Solink raises CAD$23 Million in Series B funding led by OMERS Ventures

Purpose-built video security and business intelligence in one place

Solink, a leader in video security and data analytics, has closed CAD$23 million (USD$16.8M) in Series B funding, led by OMERS Ventures. This round brings Solink's total funding to more than $40 million (USD$30M). Previous investors Valor Equity Partners, ScaleUp Ventures and BDC IT Ventures also participated in the round. Laura Lenz, partner at OMERS Ventures, will join Solink's board of directors. Solink will use the investment to deepen its relationship with existing customers and partners as well as focus on product expansion.

Solink offers secure, cloud-based video security for SMBs and large enterprises to increase profits, manage risk, and improve operations. The company has over 5,500 customer sites and over 70,000 cameras across several verticals including restaurant, retail and financial services. Over the past several years, Solink has had a track record of doubling its footprint every year. Read more here.

What is Solink? Learn more here.

Learn more about Solink's video alarm solution in today's Vendor Spotlight below.


Retailers Recognize ThirdEye Labs for Innovation in Asset Protection
The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) today announced the winner of the 2020 Startup Innovation Awards for Asset Protection. ThirdEye Labs, a startup which provides real-time AI assistance to detect theft in-stores, was selected by retail asset protection executives from a pool of finalists.

RILA's Startup Innovation Awards for Asset Protection recognize startups innovating in the areas addressed in the Total Retail Loss Report, the first ever study that examines how the retail industry understands the nature and extent of all the potential types of losses they presently experience. The Awards - a popular feature of the Retail Asset Protection Conference - was converted to a virtual event following the cancellation of the 2020 conference.

"Though circumstances surrounding this year's Awards were different, retailers' need and appetite for cutting-edge technology to help navigate today's challenging environment is unchanged. We were excited to provide a platform for these promising startups to showcase their innovative solutions to the retail industry," said Lisa LaBruno, Senior Executive Vice President of Retail Operations and Innovation. "All of the finalists deserve our congratulations, especially ThirdEye Labs whose solution marries today's technology with a traditional challenge that all retailers face, in a way that the AP community recognized as particularly impressive." Read more here.

Recordings of each finalist's pitch, including ThirdEye Labs, can be viewed here.
 

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Crime Spiking in the U.S. & Abroad

Burglaries Spike in 13 out of 17 Major Cities Across America
Up 794% in Philly, 123% in NYC, 95% in Los Angeles

In a study conducted by the D&D Daily using publicly available city data, we found that burglary incidents have spiked considerably in many major cities, with some of the heaviest increases coming in Philadelphia, New York and Los Angeles.

As the information below shows, 13 out of 17 major cities with available data saw burglary incidents jump. Just four cities saw no increase, including three - Nashville, Flint, and Las Vegas - where incidents decreased.

● 101% increase overall across 17 major cities
● 174% increase among Top 10 cities
● 105% increase among Top 10 cities (excluding Philadelphia)

Philadelphia, PA - Up 794% (last 28 days) Richmond, VA - Up 274% (last 8 weeks) Providence, RI - Up 126% (last 28 days) New York City - Up 122.8% (last 28 days) Boston, MA - Up 101% (last 6 months) Los Angeles, CA - Up 95% (last month) Chicago, IL - Up 74% (last 28 days) Charleston, SC - Up 63% (Ly quarter) Wilmington, DE - Up 45% (28 days)

Atlanta, GA - Up 44% (last 30 days) Milwaukee, WI - Up 37% (last 30 days) Seattle, WA - Up 19% (last 6 months) Cincinnati, OH - Up 3% (last 30 days) St Louis, MO - Flat (last 30 days) Nashville, TN - Down 16% (last 30 days) Flint, MI - Down 29% (YTD) Las Vegas, NV - Down 33% (YTD)

Shootings Double in NYC
63 Shootings Last Week; 11 Shot During 'Bloody 12-Hour Spree'
Shootings across the city more than doubled last week compared to the same period last year, according to police sources. From last Monday to midnight Sunday, there were 63 shootings, with a total of 85 victims shot, sources said. During the same time frame last year, there were 26 shootings, sources said.

Murders, though, were down last week compared to the same time last year. Six people were fatally shot last week, compared to nine shooting deaths last year, sources said. Last week's rash of shootings included a bloody 12-hour spree from Saturday into Sunday where 11 people were shot in Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens and Manhattan. nypost.com

NYC weekend numbers: 18 shot in 24 hours | 35 Victims In 25 Weekend Shootings


Retail Crime Spiking Across The Pond
UK: Violence, verbal abuse, and threats against shop floor staff increasing
At least 424 violent or abusive incidents were reported every day in the year to April 2019, up by almost a tenth on the previous 12 months, according to recent figures from trade association British Retail Consortium (BRC). This compares to the year ending April 2018, when the BRC found that 115 staff were injured every day by unprovoked attacks.

The trade association reported three main triggers for violent behaviour: violence when stealing from a shop; violence as a response to age-related challenges (as required by law) for alcohol, cigarettes and knives; and violence when intoxicated by drugs or alcohol.

Meanwhile, the Centre for Retail Research's 2019 Retail Crime Costs report found that of 264 retailers surveyed, retail sales had lost out on £5.5 billion from in-store crime.

Moreover, analysis of police data by Checkpoint Systems revealed that UK retailers recorded 359,156 incidents of shoplifting in 2019, which equated to almost 1000 per day. retailgazette.co.uk

UK: Co-op Group continues campaign to end violence against shop workers
Store crime has risen 140% year on year, with the coronavirus pandemic worsening the issue. Shop workers have also been spat at and threatened with being 'given coronavirus', says the Co-op Group, which is warning of a store crime epidemic unless the Government urgently introduces new legislation to provide staff with greater protection.

Last year the government launched a call for evidence from organisations and individuals about the problem of violence and abuse toward shop staff in England and Wales. The call for evidence closed a year ago, on 28 June 2019, but there has been no response from the government.

Co-op Food CEO, Jo Whitfield, said: "Last year, more than 600 of my colleagues bravely took the time to share their own experiences of abuse, violence and intimidation with the Home Office as part of their call for evidence. Yet here we are, a year on since the consultation closed and there has still been no response." thenews.coop

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Protest Violence - Police Clashes
DOJ - FBI Continues Arrests

Man charged with murder over death at Breonna Taylor protest in Louisville after opening fire on crowd
Reports of shots fired at Jefferson Square park were made around 9pm on Saturday, Louisville metro police said, and Jefferson county sheriff's department officers performed emergency life-saving measures on Gerth, but he died at the scene. Another shooting victim across the street at the hall of justice was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Video posted on social media appeared to show a man opening fire into the park as people scrambled for cover. The footage later showed at least one person bleeding profusely on the ground. Tyler Charles Gerth, 27, of Louisville, was named as the victim of the attack by the Jefferson county coroner's office on Sunday. theguardian.com

Detroit police cruiser plows into demonstrators during Sunday night protest
In the user footage, a squad car surrounded by dozens of individuals starts to accelerate erratically as people refused to get out of the way. With some individuals ending up on the hood of the squad car, it speeds off and sends two individuals flying from the hood. A third demonstrator still hanging on is also eventually thrown from the vehicle as well.

Police spokesperson Sgt. Nicole Kirkwood said officers were trying to redirect traffic when the protesters became agitated. As a few protesters jumped on the hood of the vehicle, another busted out the car's back window. fox2detroit.com

LGBTQ, BLM march in Manhattan leads to clashes with cops
The tensions erupted after officers spotted 29-year-old Brooklyn resident Michael Dunn allegedly vandalizing a marked police car with black marker at about 4:30 p.m., law enforcement sources said. At one point, a cop appeared to have been pepper-sprayed, and another fell off his motorcycle, as other officers pushed back the crowd, according to video.

Another officer was allegedly punched in the nose by Millen Dang, a 20-year-old from Brooklyn, who was later arrested, sources said. At least one other protester, 25-year-old Jacob Kruger, of New Jersey, was arrested for allegedly assaulting a police officer outside the park. nypost.com

St. Louis, MO: White couple aims guns at protesters

Columbus, OH: Felon charged with possessing loaded firearm at Columbus protest
 

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Police Reform Stalls
Lawmakers unable to agree on legislation

After weeks of protests, meaningful police reform appears unlikely
From coast to coast, demonstrators chanting "Black lives matter" and "no justice, no peace" united in hundreds of mostly peaceful protests, some risking their own safety. They found themselves tear gassed near the White House, allegedly assaulted by police in New York City, and shoved to the pavement by tactical teams in Buffalo.

But legislators had little to show for their efforts. Partisan entrenchment ruled the day, as the Republican-controlled Senate and Democratic-led House clashed over nearly two-dozen policing reform measures.

House Democratic efforts to end warrior-type training for officers, instill residency requirements for police officers, ban choke holds and institute voting rights for felons grinded to a halt as Senate Republicans responded with more narrow reforms. Despite widespread calls for reform, the special legislative session came up empty handed. cnn.com

Lewiston mayor to meet with police union on police reform resolution

USA TODAY poll: Americans want major police reform, more focus on serious crime
 

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Coronavirus Tracker: June 29

US: Over 2.6M Cases - 128K Dead - 1M Recovered
Worldwide: Over 10.3M Cases - 505K Dead - 5.6M Recovered

Fallen Officers From the COVID-19 Pandemic: 51 | NYPD Deaths: 45
Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 150+

12 states are pausing reopening over the surge in US coronavirus cases

More than half of the states are facing a surge of coronavirus cases,
threatening to overwhelm hospital and halt business reopenings

Washington is the latest state to pause its reopening plans after a spike in the number of new cases of coronavirus across the country.

"We all want to get back to doing all the things we love in Washington during the summer, and fully open our economy, but we aren't there yet," Gov. Jay Inslee said Saturday. "This is an evolving situation and we will continue to make decisions based on the data."

At least a dozen other states, including some of the most populous in the country, have taken similar measures in the past few days.

Texas and at least five other states - Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Tennessee and Utah - reported the highest single-day totals of new Covid-19 cases, according to the state's health departments.

Florida, seen possibly as the next US epicenter, reported its highest one-day total of new cases on Saturday with 9,585 cases.

And it is not just those states seeing rising numbers. The national number of daily coronavirus case reports reached a new high of nearly 40,000 on Friday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, and 32 states are seeing the number of new cases grow from the prior week.

But the governor of Texas, the nation's second most populous state, paused his state's phased reopening plan and ordered further restrictions on businesses including bars.

More governors have announced that they are not moving ahead to their next reopening phases. Those states include Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Nevada, New Mexico and North Carolina. cnn.com

UFCW: Over 11,500 grocery workers affected in first 100 days of pandemic

At least 82 grocery employee members have died from virus, says union

United Food and Commercial Workers International (UFCW) said at least 82 grocery store workers have died from COVID-19 and 11,507 have been infected or exposed to the virus in the first 100 days of the outbreak.

The nation's largest private sector union, UFCW represents 1.3 million employees in grocery, meatpacking, food processing, retail, health care and other industries in the United States and Canada. The Washington, D.C.-based union said in a press conference last week that, among its membership, 238 workers have died from coronavirus in the 100 days since the pandemic started, while almost 29,000 have been infected or exposed.

In the press event, UFCW International President Marc Perrone criticized large employers - citing Amazon, Walmart and Kroger - for "still keeping us in the dark" in terms of the total number of their employees who have died from or been infected with COVID-19. "Simply put, it is impossible to hold the government or corporate America accountable when they hide the true impact of this outbreak," he said.

Since the onset of the pandemic, however, those companies have disclosed and/or confirmed media reports of positive coronavirus cases and/or deaths among employees at various facilities around the country. Walmart, Amazon and Kroger also have provided regular updates on their COVID-19 response efforts, including protections, compensation and benefits for workers. In April, Kroger joined with UFCW in urging federal and state government to classify grocery store workers as emergency first responders during the health crisis.

But with coronavirus cases rising in much of the United States, Perrone called for three national initiatives to safeguard frontline workers. They include reinstating hazard pay and setting a $15 hourly wage for all frontline workers, establishing a public mask mandate in all 50 states, and forming a new national public registry to track COVID-19 infections in frontline workers. supermarketnews.com

NY malls can't open without AC systems that filter coronavirus, Gov. Cuomo says
New York malls will need high quality air systems that can filter out the coronavirus before they will be allowed to reopen, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Monday. High efficiency particle air filters, or HEPA filters, have been shown to help reduce the presence of Covid-19 in the air.

Scientists say the coronavirus spreads primarily when coughs or sneezes, touches an infected object or through person-to-person contact. Some epidemiologists say there the virus also appears to spread through exhaled air when people talk or breathe, known as aerosols, according to Nature.

New York has not allowed malls to reopen in the state yet, Cuomo said. He said the state recommends all businesses and offices "explore the potential for their air conditioning air filtration system." cnbc.com

It's open season on NYC's 'open streets'
De Blasio's 'open streets' rapidly vanishing, causing fights among neighbors
Drivers across town are brazenly tossing aside street-blocking barriers set up as part of Mayor Bill de Blasio's plan to provide outdoor recreation space amid the coronavirus pandemic. Frustrated New Yorkers told The Post they've had to take enforcement of the street closures into their own hands as motorists flaunt the program - and that it has even sparked tug-of-wars between neighbors.

Launched in mid-May, de Blasio's "Open Streets" initiative has so far restricted motorists from about 67 miles of Big Apple roads, with the aim to close off 100 miles so residents can get fresh air while still social distancing.

While the "open streets" are in effect between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., motorists making deliveries or dropping people off are still allowed to drive through slowly, and utility, emergency and city service vehicles are OK, too. But despite the ban on unnecessary traffic, some drivers have been taking back the supposedly pedestrian-only plazas, and moving the wooden blue and metal NYPD blockades so they can get through, residents in multiple locations told The Post. nypost.com

Arizona, Florida, Texas are latest coronavirus epicenters

Bar closures mark California's first major reversal in reopening

Dr. Fauci warns coronavirus vaccine may not lead to herd immunity in US

Instagram co-founder who built a coronavirus tracker says it's showing concerning spread levels

Starbucks Barista Gets $87,000 in Donations After Customer's Mask Complaint

Amazon, Lowe's, Walmart give 'thank you' bonuses to front-line US employees
as coronavirus cases surge
 

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Pickup Gains Ground Over Delivery
Pickup orders are boosting sales for restaurants and grocers at better margins than delivery, prompting many to build out services they hope customers will favor even after the coronavirus pandemic has subsided.

Some supermarkets and restaurants say they want their pickup operations to wrest some online orders back from apps such as those from Instacart Inc. and Grubhub Inc. They say the fees those and other companies charge to deliver their food have added up during the pandemic as dining rooms closed, some customers avoided supermarkets, and business shifted online.

Kroger Co., Albertsons Cos. and other grocers are waiving pickup fees and building out spaces to fill those orders. Aldi Inc. is offering pickup for the first time because customers asked for an alternative to visiting stores or paying for delivery.

Pickup grocery sales were up 81% in the week ended June 13 from the start of this year, according to Nielsen, while delivery sales rose 33% in that time.

At restaurants, carryout accounted for 42% of orders by dollars in May, according to data from research firm NPD Group Inc., compared with a 13% share of sales for delivery. Carryout has maintained its share of restaurant sales since dining rooms began to reopen in May, NPD said, while drive-through and delivery have lost some ground to dine-in orders. wsj.com

Microsoft to close all of its physical stores

Fossil Group to cut 10% of corporate staff

Nike anticipates layoffs as it accelerates digital strategy

Kanye West and Gap Strike 10-Year Deal for 'Yeezy Gap' Apparel Line

CNBC Documentaries: 'Supermarket Shock: Crisis in America's Food Supply'
Premiers Tuesday June 30 at 10 pm ET/PT
 

Last week's #1 article --

Man refusing to wear mask fights his way into Walmart in Florida
A defiant shopper fought his way into a Florida Walmart after he was denied entry for refusing to wear a face mask, a viral video shows. The clip, which has been viewed over 12 million times, shows the gray-haired man scuffling with an employee at the Orlando superstore Saturday - the same day face masks became mandatory in the county. With his arms out, the worker tries to block the man from entering. "You gotta wear a mask, bro!" the man behind the camera says. The older man then shoves the Walmart worker, even falling to the floor at one point. Clearly determined, the man gets up and scrambles his way inside as the worker continues to try to block him. "You want a mask, man?" one person can be heard saying. "I got some!" The shopper ignores the offer and makes his way halfway up an aisle. Ultimately, the man angrily agrees to leave, the clip shows - but not before the worker tells him that he was "spitting all over the f-ing place." nypost.com
 

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GROC Presents Pivot 2020 - A Virtual ORC Summit, hosted LIVE by TalkLP.
August 27th, 2020 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Learn more and register here

From Russia With Love
Russian National Sentenced to Prison for Operating Websites Devoted to Fraud and Malicious Cyber Activities
A Russian national was sentenced today to nine years in prison for his operation of two websites devoted to the facilitation of payment card fraud, computer hacking, and other crimes before Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III in the Eastern District of Virginia.

According to court documents, Aleksei Burkov, 30, ran a website called "Cardplanet" that sold payment card numbers (e.g., debit and credit card numbers) that had been stolen primarily through computer intrusions, victimizing hundreds of thousands. Many of the card numbers offered for sale belonged to U.S. citizens. The stolen credit card data sold on Burkov's site has resulted in over $20 million in fraudulent purchases made using U.S. credit card accounts.

Burkov also ran another website that served as an invite-only club where elite cybercriminals could advertise stolen goods, such as personal identifying information and malicious software, and criminal services, such as money laundering and hacking services. justice.gov

   Related: Leader Of Russian Cybercrime Ring Pleads Guilty

Facebook to label 'newsworthy' posts that violate policies
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Friday that the platform will label posts deemed "newsworthy" that violate company policies, a major reversal that comes after weeks of criticism. He pointed specifically to posts from politicians, writing that "we leave up content that would otherwise violate our policies if the public interest value outweighs the risk of harm."

Zuckerberg emphasized though that politicians and government officials are not exempt from the new policy, and their posts will be taken down if the company determines it could incite violence or lead to voter suppression. thehill.com

More than 160 companies sign on to stop buying Facebook ads

Amazon dominates e-commerce during the pandemic-but Walmart is catching up

Amazon, Overstock Win Lucrative E-Commerce Portal Contracts