California Boosts Resources for Statewide ORC Fight
Governor Newsom Triples CHP Support to Assist Los Angeles in Organized Retail Theft Crack Down

Governor Newsom is directing the California Highway Patrol to triple its resources in Los Angeles to help the city crack down on organized retail crime.

Building on the California Highway Patrol's (CHP) successful statewide efforts to crack down on organized retail crime, today Governor Gavin Newsom announced he has instructed the CHP to provide further assistance to the City of Los Angeles to help local law enforcement address organized retail crime. As part of the agency's expanded effort, the CHP will triple its resources in the Los Angeles region devoted to tackling retail crime and allocate additional investigators specifically for the new regional law enforcement task force that Mayor Karen Bass announced today.

WHAT GOVERNOR NEWSOM SAID: "The state is investing hundreds of millions of dollars to crack down on organized crime and when our local partners need further assistance, we're ready with a helping hand. The CHP is the proven leader in tackling organized retail theft and through this expanded partnership the agency will further assist the city in doing its job to keep Angelenos and their businesses safe."

WHAT CHP COMMISSIONER SEAN DURYEE SAID: "Law enforcement is all about partnership - and the CHP is proud to be a good partner to Los Angeles. Working together, and by utilizing the CHP's wide breadth of expertise and resources, we will crack down on this uptick in dangerous and unacceptable criminal activity."

Similar to the CHP's statewide Organized Retail Crime Task Force (ORCTF), the new regional task force in Los Angeles will consist of multiple Southern California law enforcement agencies -- and state partners including the CHP -- and will focus on combatting organized retail theft in the greater Los Angeles area.

Established by Governor Newsom in 2019, the ORCTF has recovered $30.7 million in stolen merchandise, returning the goods to impacted retailers throughout California. Since ORCTF's inception, CHP has conducted more than 1,850 investigations into retail crimes and arrested over 1,250 individuals. One key to the ORCTF's success is its partnership with retailers, local law enforcement, and district attorneys, to effectively disrupt organized retail theft rings and prosecute organized retail crimes. gov.ca.gov

   RELATED: Retail specialists query effectiveness of CHP retail theft crackdown


'Welcome to CRIMEafornia'
CA Senate Republicans Push For Strengthened Law Enforcement Presence
While Los Angeles has stepped up police presence at retail areas and set up a task force on the problem, Governor Newsom announced that he would be tripling its California Highway Patrol (CHP) resources in Los Angeles to help crack down on the issue.

However, Newsom's huge increase of CHP resources was widely criticized on Thursday including some pointing out that because of many current vacancies in the CHP, the increased presence would put a strain on the Highway Patrol as a consequence of the state not giving any additional resources to them. Others said that the state's lax laws on reducing penalties to retail criminals, few to no prison terms for retail robberies, and early releases for those with sentences severely undercut what the Governor was attempting to do. In addition, it was also mentioned that the lack of arrests from similar flash mob robberies in the Bay Area two years ago showed how the Governor's response would likely not accomplish much.

The criticism was led by Senate Republicans and Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones (R-San Diego), who have been rallying against weak criminal penalties in the state for year.

CRIMEafornia

"Welcome to 'CRIMEafornia,'" said Senator Jones. "The crisis we are experiencing is unfortunately a result of decades-long policies implemented by Democrat lawmakers that prioritize coddling criminals over protecting communities. While it's welcome news that the state is investing more resources to combat skyrocketing thefts, it shouldn't be happening in the first place. The governor is treating the symptoms, not the causes, including little-to-no penalties, early release, lenient or non-existent prison terms, and weak leadership from most of California's Democrat politicians over the last two decades."

Senator Niello added, "Until we strengthen laws that will result in lawbreakers facing real consequences, Californians are going to continue to see horrible scenes of store lootings occur. My bill would address this growing crisis and I was very disappointed when it was killed in the Senate Public Safety Committee."

Locally, many store owners in LA are welcoming the increased presence by the CHP. However, many echoed what was pointed out by Jones about the lack of prosecution encouraging criminals to pull off such robberies. californiaglobe.com


Even the Stars are Giving Up on LA Amid Crime Surge
50 Cent on Canoga Park Nordstrom 'flash mob' robbery: 'Told you LA was finished'
The rapper's comments come after a video went viral over the weekend showing a "flash mob" of up to 50 people ransacking a Nordstrom in Canoga Park of up to $100,000 worth of merchandise.

"I told you LA was finished," 50 captioned a screenshot of the news story. "They are gonna have to lock the doors, appointment only. SMH."

Video captured from inside Nordstrom shows a group of 30 to 50 people wearing sweatshirts with hoods over their heads, rushing to the front entrance with bags in hand, scooping up whatever merchandise they can while tripping on racks to which some items were still attached.

This isn't the first time 50 has spoken out about crime in Los Angeles.

The rapper first made his controversial "LA is finished" comment back in July in response to Los Angeles County's controversial zero-bail policy being reinstated. The policy, which was reinstated in May, states that police won't detain people who are accused of misdemeanor crimes. The law will also release those who are currently incarcerated with these charges and others.

"LA is finished watch how bad it gets out there," 50 Cent wrote on Instagram while sharing a clip from one of FOX 11's evening newscasts. "SMH." foxla.com


New Los Angeles Theft Task Force Applauded by Business Community
L.A. Area Chamber Releases Statement Regarding Creation of Task Force Focused on Retail Theft
The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce issued the following statement regarding the creation of the regional task force focused on retail theft:

"Retail crime is not only a threat to businesses, but a grave concern for public safety. Recent smash-and-grab incidents demoralize communities, business owners and shoppers alike. We must do better to address this criminal activity. We applaud the creation of the new regional task force focused on organized retail theft. This broad collaboration between Mayor Karen Bass, the Los Angeles Police Department and regional law enforcement leaders across agencies will bring the heavy hand needed to ensure communities are safe," stated Maria S. Salinas, President and CEO, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. lachamber.com


Petaluma, CA Sees Uptick in Felony Retail Thefts Amid Changing Legislation
The Petaluma Police Department has seen an apparent spike in organized retail theft over several years. Although the exact causes of this trend remain a subject of debate, some community members and authorities have raised the possibility that recent legislative changes and voter-approved initiatives have reduced the consequences for offenders engaging in retail theft. hoodline.com


CBS Video: Retail theft on the rise nationwide
A string of "flash mob" robberies have Los Angeles retailers on edge -- and the increase in retail theft is hitting cities around the nation.

How Organized Shoplifting Became a Billion-Dollar Industry

Marin County, CA: Retailers frustrated by brazen thefts, weak defenses

3 Retailers Weigh in on How They Handle Shoplifting at Their Stores

Retail Biometrics Continues to Expand Worldwide
AI use grows among retail stores, New York considers biometrics for liquor sales
Move over passwords and PINs, retail stores are introducing new tech to help shoppers check out their goods, including biometrics and artificial intelligence.

Amazon is expanding its "pay-by-palm" technology Amazon One and its rapid rollout to numerous stores at once may give it a strong head start in biometric payments, according to trade publication Pymnts.

In July, Whole Foods said it will equip every one of its more than 500 stores with palm biometrics payment by the end of 2023. Back in May, Amazon One also introduced a new age-verification function but it's also rolling out other tech to prevent minors from buying liquor.

Last week, a liquor store in Seattle called Downtown Spirits became the first in the world to use Amazon's Just Walk Out technology. An Amazon spokesperson clarified for Eater that the technology does not use biometric information but relies on a combination of computer vision, sensor fusion, and deep learning to allow stores to charge shoppers for what they pick off of shelves without having to go to a cashier.

New York senator James Skoufis has proposed a new bill that could introduce biometric scanners in his state's liquor and tobacco shops, StateScoop reports. Skoufis cites examples such as Seattle's CenturyLink and Safeco Fields, which use fingerprint scans for age verification during alcohol purchases

Meanwhile, companies are also deploying computer vision without biometrics in shops for unstaffed retail and self-checkouts.

7-Eleven is jumping on the bandwagon. Its Australian stores plan to offer the My 7-Eleven App Pay and Go 2.0 which is expected to launch in 10 stores by the end of 2024. The app will be developed with Grabango and will leverage AI to enable customers the choice to skip the register, without the need to scan goods with their device, the companies said in an announcement. biometricupdate.com


Nearly $70,000 Raised So Far by Allied Universal for Wildfire Victims
Allied Universal Launches GoFundMe Page for Families of Maui Wildfire Victims

GoFundMe page has raised over $68,000 for the families of Allied Universal employee who died and others who need post-wildfire assistance.

Allied Universal employees have created a GoFundMe page to "provide immediate short-term financial assistance" to the families of an employee who was one of the victims of the Maui wildfires and other Maui-based employees who need help with housing, transportation and other unanticipated costs.

So far, the GoFundMe effort has raised almost $68,000. The fundraiser has a goal of $150,000. In addition to the Allied Universal employee who is confirmed to have died, others remain unaccounted for, according to a company announcement.

"We are hopeful they are safe and every effort is being made to contact them," the announcement says.

Allied Universal is "working to get much-needed supplies, grief counseling and additional support to team members - some who lost loved ones, their homes and their modes of transportation yet have continued reporting to work each day to safeguard their island community," according to the company announcement.

"Our thoughts go out to the victims, survivors, their loved ones, the 29 customers we serve on Maui, the island's community and the entire state of Hawaii," the announcement says. securitysales.com


Refund Crew Set Up Stolen POS Terminals & Rang Up Refunds Masquerading as Retail Merchant
DOJ: Tehama County Woman Gets 7 Yrs. Prison for $3.8M Refund Fraud Scheme
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Sabrina Raylene Toilolo, 26, of Corning, was sentenced today to seven years and two months in prison for a conspiracy to commit wire fraud for her participation in a merchant refund‑fraud scheme.

Between July 2017 and September 2019, Sabrina Toilolo, Johnathon Ward, Monica Nunes, and Talalima Toilolo conspired to defraud financial institutions by exploiting the merchant refund process used by businesses and retail establishments to refund customers for returns, reimbursements, and erroneous charges. In total, the conspirators attempted $3.8 million in fraudulent transactions.

The defendants committed this scheme by stealing or purchasing point-of-sale (POS) terminals used by businesses to process bankcard transactions. The defendants programmed each terminal to make it appear as if it was authorized by a particular retail merchant, connected the terminals to payment processing intermediaries, and executed refund transactions even though no purchases had been made. The payment processors, falsely believing the terminals were authorized, approved the refunds and caused the merchants' payment processors to transfer funds to the defendants' fraudulent accounts. The defendants then drained the stolen funds from the accounts and distributed them among members of the conspiracy.

On April 2, 2021, Nunes was sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison. On Feb. 11, 2021, Talalima Toilolo was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Ward has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 9, 2023. justice.gov


Police Officers are Seeing the Impact of Low Staffing
On-duty safety risks - mandatory overtime - denied time-off requests

Lexipol survey uncovers alarming staffing shortages and stress levels reported by first responders
DALLAS - First responders are facing significant staffing and mental health challenges that pose a serious threat to their wellbeing and the communities they serve, according to Lexipol's new Stressed & Short-Staffed: Challenges Facing First Responders and the Impact on Community Safety report. The findings, which come from Lexipol Media Group's annual "What Cops/Firefighters/Paramedics Want" surveys of 9,400 first responders, expose the degree to which a large number of first responders today are under heightened stress.

Not only are staffing shortages and stress levels having a personal impact on first responders, but they pose a serious threat to the communities that they serve. The report found that 96% of police officers have seen the direct impact of low staffing. See more in the chart below.  police1.com

Click here to read the report

Defending Workplace Policies
Companies Should Nail Down Precise Business Reasons for Workplace Policies
Employers will need to think carefully about how to defend some of their corporate policies, such as ones about cameras at a worksite, social media use and appropriate workplace conduct, in light of a recent decision by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Legitimate business interests will need to justify any such policies under the new standard outlined in the NLRB's Stericycle decision, Cary Reid Burke, an attorney with Seyfarth in Atlanta, said during a SHRM Government Affairs webcast on Aug. 10.

It will depend on the type of worksite, but "just saying '[the rule is needed for] safety' on its own is not going to be a panacea. There's going to have to be more specificity undergirding that," Burke said. shrm.org


'It ain't over yet': Hilary brings heavy rain, threat of overnight flooding
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Saturday as Hurricane Hilary -- now Tropical Storm Hilary -- neared California, while officials provided updates on storm preparedness and a climate scientist warned of the potential for catastrophic flash flooding.

Hilary, after barreling through Baja California, struck Southern California on Sunday, causing widespread, often heavy rain, flooding, downed trees, road closures and power outages.

As the storm stalled off Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and its southern edge moved north, new flash flood advisories popped up throughout southern and southeastern California, while the National Hurricane Center reported maximum sustained winds of 45 mph near the coast of Southern California. latimes.com

   RELATED: Californians climb trees to escape Tropical Storm Hilary


New owners of Buy Buy Baby, Harmon to reopen more than a dozen stores

Ross Stores plans to add nearly 100 new stores this year

Christmas Tree Shops to liquidate under Chapter 7

Express plans 150 layoffs, reverse stock split

Domino's Pizza will close all 142 stores in Russia


Quarterly Results

Ross Stores Q2 comp's up 5%, sales up 6.5%

Tapestry FY23 sales up 3%
 

Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Director, Asset Protection - AP Fraud & Loss Strategy job posted for Walmart in
Bentonville, AR
You'll be responsible for controlling loss, and the development and execution of our fraud mitigation strategy across the E2E organization. Leads asset protection strategies, processes, and best practices by conducting modeling and statistical analyses; partnering with cross-functional teams across the business; developing assessments of key opportunities; supporting the development of long-range plans and project timelines; communicating with and influencing decision-makers and executives within the organization; and more. walmart.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com


Director of Security job posted for Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits in Township of Blue, MO
The Dir I, Security will provide a secure environment by developing physical and technical security programs. The Dir I, Security will implement security programs and procedures to protect company personnel, property and reputation. The Dir I, Security will ensure that security procedures are properly executed by employees. The Dir I, Security will conduct internal and external investigations to resolve theft, workplace violence and misconduct at company facilities. indeed.com


Global Director of Security job posted for Motorola Solutions in Chicago, IL
As a global leader in public safety and enterprise security, we create and connect the technologies that help to keep people safe where they live, learn, work and play. Our integrated technology ecosystem unifies critical communications, video security and access control, and command center software, enabling collaboration in more powerful ways. At Motorola Solutions, we're ushering in a new era in public safety and security. Bring your passion, potential and talents to a career that matters. motorolasolutions.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com


Principal, Asset Protection job posted for Macy's in New York, NY
As Director, Asset Protection Stores and Supply Chain, you will support all Asset protection strategies for Stores and Supply Chain including but not limited to: Shortage strategies, Fraud, Omni, Investigations, Legal compliance, Safety and Training and ORC. Create and implement AP strategies in partnership with Stores and Supply Chain leadership. Directly manage enterprise responsibility for AP disciplines, such as Shortage Reduction Strategies (SRS), MMPS, Case Standards and Operational Effectiveness, workplace violence/incident management, merchant strategy. ebwh.fa.us2.oraclecloud.com
 

Last week's #1 article --

Retail CEOs Sound the Alarm Over Theft
Video: Retail executives address string of retail thefts in earnings calls
Retail crime is on the rise. Target and Home Depot are among the names struggling with a big jump that we've seen in organized theft. And just a few days ago, a Nordstrom store in Los Angeles was the target of a smash-and-grab robbery. And according to the LAPD, more than $300,000 worth of merchandise was stolen within minutes.

Retail theft, shrinkage, smash and grab robberies - the different names of the phenomenon overtaking big-box retail stores. Retailers like Home Depot and Nordstrom are falling victim to a wave of retail thefts that are making off with hundreds of thousands of dollars in a single day. Target previously forecasted expected losses of $500 million of merchandise through cases of retail shrinkage. Yahoo Finance Reporter Brooke DiPalma details how retail executives and experts are addressing the economic and community impacts of these crimes as part of the weekly series "Retail Evolution: The New Era." finance.yahoo.com

Online Operator 'Sneak Foot' Pocketed Sales & Didn't Deliver the Goods
DOJ: Glen Allen Man Pleads Guilty to $870,000 Sneaker Fraud
Richmond, VA., From approximately August 2020 through July 2021, Justin Lee Godsey, 26, ran "Sneak Foot," an online retailer that primarily sold athletic shoes through a website. When customers purchased shoes from Sneak Foot, the sales were managed by two credit card processing companies who had entered into agreements with Sneak Foot. The processors were obligated to refund the money sent to Sneak Foot through them if Godsey failed to deliver shoes ordered. Godsey consistently pocketed funds paid to him by customers without sending them the shoes, and used the funds for various personal expenditures, including the purchase of a Lamborghini. The losses incurred by the two credit card processors exceed $870,000. Facing 20 yrs. at sentencing. justice.gov


Gone in 60 seconds: luxury watch robberies soar in the UK
Luxury watches worth more than £1 billion have been logged as stolen or missing after a "concerning surge" in thefts, analysis has shown. More than 78,000 luxury watches are recorded on the Watch Register, a global crime prevention database, of which 6,815 have been added in the past year, representing a 60 per cent increase of the new watches to the platform. It follows a spate number of robberies and smash-and-grab raids in London and the home counties over the past year in which armed so-called Rolex ripper gangs ambush their victims. The Watch Register said Rolexes, including models such as the Daytona, GMT and Oyster Perpetual, are the most common recorded on its system at 44 per cent. The Swiss brands Omega and Breitling complete the top three, accounting for 7 per cent and 6 per cent respectively. The estimated £1 billion value includes several that each retail for £100,000 or more. Investigators said 90 per cent of the luxury watches on the system were men's models, because their higher retail value is attractive to gangs. While 35 per cent of stolen watches are found within six months and 50 per cent within a year, the team said successful recovery relied on a record of the serial number. Katya Hills, managing director of the Watch Register, said: "The considerable value and prestige of these high-end timepieces continues to attract the attention of sophisticated and international criminal networks, making them a prime target for theft." thetimes.co.uk


Lincoln, NE: Burglars steal $20K worth of merchandise
Burglars who broke into a vintage clothing shop in downtown Lincoln some-time early Friday morning stole $20,000 worth of merchandise from the store, police said. A neighbor called police at around 6:30 a.m. Friday when they noticed one of Exclusive Hype's front glass windows had been shattered, Lincoln Police Sgt. Chris Vollmer said. The owners of the business, at 1624 O St., reported numerous clothing items worth an estimated $20,000 were missing, Vollmer said. Police did not have an itemized list of stolen items as of Friday morning, Vollmer said, but according to the shop's website, Exclusive Hype sells sought-after sneakers, designer clothing and vintage T-shirts and jackets - often for prices that range from $150 to more than $500.  journalstar.com


Fort Myers, FL: Masked thieves smash and grab over $1K worth of power tools from Fort Myers hardware store
Broken glass covered the floor outside of the Fort Myers Family Hardware store Friday morning after two masked thieves broke in and stole power tools before driving off. It was not a welcome sight for owner Jeremy Peterson, he was awoken at 4:30 a.m. "People steal stuff when we're open in broad daylight, but never like this," Peterson said. All 45 seconds were caught on a security camera. It shows these masked bandits smashing the door and climbing through. "Usually you get false alarms so you just brush it off, but this time it said there was a glass break," he said. You see two burglars going back and forth, bringing items to their dark-colored car. "A bunch of Milwaukee," Peterson said. "It was all power tools." It all cost over $1,000.  nbc-2.com


Nashville, TN: Store employee arrested for knowingly purchasing stolen items
A store employee was arrested Thursday for knowingly purchasing stolen merchandise. According to Metro police, a five-month long investigation resulted in the arrest of 39-year-old Reyes Bibiano-Sarabia, an employee of El Rodeo Mercado Latino located in the 1400 block of Gallatin Pike North as investigators determined he was purchasing stolen merchandise. After further investigation, in cooperation with retail stores Kroger, Home Depot, Lowes, TJ Maxx, JCPenney, Walmart, and Walgreens, officers learned that Bibiano-Sarabia wrote out "shopping lists" of items he was looking to get for his store. He would then purchase the items for a fraction of their value, according to investigators. Police said undercover detectives "sold" lots of new-in-box merchandise to Bibiano-Sarabia, with some items in tamper proof anti-theft devices, for less than 10 cents on the dollar after clearly marking the items as stolen. In addition to Bibiano-Sarabia, 5 other shoplifters, reportedly all from Nashville, were charged with theft of merchandise: Bibiano-Sarabia is free after posting a $15,000 bond, according to police.  wkrn.com


Lehi, UT: Officers searching for thief they say stole nine designer purses from Lehi outlet store

Lombard, IL: Wisconsin women steal $2800 of high-end designer fragrances from Von Maur store in Chicago suburb

Comanche County, OK: 10 thefts totaling $2750 in 2 months get man arrested at Lowe's

Ocala, FL: Man hides over $300 worth of stolen Walmart merchandise in his pants, arrested on August 15