Retail's High-Tech War on ORC
How America's biggest retailers plan to use tech to catch organized retail theft

Launched in 2000 with funding from Target and based at the University of Florida in Gainesville, the Loss Prevention Research Center has tested hundreds of anti-theft technologies for the retail checkout area, aisles in a home-improvement center, or a shopping mall parking lot.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly taking root in almost every field, and though the balance between theoretical potential and productivity will only become clear over time, one new test is taking place in the world of big-box retail, where AI is being used in tandem with anti-theft technology to fight against a growing wave of organized retail crime.

Walmart, Target, Lowe's, Kroger, Macy's, CVS and other major retailers are teaming up with technology companies to develop and deploy next-generation video surveillance systems, facial-recognition cameras, license-plate and vehicle readers, autonomous security robots, radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, smart case locks and predictive analytic software. While versions of this type of security tech have been in place for years, they're now being superpowered by AI.

"We're seeing a lot of tech vendors layering AI onto existing technologies," said Christian Beckner, vice president of retail technology and cybersecurity for the National Federation of Retailers, a Washington, D.C.-based trade association.

Catching retail thieves before they act

For retailers and loss-prevention experts, the primary goal of these technologies isn't necessarily to catch thieves in the act, but rather to make committing their crimes less appealing - turning them away before they ever reach the door.

"The first thing we look at is, can we detect these people and identify them before there are victims?" said Dr. Read Hayes, director of the Loss Prevention Research Council, a think tank comprising researchers, retailers, technology companies, manufacturers and law enforcement professionals. "We're trying to get the offender or crew to say, 'Not here, not now, this doesn't feel right.'"

Launched in 2000 with funding from Target and based at the University of Florida in Gainesville, the LPRC has tested hundreds of technologies in a simulation laboratory that recreates different retail environments, such as a checkout area in a big-box store, aisles in a home-improvement center or a shopping mall parking lot.

A barrage of anti-theft tech inside stores

Video surveillance has been around for decades, but today's AI-enhanced camera systems monitor shelves, display cases, checkout lanes and other areas, amassing data that is analyzed using predictive software. If nefarious behavior is spotted, store security is automatically alerted and a decision is made on whether to intercede.

Some retailers are using camera systems featuring facial recognition software to help identify criminals. David Johnston, vice president of asset protection and retail operations for the NRF said, "It is a good investigative tool to help thwart the repeat offenders and identify those coming into your location," Johnston said. As the technology evolves, and as shoppers' expectations and regulators concerns are addressed, "we'll get it aired out," he said. cnbc.com


NC police say 6 migrant workers hit by SUV outside Walmart in 'intentional assault,' unknown suspect at large
Lincolnton police describe the SUV driver as an 'older White male'.

On Sunday, July 30, 2023, at approximately 1:17PM, an Assault with a Vehicle occurred at Walmart located at 306 North Generals Blvd, Lincolnton, NC 28092.

"Six migrant workers were hit in what appears to be an intentional assault with a vehicle. All six were transported to Atrium Health - Lincoln with various injuries. None of the injuries appear to be life-threatening," police wrote on Facebook.

The department is asking for the public's assistance in identifying the vehicle and driver in question. Linconton, which is located roughly 35 miles northwest of Charlotte, is home to about 11,000 people. foxnews.com


Across the Pond Retail Theft is Soaring
Retail theft up 26% across ten of the largest UK cities
With retail crime soaring across the country, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) last week wrote to Mayors and Police and Crime Commissioners across the UK to ask them to do more to protect retail workers.

This comes as new research by the BRC reveals that incidents of theft have increased by 27% across ten of the largest cities in the UK, with some cities up as much as 68%. The nature of these crimes has changed, with perpetrators becoming bolder, and many retailers reporting increasing links to organised-crime activity.

This builds on the findings of the BRC's most recent crime survey - which showed incidents of violence and abuse against retail employees almost doubling on pre-pandemic levels. Incidents, which include racial and sexual abuse, physical assault, and threats with weapons, have risen from the pre-Covid high of over 450 per day in 2019/20, to over 850 per day last year.

To tackle this issue, we need action. We need local Governments across the country to ensure retail crime is a clear priority in local policing strategies. This must be backed up by the necessary resources to effectively tackle retail crime. brc.org.uk


Property Crime Up 28% in Oakland
Borenstein: Oakland crime surges way beyond San Jose and SF levels

East Bay city becoming even more dangerous as police are badly understaffed and response times are pathetically slow

Crime rates are surging in Oakland this year, police are badly understaffed, and response times to critical calls are pathetically slow, making the city an increasingly dangerous place to live.

From Jan. 1 to July 23 this year, violent crime in the city is up 15% over the same period last year, and property crime has increased 28%. Don't count on a cop to show up in a timely fashion in an emergency. If it's not an immediate crisis, the wait can be hours or an entire day.

Even before this year's crime surge, of the three most-populated cities in the Bay Area, Oakland crime on a per-capita basis far exceeded that of San Jose and San Francisco. Now, the difference is getting worse.

Property crimes are similarly disproportionate in Oakland - 1.7 times more likely to victimize someone there than in San Francisco, and four times more likely than in San Jose.

The 15% increase in violent crime this year in Oakland counters the national and regional trends. U.S. violent crime declined in the first half of 2023 compared with the same period in 2022, according to the Council on Criminal Justice. And it has leveled off in San Francisco and San Jose.

Meanwhile, as property crime declines in San Francisco and San Jose, it has increased 28% this year in Oakland, where bad guys are having a field day breaking into cars or simply taking the vehicle. Burglaries are up 41% this year, with auto break-ins accounting for most of the cases. Motor vehicle thefts have increased a staggering 50%.

Which brings us to the fundamental problem: There aren't enough cops in Oakland.

To reach the statewide staffing average, measured by the Public Policy Institute of California in 2021, of 235 cops per 100,000 population, Oakland would need more than 1,000 sworn officers. They now have 717. mercurynews.com


Model for the Nation to Fight Crime?
Connecticut Has Done Something Remarkable With Crime

The state cut incarceration in half, while crime plummeted.

Nationally, states have reduced the number of people held in their prisons by 25 percent since each state's peak number of incarcerated people, according to statistics compiled by the Sentencing Project.

But although some other states are closing prisons, none have come close to Connecticut's efficiency. Indeed, in the past three years, eight states have opened, renovated, or finalized plans to build new prisons, according to Jacob Kang-Brown, a senior research fellow at Vera Institute, a nonprofit that works to transform legal justice systems throughout the country.

"It's troubling to see many states still trying to build more and more prisons," Kang-Brown said.

"We've shown over a 15-year period how to do [criminal justice reform] right," said current state Rep. Steve Stafstrom, a Democrat from Bridgeport, the state's most populous city. "I actually wish other states spent more time looking to Connecticut."

The state's work in reducing the number of incarcerated individuals has dovetailed with its decline in crime. Violent crime decreased 43 percent from 2012 to 2021, while property crime sank 29 percent during the same period. slate.com


What The C-Level Listens To
The Robin Report Podcast: Navigating the Billion-Dollar Battle Against Retail and Cyber Crime: The Role of AI
Ever wondered how to tackle the billion-dollar problem of organized retail crime?

Join us for an engaging chat with George Shaw, founder and CEO of Pathr.ai, as he sheds light on the magnitude of this issue, with the prediction of $100 billion in losses looming over the retail industry in 2023. In the face of these challenges, we dive into the transformative power of AI and open-source technology.

We also explore data privacy and the potential bias in asset protection, highlighting Pathr.ai's data collection strategy as a beacon of consumer data protection. As George elaborates, the future lies in the innovative collaboration between tech and retail experts.

So, don't miss out as we navigate the complex landscape of AI and its groundbreaking impact on the retail industry. therobinreport.com


May Stop Responding to Some Calls & All Alarm Calls
Vallejo, Calif. Declaring State of Emergency over Police Shortage
With just 43 sworn police officers, police say they may entirely stop responding to some calls in the future.

The department currently spends a total of 115 hours every month following up on alarm calls, 98% of which are false alarms. Officers are working with the city attorney's office to make it legal for them to stop responding to these calls. They might have to ask the Solano County Sheriff's Office to take over law enforcement in Vallejo. officer.com


Baltimore County Police to start using ShotSpotter gunfire detection technology; critics question its effectiveness

Mexican consulate issues warning about surging crime in DC

Canada's Metro Grocery Stores On Strike - More Chains Expected to Follow Suite
'Revenge of the wage earner': Metro grocery strike part of larger labour trend, experts say
As the strike continued for a second day, labour experts said workers are at a tipping point, with retailers reporting record profits while real wages remain stagnant and jobs are precarious.

As the strike by Metro grocery workers continued for a second day, experts said the job action is part of a larger trend of lower-wage earners pushing back against employers for better pay in industries that have in recent years seen massive gains in profits.

On Saturday, more than 3,700 front-line workers walked off the job, hitting the picket lines in front of 27 Metro stores across the GTA after voting against a tentative agreement brought forward by their union.

He said Canada's tight labour market gives workers more confidence to fight for higher wages through collective action because they know they are harder to replace.

Metro is the first major grocery retailer to negotiate with Unifor during this bargaining cycle, setting a benchmark for other upcoming negotiations.

Recent job actions in various professions across Canada and the United States show workers are "starting to fight back" on a range of issues, including higher wages, greater job security, protection from automation and health and safety risks, Eidlin said. thestar.com

   The same union behind Starbucks just organized the first unionized pizzeria in NYC


Biggest Collapse in the U.S. Trucking Industry
Trucking Giant Yellow Shuts Down Operations
The 99-year-old company and it's 22,000 Teamsters employees, is known for its cut-rate prices and has more than 12,000 trucks moving freight across the country for Walmart, Home Depot and many other smaller businesses.

Yellow, one of the oldest and biggest U.S. trucking businesses, shut down on Sunday, wrecked by a string of mergers that left it saddled with debt and stalled by a standoff with the Teamsters union.

It would be the biggest collapse in terms of revenue and jobs for the fickle U.S. trucking industry, though customers say disruptions should be limited. Many shifted their cargoes to rivals in recent weeks, hastening Yellow's demise. Competitors said their volumes jumped last week. wsj.com


DOJ: U.S. Obtains Consent Decree Against Manhattan Wholesale Food Distributor YA FENG TRADING, INC., For Storing Over 40,000 Pounds Of Meat And Poultry In Rodent-Infested Warehouse
With retail crime soaring across the country, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) last week wrote to Mayors and Police and Crime Commissioners across the UK to ask them to do more to protect retail workers.

This comes as new research by the BRC reveals that incidents of theft have increased by 27% across ten of the largest cities in the UK, with some cities up as much as 68%. The nature of these crimes has changed, with perpetrators becoming bolder, and many retailers reporting increasing links to organised-crime activity.

This builds on the findings of the BRC's most recent crime survey - which showed incidents of violence and abuse against retail employees almost doubling on pre-pandemic levels. Incidents, which include racial and sexual abuse, physical assault, and threats with weapons, have risen from the pre-Covid high of over 450 per day in 2019/20, to over 850 per day last year.

To tackle this issue, we need action. We need local Governments across the country to ensure retail crime is a clear priority in local policing strategies. This must be backed up by the necessary resources to effectively tackle retail crime.  justice.gov


'Dramatic Turnaround' in Return-to-Work Rates
Bosses are asking employees to come back to the office. Employees are listening
Companies across the U.S. have been nudging, pushing, or even forcing their workers back into the office, and it seems to be working.

Return-to-office policies have been put in place for more than 1.5 million U.S. workers so far in 2023, and many are complying, according to the latest quarterly office outlook report from real estate services firm JLL. Office occupancy on the busiest workdays is currently about 40% to 60% of pre-pandemic levels. JLL expects that figure to exceed 80% by the end of the year, when another 1 million workers will see RTO policies enacted.

This represents a dramatic turnaround from the dark days of mid-2020, when the average office usage in 10 major U.S. metropolitan areas was just 14%, according to Kastle Systems. fastcompany.com


Inside Walmart's Warehouse of the Future

And the No. 1 retail center experience in America is...
 

Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Director, Asset Protection job posted for Bashas' Supermarkets in Chandler, AZ
The Director of Asset Protection will provide direction and oversight of the Asset Protection department and functions, including strategic initiatives, business planning, policy development, loss prevention programs and systems, inventory shrink reduction programs, physical security systems, contract security personnel, executive protection, and asset protection initiatives for stores, and support facilities. fa-epss-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com


Director, Corporate Physical Security job posted for Spectrum in St. Petersburg, FL
The main purpose of this job is to plan and direct the region security function under the direction of the VP, Corporate Security. Responsibilities include developing, implementing, and managing the strategic and tactical planning for the region. In addition, the Director will be responsible for developing a proactive, predictive risk environment, identifying significant security risks and developing progressive mitigation strategies. jobs.spectrum.com
 

Last week's #1 article --

U.S. On Track to Record 'Largest Annual Decline in Homicides'
Still, homicides across those cities are 24% higher than in same period of 2019.

Survey of 30 U.S. Cities Shows Nearly 10 Percent Drop in Homicides in 2023

After a surge during the height of Covid, killings have fallen but remain well above prepandemic levels.

More than three years after the start of the pandemic, the country is on track to record one of its largest - if not the largest - annual declines in homicides, according to a report released on Thursday.

Even so, violent crime is still considerably higher than just before the pandemic, the benchmark that police chiefs and city leaders are striving to return to, as cities remain awash in guns.

In the new report, the nonpartisan Council on Criminal Justice examined crime data from 30 U.S. cities - including Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and Denver - and found that through the first half of the year there were 202 fewer homicides, a drop of more than 9 percent. Still, homicides across those cities are 24 percent higher than in same period of 2019. nytimes.com

Cybersecurity Top Focus of New NRF Center
NRF Launches Center for Digital Risk & Innovation
The National Retail Federation today announced the launch of a new NRF Center for Digital Risk & Innovation.

"The NRF Center for Digital Risk & Innovation will enhance our ability to shape the public debate on technology issues important to the retail community," NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. "Its work will ensure that retailers can remain innovative, competitive and secure in serving their customers as the technology landscape continues to evolve."

The Center will serve as the focal point for NRF's engagement on technology issues that have significant policy and risk management implications for the global retail industry. The initial areas of focus will include cybersecurity, digital fraud prevention, and artificial intelligence and machine learning.

"This marks an important step to further amplify the voice of the retail industry in policy debates on key technology issues," NRF Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel Stephanie Martz said. "The recommendations and best practices developed through the NRF Center for Digital Risk & Innovation will serve retailers of all sizes as they navigate investing in technology as a competitive advantage."

Led by NRF Vice President of Retail Technology and Cybersecurity Christian Becker, who will serve as Executive Director, the Center for Digital Risk & Innovation will be governed by an external advisory board comprised of senior-level retail technology executives, industry partners, academics and other subject matter experts. Additionally, it will leverage existing activities from NRF's CIO Council, IT Security Council, Fraud Prevention Professionals Working Group and AI Working Group.

As the leading authority and voice for the retail industry, NRF engages with retail technology leaders to deliver insights on technology trends and challenges and facilitate collaboration across the sector.

More information about the Center for Digital Risk & Innovation is available here. nrf.com


Incomplete & Inconsistent Data Makes it Hard to Track Ransomware
Similar problem with crime data reporting in the U.S.

Publicly disclosed U.S. ransomware attacks in 2023

TechTarget Editorial's ransomware database collects public disclosures, notifications and confirmed reports of attacks against U.S. organizations each month.

Ransomware attacks continue to plague the U.S., and it's often difficult to gauge just how bad the problem is. The lack of transparency and consistent reporting for ransomware attacks has hampered visibility into the threat, making it challenging to determine how many organizations have been victimized.

Since the beginning of 2022, TechTarget Editorial's security news team has researched and tracked public disclosures and reports of attacks against organizations in the U.S. each month in a ransomware database. The database compiles data breach notification letters from various state and federal government agencies as well as publicly confirmed reports of ransomware attacks.

The ransomware targets have ranged from municipal government services, public school systems, private universities, small businesses and large enterprises across the country. Last year, nearly 300 attacks against U.S. organizations were recorded in TechTarget Editorial's 2022 ransomware database, though the number of actual attacks was almost certainly higher.

Breach notification letters submitted to various state and federal agencies are often vague and provide little detail about the nature of the security incident in question. In addition, organizations sometimes avoid disclosing or confirming whether such incidents involved ransomware, even when the attacks contain tell-tale signs. techtarget.com


Cyber Experience on Boards Still Seen as Critical in New SEC Rules

Companies don't have to say which directors have cyber knowledge, but for proper oversight, they must have it, security chiefs and others say.

The Securities and Exchange Commission dropped a provision that would have required companies to disclose which board directors had significant cybersecurity knowledge of or experience.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission proposed regulations in March 2022 that would have required companies to disclose which, if any, of their board directors had significant knowledge of or experience in cybersecurity. The SEC dropped that provision in the final version of the rule adopted last Wednesday.

The SEC didn't let boards entirely off the hook. Directors are expected to exercise oversight of cybersecurity risk management processes, and those must be detailed in annual reports, according to the final rule.

This means that even if boards don't have to disclose which directors have experience in cybersecurity issues, they still need people with that knowledge.

A likely outcome is that boards will be engaging more with the executives responsible for cyber risk management. The SEC didn't change a requirement for companies to report cyberattacks four business days after they determine it may have a material impact on their operations, meaning directors will need to be able to get up to speed quickly. wsj.com


Cybersecurity Still Tops CFO Top 10 Spend List
Cybersecurity, IT top CFOs' spending hike list
AI in particular has caught CFOs' eyes as a potential game changer in a number of areas, including content creation and summarization, according to Grant Thornton.

For the first time since the fourth quarter of 2021, IT and digital transformation ranked as the second-most popular area (53%) selected by finance chiefs for higher spending, according to the quarterly CFO survey. Cybersecurity reached the top of the list (59%), clinging to a spot it has held since the first quarter of 2021.

Besides IT and cybersecurity, other areas that ranked in the top 10 include sales and marketing (37%); workforce, compensation and benefits (37%); training and development (36%); real estate (33%); and environmental, social and governance initiatives (33%).

Cybersecurity is also quickly escalating as a C-suite level priority, amid a rise in sophisticated and costly cyberattacks in recent years as well as growing regulatory pressures.

The global average cost of a data breach in 2023 was $4.45 million, a 15% increase over three years, according to a report released by IBM.

The Biden administration has taken an increasingly aggressive stance when it comes to regulating businesses and holding them accountable in the area of cybersecurity. cfodive.com


CISOs gear up to combat the rising threat of B2B fraud
The ongoing banking and economic turmoil has opened the floodgates to fraudsters. In this Help Net Security video, ex-British Intelligence officer Alex Beavan, Head of Ethics and Anti-Corruption at Convera, discusses how fraudsters target businesses and his experiences with companies putting away millions of pounds just to write off fraud. helpnetsecurity.com


Ransomware gang increases attacks on insecure MSSQL servers

PhD student uses deepfake to pass popular voice authentication & spoof detection system

Nationwide Jewelry Theft Crew Gets Fed. Prison
DOJ: Leader of Multi-State Jewelry Theft Crew Sentenced to Over 6 Years' of Federal Imprisonment
PHILADELPHIA - United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Duanne Pierce, 60, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was sentenced to 77 months' imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and $606,394.60 in restitution and other penalties by United States District Court Senior Judge Cynthia M. Rufe for conspiring to transport stolen property across state lines and interstate transportation of stolen property.

From May 2018 through February 2020, defendant Duanne Pierce led seven others in a conspiracy to commit 12 retail jewelry store thefts throughout the United States, transporting the stolen jewelry back to Philadelphia after the thefts, where the jewelry was generally resold to stores in the "Jewelers Row" section of the city. Pierce and his crew carried out these thefts all over the country, often committing multiple thefts from different jewelry stores in a single day. This sophisticated approach reduced the likelihood that the crew would be caught because of local law enforcement's significant challenge in investigating these out-of-state perpetrators. Pierce participated in 11 thefts, and his role was to steal jewelry-including diamond rings and gold chains, often worth several thousand dollars each-from a display case or from the rear, employee-only area of a store, while his co-conspirators "distracted" sales associates. Pierce then resold the stolen jewelry to local jewelers in Philadelphia. The total retail value of the jewelry stolen by Pierce's crew was approximately $612,670.59.

In March 2022, a federal grand jury returned a 10-count Indictment charging Duanne Pierce and codefendants Charles Tillery, Janel Pierce, Yolanda Fife, David Tillery, Telfa Wills, and Clifton Fleming with conspiracy to transport stolen property across state lines, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371 (Count 1), and interstate transportation of stolen property and aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2314 and 2 (Counts 2 through 10). In March 2023, Pierce pled guilty to Counts 1 through 10 of the Indictment. Each of Pierce's codefendants has also pled guilty.

"Duanne Pierce and his co-defendants were both prolific and strategic in their thefts, sometimes targeting multiple jewelry stores in the same day. Then they'd move on to a different city and do it again, hauling the stolen loot back to Philly to resell,"  justice.gov


Houston Jewelry Theft Crew Gets Fed. Prison
DOJ: Significant sentence imposed in multiple-man robbery crew
HOUSTON - The final member of a 12-person robbery crew has been ordered to prison for his role in a string of armed jewelry store robberies, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen has now imposed a total of 194 months in federal prison - 110 months for the robberies and a consecutive 84 months for aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during a crime of violence. The sentence will be to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.

Others previously convicted and sentenced include Lontay Lavelle Young, 39, Deshaun Devon Waldrup, 27, Edward Ray Lavergne Jr., 39, Jesse Markise McQueen, 32, Kevin Craig Gray, 38, Louis Jerome Hines, 44, Terry Dwight Washington, 37, Tony Dontrel Young, 32, Barry Lloyd Jones, 30, Ross White-Leonard, 33, and Denzell Devoe Lucious, 31. All are from Houston.

Lontay Young, Tony Young, Waldrup, Lavergne, McQueen, White-Leonard and Jones received respective sentences of 209, 132, 125, 114, 180, 102 and 156 months, respectively. Gray and Washington both received 147-month-terms of imprisonment, while Hines was ordered to serve 171 months. Lucious was sentenced to 168 months.

"Trafficking in violence and fear, this armed robbery crew targeted a dollar store, a jewelry store in a mall, a furniture store and other similar places where regular families shop every day," said Hamdani. "This U.S. Attorney's Office will crack down on this type of violence and will continue to ensure the public safety by doing what we can by fighting for appropriate sentences in federal court to get violent actors off the streets."

This group conducted at least six robberies over the course of six months at various commercial establishments.

On Oct. 22, 2015, Lontay Young and Hines robbed the Family Dollar store on Wayside in Houston while wearing masks and carrying handguns.

Then, on Jan. 11, 2016, Jones, Cooper, Lucious and McQueen traveled outside of Houston to rob the Ben Bridge Jewelers at Barton Springs Mall in Austin. There, they stole a significant amount of Rolex watches and jewelry.

Less than two weeks later, this group, along with Tony Young, also robbed the Kay Jewelers located at the Houston Premium Outlet Mall. While Jones, Cooper and Young accosted the employees at gunpoint, Lucious sat outside acting as a lookout. McQueen distracted the security guard while the robbery occurred. They again stole numerous watches and jewelry.

On March 3, 2016, Lontay Young, Washington, Gray and Lavergne also held up the ANF Auto Finance on North Shepherd Drive. They entered the business acting as customers until Gray pulled out a gun. They then stole cash and property of the business, employees and customers.

Lontay Young later proceeded to commit two more robberies. Those included the March 9, 2016, robbery of Cash America Pawn on Jensen Drive with Waldrup and the Affordable Furniture store on the North Freeway on March 17, 2016, along with Jones and White-Leonard.

At the time of the furniture store robbery, authorities arrived on scene and shots were fired.

All have been and will remain in custody. justice.gov


Dallas Robbery Crew Focused on Shopkeepers Residences
DOJ: Dallas County Man Sentenced to 25 years in Federal Prison in Connection with 9 Donut Shop Robberies
Tony Sullivan, 28, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery; aiding and abetting; conspiracy to kidnap; using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Sullivan was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison

"The defendant targeted a close-knit community of successful business owners, inciting fear throughout the metroplex. His victims were stalked and terrorized, some for hours and some to the brink of death, and all have a long road of recovery ahead," said Dallas FBI Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough

According to information presented in court, the FBI began an investigation into a series of home invasion type robbery incidents between April 2019 and December 2019 that targeted owners and operators of donut stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area. The robberies occurred late in the evening or very early in the morning before the shopkeepers departed for work. The assailants would force their way into the home and assault the home's occupants. Victims were often beat with baseball bats and bound with duct tape while being held at gunpoint. At least nine robberies have been attributed to this crime spree. Due to the times of the robberies coinciding with the times the victims would have been leaving their residences to open their businesses, agents concluded the suspects had to have conducted physical surveillance to determine where the victims lived and when the victims would have been leaving their residences. justice.gov


DOJ: Owings Mills Man Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison for a Fraudulent Gift Card Scheme
Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Yong Chen, age 34, of Owings Mills, Maryland, yesterday to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to a fraudulent gift card scheme resulting in $561,000 in losses to more than 10 victims. Chen was also ordered to pay restitution of $169,950.

Chen managed a scheme to fraudulently obtain gift cards from retail stores, which he and his co-conspirators used to purchase high-end electronics, including cell phones, iPads, and laptop computers. For example, victim R.E.S., a resident of Hampstead, Maryland, responded to an email claiming that a technical support service contract would automatically renew unless the victim cancelled the service by calling the number listed in the email. R.E.S had never subscribed to such a service, but he called the phone number to make sure it would not be renewed. Editor's Note: The scheme is to long to post here. Very detailed telephone spoofing and retail store engagement.

According to the plea agreement, dozens of victims in many different states were defrauded and the cards purchased by the victims were primarily redeemed in the mid-Atlantic region to illegally purchase approximately $561,000 of Target products.

Co-defendants Liang Liang Zeng, age 58, a Chinese national residing in Staten Island, New York, and Wen Fu Zeng, age 55, of Brooklyn, New York were sentenced to 54 months in federal prison and to 10 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in the fraud scheme. Both defendants were also ordered to pay restitution of $145,228 and L. Zeng was ordered to forfeit $43,633. Bin Tang, age 33, is a fugitive. justice.gov


Fraudulently Renting Thousands in Equipment & Selling Them
DOJ: Clay County Man Pleads Guilty To Aggravated Identity Theft, Fraud, And Tax Charges
Jacksonville, Florida - Christopher Leo Daragjati has pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of theft of government property, over $1,000. Daragjati faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud count, a mandatory minimum penalty of 2 years' imprisonment for each aggravated identity theft count, up to 10 years in prison on the charge of theft of government property, over $1,000 and payment of restitution to the victims he defrauded.

According to court documents, Daragjati obtained the personal identifiable information (PII) to include the Social Security number of multiple victims. In July 2022, the Clay County Sheriff's Office began an investigation into an unknown individual, later identified as Daragjati, using stolen identities to commit fraud. Daragjati opened up commercial lines of credit with Sunbelt Rentals using the PII of victims. After renting thousands of dollars of equipment from Sunbelt Rentals, he pawned or stole the equipment. Daragjati's actions caused a felony arrest warrant to be issued for an innocent victim. The Florida Highway Patrol - Bureau of Criminal Investigations and Intelligence, with assistance from other members of law enforcement, determined that Daragjati fraudulently obtained 26 genuine Florida driver licenses and identification cards. justice.gov


Boston, MA: Smash-and-grab takes place at Boylston Street high-end watch store
The Audemars Piguet luxury watch store on Boylston Street in Boston was the target of a smash-and-grab on Friday evening. A security supervisor tells WCVB's Emily Maher the thieves came in with hammers, smashing glass cases that hold watches worth thousands of dollars. The supervisor said that the thieves broke into the luxury watch store, robbed it and then took off in a vehicle. Video from the scene showed shattered glass covering the floor of the boutique, with yellow evidence markers dotting the inside of one of Boston's high-end watch stores. "I had noticed a huge commotion," Nick Dang, who was visiting Boston, said. "There were a lot of people gathered in front of this storefront. I looked in, and there was glass all over the ground. Detectives brushed the door to the store for fingerprints after they say a group of three to four men broke into the watch store around 6 p.m. Police are not saying whether the men got away with any watches, but a security supervisor at the store says they did.  wcvb.com


Irvine, CA: Leisa Marie Bradley is filmed brazenly stealing $7,500 of clothes from California Lululemon store
A California woman was suspected of stealing $7,500 worth of clothes from a Lululemon store - just days after pilfering $22,500 worth of garments from the same shop. Leasia Marie Bradley, 26, of San Diego, was arrested and booked after surveillance footage caught her in the act at the store inside the Irvine Spectrum mall. Bradley, who was wearing a mask, was allegedly caught looting from the women's leggings section as she slowly opened a large bag and filled it with the Lululemon items. But this was allegedly not her first jaunt. According to the police, Bradley looted over $20,000 worth of clothes from the same pricey athleisure store the week before. Brazen Bradley also had a $150,000 warrant out for her arrest in San Diego for robbery.  dailymail.co.uk


Johns Creek, GA: Man Sought for theft of $3300 in vacuums from Target
Police were dispatched to Target on State Bridge Road July 4 on a report that a man walked out of the store with nearly $3,350 in stolen items. The store's loss prevention officer reported a male suspect grabbing a shopping cart, filling it with around five items. Three minutes later, at 8:03 p.m., the suspect left without paying. His stock included different models of vacuum cleaners.  appenmedia.com


Riverside County, CA: Riverside County Sheriff reports $2000 Beauty Store ORC theft
On July 30, 2023, at 2:33 p.m., deputies assigned to the Moreno Valley Sheriff's Station responded to a business in the 12600 block of Frederick Street, in the City of Moreno Valley, reference a theft from a beauty supply retailer. The suspects walked into the store, filled three shopping baskets with beauty supply items and left the store with approximately $2,000 worth of product without paying. The reporting party provided a description of the three female adults, in addition to their vehicle, a silver Kia Optima. Working jointly with local agencies, deputies located the suspect vehicle traveling on the 215 freeway towards the City of San Bernardino. An enforcement stop was conducted, leading to the identification and arrest of 20-year-old Ja'Nique Thomas, 27-year-old Juanesha Ables, and 21-year-old MyLonnie Harris. All three suspects are residents of San Bernardino and were in possession of the stolen merchandise. Thomas, Ables, and Harris were subsequently booked at the Robert Presley Detention Center for felony charges related to grand theft and conspiracy.  riversidesheriff.org


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Johns Creek, GA: Men wanted for alleged theft of $520 in game controllers from Target

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