Serial Convenience Store Robbery Suspects Arrested
Federal violent crime crackdown in Minnesota

Operations in the Twin Cities and Rochester produced dozens of arrests last week.

U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger said Friday, The operations, which included help from a national team of federal tactical responders, marked the latest chapter in Luger's new violent crime strategy launched in May and added 25 people to the growing tally of those arrested and facing serious federal prison time.

The special response teams, a tactical group, travel to high-crime areas to help arrest those deemed to present the highest risk of violence.

Luger said Friday that his office has charged about 35 "high-risk" offenders in recent weeks with crimes ranging from serial convenience store robbery, carjacking, illegal firearms possession and other gang-related activities.

Other recent cases include new charges against four men accused of targeting Uber and Lyft ride share drivers with carjacking while violently forcing the drivers to turn over access to mobile banking apps. startribune.com

Cleaning up the Tenderloin in San Francisco
Calif. Gov Newsom Vetoed SB57 Supervised Drug Sites
Which would have established safe drug consumption site pilot programs in San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles. Signing the bill would have allowed for the creation of sanctioned indoor spaces where people could safely use drugs, access medical care and be connected to substance use treatment programs.

Editor's Note: Last month San Francisco's Mayor announced they're closing the 'safe injection site' in the Tenderloin Dec. 31st after businesses complained. And in June the Mayor revealed next years budget which significantly increases police coverage and expands the community ambassadors program specifically in the Tenderloin.

Dallas PD Must Wear Bodycams Working Retail Too
Dallas police must now wear bodycams at off-duty jobs after cop shot at suspected gunmen
Chief Eddie García said in the email to officers Monday there are "many instances where officers are working off-duty jobs and taking reports, affecting arrests, and/or involved in use of force incidents" which he said are "crucial for prosecution, transparency, and for justification." He said it is "imperative" the cameras are utilized per policy and in accordance with Texas law "while in an on-duty capacity and off-duty employment as well." dallasnews.com

Here's the Fuel Behind Skyrocketing ORC
Mexican and Chinese fentanyl cartels driving biggest money laundering scheme in history
On Sunday, as the nation marks National Fentanyl Prevention & Awareness Day, it's worth noting that last year alone more than 100,000 Americans died in drug-related deaths, the vast majority from pills cooked with fentanyl, an opioid analogue 50 times stronger than heroin.

Mexican cartels, particularly the Sinaloa and Jalisco ones, have partnered with the Chinese Triads in shipping fentanyl precursors from China to Mexico, where the deadly substance is manufactured, frequently with the help of Chinese chemists. Fentanyl-laced pills (everything from counterfeit oxycodone to Aleve) and drugs like heroin and methamphetamine get secreted into the United States and Canada to be distributed on the street.

Then the funds get laundered. One of the largest money-laundering schemes involves students from China here on education visas. Per the DEA, thousands of students pick up the drug money; they bring Samsonites of cash to Chinese money brokers who operate out of restaurants, travel agencies and other storefronts.

As Drug Enforcement Administrator Anne Milgram explains, "Drug cartels in Mexico are mass-producing fentanyl and methamphetamine largely sourced from chemicals in China, and they're distributing these substances throughout the United States. We are finding these deadly drugs in every state; in cities, suburbs, rural areas and local communities spanning the country."

The scale and scope of the laundering activity inside our borders is huge, constituting the largest money-laundering scheme in world history

China is engaged in a reverse Opium War against the West, with its top target US society. Defeating the Chinese in that war won't be easy, but it's far better to try than to do nothing serious and accept the deaths of 100,000 kids every year. nypost.com

Chicago Armed Robbery Alert
Chicago Police Issue Alert About Armed Robberies Near Walgreens
Chicago police have issued a community alert about armed robberies occurring outside of a Walgreens in Chicago's Belmont Cragin neighborhood, at Belmont and Cicero Avenues.

According to the community alert, Chicago police say a suspect who reportedly drives a silver Honda SUV follows victims home from the pharmacy. The suspect, who may be armed with a crow bar or possibly a handgun, exits the vehicle and demands the victim's property, according to police. nbcchicago.com

Communities, neighborhoods increasingly using private security to deter crime

Data: How bad crime is at the Starbucks closing on the Kansas City Plaza?

The Global Face Biometrics Deployment
Face biometrics deployed for everything from store payments to World Cup security
Idemia software and hardware will be used in a Chilean law enforcement system that includes face, fingerprint and palm, and the FIFA World Cup is contracting multiple live facial recognition vendors, none of whom have been publicly named. We have a few guesses on that. SmilePay's retail payments system has been deployed at a pair of supermarket chains, and Facewatch's CEO says critics are confused about how the company's facial recognition systems work.

SmilePay's facial recognition is being deployed for payments by a pair of supermarkets in its home country of Azerbaijan. The Mastercard partner has also recently picked up an undisclosed investment from a local bank, and is looking to bring its biometric retail payment technology to various verticals as an SaaS or PaaS offering.

World Cup 2022 in Qatar will be watched over by 15,000 cameras integrated with live facial recognition to spot terrorists and other threats. The algorithm provider is not known, but a source tells Biometric Update it is a multi-vendor system. Registration for the fan access card also seems to involve biometric identity verification.

BioCatch Director of Fraud Strategy for North America Raj Dasgupta reveals behavioral anomalies that can reveal fraud attempts in an interview with Biometric Update, and including those detected with its age analysis capability. He discusses regulation as a driver of behavioral biometrics adoption and covers several different types of attacks.

Facewatch CEO Nick Fisher tells Biometric Update that contrary to claims from Big Brother Watch, the data of UK shoppers is not stored for two years when they visit one of the retailers that uses its facial recognition system. Stores also cannot share data with each other, Fisher says, and the solution complies with data minimization and proportionality. biometricupdate.com

Changes in Gun Laws Affect the Workplace
Given all the recent changes, employers may wish to review their policies and consider whether changes or additions are needed. The key is to strike a balance between upholding individuals' gun rights and protecting the safety of all employees and customers.

"As laws restricting gun possession are now more suspect, more of the burden on regulating firearms may fall on employers."

Federal Law

Employers have a legal duty to keep employees safe at work. Under the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act), employers can be held liable for gun-related injuries or fatalities at the workplace. In addition, employers must pay workers' compensation claims for workers injured by gun violence at the workplace.

"Employers are responsible under the OSH Act to furnish a place of employment free from recognized hazards that could cause death or serious physical harm to its employees, and OSHA [the Occupational Safety and Health Administration] has stated that this duty requires employers to protect against the threat of workplace violence," Gartenberg said.

Employers usually can prohibit employees from taking guns into the workplace. The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution does not give individuals the right to carry a gun into a private business. shrm.org

Increased Risk in Retailers' Parking Lots
Retailers Scrambling to Stow Inventories Are Turning to Transport Equipment
Companies flush with inventories and straining for warehouse space are increasingly turning to ad hoc arrangements that include storing goods in parking lots and on truck trailers as they cope with an ongoing disconnect between supply and demand.

The overflow strategy is the latest sign of how retailers and manufacturers are continuing to reset their distribution operations on the fly to keep supply chains running amid disruption in transportation networks and difficulties in forecasting demand.

But shipping experts say the practice of keeping goods on transport equipment adds to broader strains in already-stressed supply chains because it ties up shipping containers, truck trailers and the truck frames needed to keep goods moving. One freight broker's revenue from providing drop trailers was up 849% in the first half. wsj.com

Motivating Gen Z & Young Millennials to Get Engaged
If Your Co-Workers Are 'Quiet Quitting,' Here's What That Means

Some Gen Z professionals are saying no to hustle culture; 'I'm not going to go extra'

Not taking your job too seriously has a new name: quiet quitting.

The phrase is generating millions of views on TikTok as some young professionals reject the idea of going above and beyond in their careers, labeling their lesser enthusiasm a form of "quitting." It isn't about getting off the company payroll, these employees say. In fact, the idea is to stay on it-but focus your time on the things you do outside of the office.

The videos range from sincere ruminations on work-life balance to snarky jokes. Some set firm boundaries against overtime in favor of family. Others advocate coasting from 9-to-5, doing just enough to get by. Many want to untether their careers from their identities.

Many people who say, when they're young, that they don't care about climbing the corporate ladder end up changing their minds.

Across generations, U.S. employee engagement is falling, according to survey data from Gallup, but Gen Z and younger millennials, born in 1989 and after, reported the lowest engagement of all during the first quarter at 31%.

Jim Harter, chief scientist for Gallup's said a large group of survey respondents that he classifies as "not engaged" (quiet quitters)-those who will show up to work and do the minimum required but not much else. More than half of workers surveyed by Gallup who were born after 1989-54%-fall into this category.

Many of today's less-invested employees have been able to skate by thanks to remote work, said Elise Freedman, partner at consulting firm Korn Ferry. wsj.com

Historic Flooding Wreaks Havoc on Businesses
A day after North Texas' record-breaking flood, officials, business and residents survey the damage

Up to 15 inches of rain fell on some parts of the Dallas area Monday, leading to swamped roads, submerged cars, power outages and at least one death.

A day after a record-breaking rainstorm, North Texas residents recounted what the flood left in its wake: boxes of keepsakes destroyed, piles of books soiled, businesses closed for cleanup and never-to-forget tales of fleeing their homes in waist-deep water.

At restaurants and bars in Deep Ellum, downtown and East Dallas, some of the areas hit hardest, owners described inches of rain, dirt and leaves wreaking havoc on their businesses.

What's hurting the local business the most is two days without any sales, Rennhack said, adding the store will reopen Wednesday. dallasnews.com

After a year-long dip, American consumer spending power will be back in 2023
Goldman Sachs expects household cash flow to reverse a year-long decline beginning right after Christmas.

An Active 2022 Hurricane Season Is Still Possible

Robotics Deployed in Retail Stores to Grow 25% Annually to 2030

Bed Bath & Beyond Clinches Loan Deal

Nike and Adidas Settle Two Separate Patent Lawsuits Over Sneaker Technology


Quarterly Results

Regis Salons Q4 comp's up 7.1%, sales up 12.1%, FY comp's up 14.8%, sales up 25.6%

Nordstrom Q2 Banner sales up 14.7%, Rack sales up 6.3%, Digital sales up 6.3%, total sales up 12%

Advance Auto Parts Q2 comp's up 0.6%, net sales up 1.3%

Caleres Q2 Famous Footwear sales down 3.8%, Brand Portfolio up 35.6%, total net sales up 9.3%
   Caleres Q2 Direct-to-consumer sales represented approximately 72% of total net sales

A Compliance Perspective
A national data privacy law might arrive sooner than expected

It's called ADPPA, and we should hope it passes

For those of us waiting for a national data privacy law - and those numbers might be rising - there's good news. The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee recently amended and passed HR 8152, the American Data Privacy and Protection Act (ADPPA). This legislation has already made it further than any other federal privacy law and faster than many expected.

Now comes the hard part.

The ADPPA would govern how organizations across all industries treat consumer data, specifically information that can be used to identify individual citizens. It would create a comprehensive federal privacy framework to protect personally identifiable information (PII) from misuse, increase data security requirements, and give consumers more say about how their PII is collected, handled, sold and disposed of. If it passes, enforcement would be handled by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and, in civil actions, by state Attorney Generals.

So what's the problem? Well, some provisions might become giant obstacles.

The duty of loyalty - Private right of action - Preemption - Data deletion - Data security securitymagazine.com

Bill HR 8152

Bipartisan E&C Leaders Hail Committee Passage of American Data Privacy and Protection Act

The Rise of Ransomware-as-a-Service
Cyber Signals: Defend against the new ransomware landscape
In this edition, we pull back the curtain on the evolving cybercrime economy and the rise of Ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS). Instead of relying on what cybercriminals say about themselves through extortion attempts, forum posts, or chat leaks, Microsoft threat intelligence gives us visibility into threat actors' actions.

RaaS is often an arrangement between an operator, who develops and maintains the malware and attack infrastructure necessary to power extortion operations, and "affiliates" who sign on to deploy the ransomware payload against targets. Affiliates purchase initial access from brokers or hit lists of vulnerable organizations, such as those with exposed credentials or already having malware footholds on their networks. Cybercriminals then use these footholds as a launchpad to deploy a ransomware payload against targets.

The impact of RaaS dramatically lowers the barrier to entry for attackers, obfuscating those behind initial access brokering, infrastructure, and ransoming. Because RaaS actors sell their expertise to anyone willing to pay, budding cybercriminals without the technical prowess required to use backdoors or invent their own tools can simply access a victim by using ready-made penetration testing and system administrator applications to perform attacks.

The endless list of stolen credentials available online means that without basic defenses like multifactor authentication (MFA), organizations are at a disadvantage in combating ransomware's infiltration routes before the malware deployment stage. Once it's widely known among cybercriminals that access to your network is for sale, RaaS threat actors can create a commoditized attack chain, allowing themselves and others to profit from your vulnerabilities.

While many organizations consider it too costly to implement enhanced security protocols, security hardening actually saves money. Not only will your systems become more secure, but your organization will spend less on security costs and less time responding to threats, leaving more time to focus on incoming incidents. microsoft.com

90% of Cyberattacks Carried Out via Email
Top 8 Threats to Email Security for Large Enterprises
Every year, we experience an increase in email security threats. Phishing, whaling, malware, and other attacks are becoming an issue for many large companies. The cybersecurity industry has to deal with this challenge since email is the primeform of communication in many industries.

According to a security report issued by Ironscales, nearly 90% of all cyberattacks are carried out by email. Software protection isn't enough. Your company also requires the best practices for business email security and comprehensive training. A multi-layered security plan can mitigate email security risks, but a deep understanding of these threats works much better in the long run. securityboulevard.com

Video: How merchants can defend themselves against Magecart attacks
In this Help Net Security video, Angel Grant, VP of Security, F5, explains what Magecart attacks are and how they have evolved over the years. Grant illustrates how cybercriminals are leveraging such attacks, and offers defense tips.

DDoS attacks jump 203%, patriotic hacktivism surges

Companies Are Ditching Cybersecurity Insurance as Premiums Rise, Coverage Shrinks

Canadian Security Guard Used eBay to Sell Empty Vaccine Vials
Surrey, BC: Security guard stole empty vaccine vials to sell on eBay
Steven Flint stole a large quantity of empty Covid-19 vaccine vials during 13 shifts working as a security guard at the vaccination sites. The man has been sentenced for stealing the empty Covid-19 vaccine vials to sell on eBay.

Flint, 34, carried out the thefts at the peak of the national vaccination rollout in January and February last year. He was caught by investigators who used Post Office CCTV and eBay account details to link him to his crimes. Flint was sentenced to a year's jail, suspended for 18 months.

He was arrested at one of the vaccination sites in February last year, having completed a total of 13 shifts, a spokesperson for Surrey Police said. Investigators found Flint, of Bidhams Crescent, Tadworth, Surrey, used details of an acquaintance fraudulently when setting up new eBay accounts.

When police searched his house, they found empty vaccine vials and receipts for packages posted to buyers. He was found guilty of theft at Staines Magistrates' Court, having previously pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation. privateofficerbreakingnews.blogspot.com

Canada's Remote Work Shift
24% of Canadians shifting to remote working amid pandemic's latest wave: report
The percentage of Canadians working from home increased slightly amid a seventh wave of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report by Statistics Canada. In July, the percentage of workers aged 15 to 69 who worked most of their hours at home edged up 0.4 per cent to 24.2 per cent. Alongside short-term shifts in work location, many employers have continued to implement a longer-term transition toward hybrid work arrangements in recent months, with employees working some hours at home and some hours in a location other than home.

The percentage of employees who usually work some hours at home and some hours at another location also increased by 1.2 per cent to slightly more than seven per cent. Overall, the percentage of employees with hybrid work arrangements has more than doubled since January, when 3.3 per cent of employees reported a hybrid arrangement.

With working from home now more common in certain parts of the labour market, some employers and employees may be more able to adapt to changing public health conditions by temporarily increasing the amount of time worked from home, noted the report. benefitscanada.com

Canada's COVID-19 vaccine coverage flatlining as fall nears

Moderna to supply 12mln doses of Omicron COVID shot to Canada
 

Chino, CA: 3 Pomona men arrested in connection to Chino cargo theft ring
Three Pomona men were arrested last week for their connections to an alleged cargo theft ring, according to the Chino Police Department. Jose Portillo, 40, Luis Garcia, 38, and Daniel Altamirano, 24, were arrested on Aug. 17 and booked on burglary charges. Chino Police say that the three were at least partially responsible for a string of nighttime cargo thefts in Chino and surrounding towns that resulted in more than $250,000 in merchandise being stolen. Earlier this month, investigators conducted surveillance in the 700 block of Cameo Court in Pomona and identified a Pomona home where they believed the stolen items were being fenced. Based off that, officers served warrants at homes in the 700 block of Cameo Court and the 2500 block of Catalpa Place. Police searched those homes and three vehicles, and found that officers called "truckloads of stolen property" including clothes, car parts and electric scooters and bikes. The service of those warrants led investigators to Portillo, Garcia and Altamirano, who were subsequently arrested. The three were booked for burglary charges. foxla.com

Petaluma, CA: Petaluma, Santa Rosa Ulta stores robbed, security guards assaulted; 5 arrested after ramming police car
Five suspects were arrested on Monday on suspicion of robbing two Ulta Beauty stores of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise and leading law enforcement on a vehicle and foot chase, the Petaluma Police Department said. Petaluma Police received a call at 7:02 p.m. on Monday regarding a robbery at the Ulta Beauty store at 401 Kenilworth Dr. Officers learned that five suspects had entered the store and filled large bags with fragrances. When store security attempted to intervene, they were allegedly assaulted by one of the suspects. The suspects fled the store with the merchandise and got into a newer white Range Rover with tinted windows, police said. The vehicle was not located but a broadcast went out to local law enforcement.

At 7:26 p.m., an Ulta Beauty store in Santa Rosa reported a similar robbery at its 2080 Santa Rosa Ave location. During the robbery, a suspect allegedly punched and threatened the security guard. Police say that the thieves fled in the same vehicle described in the previous robbery; the Range Rover had the wrong plates on it and was stolen, police said. A Santa Rosa police officer spotted the Range Rover traveling southbound on Interstate Highway 101 and the California Highway Patrol followed the vehicle as it entered the Petaluma city limits. CHP attempted to make a traffic stop but the Range Rover failed to yield, the agency said. The vehicle took the Lakewood offramp and Petaluma Police entered the pursuit to assist. cbsnews.com

Tukwila, WA: Tukwila PD recovers several thousand dollars' worth of stolen items, jabs at organized retail theft
Police recovered several thousand dollars' worth of merchandise from multiple organized retail theft suspects on Monday. In addition, the Tukwila Police Department (TPD) released a list of common signs their officers look for to spot these suspects. According to a Facebook post from the TPD, a single officer recovered all the stolen items simply by being at the right places at the right time. q13fox.com

Brentwood, MO: Local brazen shoplifting spree part of national crime trend
The St. Louis County Prosecutor's office charged 34-year-old George Lampley and his 28-year-old sister, Lucretia Lampley, with 22 counts of stealing. They're accused of stealing televisions, laptops, other electronics and clothes over a 10-month period in Brentwood and Maplewood. Major Jim McIntyre is with the Brentwood Police Department. "These particular individuals, they're just walking into the store, just picking up the merchandise and literally walking out with it," he said. McIntyre said the thieves stole $18,000 in merchandise from The Best Buy and Target stores in Brentwood. The Sam's Club in Maplewood was also hit during the crime spree. "This is one of the longest and most brazen shoplifting sprees I have ever seen," said St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell. In March, a group of bold shoplifters stole $50,000 in perfume and other merchandise from an Ulta Beauty store in Chesterfield. Sgt. Robert Powell with the Chesterfield Police Department said more brazen shoplifters like these are part of a national trend. "Unfortunately we're seeing more of it," he said.  kmov.com

Tucson, AZ: Woman sentenced to two years for ORC
A Tucson woman has been sentenced after pleading guilty to shoplifting at several stores across Arizona. The Arizona Attorney General's Office said Brittany Cannon was handed a two-year prison sentence as well as probation for five years. Cannon had earlier pleaded guilty to fraud and organized retail theft. Cannon was indicted in May 2021 for stealing from Target and Marshals stores across the state. Authorities said Cannon took merchandise and tried to sell the items on Facebook Marketplace and OfferUp. The case was investigated by Oro Valley Police Department with help from Target Loss Prevention and police departments in Tucson, Marana, Phoenix, Tempe, Gilbert and Scottsdale. kold.com

Farmingdale, NY: Three People Wanted for $3,100 theft at Target

Fort Myers, FL: Man believed to be part of South Florida retail theft operation hits Target for $1300 in merchandise

Brooklyn, NY: Three thieves stole $1,600 worth of medicine from Rite Aid on Fourth and Bay Ridge avenues

Jackson, MI: Deer walks the aisles of Dollar General store