Security Industry Needed More Than Ever Amid Retail Crime Surge
As police departments struggle, private security firms pick up the slack

As police forces struggle, can private security industry seize the moment?

Private security forces may be more needed than ever as public police departments struggle with recruitment, retirements, high costs for wages and equipment and anti-police sentiment.

Despite all the industry buzz about artificial intelligence and robots replacing traditional security guards, the threat environment and uptick in violence in many U.S. cities suggests otherwise. Statistics, studies, and interviews conducted by SecurityInfoWatch, suggest private security forces will be more needed than ever as public police departments struggle with recruitment, retirements, high costs for wages and equipment and anti-police sentiment.

Private market growing faster

With an estimated 830,000 outsourced security guards in the U.S., that puts the ratio at 1.2 outsourced guards to every public police officer. The report also shows a compound growth rate in the public police force at only 0.24% from the years 2004 to 2019, which is much lower than the growth rate for outsourced security guards.

Challenges Endure for Guards

Private security companies are facing their own 'perfect storm,' Amitay says, as the labor market is tight. One of the major obstacles, he says, is licensing requirements of various states. Retention is also incredibly important in such a high-turnover industry. Liability is another big elephant in the room.

Amitay says businesses, hospitals and other entities are beefing up private security with a human presence. Private security officers are often instructed to not engage with attempted theft for fear the situation could escalate - unless the suspect is endangering life or threatening to harm someone.

Market 'Majors' Say They're Ready 

Four world leaders - Allied Universal, GardaWorld, Securitas and Prosegur - have over $1 billion in worldwide revenue and have operations globally. This includes two historic acquisitions: Allied Universal bought G4S in 2021, creating the largest security company in the world with revenues of approximately $20 billion. Securitas made it largest acquisition in history in 2022 when it paid $3.2 billion for the $1.8 billion revenue systems integration division of Stanley Black & Decker.

Major security companies interviewed believe they are ready to accept the challenge of augmenting security in various verticals.

Critical Relationships

Over the last decade, law enforcement "has warmed to these critical relationships as they understand that in many cases the technology and management knowledge offered from the private sector is beneficial to fighting crime and better managing their resources.

Growing Verticals

Studies bear out the presence of security officers deters crime, especially crimes of opportunity like catalytic converter thefts or shoplifting, Amitay says. "The retailers are very attuned to this. They need customers in their stores to make money, and if they don't feel safe being there, they must do something to make them feel safe," he says. "There's no more effective way than to have a security officer present." securityinfowatch.com


San Francisco is Home to the Most Shoplifted Walgreens Stores
Hundreds of thefts at SF Walgreens store, but just a single arrest

Hanging Out at San Francisco's Most Shoplifted Walgreens Stores
The Walgreens with the most reported thefts in the first five months of this year was at 2690 Mission St., followed by the store at 3398 Mission St., according to an analysis of police dispatch data to 41 of the company's San Francisco stores.

Police dispatch recorded 152 petty theft reports and three grand theft reports at the 2690 Mission St. store during that period. Petty theft is defined in San Francisco as when someone steals items worth less than $950, while grand theft is stealing items worth more than $950.

There were 81 petty theft reports logged at the 3398 Mission St. store and no grand thefts. Meanwhile, at the 5280 Geary Blvd. location, dispatch data shows 15 petty theft incidents and a lone grand theft.

A Walgreens spokesperson said retail crime is one of the top challenges facing the industry today.

"We continue to take preventative measures to safely deter theft and aim to deliver the best patient and customer experience, and we are working closely with law enforcement, elected officials and community leaders to draw greater attention to and improve our response to retail crime," the spokesperson said.

Police dispatch logged nearly 750 petty or grand theft incidents at all San Francisco Walgreens stores in the first five months of 2023. The most common result saw officers note that they "handled" the situation-which happened in 207 of the incidents, according to the dispatch data. In 180 incidents, the suspect was gone by the time police arrived, and officers wrote reports in 146 incidents.

Just one dispatch resulted in an arrest, according to the data, though that doesn't count any arrests officers later made after they were first dispatched to the scene. sfstandard.com


Cargo Theft: The Latest Type of Crime to Plague Retail
Organized Cargo Theft Surges in the US as Smash-and-Grab Robberies Decrease
A new type of organized crime is wreaking havoc in the retail sector. Organized cargo theft is when thieves target cargo shipments. And usually execute elaborate schemes to misdirect massive deliveries away from their intended recipients.

This surge in stealing shipments of high-value brands is having a significant impact. And it is matched by the decline in traditional smash-and-grab robberies.

According to recent statistics by CargoNet, the United States and Canada have experienced a staggering 57% increase in cargo theft during this quarter, compared to the previous year's data.

The perpetrators have managed to get away with stolen shipments worth over $44 million in the second quarter of 2023 alone.

These audacious thefts occur on a daily basis in various locations, particularly in Los Angeles, where dozens of freight cars fall prey to thieves exploiting their stops to loot packages.

The aftermath leaves thousands of abandoned packages and internet-bought goods scattered on the tracks, never to reach their intended destinations. usaherald.com


Out of Control Teens Fueled By Social Media Continue to Impact Retailers

Dozens of Teens Loot Chicago Convenience Store
The Chicago Mayor Downplayed the Incident & Criticized Reporter Who Called the Looters a 'Mob'

Chicago mayor somehow links mob of candy bar thieves to Capone

After 40 teenagers ransacked and looted a convenience store, Chicago's police-hating liberal mayor is lecturing about using mean words.

After using social media to plan their attack, the wild mob converged Sunday night at a 7-Eleven store, and remained there for hours, even after police officers arrived and pleaded for the crowd to disperse. After the teenagers ignored the warnings, police eventually arrested 40 people who ranged in age from 12 to 20, according to a report by CBS News Chicago.

At a press conference afterward, Mayor Brandon Johnson was visibly unhappy when a reporter asked about the "mob" that descended on the convenience store. Pushing back on the question, he bizarrely compared the unruly crowd to Chicago's famous mafia turf wars.

"There's history in this city," the mayor told reporters. "I mean, to refer to children as baby Al Capones is not appropriate." Al Capone, the notorious gangster, famously ruled Chicago and its underworld during the 1930s.

According to Webster's Dictionary, "the Mob" refers to an organized group of criminals, such as Capone's criminal empire. The word "mob" means a "large and disorderly crowd of people," such as the teens arrested Sunday night who stole merchandise, fought each other, and smashed the windows of the convenience store.

Reacting to Mayor Johnson's lecture, Chicago-area church pastor Calvin Lindstrom tells AFN the lecture about using mean words is not doing teenagers any favors.

"A house is on fire and you're not bringing water," Lindstrom says of Mayor Johnson, "but you're bringing more lighter fluid to the scene, as it were." afn.net


Escalating Assaults by Teens - Hitting Malls, Stores & Restaurants
'Something has to be done': Boston officials raise alarm over escalating assaults on officers

"This violence against police and first responders is unacceptable, and needs to be condemned," City Council President Ed Flynn said

Two incidents at South Bay mall occurred in two days, according to police reports. On Monday, police responded to a call of a group of 30 or 40 teenaged people harassing shoppers, including allegedly throwing a soda bottle from the top of the parking garage and nearly striking the reporting victim before exploding on the pavement.

When she went up to demand an apology, she was allegedly surrounded, pelted with ice and doused in Naked Mighty Mango juice - and a source says it was a similar story for the officers who responded. A BPD wagon window was allegedly broken by a thrown item.

Two days later, another huge group of teens - estimated in the report as perhaps 50 or 60 strong - congregated until they bright District Avenue to a complete standstill, before running into a chain restaurant after three victims while allegedly yelling "Beat these (expletive) up.

In the same incident, which apparently continued for some time that night, some teens ran into Target, started causing mayhem, and allegedly told a responding police officer "I'm going into the store and your fat (expletive) can't catch me."  police1.com


Thousands Riot in NYC Over Social Media Influencer Giveaway
Social media influencer faces charges of inciting riot after thousands cause mayhem in NYC

"We have encountered things like this before but never to this level of dangerousness," Chief Jeffrey Maddrey said

Social media influencer Kai Cenat is facing charges of inciting a riot and promoting an unlawful gathering in New York City, after the online streamer drew thousands of his followers, many of them teenagers, with promises of giving away electronics, including a new PlayStation.

The event produced chaos, with dozens of people arrested - some jumping atop vehicles, hurling bottles and throwing punches.

Cenat was released early Saturday from police custody after being issued a desk appearance ticket, which police issue to require a suspect to appear in court to answer charges. A police spokesperson said he is to appear in court on Aug. 18.

The mayhem in New York City's Union Square Friday afternoon put further focus on the hold social media influencers have on the people who follow and fawn over them.

"Our children cannot be raised by social media," Mayor Eric Adams said Saturday during a press briefing on an unrelated crime. police1.com nypost.com


Chicago philanthropist launches jobs program to deter crime, 'teen trends'

Stores are trying to protect ice creams from getting stolen off their shelves

Facial Recognition Bans Would Only Benefit Threat Actors
With guardrails, the technology can be an effective crime deterrent

Facial recognition technology should be regulated, but not banned

A blanket ban on FRT in law enforcement will only benefit the criminals, Tony Porter and Dr Nicole Benjamin Fink write.

The EU's AI Act passed a major hurdle in mid-June when the bloc's lawmakers greenlit rules on artificial intelligence. But one proposal stands apart: a total ban on facial recognition technology, or FRT.

If left to stand, this rule will blindfold the law enforcers who do vital work to protect the most vulnerable in society. It will embolden criminal groups such as those who traffic human victims, thereby putting lives at risk.

All surveillance capabilities intrude on human rights to some extent. The question is whether we can regulate the use of FRT effectively to mitigate any impact on these rights.

Protecting privacy versus protecting people is a balance EU lawmakers can and must strike. A blanket ban is the easy, but not the responsible option. Privacy campaigners have long argued that the potential benefits of using such tech are not worth the negative impact on human rights. But many of those arguments don't stand up to scrutiny. In fact, they're based on conclusively debunked myths.

Given what's at stake here, European lawmakers should be thinking about ways to leverage a technology proven to help reduce societal harm - but in a way that mitigates risks to human rights.

The good news is that it can be done with the right regulatory guardrails. In fact, the EU's AI Act already provides a great foundation for this, by proposing a standard of excellence for AI technologies which FRT could be held to.

Building on this, FRT should be retained as an operation tool wherever there's a "substantial" risk to the public and a legitimate basis for protecting citizens from harm. euronews.com


AP Team Uses FaceFirst Face Matching to Bring Down ORC Booster
Retailer secures ORC suspect arrest, return of missing minor

AP pros use proactive face matching to stop notorious booster

Here's a FaceFirst client ORC win that dovetails with recent news coverage about missing and exploited children and teens.

When a known ORC booster walked into a retailer's store, FaceFirst instantly notified the designated ORC investigator. The investigator and the ORC AP team acted immediately. Within 90 minutes, their actions led to the suspect's arrest, the recovery of goods worth thousands of dollars, and the eventual safe return of a missing minor.

The case started when investigators identified a man as a prolific ORC booster in May 2022. The man was involved in numerous larcenies at various client locations and other retailers, but he had not been apprehended during any of those incidents. Investigators enrolled him as a known offender in the retailer's custom database.

When the man returned to one of the retailer's stores, the FaceFirst system matched his enrolled face and sent a notification email to the designated investigator. The investigator immediately notified the ORC AP team of the known offender's presence. The man left that store, but within half an hour he entered another of the retailer's locations. There, the AP team observed the man and an unknown young woman concealing large amounts of health and beauty products.

The AP team confirmed the FaceFirst match-combining powerful artificial intelligence with human oversight-and called the police. When the two individuals left the store with concealed products valued at $1,428.91, officers detained them. They found thousands of dollars worth of stolen goods from other retailers.

Read the full article here


Massive Fire Triggered by Explosion at Sherwin-Williams Plant
Investigation underway after massive fire, explosions at Sherwin-Williams plant
Officials are investigating an explosion at a Sherwin-Williams plant that resulted in a fire. It happened around 1:15 a.m. at Sherwin Williams at 701 South Shiloh Road in Garland. The fire was extinguished within a few hours. It is unclear what caused the explosion.

A spokesperson from Sherwin-Williams said production at the site has been suspended. Once cleared by the fire department, they will assess the impact of the explosion and fire before resuming production. One worker at the plant was injured and taken to a local hospital as a precaution. They have since been released.

In one video purportedly of the fire on social media, several explosions could be heard. Garland fire asks the public to stay clear of the plant as the investigation continues. cbsnews.com
 

The Container Store expanding its small-format concept
The home storage and organization products retailer plans to open six new small format stores in fiscal 2023 and three new stores in fiscal 2024.

Funko lays off 12% of workforce

Seizing momentum, L.L. Bean expands store fleet, wholesale

The Loss of Buy Buy Baby Suggests Gains for Indie Retailers and Majors
 

Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Security Director job posted for Safelite in Columbus, OH
The Security Director is responsible will lead, planning, directing, and coordinating activities relating to the protection, safeguarding, and security of our associates, our customers, and our facilities. Analyzes potential security risks and mitigates risk by establishing security protocols, training, and resources. Is a subject matter expert in physical security, asset protection, workplace violence and prevention. belron.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com


Corporate Security Manager job posted for Burlington Stores in New York, NY
The Manager of Corporate Security is responsible for promoting the Asset Protection key objectives through ensuring the safety, security, and protection of company assets within the corporate environment. This position will effectively lead, manage and support the security and life safety program. burlingtonstores.jobs


AP Manager of Investigations & Supply Chain job posted for Belk in Charlotte, NC
The Asset Protection Manager of Investigations and Supply Chain (APMI) will be primarily responsible for creating, implementing, and executing companywide investigation/Organized Retail Crime (ORC) strategies to resolve theft, fraud, and criminal investigations. The APMI will be responsible for companywide initiatives and investigations. belkcareers.com
 

143% Increase in Ransomware Victims
Ransomware victim numbers surge as attackers target zero-day vulnerabilities

Ransomware groups are also prioritizing the exfiltration of files, which has become the primary source of extortion.

The use of zero-day and one-day vulnerabilities has led to a 143% increase in total ransomware victims between Q1 2022 and Q1 2023, according to new research from cloud security vendor Akamai. The firm's Ransomware on the Move: Exploitation Techniques and the Active Pursuit of Zero-Days report, based on findings collected from the leak sites of approximately 90 different ransomware groups, outlines the evolving tactics of ransomware threat actors.

Along with highlighting a considerable growth in vulnerability abuse, the report also found that ransomware groups are increasingly targeting the exfiltration of files - the unauthorized extraction or transfer of sensitive information - which has become the primary source of extortion. What's more, victims of multiple ransomware attacks are almost six-times more likely to experience a second attack within three months of the first, with smaller organizations at higher risk of being targeted by ransomware generally, according to the report.

Ransomware remains one of the biggest, most dangerous attack threats organizations face. During the second quarter of 2023, the Cisco Talos Incident Response (IR) team responded to the highest number of ransomware engagements in more than a year. Likewise, the latest ReliaQuest Ransomware & Data-Leak Extortion report revealed a large surge in ransomware activity in Q2. This quarter set the record for the most victims ever recorded being named to ransomware data-leak sites, an increase of 540 victims compared to the previous quarter, according to the research.

Ransomware groups shift to zero-day exploitation

Ransomware groups are shifting their attack techniques from phishing to putting a greater emphasis on vulnerability abuse, which has grown considerably both in scope and sophistication, the report read. Groups have also become more aggressive in their methods of vulnerability exploitation, such as through in-house development of zero-day attacks and bug bounty programs, it added. There is evidence of an increasing willingness to pay for the opportunity to exploit vulnerabilities, too, whether it's to pay other hackers to find vulnerabilities that can be used in attacks, or to acquire access to their intended targets via initial access brokers (IABs). csoonline.com


Are You Monitoring the Dark Web?
The Dark Web Is Expanding (As Is the Value of Monitoring It)

Rising cybercrime threats heighten risks. Dark Web monitoring offers early alerts and helps lessen exposures.

Many security professionals today associate the Dark Web with named leaks, which are leaked credentials from employee password reuse. This is still a relevant threat; in the last six years, the Flare platform has counted over 12 billion leaked credentials. The Dark Web is rapidly growing along with the variety of cybercrime. So is the value in monitoring it.

Dark Web Monitoring: What to Watch For

There is tangible value in monitoring the Dark Web for potential risks. Following are some of the threats you might encounter.

Infostealer Malware: Stealer logs with corporate access are likely one of the most significant vectors for data breaches and ransomware attacks today. Infostealer variants such as RedLine, Raccoon, Vidar, Titan, and Aurora infect computers, then exfiltrate the browser fingerprint containing all the saved passwords in the browser. Threat actors then sell the results on Dark Web marketplaces or Telegram channels. These logs are then used for account takeover attacks, stealing cryptocurrency, or as initial access for ransomware attacks.

Initial Access Brokers: Initial access brokers (IABs) are active across Dark Web forums, such as XSS and Exploit.in. IABs establish initial access to companies, which they resell in auction and forum threads, typically for $10,000 to $500,000 per listing, depending on the company and level of access. Threat actors can purchase this access and use it to deploy ransomware or steal sensitive data or financial resources.

Ransomware Extortion and Data Breach Pages: Another disturbing trend in the cybercriminal underground is ransomware extortion and data breach blogs. Threat actors use these blogs to publicly shame and extort victims by threatening to leak sensitive data if they do not pay ransom. This tactic has proven to be highly effective, as organizations fear the potential legal and reputational consequences that could arise from a data breach. darkreading.com


New CISA Strategic Plan Released
CISA's strategic plan adheres to overall Biden administration direction on cybersecurity

The plan outlines major goals and nine objectives the agency has for the next three years to make improvements to U.S. digital defenses.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency released its strategic plan for fiscal year 2024 through 2026 on Friday, following a plethora of strategies and implementation plans released over the past several months by the White House aimed at improving the nation's overall cybersecurity preparedness.

"Within CISA, this Plan will serve as a keystone for implementation, resource, and operational planning, as further executed through our Annual Operating Plans. Externally, it will help stakeholders understand and participate in our long-term cybersecurity planning and prioritization," the document reads.

CISA's strategic plan will focus on three goals: address immediate threats, harden the terrain and drive security at scale. Additionally, the strategy has nine objectives, three for each goal, outlining the agency's scope for the next three years. cyberscoop.com


Navigating the gray zone of ransomware payment practices

8 free cybersecurity documentaries you can watch right now

$5M ORC Scheme
St Petersburg, FL: Former Pinellas pastor accused of running retail theft ring to sell $1.4 million of stolen goods on eBay
The former leader of a St. Petersburg church may have skipped over the 'thou shalt not steal' commandment as authorities arrest him for operating a multimillion-dollar theft ring that spanned several Florida counties. Authorities say Robert Dell, a former pastor of The Rock Church and operator of a halfway house for people recovering from drug addiction, is accused of working with four accomplices to shoplift Milwaukee, DeWalt and other branded products from Home Depot stores throughout Citrus, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota Counties and sell the stolen items online through an eBay store called 'Anointed Liquidator'. Authorities arrested Dell and the four accused associates for stealing merchandise worth more than $1.4 million. According to the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement, Dell's co-conspirators, Daniel Mace and Jessica Wild, stole the majority of the merchandise and, on average, victimized stores five to six times a day. The suspected co-conspirators then delivered the merchandise to Dell's house to be sold on eBay, according to the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement. Investigators say Dell used his position as founder of a halfway house to manipulate and threaten vulnerable people to take part in the scheme. The Home Depot suspects Dell operated this scheme for more than 10 years, resulting in the loss of more than $5 million.  fox13news.com


Man cheats Home Depot out of $300,000 with return scheme
A Connecticut man allegedly defrauded Home Depot of nearly $300,000 with a non-receipted return scheme, federal prosecutors say. Charging documents allege that Alexandre Henrique Costa-Mota, 26, of West Hartford, Connecticut, walked into Home Depot stores in eight states, grabbed expensive doors and then returned them without a receipt in exchange for store credit. Costa-Morta was detained without bail after a judge in federal court in Rhode Island entered not-guilty pleas on his behalf to charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, the U.S. attorney's office in Providence said in a statement Wednesday. An attorney representing Costa-Mota did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The alleged fraud took place between June 2021 and February 2022, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Each time he succeeded, Costa-Mota was given a store credit that he later redeemed at other stores in Connecticut and neighboring states. If a store refused to accept the returns, Costa-Mota allegedly took the Andersen doors without paying for them and returned them at other stores for store credit. This scheme went on for at least nine months, during which Costa-Mota allegedly received 370 fraudulent store credits worth $297,332. Home Depot stores in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey were involved.  nypost.com


Farmington Hills Man Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to ORC Charges
Darius Whitlow, 31, was sentenced on August 1, 2023, in Emmet County Circuit Court to 29-60 months in prison for his role in a cell phone theft scheme and was taken into custody at the time of sentencing, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced. The Honorable Jennifer Deegan presided over the sentencing, during which Whitlow pled guilty to Organized Retail Fraud, False Pretenses up to $1,000 and less than $20,000, and Identity Theft. Whitlow perpetrated a scheme in Emmet County using fake IDs to purchase cell phones from stores. Whitlow and his accomplices bought the phones on payment plans and paid only the sales tax upfront. The payment plans were linked to the names and accounts of the people whose identities Whitlow had stolen.   bluewaterhealthyliving.com
 

Vernon Hills, IL: Waukegan resident charged with theft of nearly $3,000 in merchandise

Edina, MN: Man charged after scamming Edina Apple store out of $1,900