3rd Biggest Weekend for Shootings

1,218 Shootings - 377 Killed - 1,272 Injured in 15 Big Cities Past 10 Weekends
The D&D Daily's Big City Weekend Violence Study - Memorial Day to Labor Day

The Daily's study analyzes weekend shooting data in 15 major U.S. cities from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend 2022

Starting Memorial Day Weekend, the D&D Daily began compiling and analyzing data from 15 major U.S. cities to get a snapshot of summer gun violence.

This past weekend, from July 29th through July 31st, there were 128 shootings recorded in these same cities, resulting in 32 deaths and 134 injuries.

The chart below shows the totals for each of the past eight weekends dating back to Memorial Day weekend.

The D&D Daily will continue to track this data throughout the summer to capture the weekend violence trend in our nation's big cities as warm weather typically brings about more crime and violence.

Click here to see the list of incidents per city and follow along each week this summer as this spreadsheet will be updated every Monday. docs.google.com

Read more coverage about America's crime and gun violence epidemic in the section below
 

Retail Security Fortresses
Why Old Spice, Colgate and Dawn are locked up at drug stores
Walgreens and Rite Aid have said that the problem of organized retail crime -- rings of criminals that steal products from stores and then often resell them on online marketplaces -- is causing them to lock more products up and close some stores.

The reason why stores resort to locking up these products is simple: to prevent shoplifting. But these decisions are far more nuanced and fraught for stores than you may think. Companies must walk a delicate line between protecting their inventory and creating stores that customers don't dread visiting.

Shoplifting in America

While having fewer workers in the store increased profits for chains in recent decades, it has left stores in some cases without as many visible personnel to deter shoplifting, crime prevention experts say. In response, an anti-shoplifting industry and corporate "loss prevention" (LP) and "asset protection" (AP) teams sprang up. Technologies also emerged such as closed-circuit TV cameras, electronic article surveillance and anti-theft tags.

'Hot products'

Stores look to protect "the vital few" products that are most profitable for them to sell, said Adrian Beck, who studies retail losses at the University of Leicester. And they're willing to accept higher theft on the lower-margin "trivial many," he added.

Organized retail crime

Retailers say organized retail crime has made their theft problems only worse. Crime gangs often look to steal products from stores that can easily and quickly be resold on online marketplaces such as Amazon and through other illicit markets.

Retailers have supported a bipartisan bill that would require online marketplaces to verify state-issued IDs for millions of high-volume third-party sellers. President Joe Biden supports such a measure and this week also called on Congress to impose liability on online marketplaces that sell stolen goods on their platforms.

Irritated customers and lost sales

Unfortunately, many of these time-consuming anti-theft measures wind up irritating customers and cut into sales. One anti-theft device company's CEO told Forbes that locked up stuff can result in sales reductions of 15% to 25%. cnn.com
 
Recidivism Rates Triple After Bail-Reform Law
NY's leaders just ignore Post's proof that no-bail feeds soaring crime

Make no mistake: New York's soaring recidivism rates are even worse than they look.

The Post's review of NYPD data on burglary and theft suspects shows a tripling of re-arrests within 60 days after an initial charge from 2017, before the state's controversial bail-reform law took effect.

That is: Cops catch a perp, then catch the same one again within two months - three times as often as just four years earlier, because the perps almost all now walk free shortly after each arrest.

And re-offending rates are surely higher. That is, the perp has likely committed other crimes in the interim without getting nabbed.

The stats show how revolving-door justice boosts crime rates:

- Suspects arrested last year for shoplifting went on to quickly commit more serious crimes - with 21.6% charged with felonies less than two months later.

- 23.7% of last year's burglary suspects were re-arrested within 60 days, down a bit from 27.6% in 2020 but up from 7.7% in 2017.

- For those charged with grand larceny, recidivism jumped to 19.7% in 2021 from 6.5% four years before.

All because New York's "reformed" laws allow for bail only for the most serious burglaries - where the perp is armed with a deadly weapon or injures someone. And virtually all larceny suspects get released without having to post bail or bond. nypost.com

Even Cheap Products Locked Down
Spam goes on lockdown due to inflation in NYC
Inflation and crime have gotten so bad in Gotham that even cheap meat like Spam has to be locked up.

At Duane Reade's store in the Port Authority bus depot, the shelf-stable product - only $3.99 a can - is now being stocked in plastic, anti-theft cases.

"I've never seen that before!" one cashier laughed while using a magnet to remove a can of Spam from its cage.

As prices and crime skyrocket, New York City stores have taken to locking up staples like toothpaste and soap to prevent crooks from stealing and then hawking the products on the sidewalk or online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay.

Snow said he doesn't think Spam is being stolen to "sell it for crack," but rather because the homeless in the area are looking for a quick and easy meal.

Petit larceny complaints for the NYPD Midtown South Precinct, which includes the Port Authority bus terminal, have shot up 52 percent - to 1,771, through July 24 - over last year. nypost.com

Digging Into Biden's 'Safer America Plan'
Biden's Safer America Plan - Is it a worthy proposal?
The White House announced that it was coming with a proposal of $37 billion so America could fight against crime and gun violence. It has been brought into existence with the motive to train tens of thousands of police officers and also to invest in community endeavors to increase safety. The proposal is named the Safer American Plan, which frames a need for more federal funding so they could fight crime all over the nation and, most importantly, those who live at the local level.

What is Biden's Safer America Plan?

Funds the police and control over crime - One of Biden's Safer America Plan includes funding for the cops and strong control over the violence that is affecting the peace of the family. It will also provide resources to the community that is needed to keep street safe by including and helping them to recruit and train 100,000 additional cops for responsible community policing (nearly $13 billion for upcoming next five years with the help of the COPS Hiring Program) and also putting aside specific funds for small law enforcement agencies.

Along with this, a whopping amount of $3 billion has been decided to invest in the community to clear court backlogs and solve murder cases so dangerous shooters and other criminals who promote violence could be removed from the streets. It also includes helping communities who could establish task forces to share intelligence to lower the gun violence rate. This Plan also aims to remove other heinous crime which is affecting family and their peace too.

Biden's Safer America Plan has also decided to impose tougher penalties for fentanyl trafficking. To deal with organized retail thieves, the Plan calls on Congress to pass legislation to require online marketplaces, like Amazon, to verify third-party sellers' information and to put the liability on online marketplaces for the sale of stolen products on their platforms. world-wire.com

Florida's Tough-on-Retail-Crime AG
Florida Retail Federation Endorses AG Ashley Moody
The Florida Retail Federation has endorsed incumbent, Attorney General Ashley Moody (R-FL), for her re-election bid this November.

"The Florida Retail Federation is proud to endorse Attorney General Ashley Moody. Thanks to the leadership of Attorney General Moody, Florida leads the nation in taking a proactive and aggressive approach to preventing and combatting organized retail crime," said R. Scott Shalley, President & CEO, Florida Retail Federation. "Florida's retailers could not ask for a more committed partner as we work collaboratively to protect Florida's retailers and those they serve."

AG Moody responded to the endorsement stating, "As Attorney General I've worked hard to prevent organized retail theft rings from harming communities and consumers. We will always combat this crime to ensure Florida remains a state where people want to raise a family and start a business. While other places around this nation watch as stores are forced to close because leaders abandon the rule of law, in Florida we remain committed to working with our law enforcement, prosecutors, and retail partners for a thriving and safe state."

As Attorney General, Moody has simultaneously defended Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and fought against Big Tech in Florida and acted on several bipartisan issues. Moody now serves as the Chair for Florida's Statewide Council on Human Trafficking. floridianpress.com
 
House passes semi-automatic gun ban after string of mass shootings

Why US gun laws get looser after mass shootings

One of the largest jewelry heists ever - Over $100M & Still No Clues
Mystery shrouds colossal Brink's heist at I-5 truck stop
The case of the heist earlier this month at the Flying J truck stop along Interstate 5 in the Grapevine.

In the early hours of July 11, two armed guards left their Brink's big rig, giving a gang of thieves a 27-minute window to make the huge snatch, its total value still a mystery. Estimates range from $10 million to $100 million.

The team of burglars bypassed the truck's locking mechanism and used the storage containers to haul away precious gems, gold and other valuables from a Brink's tractor-trailer,

A federal law enforcement source and some associated with the International Gem and Jewelry Show world said the total appears to be closer to $100 million.

The question is how the thieves got into the truck and whether they knew in advance about the valuables inside. Given the less than half an hour window, he said, "we believe several thieves had to be involved."

The gang of thieves was able to quickly bypass the truck's trailer locking mechanism, enter its vast back and unload a series of storage containers filled with jewelry, diamonds other precious gems, and a plethora of Rolexes and other designer watches, Mileski said.

Arnold Duke, president of the International Gem and Jewelry Show whose exhibitors displayed the items in San Mateo and were moving them to Pasadena, said the truck contained many 70- to 100-pound plastic containers filled with jewelry, gems and watches.

"We are looking at more than $100 million in documented losses," he said. "This was an absolutely huge crime. One of the largest jewelry heists ever. We are talking gold, diamonds, rubies, emeralds and loads of luxury watches." latimes.com

National data privacy policies are coming to the U.S.
FTC vet handicaps the agency's role in biometric data privacy rulemaking
According to a regulation insider, but do not expect to see the Federal Trade Commission take a leadership position on the matter.

Between White House executive orders, court decisions and legislation, there is plenty of potential opportunity for government oversight of biometric data practices. Of course, among decision makers in Washington, regulators often are the ones with the most expertise in an industry silo.

Daniel Kaufmann, a 23-year veteran of the FTC's consumer protection division, sounds almost certain about the near-term inevitability of national biometric privacy rules in an interview with Biometric Update. biometricupdate.com

The Great Resignation May Be Screeching to a Halt
The Great Resignation worked: Most job-swappers got a raise

Pew Center study says 60% who quit got more money from new employer, but window of opportunity for potential job-switchers may be closing.

Even as inflation soared, 60% of those who quit between April 2021 and March 2022 realized real wage gains, according to a new report by the Pew Research Center. Less than half of workers who remained loyal to their employers can say the same.

The so-called Great Resignation has brought massive upheaval in the labor market, with quit rates at highs possibly not seen since the 1970s. An average of 4 million workers quit each month from January to March this year, for an annual turnover rate of nearly 50 million workers - about 30% of the workforce - according to Pew's analysis, which assumes workers don't change jobs more than once a year. dallasnews.com

Retail's 'Dark Side'
As Inventory Piles Up, Liquidation Warehouses Are Busy

Consumers are buying fewer discretionary goods and returning more. To clear their shelves, retailers are selling to liquidators at steep discounts.

The warehouse offers a window into a reckoning across the retail industry and the broader economy: After a two-year binge of consumer spending - fueled by government checks and the ease of e-commerce - a nasty hangover is taking hold.

With consumers cutting down on discretionary purchases because of high inflation, retailers are now stuck with more inventory than they need. While overall spending rebounded last month, some major retailers say shoppers are buying less clothing, gardening equipment and electronics and focusing instead on basics like food and gas.

Adding to that glut are all the things people bought during the pandemic - often online - and then returned. In 2021, shoppers returned an average of 16.6 percent of their purchases, up from 10.6 percent in 2020 and more than double the rate in 2019, according to an analysis by the National Retail Federation, a trade group, and Appriss Retail, a software and analytics firm.

Last year's returns, which retailers are not always able to resell themselves, totaled $761 billion in lost sales. That, the retail federation noted, is more than the annual budget for the U.S. Department of Defense.

It's becoming clear that retailers badly misjudged supply and demand. Part of their miscalculation was caused by supply chain delays, which prompted companies to secure products far in advance. Then, there is the natural cycle of booms - whether because of optimism or greed, companies rarely pull back before it's too late. nytimes.com

Retailers Tiptoe Into Another Political Debate
Macy's, Target, Amazon among retailers showing support for marriage equality
A number of major retailers are among the companies calling on the Senate to pass The Respect for Marriage Act.

More than 170 major businesses have signed a letter that calls on the Senate to pass The Respect for Marriage Act. The legislation would nationally codify federal marriage equality and repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), according to The Human Rights Campaign. The letter makes a business case for passing the bill, noting that it would help to eliminate "confusion for employers and enable us to retain and attract talent."

The retailers that signed the letter represent a wide spectrum of the industry. They include Amazon, Macy's, Best Buy, Nike, Target, Tiffany & Co., CVS Health, Nordstrom, Starbucks, Walgreens, REI, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. and more. chainstoreage.com

Kentucky Flood Update
28 dead, many others missing following historic Kentucky flooding

National Guards from three different states have made hundreds of rescues of those still trapped by the floodwaters.

Rescues continue to be made across eastern Kentucky Sunday, three days after a historic flooding event devastated towns across the region and left at least 28 dead. More than 300 people who were displaced by the flooding were being temporarily housed at state parks, according to Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. accuweather.com

Black Man Goes Viral For Keeping Cool After Being Called N-Word at a Dallas Dillards
One Texas Dillards employee will be waking up on the unemployment line come Monday after being fired for calling a Black man the n-word.

Olympia Sports Closing All 70 its Stores

Walmart to start selling used goods to help customers save money amid high inflation

Trucking CEOs expect higher prices, potential disruptions in second half of the year

NRF: Credit Card Routing Legislation Would Ease Barriers to Competition


Quarterly Results

Moncler First-Half sales up 46%

Prada first-half sales up 22%

LVMH Q2 sales up 19%

Amazon Q2 stores up 12.5%, online sales down 4.3%, overall net up 7.2%

Kering SA (Gucci) Q2 sales up 4%

Bloomin' Brands Q2 comp's down 0.4%, total sales up 4.4%

VF Corp. Q2 DTC down 7%, Wholesale up 13%, total sales up 3%
   Vans down 7%,
   North Face up 31%,
   Timberland up 8%,
   Dickies down 15%,
   Other brands up 9%

Carter's Q2 U.S. Retail comp's down 8%, Retail sales down 11%, Wholesale down 3%, Inter. up 7%, net sales down 6.1%


Last week's #1 article --

Lowe's offering employees 4-day work weeks

Retail is a Lucrative Target for Cybercriminals
Cybercriminals hunt down web bargains as retailers move online

The rise of ecommerce has opened a lucrative avenue for cybercrime. Now businesses need to wise up to the latest methods of attack and strengthen their defenses.

Ecommerce came to the rescue of millions of us in the pandemic, be that new iPads to keep the kids busy or a hot tub for stressed adults. But the rush by firms to meet this wave of demand, whether they were a startup, established ecommerce firm or bricks-and-mortar store going online for the first time, left another group of people very happy as well: cybercriminals.

"Many businesses were forced to adopt new selling methods and ways of meeting customer expectations - on the fly," says Yoav Kutner, co-founder and chief executive of ecommerce platform Oro Inc. "At the same time, companies were focused on alleviating supply chain strains and cyber security fell a few rungs down the priority ladder. Hackers are now taking advantage because ecommerce sites are a treasure trove of personal data."

The HEAT is on

Tom McVey, sales engineer at Menlo Security, says this data means ecommerce firms "have a target on their back". He also fears that many ignored basic security factors as they clamoured to drive sales. "The security maturity of a startup is not that high," he says.

Typical threats to ecommerce operations, he adds, include highly evasive adaptive threats (HEAT), which can bypass traditional security defences that include firewalls and secure web gateways. Menlo saw a 224% increase in HEAT attacks in the second half of 2021.

This can encompass smishing - which is essentially email-style phishing - but this time via text message. The principle is the same in that the hacker is trying to tempt a user to click on a link and unleash malware or ransomware onto a corporate or personal site.

Identifying vulnerabilities for cyber fraud

Cyber and online payment fraud is a further concern. According to Statista, global ecommerce losses in 2021 reached around $20bn (£16bn), an increase of more than 14% compared with 2020. Abstract House sells original art and sustainable picture frames to customers via its website and was already established when the pandemic started. But it has seen the scale of threat, including fraud, increase over the past two years. raconteur.net

The Most Thankless IT/Security Job?
Security Teams Overwhelmed With Bugs, Bitten by Patch Prioritization

The first half of the year saw more than 11,800 reported security vulnerabilities, but figuring out which ones to patch first remains a thankless job for IT teams.

The number of vulnerabilities disclosed in the first half of the year topped 11,800, forcing companies to determine the impact of an average of 90 security issues per weekday.

The numbers are from cybersecurity firm Flashpoint's "The State of Vulnerability Intelligence - 2022 Midyear Edition" report, which notes that the massive number of vulnerabilities reported in the first half of the year highlights the problems facing companies as they try to triage software security issues and determine which software updates to prioritize.

The most common attacks usually use known vulnerabilities. "Discovered-in-the-wild vulnerabilities are often used in high-profile breaches or are attributed to Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) attacks," the report states. "Due to their nature, organizations often lack defensive options for them. However, business leaders need to keep in mind that discovered-in-the-wild vulnerabilities represent a tiny fraction of compromises occurring around the world."

Snowballing Levels of Vulnerability Disclosures

The National Vulnerability Database (NVD) also documented more than 11,000 flaws assigned Common Vulnerability and Exposures (CVE) identifiers in the first six months of the year. However, a fraction of those are not true reported vulnerabilities but vendors reserving CVE identifiers for future, or yet-to-be disclosed, vulnerabilities. Flashpoint estimates that its database has details on 27% more vulnerabilities than documented in the NVD.

While various distributions of Linux topped the chart of vulnerable applications - such as SUSE, openSUSE Leap, and Ubuntu - open source-focused companies accounted for only four of the 10 vendors with the highest vulnerability counts in the first half of 2022. Yet high counts are not necessarily a sign of insecurity but are often a sign that the software company has a process in place to detect and remediate issues. darkreading.com

269% Surge in Cryptojacking Cases
Cryptojacking Cases Are Rising Globally, Why So And Should This Worry You?

Cryptojacking cases rose 269% in the financial sector globally this year. So, what are the possible reasons contributing to this menace in the finance and other sectors?

According to the internet security company Kaspersky, cryptojacking is an act of mining cryptocurrency by hacking into someone else's computer, smartphone, and other electronic devices. It is typically done by gaining unauthorised access to the host's computer and using its resources to mine cryptocurrency without the host noticing it or before it is too late.

Researchers at the Kaspersky Labs further explain that cryptojacking can infect even Android devices even though phones have low processing power than computers. In this type of attack, hackers pool the processing power of a large number of phones to mine Proof-of-Work cryptocurrencies.

Exponential Rise In Cryptojacking Attacks In 2022

According to a report titled '2022 SonicWall Cyber Threat Report' by cybersecurity firm SonicWall, cryptojacking attacks in the financial sector has risen by 269 per cent year to date, about five times more than the cyber attacks targeting the retail industry.

The report noted that the finance industry has witnessed significantly higher cryptojacking incidences than any other sector. Overall, crypto-jacking cases went up by 30 per cent to 66.7 million in the first half of 2022, SonicWall said in the report.

Current Cryptojacking Trends

Incidents of Attacks: SonicWall researchers observed that cryptojacking incidents rose by 30 per cent to 66.7 million attacks in the first half of 2022, compared to the same period in 2021. The researchers also spotted a trend wherein they observed that cryptojacking attack volumes were often higher in Q1 than in Q2, and it has been the case since SonicWall started tracking cryptojacking.

SonicWall researchers recorded 45.1 million cryptojacking attacks in Q1 2022, but by April, 2022, the incidents were down by half "from its peak, and in May, it was even lower, resulting in a second-quarter attack volume of just 21.6 million, less than half the amount seen in the preceding three months." outlookindia.com

Cyber Sirens Intensify: DOJ is Signaling Increased Enforcement of Cybercrime,
Collaboration with the Private Sector and International Partners,
And a Need to Promptly Report Cyber Incidents
Earlier this month, Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco spoke on cybersecurity developments at the International Conference on Cyber Security ("ICCS"); the same day, the U.S. Department of Justice ("DOJ") released its Comprehensive Cyber Review (the "Cyber Review"). At Monaco's direction last year, the Cyber Review was prepared to respond to escalating cyber threats by providing a thorough review of the DOJ's cybersecurity-related operations and successes. The Cyber Review aims to counteract "malicious cyber actors becoming more aggressive, more sophisticated, more belligerent and brazen - and an increased blurring of the line between state-sponsored cyberattacks and attacks by criminal groups." jdsupra.com

11 top cloud security threats

Attacks using Office macros decline 66% in wake of Microsoft action

Amazon's 'Racially Hostile Work Environment'
Employees at Amazon warehouse in Illinois allege racially hostile work environment

"They don't know if somebody wants to kill them," attorney Tamara Holder said.

Employees at a Joliet, Illinois, Amazon warehouse have filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against the company, alleging corporate abuse, racial discrimination, and retaliation.

According to the complaint filed Tuesday, a group of Black employees at the MDW2 Fulfillment Center said that Confederate imagery on coworkers' clothing, racist death threats written in bathroom stalls, and a lack of security and accountability have contributed to a racially hostile work environment since late 2021. Institutional abuse and women's rights attorney Tamara Holder said her clients are now not only seeking change in the workplace to appropriately address and resolve these issues, but monetary damages for emotional duress caused by stressful working conditions.

"We don't know what that amount comes to at this point. But I can tell you that after working in a climate where it's racially hostile, people are experiencing extreme emotional distress," she told ABC News. "Our message to Amazon is that their behavior after our cases come to light is only increasing our damages because people are becoming more afraid rather than less."

As the case receives more attention, Holder said that employees are hesitant to speak out any more about these claims for fear of further retaliation from the MDW2 Fulfillment Center management, causing concern for the future of this case and her clients' livelihoods.

"They are allegedly telling their employees that if they speak out, they will be fired because they signed an agreement to remain silent," Holder told ABC News.

Holder says former MDW2 employee Tori Davis was the first to make contact with her about the warehouse's work environment. Davis, who was fired earlier this month after raising the alarm about her concerns, told ABC affiliate WLS that the death threats were dismissed by Amazon. abcnews.go.com

Rep. Norcross Calls for Expanded OSHA Investigation Following Amazon Warehouse Death, U.S. Attorney's Investigation into Amazon Warehouses
Today, U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) reiterated his call for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to investigate the safety of Amazon's warehouses following reports of a death at one of the company's warehouses in New Jersey. He also expressed surprise at the news that the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York is investigating Amazon warehouses. They have called on current and former Amazon warehouse workers to fill out this form to aid the investigation. insidernj.com

Textbooks Are The Big Focus For Scammers
Pirated books thrive on Amazon - and authors say web giant ignores fraud
Amazon is getting flooded with counterfeit versions of books, angering customers and authors alike who say the site is doing little to fight the literary fraudsters.

Forgeries sold by third parties through Amazon range from e-books to hardcovers and fiction to non-fiction - but the issue is especially widespread for textbooks, whose sky-high sticker prices draw in scammers, publishing industry sources say.

"The damage to authors is very real," Matthew Hefti, a novelist and attorney who has found counterfeit versions of his own book on Amazon, told The Post. "It's such a pervasive problem."

Amazon, however, takes a cut of third-party sales regardless of whether the books they ship are real or fake, giving the company no incentive to crack down on coutenterfeits, people in the publishing industry gripe. They say the site that's typically known for speedy service is excessively slow to respond to their concerns about fakes. nypost.com

Michigan law aims to make online shopping safer, more transparent

Walnut Creek, CA: 5 arrested in Los Gatos in connection with Walnut Creek Apple store robbery
Police in Los Gatos arrested two people Saturday suspected of stealing items from an Apple store in Walnut Creek, according to authorities. The Los Gatos-Monte Serano Police Department posted on Facebook about the arrests Saturday evening. Police did not provide details on the robbery at the Walnut Creek Apple store beyond the fact that the "grab and run" happened sometime Saturday morning. Later Saturday, officers located the suspect vehicle associated with the crime on Los Gatos Boulevard. Police initiated a high-risk and took the two occupants into custody. A vehicle search uncovered two loaded handguns, including one that was "ghost gun" with its serial number removed and a 30-round high-capacity magazine. As officers conducted their investigation, they learned the occupants were associated to three more subjects in a second vehicle at an adjacent shopping center. Police said that vehicle contained all of the stolen laptops, iPads, and iPhones that were taken from the Walnut Creek Apple Store earlier as well as several bags of marijuana. cbsnews.com

Alpharetta, GA: $17,000 worth of chainsaws stolen in less than five minutes from store
Video from a Thursday morning break-in at an Alpharetta power tools store shows the latest example of thieves doing whatever it takes to steal chainsaws in the metro. In the video, a group of three masked thieves is seen getting away with an estimated $17,000 worth of chainsaws in less than five minutes at Howard Brothers Outdoor Power off Atlanta Highway in Forsyth County. The break-in happened Thursday at around 4:15 a.m. Video from inside and outside the store shows the group grabbing the most expensive chainsaws they can, before loading them into two cars with temporary tags. wsbtv.com

St George, UT: Employee in jail for allegedly stealing nearly $30,000 from Washington City freight company
An employee accused of embezzling nearly $30,000 from a freight company in Washington City was arrested on communications fraud and forgery charges after investigators found a series of suspicious transactions that reportedly took place over the course of several months. The Loss Prevention Manager of a freight company met with investigators Tuesday shortly after 2 p.m. and told officers he received information from the company's asset protection system outlining 20 suspicious transactions totaling more than $29,600, information that led the company to believe that an employee, Kelson Kory Talbot, 24, was involved in the theft of company assets, including funds, merchandise and other property. Washington City Police Chief Jason Williams told St. George News the suspect reportedly was stealing merchandise from the freight company and then returning it to the store for cash. stgeorgeutah.com

'Professional' shoplifter with more than 100 arrests finally behind bars after fighting cops: NYPD
The 101st time was the charm. An infamous female scofflaw who was previously arrested 100 times for shoplifting and repeatedly released without bail has finally landed in the city pokey after yet another store theft, according to court documents.

This time, self-described "professional booster" Michelle McKelley, 41, made the mistake of fighting back against cops in Harlem during the weekend crime, authorities said. McKelley had swiped paper towels from the Duane Reade at West 125th Street and Lenox Avenue on Friday night, cops said. nypost.com

New York, NY: Store locks up Spam in plastic case amid crime spike
The one-two punch of inflation and rising crime has caused at least one New York City store to lock up its inventory of Spam in a plastic case. Shoppers, store employees, and social media users expressed disbelief after discovering the $3.99 canned meat product out of reach behind lock and key at a Duane Reade inside New York City's Port Authority bus depot, the New York Post reported. fox10phoenix.com