year-old Winderon Oropeza Rangel struggling to hold on to the stolen items and leave the scene. Police say Rangel became violent and injured an officer while resisting arrest. The two other suspects, 24-year-old Felipe Martinez Ortiz and 23-year-old Angel Alberto Cruz Bolivar of the Bronx, were arrested after being found exiting other doors in the store. Police say the trio are also responsible for a Macy's theft in Manhasset earlier on Friday. They say the total value of the stolen merchandise is $3,000.  longisland.news12.com


Peru, South America: : Thieves steal 200 sneakers worth $13,000 but only for the Right shoe

Chicago, IL: Thieves tunnel into sports card store, steal nearly $30K in merchandise

Chico, CA: Burglars tunnel into Nor Cal Sport Shop, $30,000 of collectables stolen

Evansville, IN: Over $12,000 worth of items stolen from Kohl's

Smithfield, NC: 3 sought after thefts from Michael Kors store at Smithfield outlet shops

Jefferson County, MO: 9 Kayaks stolen during burglary of House Springs store, valued at $3,200

Port St. Lucie, FL: Miami man stole nearly $2K worth of diesel from Port St. Lucie 7-Eleven

York County, PA: Police looking for suspects in a string of retail thefts in York County; hitting 5 stores.in one day

Pierce County, ID: KIA smashes store front causing $20,000 in damages, Vape products stolen didn't compare to cost of damage