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 7/9/21

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OpenEye names Angelo Salvatore VP of International Business Development as the company expands internationally

Cloud video company OpenEye has announced an international expansion out of North America with the appointment of new VP of international business development, Angelo Salvatore.

Salvatore's career has spanned over two decades in the video surveillance industry, working alongside leading IP surveillance technologies that evolved from once seen as being in their infancy to well-respected brands.

OpenEye has experienced significant growth in the North America region since its founding over 20 years ago. The company employs technology in cloud computing, machine learning, and video intelligence to power its cloud-managed video platform. Read more here


See All the Executives 'Moving Up' Here   |   Submit Your New Corporate Hires/Promotions or New Position
 
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Vera Bradley Selects Zebra Technologies and Reflexis Systems to Manage Customer Appointments

Reflexis Appointments ensures the right staff are available to provide a tailored shopping experience

Reflexis Systems (now part of Zebra Technologies), a leading provider of intelligent workforce management and execution solutions for multi-site businesses in retail, food service, hospitality and banking, today announced Vera Bradley has selected Reflexis Appointments to provide a tailored experience for its customers, enabling them to select an in-person or virtual shopping session. Reflexis Appointments also helps stores stay in compliance with evolving state and municipal mandates throughout the pandemic.

Vera Bradley will utilize Reflexis Appointments to streamline and improve the customer shopping experience. Customers can book time slots on Vera's website to shop in-store or virtually from home, schedule curbside pickup and join on-site queues for walk-in service. Read more here
 



Violence, Crime & Protests


Federal Gun Cases & Suspects Just Spiraling Up to Record Numbers
DOJ Criminal Court Cases Press Releases Spiking to Record Numbers with Gun Violence & Gun Crime
In following these press releases now for ten years the Daily has never seen this number of criminal cases before. Well over tripling the number of cases and suspects charged with a variety of crimes.

From stealing guns, to trafficking, to ghost guns, manufacturing, burglaries of gun shops and pawn shops and stealing from gun dealers.

The federal efforts in conjunction with their local counterparts are producing cases and the fact of the matter is that the spike in crimes themselves is also generating the HUGE increase. With the Project Safe Neighborhood program (PSN), the OCDETF Tasks Forces, and ATF's new National Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGIC) launched in 26 cities, and the numerous Violent Gang Task Forces nationwide.

In one half single day 7/9/2021 the DOJ reported 25 gun cases and 44 suspects.

See One Half Day list of DOJ cases & More

Deadly Ambush Outside Federal Building
Indiana FBI task force member fatally shot in 'ambush' outside federal building
An FBI task force officer and longtime detective was fatally shot Wednesday in what officials called an ambush outside a federal building.

The gunman, identified by the U.S. Attorney's office as Shane Meehan, waited outside the building before shooting Greg Ferency, a 30-year veteran of the Terre Haute Police Department, FBI agents said.

Ferency had walked outside shortly after Meehan arrived and threw a Molotov cocktail toward the building. Documents say Meehan then shot him. A special agent with the FBI ran out of the building next and "engaged in a gun battle" with Meehan, who was shot twice. Meehan got back inside his truck and drove away. Police found him being treated for his gunshot wounds at Vigo County Regional Hospital.

It's unclear whether Ferency was targeted or if Meehan intended to harm law enforcement in general.

Meehan, 44, faces charges of murder of a federal agent, which carries a penalty up to life, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Thursday. yahoo.com

Using AI to Drive Down Crime
After Backlash, Predictive Policing Adapt to a Changed World

Software developers and city governments are rethinking how and when to use algorithms that promise to curb crime

Artificial intelligence-powered algorithms, the software companies said, could chew up data on incident reports, weather, time and other variables, learn historical patterns, and spit out forecasts faster, cheaper and more accurately than human analysts. Using big data to put cops in the right place at the right time would help discourage crime.

Federal funding helped push such tools to police departments in Los Angeles, New York and elsewhere in the 2010s. More recently, however, those tools have faced pushback. Criminal-justice advocates warn that a disproportionate number of reported incidents involving low-income people or people of color could lead to outsize police footprints in their communities and unequal enforcement relative to total crime. Some academics question how effective the tools really are.

Now, predictive-policing companies are starting to rebrand and rethink their products, focusing less on "forecasting" crime and more on tracking cops, both to provide more oversight and to learn what behaviors correlate to reduced crime.

Less forecasting, more tracking
The evidence that predictive software reduces crime more effectively than human analysts is mixed, says Sarah Brayne, a University of Texas at Austin professor who researched the LAPD's use of such tools for five years for a 2020 book, "Predict and Surveil: Data, Discretion, and the Future of Policing."

"Part of that is that nobody has access to the data required to engage in independent evaluation," says Ms. Brayne. Most predictive tools are privately made, though the New York Police Department created an in-house program. Proving causation between the tools and reductions in crime is also difficult, Ms. Brayne says.

The potential for bias
William Bratton helped start the wave of crime-forecasting software when he called for predictive analytics as LAPD commissioner in 2008. He was also commissioner of the NYPD in 1994 when it launched the predecessor to predictive policing software, CompStat, short for computerized statistics, which analyzed data about recent crimes to help cops identify hot spots. He says younger cops are more willing to embrace such technologies, but departments also need to clarify guidelines that address community concerns.

Crime-forecasting firms are quick to distinguish their products from data-mining or facial-recognition technologies that use personal information to attempt to identify suspects. Geolitica and ShotSpotter say they rely on reported incidents and don't use data points such as arrests-a metric for police activity rather than total crime-for fear of perpetuating a cycle of over-policing in communities of color. wsj.com

Putting the 'Crime Surge' in Perspective
Long-Term Violent Crime Trends in the U.S. Paint a Less Gloomy Picture
New York has become the first state in the US to declare an emergency to tackle increasing levels of gun violence, directing extra funds for programs aimed at preventing shootings.

Police departments across the US define violent crime in slightly different ways, but the data usually includes murder, robbery, assault and rape. Overall, violent crime was up by about 3% in 2020 over the previous year, but this should be seen in the context of the longer term downward trend from a peak in the early 1990s.

Across the US, there were 25% more murders recorded in 2020 than the previous year. This is a steep rise, but the murder rate is still far lower than than in the early 1990s, when it was almost double the current figure.

Major US cities have tended to follow the national trend in becoming safer since the 1990s, but some have also seen a sharp rise in murders recently.

It's worth pointing out that over the last 20 years, both New York and Chicago, along with most other US cities, have seen overall violent crime drop significantly. But in the last 15 months, coronavirus restrictions have put unprecedented social and economic pressures on people.

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo has linked the upward trend in gun violence to the disruption to school and work life caused by the pandemic. bbc.com

America's Top Concern is Crime & Gun Violence
Only 1 in 5 say police treat people equally even as worries about crime surge

Skepticism about the U.S. criminal justice system crossed racial and partisan lines.

Concerns about crime and gun violence have surged to the top of issues that worry Americans, a new USA TODAY/Ipsos Poll finds, but attitudes about how to respond reflect the repercussions of the nation's debate over racial justice.

Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed said violent crime has worsened in the United States over the past year, and nearly a third have seen it rise in their communities. While they expressed trust in their local police, however, the classic call to get tough on crime has been tempered by broad concerns about law enforcement tactics and the equality of the criminal justice system.

In the survey, 7 in 10 supported increasing police department budgets; 77% said they would like additional police officers deployed on street patrols. But 62% also said some of the police budgets should be used to fund community policing and social services. And 81% endorsed a mandate that police-involved shootings be investigated by a separate and independent authority.

More than a year after George Floyd was murdered on a Minneapolis street by a then-police officer who knelt on his neck, video of that and other instances of police misconduct toward Black Americans have sparked protests and a national reckoning on race.

Now just 1 in 5 Americans, 22%, said the police treat all Americans equally. Even fewer, 17%, said the criminal justice courts and lawyers treat everyone equally. usatoday.com

San Francisco's Worsening Violence & ORC Crisis
Violent retail thefts in San Francisco only getting worse
San Francisco, which has pulled millions of dollars from the police force to give to community groups, has been the site of ever-increasing retail theft. A reporter reporting on theft in the city was, ironically, robbed while doing it. Shops have been closing because of the increase in retail theft.

However, the district attorney's office said in a tweet that the crime surge has to do with racism. Senior director Kate Chatfield in the DA's office responded to a tweet that read: "every single one of my friends right now is considering leaving. My friends are scared for their children, and their husbands are scared for their wives."

San Francisco is suffering under these conditions in part because of Prop. 47, which passed in 2014. It downgraded property theft below a certain amount to a misdemeanor, allegedly to free up cops to deal with more serious crimes. But what it's really done is create conditions for lawlessness in the city.

Prosecutors in San Francisco appear to be more concerned with respecting suspects' pronouns than preventing, deterring or prosecuting crime. Despite the uptick in crime, San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin said that from now on staff will be required to use people's preferred pronouns. SF Gate reports that "burglaries and car thefts dramatically increased under Boudin, a trend that has continued into 2021." privateofficerbreakingnews.blogspot.com

Progressive DA 'Will Not Prosecute Many of These Crimes'
CA Retailer's Association president calls out DA Chesa Boudin amid SF's spike in organized crime
The president of the California Retailers Association says the solution to San Francisco's organized theft problem lies, in part, with District Attorney Chesa Boudin, who she says has made it clear he won't prosecute suspects in these types of crimes.

"Unfortunately this issue has been around for a while," said President of the California Retailers Association Rachel Michelin. Michelin says San Francisco is now starting to see the long-term effects of the uptick in organized crime.

"The answer really lies, I think partially, with the district attorney and the fact that he's made it clear he will not prosecute many of these crimes," she said. "When people hear that, they look at San Francisco and think they can commit these crimes and there will not be any consequences for their behavior."

She's now asking for a discussion between local leaders, law enforcement and the district attorney to address the problem. "We need to roll up our sleeves and find a strategy to benefit the residents of San Francisco and businesses that are there," Michelin said.

On top of the direct impact on big chain retailers, Michelin worries about the impact on employees and customers. abc7news.com

UK Retail Violence: 'Tackling violence and abuse in retail must be one of the industry's highest priorities'
Even before Covid there was an epidemic of retail violence and abuse - one that had been getting progressively worse with each passing year.

By the start of 2020, there were over 450 incidents of violence and abuse every day, a 7% rise on the previous year. And like so many issues, the pandemic made the situation much worse.

Since the start of the pandemic, the number of incidents has skyrocketed. One retailer reported a 600% increase in incidents, and they are not alone.

And all for trying to keep the public safe - asking people to wear face coverings, to socially distance or for ID. It is no wonder that so many retailers have put a focus on de-escalation training for their staff.

If the government wants shopworkers to be gatekeepers - for age-restricted items like alcohol and knives, and for safe customer behaviour in a pandemic - then they must provide better protection for them in law.

The Home Affairs Select Committee agrees, recently concluding that a new criminal offence is needed to protect retail workers from a "shocking upsurge in violence and abuse".

Fifty-five MPs, from all political backgrounds in Westminster, signed the BRC's Shopworkers' Protection Pledge, promising to support legislation to better protect retail workers.

A call for action

One hundred retail chief executives wrote to the prime minister last Friday urging him to act. They were calling for the government to back an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill that would have created tougher sentences for violence or abuse of retail workers.

While none of the amendments passed it was really encouraging to hear two government ministers - Victoria Atkins, the minister for safeguarding, and Robert Buckland, the justice secretary - acknowledge concerns about rising violence and abuse against retail workers and commit to bringing forward a government amendment to address these concerns when the Bill reaches the Lords.

While there is still some way to go, this was a positive outcome for the industry and reflects the hard work in recent years of the BRC and many of our members in shining a light on this issue. retail-week.com

'It feels like no one cares'
Uncle of infant shot in Chicago speaks out on city's massive crime spike

Baltimore police say arrests of murder suspects are up. Bad guys with guns need
to know that.

Charleston Rioter Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison

BLM and Floyd protests were largely peaceful, data confirms
 



COVID Update

332.3M Vaccinations Given

US: 34.6M Cases - 622.2K Dead - 29.2M Recovered
Worldwide: 186.4M Cases - 4M Dead - 170.5M Recovered


Former Senior Loss Prevention Executive
Know of any fallen LP exec? Let's remember & recognize.


Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 281   Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 316
*Red indicates change in total deaths


Using Dollar Stores to Distribute More Vaccines
To Expand U.S. Vaccine Access, Consider the Dollar Store
Distributing vaccines through Dollar General was something the U.S. Centers for Disease Control considered, too, before deciding in May not to pursue a "formal partnership," according to a CDC spokesperson. But such a collaboration might be just what's needed to vaccinate some of America's hardest-to-reach populations, according to research by Judith Chevalier, Jason Schwartz and their colleagues at the Yale University schools of management and public health.

Such a partnership could dramatically increase vaccine availability in low-income areas and some communities of color, the authors found in their working paper, which hasn't yet been peer reviewed.

"The dollar store footprint ... lends itself to thinking about this broader aim of making vaccines available right where people are located, and the people that are disproportionately under-vaccinated in so many of our cities and communities right now," said Schwartz, a professor of public health at Yale.

Even beyond Covid-19, Young makes the case that dollar stores could be key access points for reaching vulnerable populations who have limited access to health care services, and sometimes lack trust in the system.

The researchers' national analysis compared the locations of pharmacy retail chains that are currently partnering with the government through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program to the locations of Dollar General stores, depicted in the map below (with a caveat: not all FRPP affiliated pharmacies actually distribute vaccines). They then analyzed state vaccine sites in the 21 sites where data was accessible.

Schwartz's argument is geared at the people who would be willing to get vaccinated, if only they could go somewhere convenient - and perhaps familiar enough to instill trust. bloomberg.com

Will Delta Variant Spark Return to Shutdowns?
What the delta variant could mean for COVID restrictions
The Bay Area appears to be holding its own against the delta coronavirus variant - but while experts say the region is unlikely to see major spikes like those occurring in less vaccinated hot spots across the U.S., they are watching the key metrics that would spell trouble ahead.

To those casting a worried eye toward places such as Israel and Japan, which have tightened some restrictions because of the delta variant, experts say a return to widespread shutdowns in the Bay Area and California is unlikely - though indicators could reach levels that prompt some renewed health measures, such as mask mandates. sfchronicle.com

99.8% of LA & San Diego COVID Deaths in '21 NOT Inoculated
Coronavirus cases in California rise for first time in months as Delta variant spreads
After months of steady declines, coronavirus infections are once again on the rise in California as the state struggles with slowing daily vaccination rates and the spread of the highly infectious Delta variant.

While it's too soon to say whether the upticks are a trend or a blip, health experts and state officials expressed confidence that California's reopening and the return of something resembling normality were not in jeopardy. Last 7 days new cases up 30% and hospitalizations up 34% over mid-June.

"This is the call to anyone who hasn't been vaccinated: Get vaccinated," Gov. Gavin Newsom said during a briefing Wednesday. "What more evidence do you need?" latimes.com

Mixed Messaging on COVID Booster Shots
Pfizer says it's time for a Covid booster; FDA and CDC say not so fast
Drugmaker Pfizer said Thursday it is seeing waning immunity from its coronavirus vaccine and says it is picking up its efforts to develop a booster dose that will protect people from variants.

Pfizer said it would soon publish data about a third dose of vaccine and submit it to the US Food and Drug Administration, European Medicines Agency and other regulators. The company specified it would seek FDA emergency use authorization for a booster dose in August.

But in an unusual move, two top federal agencies said Americans don't need boosters yet and said it was not up to companies alone to decide when they might be needed.

Hours after Pfizer issued its statement, the FDA and Centers for Disease and Control issued a joint statement saying Americans do not need booster shots yet. cnn.com

Delta Variant Fear isn't Impacting Spending
Back-to-school spending eyes COVID-era peak despite Delta variant fear
According to consulting firm Deloitte's 14th annual Back-to-School report, which surveyed 1,200 parents of school-aged children between May 27 and June 5, researchers estimated that back-to-school spending is expected to rise 16% year-over-year - from $28.1 billion in 2020 to $32.5 billion this year.

Back-to-school spending will also be up around 17% compared to the last pre-pandemic year in 2019, according to the firm. Deloitte's data echoed a recent report from MasterCard, which expects splurging parents to spend 25% more than they did last year.

This means parents will be spending an average of $612 per child, "the highest amount in recent years," according to Deloitte. finance.yahoo.com

Nationwide, just fewer than 33% of buildings are staffed with workers
Back to work: More than 50% of D-FW office workers return
Even with the rollout of the coronavirus vaccines, less than a quarter of workers are back in offices in markets including San Francisco, San Jose and New York City, Kastle Systems says.

"We are seeing between 40% and 50%," Cushman & Wakefield executive managing director Matt Schendle said. "I suspect that will pick up after the summer and kids are back in school."

"After Labor Day, we should be close to normal across most of [Crescent Real Estate's office building] portfolio." dallasnews.com

California Bans State-Funded Travel to Florida & 16 Other States Because of COVID

Utah reports highest daily COVID-19 case count in nearly 4 months

Here's what you need to know about the lambda Covid variant

Anti-vaxxers call for Heineken boycott over new ad
 



Retail Crisis Looms as Holiday Shopping Season Approaches
Another Crisis In Retail: Labor Shortage Will Get Worse
The labor crisis highlighted by the Department of Labor poses a huge problem for the retail industry. Of greatest concern, it points to a shortage of labor that will get worse during the coming important holiday season. Currently, the Department of Labor estimates that there are about 965,000 open jobs in the retail industry.

Kohl's has announced that current hourly store, distribution center, and e-commerce fulfillment center associates will be eligible for a $100 to $400 bonus if they stay and work for Kohl's during the holiday season. This is to counter the current trend of associates leaving their job in favor of other employment.

DSW, the discount shoe chain, is testing self-checkout as a reaction to the labor shortage. It started during the pandemic when DSW piloted self-checkout stands in its stores in response to hiring challenges, according to an e-mail from the company to CNN.

Notable is the fact that Target Stores said it has not had difficulties in hiring, but the company did stress that it raised the minimum wage last year to $15.00 and expanded its employee health benefits. Macy's, on the other hand, indicated that it had a number of positions open in its stores and distribution centers.

The 7-Eleven Franchisees National Coalition, representing about 7,200 U.S. locations, warned that the shortage of labor makes a 24-hour operation not possible. Because of higher operating costs, franchisees may face a very dire situation.

The facts are clear; retailers always need more help during the critical Christmas selling period, and this year is no exception. Even with store traffic levels down, they need to fill open positions because this is the year when shoppers will try to avoid long lines and unnecessary exposure to other customers. That means store will have to build staff and start training the associates now in order to have a trained crew ready to serve the throngs. forbes.com

New Supply Chain Disruptions Worry Retailers
Retailers and suppliers say the supply chain challenges that began with the pandemic are persisting, and they have little confidence that improvements are coming.

Two in five industry suppliers (38%) said they faced "significant" levels of disruption for materials necessary to create their products.

Supply chain disruptions also extended to equipment: 79% of retailers say they experienced delays with store equipment/hardware deliveries this year and 41% say they postponed store equipment orders or new store construction/remodel projects because of supply chain delays. progressivegrocer.com

Department Stores Win Top Spot in June Y-O-Y
When was the last time we saw that?

Mastercard: Retail sales in June up 11% year-over-year and 10.4% over 2019
Specifically, sales growth for restaurants increased 55% year-over-year and 16.8% compared to June 2019. Department store sales increased 67.4% year-over year and 11.8% compared to June 2019.

Apparel sales rose 62.9.1% year-over-year and 12.7% compared to June 2019.

The furniture and home furnishings sector experienced its first month of negative year-over-year growth, down 5.3% compared to last year's strong sales, when consumers were doing home projects in the midst of the pandemic. But sales remain elevated for the sector overall, up 16.6% compared to June 2019.

Online growth continued to hold steady, rising 8.3% year-over-year and 95.0% compared to June 2019, reflecting the ongoing shift to digital, driven by the pandemic. chainstoreage.com

Retail Union Workers vs. Non-Union Workers
Retail workers in unions reap higher wages even as U.S. organizers suffer setbacks
Wally Waugh, 57, a front-end manager at a Stop & Shop supermarket in Oyster Bay, New York, makes over $1,150 a week. He is a union member. Adam Ryan, 33, a sales clerk at a Christiansburg, Virginia, Target, makes $380 to $460 a week. He is not.

While the gap in how much they earn arises in part from the very different regions where both live and work, it is also in line with a Reuters analysis of U.S. retail wages, whose findings are previously unreported. After reviewing two decades of retail wages, Reuters found that union workers get paid more on average - and that the gap is widening.

Reuters examined a three-year rolling average of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and found that the weekly pay differential between union and nonunion workers in the U.S. retail sector widened significantly between 2013 and 2019 - from nearly $20 to more than $50. reuters.com

Chipotle to hire 15,000 new hires
Editor's Note: These mega hiring events have become so standard fare that you have to wonder if its the intent or just a publicity stunt to get attention to be able to at least hire a few hundred. After all people aren't searching the jobs pages much. So you gotta make it a big news event. Except for the super big retailers. Just my thoughts.

You can make a difference industry wide!
The Daily is looking for some analytical help with our quarterly crime stat reports.

Having experience in tabulating and analyzing crime stats would be a huge benefit. As well as any development experience with the actual reports themselves.

Take a look at our previous reports to get a feel for the industry needs and we'd love to hear from you. Contact me directly at gus@d-ddaily.net

Grocery stores stockpiling food & cleaning supplies amid rising costs

Layoffs hit record low in May as companies cling to workers during labor shortage

To fight burnout, some employers declare company-wide summer break

Cryptocurrency Fraudster Sentenced To 15 Years For Money Laundering And Securities Fraud In Multi-Million Dollar Investment Scheme


Save A Lot to remodel all its 1,000 stores


Quarterly Results
The Buckle June sales up 17.8%

Levi Strauss Q2 Direct-to-Consumer sales up 141%, E-commerce sales up 42%, DTC stores & E-comm were 29% & 8% of total sales

Levi Strauss Q2 Wholesale sales up 167%, Global sales of all channels up 75%, total net sales up 156%, compared to Q2 2019 sales down 3%



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Victim Impact Statements - Follow-through is the key to success

More than 40% of Victim Impact Statements are never returned by retailers.

Do not lose your restitution opportunities!

It is fair to say that without an organized program for collecting and responding to Victim Impact Statements, most retailers are missing an opportunity to inform jurisdictions of their full loss. Retailers may not be awarded restitution from a loss suffered in their stores, warehouses and/or corporate locations if they do not respond to official requests. Without having a central location for jurisdictions to send Victim Impact Statements, they will most likely be sent to the location where the theft occurred; where they may sit unanswered or worse yet, be discarded. Victim Impact Statements are deadline driven and normally require research and follow through. Each year thousands become stale due to lack of response or are rejected as incomplete. While the basic information may be the same, each jurisdiction has its own set of rules and expectations for completion. Knowing the nuances required by each jurisdiction can make the difference to the restitution awarded.

The Zellman Group has a long-standing relationship with thousands of Courts and Department of Corrections across the country. This relationship ensures smooth communication between all parties. Our centralized process ensures every Victim Impact Statement arrives from the jurisdiction of offense to our firm. Zellman processes all Victim Impact Statements well within deadlines and manages all follow-up. Our process ensures that our retail partners will recover substantially more money with very little expense.

Click here to learn more.

The Zellman Group, LLC is a full-service Loss Prevention provider located in Greenvale, NY. Contact us at info@zellmangroup.com or at 516-625-0006.


 

 

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Registration Ends Today
NIST Virtual Workshop on Preventing & Recovering from Ransomware
Registration for our NIST National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) virtual workshop, 'Preventing and Recovering from Ransomware and Other Destructive Cyber Events' closes today.

This virtual workshop will take place next week on
July 14th at 11:00 AM EDT and will provide an opportunity for participants to share feedback on several ransomware-related areas of focus, such as: standards, guidelines, and recommended practices; use cases and technologies; and sources of specifications and guidance. Government and industry subject matter experts and practitioners are encouraged to attend to share their views related to challenges to implementation, operations, and security associated with the mitigation of ransomware attacks.

NIST will use the information gathered during this workshop to help accelerate
the development of a future playbook for mitigation of ransomware attacks. Register here

Biden warns Putin on Russian ransomware attacks
President Biden spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday and urged him to take action to disrupt criminal groups operating in Russia that are behind recent ransomware attacks in the United States.

Biden also warned that the U.S. would "take any necessary action to defend its people and its critical infrastructure in the face of this continuing challenge," according to a White House readout.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters at a press briefing Friday that the U.S. government does not have new information suggesting the Russian government directed recent ransomware attacks but added, "we also know and we also believe that they have a responsibility ... to take action."

Psaki declined to specify what options are on the table. Biden previously levied sanctions against Russia as a consequence to the SolarWinds hack in April.

"His intent was to make clear and reiterate again that attacks by criminal groups, ransomware attacks by criminal groups on entities in the United States is not acceptable and that we reserve the right to take action," Psaki said.

During the meeting last month with Putin, Biden gave Putin a list of 16 critical infrastructure entities that Russia could not attack without consequences, and warned him against allowing further malicious cyber activities against the United States.

"President Biden underscored the need for Russia to take action to disrupt ransomware groups operating in Russia and emphasized that he is committed to continued engagement on the broader threat posed by ransomware."

Tensions between the U.S. and Russia have ramped up over the past six months in the wake of several cybersecurity incidents either linked to the Russian government or to Russian-based cyber criminal groups. thehill.com

NYC - 1st Major American City to Open Real-Time Operations Center
New York City Opens Cyberattack Defense Center

Initiative brings together government agencies and business groups to share intelligence and respond to digital threats

Set in a lower Manhattan skyscraper, the center is staffed by a coalition of government agencies and private businesses, with 282 partners overall sharing intelligence on potential cyber threats. Its members range from the New York Police Department to Amazon.com Inc. and International Business Machines Corp. to the Federal Reserve Bank and several New York healthcare systems.

Until last week, the two-year effort known as New York City Cyber Critical Services and Infrastructure was completely virtual.

New York's cyberdefense center opens as attacks against government and business infrastructure increase across the country. In recent months, cyberattacks have struck U.S. pipelines, meat producers and software companies.

New York has long been seen as particularly vulnerable because of its status as a business center and symbol of American financial and cultural power.

"When one major piece of critical infrastructure is under attack, they're all under attack," said Mr. Miller. "If those entities fail, all our response plans fail with them."

Since launching, the New York initiative starts sharing information as soon as there is a cyber event anywhere in the country and makes preparations in case an attack breaches the region.

Although there is work being done at the state and federal levels, cybersecurity experts warn that major cities are uniquely vulnerable to disruptions and should organize around these threats.

"Cities increasingly depend on cyber," said Global Cyber Alliance President and CEO Philip Reitinger. "Everything is connected." wsj.com

Letting Businesses 'Hack Back' Against Hackers Is a Terrible Idea,
Cyber Veterans Say

Senators last week introduced a bill that would explore letting companies counterattack hackers

Companies shouldn't be allowed to strike back against hackers, cybersecurity specialists and former government officials warned, after senators last week introduced legislation floating the idea of such counterattacks.

The work of attacking hackers should be left to government authorities that are better equipped to carry it out, the cyber experts said.

Sens. Steve Daines (R., Mont.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D., R.I.) introduced a bill on June 30 that would require the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to study the risks and benefits of allowing companies to take action against hackers in the event of an attack.

Former Defense Department officials said that allowing companies to "hack back," as it is known in cybersecurity circles, is a flawed and even dangerous proposition.

"So many things could go wrong, and very little can actually go right," said Anup Ghosh, a former program manager at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or Darpa, part of the Defense Department.

Mr. Ghosh, now the chief executive of cybersecurity firm Fidelis Cybersecurity Inc., said that for a company, even deciding whom to counterattack is fraught with risks, given the difficulties of attributing attacks to individuals, gangs or nation-states. Introducing the private sector into the cyberwarfare arena also has national-security implications, he said, such as disrupting intelligence operations that companies might not know about. wsj.com

Scam artists exploit Kaseya security woes to deploy malware
The company is being impersonated in the fallout of a recent ransomware attack.

Kaseya has urged customers to be wary of a wave of phishing emails taking advantage of the disruption caused by a recent ransomware attack.

On July 8, the software solutions provider said that scam artists are leveraging the security incident to "send out fake email notifications that appear to be Kaseya updates."

"These are phishing emails that may contain malicious links and/or attachments," the company added.

Samples of fake, emailed Kaseya advisories, as noted by Malwarebytes, urge recipients to download and execute an attachment called "SecurityUpdates.exe" to resolve a vulnerability in Kaseya and to protect themselves against ransomware. zdnet.com

Morgan Stanley Discloses Data Breach


NIST Delivers Two Key Publications to Enhance Software Supply Chain Security Called for by Executive Order

 


 

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Saving Amazon from Itself
Bezos' Decision to Quit His Job at Amazon Could End Up Saving the Company

Why did Jeff Bezos step down as CEO of Amazon? To save it from destroying itself.

You might think it strange to hear about Amazon's demise, considering its value has skyrocketed over the past year, and it's currently one of the most valuable companies in the world.

Bezos has long preached that Amazon employees should consider it "day one"--to work as if Amazon is still an early-stage company, relentless in its efforts to stave off death. And
this is why Bezos now leaving his post as CEO is so pivotal.

In a letter to employees, he addressed head-on what has become a very strong criticism of Amazon in recent years, namely, that
the company doesn't take good enough care of its employees. And while Bezos defended Amazon and the way it looks after its people, he also admitted that the company needed to do better.

By stepping down as CEO, Bezos has more time to focus on solving Amazon's biggest problem. If he's successful, he will have done more than improve the company's reputation. He will have altered the company's future.

And in the end,
he just may save himself--and his company--from what he fears most: becoming just like everyone else. inc.com

New Facilities and Air Capacity to Meet E-Commerce Demands
DHL Express invests $360M in Americas to keep up with e-commerce

Bigger facilities, more aircraft and technology are intended to boost delivery speed

DHL Express said Wednesday it is
investing more than $360 million in facilities and new air capacity for the Americas region through 2022 to support parcel growth fueled by demand for e-commerce transactions.

The new infrastructure, which includes technologies to improve operational efficiency,
will increase network capacity in North and South America by nearly 30%, DHL said. More capacity means faster shipment processing and earlier deliveries for customers.

Express delivery companies have experienced phenomenal growth in parcel volumes during the past 18 months as online shopping soared in popularity. DHL said it handled
33% more shipments per day in the first quarter compared to the same period last year because of business-to-business and business-to-consumer e-commerce orders. For the U.S. alone, shipment volumes grew 41% in the first quarter.

Last month, DHL
relocated its Kansas City, Missouri, operation to a new building that is more than twice the size of the previous location. The $5 million facility is near Kansas City International Airport.

A new
244,000 square-foot automated hub in Hamilton, Ontario, is also planned. Once completed it will be four times the size of the current facility. freightwaves.com

While you're shopping online, e-skimmers are going after your credit card number


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Texas Armed Robbery Crew Leader Gets 45 Years & Two Other Defendants - 45 Yrs & 9 Yrs Ea.
Serial Cell Phone Store Robber Sentenced to 45 Years in Federal Prison
A Long Beach, California man, Edward Eugene Robinson, 50, guilty of one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, two counts of interfering with commerce by robbery, and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence in March.

According to evidence presented at trial - which included eyewitness testimony, store surveillance videos, and evidence obtained from search warrants -
Mr. Robinson was the leader of a robbery crew that committed at least 15 armed robberies of cell phone stores across North Texas and Southern California in the spring and summer of 2019.

During the robberies, Mr. Robinson and his accomplices
threatened store employees with guns and tazers and demanded that they open the safes where the phones and other equipment were stored. The robbers then restrained the employees using zip-ties or cell phone chargers.

Over the course of the conspiracy,
Mr. Robinson stole more than $600,000 of inventory, including cell phones, tablets, and watches.

The other defendants in the case -
Aaron Hardrick and Ncholeion Hollie, both of Fort Worth, Texas - previously pleaded guilty. Mr. Hardrick pleaded guilty in 2019 to multiple federal robbery and firearms charges in North Texas and Southern California. He was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison. Ms. Hollie pleaded guilty in 2020 to one federal robbery charge in North Texas and was sentenced to 9 years in federal prison. justice.gov

Dallas, TX: Man who stole $18,000 worth of clothes, jewelry from South Dallas store caught on video
The burglary occurred about 5:15 a.m. June 22 in the 2700 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., near South Malcolm X Boulevard and Al Lipscomb Way. In a one-minute video the police released, the man is seen walking behind counters inside the store. Throughout the video, he is crouched low to the ground. About halfway through the video, he disappears from view for a few seconds and then appears to walk into another part of the store.
dallasnews.com

Macclenny, FL: Man jailed after 3 Felony Theft charges at Walmart
A Kentucky man is in custody in county jail under a $75,000 bond, charged with three separate felony shoplifting offenses at the Macclenny Walmart dating back to early last month. Bradford Carroll, 36, of Florence, KY was arrested the early afternoon of July 2 following an alert from a store security employee that he left the store with merchandise from the sporting goods and auto inventory departments valued at $608. The items were recovered from the suspect's Toyota pickup. Police were called about 1:30 after the suspect was observed leaving Walmart without paying for the merchandise, and the employee recognized both him and the vehicle from a surveillance video on June 3. During that incident, Mr. Carroll allegedly stole two home theater systems valued at $398. After the suspect was booked for the initial thefts, the sheriff's department was contacted about a third one caught on video June 14 during which he is accused of taking items from sporting goods and the auto department valued at $782. Again, Mr. Carroll was recognized from the earlier incidents.
bakercountypress.com

Austin, TX: Thieves ram hole in front of bike shop, owner says latest in rash of break-ins
An Austin area bike shop has been hit by thieves five times between its two locations since February, and one shop has a giant hole in the front of it as a result of the latest one early Thursday. The Peddler bike shop owner AJ Camp says surveillance video from a coffee shop next door shows a truck ramming through the front of his Hyde Park store, then a white van with four people pulled up and started loading it up with bikes.
Between that location and his one in Cedar Park, he estimates $70,000-$80,000 worth of bikes have been taken in five break-ins since February. With each break-in, Camp says the thieves take several bikes. kxan.com

Quartzsite, AZ: Man arrested for an Organized Retail Theft warrant
La Paz County Sheriff officers transported Ronald Ware, 75, of Quartzsite to the Lake Havasu City Police Department on June 28 for an active organized retail theft warrant. havasunews.com


New York, NY: Armed robber steals $2K in medications from local East Harlem pharmacy

California, MD: Maryland State Police arrest couple stealing $1,200 of merchandise from Walmart

Queensbury, NY: Troy man accused of taking nearly $1,000 in merchandise from Route 9 Walmart



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Shootings & Deaths

Indianapolis, IN: Speedway store clerk guns down shoplifter over four packs of Red Bull; charged with Murder
A gas station clerk followed a shoplifter outside a convenience store and gas station, and shot him in the parking lot, according to court documents. Vincent Bibbs, 49, has been charged with the murder of 49-year-old Damon McClain. Officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department were dispatched to the Speedway gas station at 4960 E. 56th St. just before 11:30 p.m. June 29. Officers arrived to find McClain in a vehicle. He had been shot in the head. He was declared deceased on the scene at 11:35 p.m. Witnesses told police they saw the clerk, identified as Bibbs, follow a man carrying a bag outside of the store to the parking lot.

IMPD detectives say surveillance video shows McClain placing several cases of Red Bull into a plastic trash bag before leaving through the front door. Bibbs can be seen following McClain outside. In an interview with police, Bibbs initially denied having any interaction with McClain, according to court documents. Detectives say Bibbs told them he never shot anyone, had a gun or heard shots. Bibbs later admitted to police "messed up by going outside," telling detectives that store management told him not to let shoplifters leave the store. He said tried to lock McClain in the store but wasn't able to. He said a struggle occurred in the parking lot and his gun went off. Bibbs said he then went back in the store, waited on two customers, then called 911.
Bibbs faces an additional charge of carrying a handgun without a license. wishtv.com

Cedar Park, TX: Argument at area H-E-B leads to deadly shooting in driveway of victim's home
One Central Texas man is dead, and another is facing a murder charge after an argument Wednesday night at the H-E-B store at 170 East Whitestone Blvd. in Cedar Park led to a deadly shooting in the driveway of the victim's home. Officers found the victim, Cameron T. Wilcox, 29, lying dead in the driveway of his home at 206 Peach Tree Lane after responding at around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday to a report of a shooting.

The suspect was gone when they arrived, but Texas Department of Public Safety troopers spotted him in Leander and took him into custody after a traffic stop. Hector De Jesus Villatoro-Guevara, 31, was booked into the Williamson County Jail early Thursday morning and faces a murder charge, according to online records. His bond had not been set as of late Thursday morning.

The initial caller, a woman whose name was not released, told police the two men, who knew each other, argued at the H-E-B. She and Wilcox left the store and drove to their home on Peach Tree Lane where they were unloading groceries when Villatoro-Guevara, who police say was the woman's ex-boyfriend, drove up, got out of his vehicle, retrieved a handgun, fired into the air and then toward Wilcox who was shot repeatedly. kwtx.com

Houston, TX: Suspected murder-suicide in Houston restaurant
Two men were killed and a woman was wounded in what Houston police say was a murder-suicide at a downtown seafood restaurant. Police say the suspect shot and killed the man and wounded the woman before killing himself. (July 9) news.yahoo.com

Brooklyn, NY: Suspect fatally shot by NYPD outside liquor store
Three men were shot outside a Bushwick, Brooklyn, liquor store Thursday night, and responding police officers fatally shot the suspected gunman. The 53 year old suspect was shot multiple times by Police and did not survive. The suspects handgun was recovered at the scene. None of the Officers involved were injured. The three men shot in the incident are all being treated and expected to recover, one of the victims was shot 8 times. news.yahoo.com

Craven County, NC: Second suspect found guilty in connection to the 2017 murder of Cove City convenience store worker
A Craven County jury found a second person guilty in a deadly store robbery that happened in August of 2017. District Attorney Scott Thomas says 30-year-old Ashley Velez of Aurora was found guilty of accessory after the fact to first-degree murder in the death of Scottie Morton during an armed robbery of the Cove Country Store in Cove City. Velez was charged with first-degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy, and the offense in which she was found guilty. She was sentenced to 14-years and 10-months in prison. Anthony Johnson, 24-years-old from Fayetteville, was found guilty of murder earlier this year and sentenced to life in prison. witn.com

Update: St Louis, MO: 'A classic case of self-defense' in mall shooting
Attorney for suspect in West County Mall shooting says charges never should have been filed. In a 20-minute press conference Thursday, the attorney representing Jason Hill, who is charged with second-degree murder after a fatal shooting at the West County Mall, said the incident is a clear-cut case of self-defense and Hill should never have been charged. Donnell Smith addressed the media for the first time since the July 3 shooting, saying prosecutors have surveillance video that corroborates his client's versions of events.

According to Smith, Hill - who is 21 and graduated from Cleveland Junior Naval Academy in 2018 - was at the mall with his girlfriend shopping for their 3-month-old baby. After the couple finished shopping for the child, Smith said they went into Champs and each separately started looking at shoes. Hill reportedly saw a group of four to five men walk into the store together, and things quickly escalated. "Two of the guys walked toward him. The first guy walked directly toward him and he moved out of the way to let that guy walk past him," Smith said, explaining Hill's account of what happened. "The second guy, who we now know is Malachi Maclin, approached him, got in his face, made a comment about killing him and without any provocation whatsoever, hit him in the face."

Smith said Hill fell back from the punch, then pulled his gun to defend himself. Maclin reportedly pulled a firearm out as well, and at that point shots were fired. Maclin was fatally wounded, later dying at a nearby hospital. kmov.com

 



Robberies, Incidents & Thefts

Las Vegas, NV: Police ask for help in identifying suspect in incident that injured woman
Metro police are seeking the public's help in identifying a suspect who pushed a woman to the floor, causing her to hit her head on the ground. She suffered a brain bleed after the incident, which occurred on May 22 at about 7:10 p.m. Metro released a photo of a male suspect caught on surveillance video. He is suspected of shoplifting at a Walmart on Boulder Highway. "Loss Prevention approached the subject and he ran out of the store pushing over an elderly female victim," according to a Facebook Post from Metro's Southeast Area Command. ktnv.co

Round Rock, TX: Driver rams 7-Eleven store with SUV in Friday morning burglary
Round Rock police are looking for someone who drove a vehicle through the front door of a convenience store Friday morning. RRPD said the suspect rammed the 7-Eleven store with a Toyota Sequoia, model year 2001 or 2002, and it's missing the front bumper as a result of the incident. RRPD said after the driver busted through the door, they burglarized the store located at 2801 La Frontera Blvd. kxan.com

Urbana, IL: Man gets probation for burglary at mall during riot he is accused of inciting
A 20-year-old Urbana man at the heart of a riot that caused thousands of dollars worth of damage to multiple Champaign businesses last year has been sentenced to three years of probation for burglary. "Words matter. You are a leader. I want you to do something good for your life that affects people positively," Judge Randy Rosenbaum told Shamar Betts. Betts was sentenced in state court Thursday after pleading guilty in May to entering the Old Navy at Market Place Mall on May 31, 2020, intending to steal clothing. He still faces sentencing across the street in federal court on charges that he incited the riot that caused the damage at the mall and several other businesses in the city, including several on North Prospect Avenue, in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. news-gazette.com

Silver Springs, MD: Unemployed man nabbed using fake ID, checks to buy $135,000 BMW
A Baltimore man could have driven away in a $135,000 BMW 750 if not for a savvy car dealership employee who detected a pile of fraudulent documents, court records detail. Deonte Dickens, 33, of Baltimore, is charged with seven criminal counts in the felony case, including attempted theft valued at more than $100,000. It's an alleged crime that could send Dickens to prison for up to 88 years. Around 3:50 p.m. on June 22, Dickens entered the BMW dealership at 3211 Automobile Boulevard in Silver Spring, Md. and stated his intent to purchase a 2022 BMW 750 for a price of $135,523. Dickens provided dealership staff with a treasure trove of fraudulent documents including a California driver's license, four M&T Bank checks, a credit report, and an insurance card, police allege. abcnews4.com

Augusta, GA: Free Snow Cones, cash reward offered to help catch Augusta Pelican's Sno Balls burglar
The Peach Orchard branch of Pelican's Sno Balls opened less than a month ago but one person who visited the new spot on July 7 wasn't looking for a fix for their sweet tooth. Pelican's employee Syndi Fieldings explained, "They smashed the front door. Crawled under and then looked under one of the drawers and noticed that the money wasn't in there so they left." The incident only lasted a few minutes around midnight. The break-in suspect was covered from head to toe. wjbf.com


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Bikes - Austin, TX - Burglary
C-Store - Greensboro, NC - Armed Robbery
Clothing - Dallas, TX - Burglary
Dollar General - Roseville, MI - Armed Robbery
Dollar General - Jefferson City, MO - Armed Robbery
Gas Station - Indianapolis, IN - Robbery/ suspect killed by clerk
Grocery - Salem, NH - Robbery
Grocery - San Luis Obispo, CA - Burglary
Hardware - Columbus, OH - Burglary
Pharmacy - Ney York, NY - Armed Robbery
Restaurant - Cedar Falls, IA - Armed Robbery (Taco Bell)
Restaurant - Chicago, IL - Burglary
Restaurant - Aiken, SC - Armed Robbery
Restaurant - Augusta, GA - Burglary
Restaurant - Odessa, TX - Armed Robbery
7-Eleven - Round Rock, TX - Burglary

 

Daily Totals:
• 9 robberies
• 7 burglaries
• 1 shooting
• 1 killed


 

Weekly Totals:
• 53 robberies
• 36 burglaries
• 1 shooting
• 1 killed



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Nathan Raines, CORCI, CECI named Regional Asset Protection Manager for Advance Auto Parts


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Featured Job Spotlights

 




Field Loss Prevention Manager
Chicago, IL - posted July 9
Manages and coordinates Loss Prevention and Safety Programs intended to protect Staples assets and ensure a safe work environment within Staples Retail locations. Conducts investigations in conjunction with Human resources involving Workplace violence and Ethics...




Asset Protection Coordinator
Rochester, NH - posted June 17
Preventing and deterring theft and limiting the loss of company assets in the stores through best-in-class service, healthy business partnerships, profit analysis, and investigations. Oversee and complete Asset Protection Department responsibilities including but not limited to internal theft investigations, external theft investigations, and physical security...




Asset Protection Coordinator
York, ME - posted June 17
Preventing and deterring theft and limiting the loss of company assets in the stores through best-in-class service, healthy business partnerships, profit analysis, and investigations. Oversee and complete Asset Protection Department responsibilities including but not limited to internal theft investigations, external theft investigations, and physical security...




Asset Protection Coordinator
Dover, NH - posted June 17
Preventing and deterring theft and limiting the loss of company assets in the stores through best-in-class service, healthy business partnerships, profit analysis, and investigations. Oversee and complete Asset Protection Department responsibilities including but not limited to internal theft investigations, external theft investigations, and physical security...




Sr. Lead, Organized Retail Crime
Baltimore, MD - posted May 25
The Sr Lead, Organized Retail Crime (ORC) is responsible for the direction and support of Organized Retail Crime (ORC) investigations, strategies and training to ensure the effective execution of asset protection and retail initiatives...




Area Loss Prevention Manager
Pittsburgh, PA - posted May 11
Our Area Loss Prevention Managers ensure safe and secure stores through the objective identification of loss and risk opportunities. Our Area Loss Prevention Managers plan and prioritize to provide an optimal customer experience to their portfolio of stores. They thrive on supporting and building high performance teams that execute with excellence...




Area Loss Prevention Manager
Sacramento, CA - posted April 20
Our Area Loss Prevention Managers ensure safe and secure stores through the objective identification of loss and risk opportunities. Our Area Loss Prevention Managers plan and prioritize to provide an optimal customer experience to their portfolio of stores. They thrive on supporting and building high performance teams that execute with excellence...





 


Corporate Security Manager
Calabasas, CA - posted April 6
The Corporate Security Manager will, among other things, (a) be responsible for ensuring a safe and secure environment for our employees, vendors, and visitors, (b) develop, manage, execute and continuously improve corporate security processes and protocols, and (c) lead a team of security specialists at our corporate offices...
 



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The difference between success and failure is in the planning and the execution. Taking something from a thought or idea to a reality can be a long and painful process lined with failures and detractors. But a great idea is only as good as the plan you have to bring it to life and the execution everyone delivers to give it a life. Because without the two the great idea never existed. As one "C" level executive once told me - He never saw a bad great idea as it was always the failed plan to roll it out and the poor execution that killed it.


Just a Thought,
Gus

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