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National Retail Security Survey in the News
NRF says organized retail crime is a "burgeoning threat"

Losses from retail "shrink" rose to $94.5 billion in 2021, from $90.8 billion in 2020.

A rising tide of retail theft is a growing challenge both for retailers and the industry at large, due increasingly to organized retail crime (ORC) rings, the National Retail Federation (NRF) said today.

Goods stolen from stores, known as "retail shrink," rose to $94.5 billion in losses last year, up from $90.8 billion in 2020, according to the NRF's "2022 National Retail Security Survey." The survey found that the average shrink rate in 2021 was 1.44%, a slight decrease from the last two years but comparable to the five-year average of 1.5%.

The thefts are occurring across all platforms, spanning in-store, e-commerce, and omnichannel fraud, a majority of retailers said in the survey. To address the problem, retailers say they are prioritizing reactions to guest-on-associate violence, external theft, and ORC.

Retailers said that the problem has grown worse during the pandemic, with large numbers of respondents citing an increase in violence (89.3%), shoplifting (73.2%), and ORC and employee theft (tied at 71.4%). Those numbers showed a 26.5% increase in ORC as the schemes become more common.

The research showed that ORC groups commit retail crimes for their financial benefit, and specifically target items that are concealable, removable, available, valuable, enjoyable and disposable, also known by the acronym CRAVED. Items that have more of these characteristics are more likely to be stolen, highlighted by the top categories targeted: apparel, health and beauty, electronics/appliances, accessories, food and beverage, footwear, home furnishings and housewares, home improvement, eyewear, office supplies, infant care, and toys.

In search of solutions, retailers are boosting spending on theft prevention measures. The survey showed that more than half (60.3%) are increasing their technology budget and 52.4% are increasing their capital and equipment budget as they invest in techniques such as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and readers, computer vision at point of sale, and license plate recognition. dcvelocity.com

   Click here to read the D&D Daily's Special Report on the NRF's report

Store Owners Speak Out Amid Crime Surge
NYC bodega owner sends message to Biden as felony assaults soar
A bodega owner in New York City is speaking out after a shocking video reveals another assault of a store owner in the Big Apple as felony assaults continue to soar.

Brooklyn bodega owner Carmelia Bello joined "Fox & Friends First" Wednesday to discuss the need for additional policing and her message for the Biden administration as crime continues to cripple city streets.

"I would tell President Biden, with all my respect, to jump in our shoes for one day and see how it feels to wake up in the morning, 6:00 in the morning, open your store and looking back and see who's going to come and stab you or what's going to happen next," Bello told co-host Carley Shimkus.

"Because after COVID, we don't have help. Small businesses don't have no support, and on top of that, we're dealing with criminals," she continued. "So it's really, really, really bad."

Her message comes shortly after the NYPD released video from August 8 showing a shoplifting suspect sucker-punch a 69-year-old bodega worker after the employee attempted to halt the alleged theft. The attack, all caught on video, happened midday in Long Island City.

Bello called for additional law enforcement to mitigate the trend, warning that some criminals threaten to come "back" since they know there is a lack of policing.

According to the NYPD, felony assaults have soared more than 18% this year amid the surge in violent crime. Overall crime has spiked more than 35%. foxnews.com

NYC Grand Larcenies, Burglaries & Robberies Surge
The good news? NYC murders plunged in August. The bad news? Almost every other major crime went up again

Throughout the year, crime in New York City has shown increases in crime every month, and August was no exception.

According to NYPD statistics, crime in New York City increased by 26%, with 11,619 crimes in August 2022 compared to 8,906 in August 2021. Almost every category of crime increased last month. The exceptions were murder, which saw a 54.2% decrease in August 2022 with 27 reported cases compared to August 2021, and rape, which remained the same as the year before with 144 reported cases. The NYPD acknowledges that rape continues to be underreported.

"Any level of violence in New York City - or anywhere - is unacceptable," said Chief of Department Kenneth Corey. "We know that New York City is safer today than it was when we implemented our Summer Violence Reduction Plan in May. ... The good news? NYC murders plunged in August. The bad news? Almost every other major crime went up again to pick up guns and use them."

The number of grand larcenies saw a 34.7% spike from 3,480 crimes in August 2021 to 4,687 crimes in August 2022, and burglaries rose 31.1% from 1,034 in August 2021 to 1,356 in August 2022. Robberies saw a 38% increase compared to August 2021 (1,630 last month compared to 1,181 in 2021).

The NYPD reports that the number of overall shooting incidents last month was driven down in New York City compared with August 2021, marking the fourth-lowest number of shootings for any August in the modern CompStat era. Citywide shooting incidents decreased in August by 30.3% (115 v. 165), driven by steep decreases in the Bronx, southern Queens, and northern Brooklyn. Additionally, the number of murders citywide decreased for the month by 54.2% (27 v. 59) compared to the same period last year. amny.com

'Perfect Storm' of Crime Surge & Police Shortage
Tourist town in North Carolina sees violent crime spike as police dwindle
Multiple local law enforcement sources who spoke to Fox News Digital laid partial blame for the deteriorating condition of a North Carolina tourist town on the city's liberal political leadership and on left-wing activists who undermine police.

"I think what you're seeing in Asheville right now is a culmination of the last several years of pulling police back and not letting them do their jobs like they're able to do," former Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan told Fox News Digital in a phone interview.

Asheville, a city of approximately 90,000 people nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Buncombe County, North Carolina, has seen a 31% surge in violent crime per 100,000 people from 2016 to 2020, according to statistics released in the spring. Asheville's growth in violent crime is nearly double that of the national average and ranks among the highest in North Carolina, where violent crime has increased 13% statewide.

Asheville has so far seen 11 homicides in 2022, setting it on pace to surpass the homicide rate of 2021 and 2020. Rates of homelessness have increased 21% since 2021, according to data released in May. There is also evidence of increased Mexican drug cartel activity in the area, according to multiple law enforcement sources who spoke to Fox News Digital.

Both the Asheville Police Department (APD) and the Buncombe County Sheriff's Department have been hemorrhaging officers in recent years, with many retiring early or simply quitting. APD made international headlines in June 2021 when they announced they would no longer respond in-person to 911 calls about theft, fraud or trespassing after losing a third of their force. foxnews.com

Major Crackdown on Illegal Vendors in San Francisco
San Francisco Begins Major Crackdown on Illegal Street Vendors

First major target is near 24th and Mission BART Plaza

The city of San Francisco began a new crackdown on illegal vendors and open air drug markets on Tuesday, starting with the 24th Street BART station in the Mission District.

For years, rising crime in San Francisco has brought an increased number of illegal street vendors, unlicensed sellers, more open air drug markets, and criminals even moving into brick and mortar buildings to sell.

San Francisco has taken numerous measures this year, many of which were instituted by new DA Brooke Jenkins by reversing policies made by former DA Chesa Boudin, in an effort to combat crime. At City Hall, Supervisor Hillary Ronen wrote, and later got passed, an ordinance aimed at illegal street vending.

A new crackdown in SF

Encouraged by this, enforcement began on Tuesday after weeks of warnings. Public Works officials, along with San Francisco police officers, will begin finding and removing illegal vendors. For those that they find without a permit, their goods can be seized for as long as 90 days, or until they get a permit. Beyond this, violations would then move up into fines, with first time violators getting a $250 fine and up to $1,000 for a third violation.

Other laws and ordinances aimed at reducing crime are expected to continue to be rolled out in San Francisco later this year. californiaglobe.com

San Francisco's New DA Taking Tougher Stand on Prosecutions
SF DA announces new policy to prosecute teens as adults for 'heinous' crimes
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced a new policy Tuesday that allows juvenile offenders to be charged as adults for "heinous" crimes. The effort moves to abandon the policy of recalled DA Chesa Boudin, that prohibited a juvenile to be charged as an adult.

Jenkins says effective immediately, she's forming a "juvenile review team" that will consider whether to recommend that a 16 or 17 year old should be tried as an adult. "We cannot allow families of victims, we cannot allow victims themselves, to remain without justice or accountability in very, very serious or egregious cases," Jenkins said.

Jenkins says the review will collaborate with all parties involved, including members of the victims' and the offenders' families. It's important to note, that in California, DAs can only request that a juvenile be charged as an adult. The final decision is made by a judge. abc7news.com

Oregon's ORC Task Force
Task force to tackle Oregon retail crime
Organized retail crime is an increasingly dire problem for retailers across the nation, and Oregon is no exception. The phenomenon involves highly organized groups of people committing theft on a broad scale.

OBI is participating in a task force that will bring together the state attorney general, district attorneys, law enforcement agencies, unions and retailers to increase communication in order to identify common problems, share information and identify organized criminal networks.

The task force will meet monthly beginning Sept. 20. A similar effort is underway in Washington state. oregonbusinessreport.com

Here's how many San Franciscans say they've been the victim of a crime

Dramatic crime videos become common in NYC

Walmart's Surveillance & Facial Recognition Lawsuit in the News
Walmart class action alleges retailer illegally collects, stores, uses customer biometric data
Walmart's practice of collecting, storing and using customers' biometric information without obtaining their informed written consent violates Illinois law, according to a recent class action lawsuit. Plaintiff James Luthe alleges that Walmart stores in Illinois have cameras and advance video surveillance systems that surreptitiously collect customers' facial scans.

Additionally, Walmart allegedly uses Clearview AI software to match customers' facial scans against billions of facial scans in Clearview's facial recognition database.

The Walmart class action lawsuit says the retailer scans, collects and stores customers' biometric information without their knowledge or consent and does not inform them about the specific purpose and length of time for which this data will be collected, stored and used.

The Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) was enacted to protect residents' biometric information, which includes unique identifiers like fingerprints and facial scans. Unlike Social Security numbers or other data that can be changed if compromised, biometric information is unique to an individual.

If a person's biometric information is compromised, they have no recourse and are at an increased risk of identity theft, the Illinois legislature determined.

BIPA requires private entities to inform people in writing that their biometric information is being collected or stored and the purpose and length of time for which it will be stored or used. The entities must also publish publicly available retention schedules and guidelines indicating when it will permanently destroy the biometric data.

BIPA also prohibits companies from selling, leasing or otherwise profiting from others' biometric data. The Walmart class action lawsuit alleges the retailer violates this provision of BIPA by sending customers' facial data through the Clearview Biometric Database without their knowledge or consent.

This new Walmart class action lawsuit is just one of many to pile up against the retail giant in 2022. Walmart currently faces several recalls and class action lawsuits involving allegations of false advertising, misleading representations and failing to properly monitor its money transfer service. topclassactions.com

National Rail Strike Averted - Sight of Relief for U.S. Supply Chain
Biden administration says 'tentative' deal reached to avoid national rail strike
The Biden Administration announced rail companies and unions reached a "tentative" agreement to void a national rail strike following an ongoing labor dispute. On Thursday morning, the White House said in a statement that "better pay, improved working conditions, and peace of mind around their health care costs" will be given to rail workers.

President Joe Biden said in a statement the tentative deal "will keep our critical rail system working and avoid disruption of our economy." Twelve unions representing 115,000 workers agreed to the deal.

"The agreement is also a victory for railway companies who will be able to retain and recruit more workers for an industry that will continue to be part of the backbone of the American economy for decades to come," Biden said.

A rail strike would have meant reduced gas production, spoiled crops, a choked off supply of new cars and empty shelves at stores over the holidays. Your commute may have been be snarled. And for factory workers, there could've been temporary layoffs in the near future.

America's railroads remain crucial for keeping the US economy running smoothly. They carry nearly 30% of the nation's freight, measured by the distance traveled and the weight of the cargo, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. And there really isn't an alternative if the trains stop running. cnn.com nypost.com

Watch for These Signs in Your Employees
How to Spot Suicidal Behaviors in the Workplace
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month-an effort to destigmatize suicide, educate the public on the importance of mental health care and provide prevention resources to those who need them.

Nearly 46,000 people in the U.S. died by suicide in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An additional 12.2 million adults seriously contemplated suicide, 3.2 million planned a suicide attempt and 1.2 million attempted suicide.

Signs of Suicidal Ideations in the Workplace

According to health insurance company Cigna, employees who grapple with suicidal ideations could:

● Make direct statements about ending their life.
● Make indirect comments like "What's the point of living?," "Life is meaningless," etc.
● Talk or write about death or dying, including in social media posts.
● Give away their possessions.
● Ask about life insurance policy details, particularly related to cause of death.
● Show interest in end-of-life affairs, such as making a will or discussing funeral preferences.
● Exhibit noticeable changes in behavior or mood, such as appearing uncharacteristically sad, quiet or withdrawn.
● Neglect work, appearance or hygiene.
● Voice hopelessness or helplessness. shrm.org

Good Retail Data
US Retail Sales Unexpectedly Rise After Drop in Prior Month
US retail sales unexpectedly rose in August after declining a month earlier, as consumer demand for goods broadly held up but showed signs of moderating amid historic inflation.

The value of overall retail purchases increased 0.3% last month after a downwardly revised 0.4% drop in July, Commerce Department data showed Thursday. Excluding gasoline, retail sales were up 0.8%. The figures aren't adjusted for inflation.

Eight of 13 retail categories grew last month, according to the report, including a surge in sales at auto dealers. Purchases at furniture stores, health and personal care stores and nonstore retailers declined. The value of sales at gas stations slumped again, reflecting cheaper fuel prices. bloomberg.com

Walmart, Target Urge Lawmakers to Pass Bill Taking Aim at Visa, Mastercard Fees
The retail giants, along with a diverse collection of other merchants, say credit-card swipe fees are a burden for businesses and consumers

Patagonia founder donates entire company, worth $3B, to fight climate change

Nordstrom Rack to open three new stores next fall - here's where

Growing Retail Cybersecurity Threats
Self-Checkouts, IoT And The Rise Of Cyber Security Threats In Retail
Cyber security threats are a rising concern for retail companies as they increasingly adopt self-checkouts through Apple, Google Pay or other payment platforms. Since 2005, retailers have seen over 10,000 data breaches, mainly due to flaws and vulnerabilities in payment systems.

Point of sale (POS) systems often utilize a plethora of external hardware, software, and cloud-based components.

"At minimum, retailers must ensure that their contracted party complies with them and will observe the same security compliance requirements that the company itself has. There are numerous opportunities for a cybercriminal to take advantage of the system, whether this be at the source of the vendor providing the solution or when the technology is deployed onsite.

"Exploiting a vulnerability in the software used on POS devices (or even in the back-end cloud services) could allow a cybercriminal to deploy malware on the POS device. This would further enable them to harvest financial data, inflict a malware attack such as ransomware or to use the device to connect to other internal systems," said Chief Security Evangelist, Tony Anscombe from ESET.

Cyber-attacks' effects on retailers may include hefty fines, penalties, data loss, financial losses, and reputational damage.

There are also security threats that users face when using IoT devices in retail. Over 84 percent of organizations use IoT devices. However, less than 50% have taken solid security measures against cyber-attacks. For instance, most organizations use the same passwords for a long time, which increases brute force attacks, enabling hackers to steal and manipulate data.

IoT devices can be used to track customers' movements and purchase histories, and hackers could potentially gain access to this data. Additionally, customers could be at risk of being scammed when using payment platforms such as Apple Pay. These scams can take many forms, such as fake apps that steal personal information or websites that trick customers into entering their credit card details.

Each IoT device has its own software supply chain inside. This is because the code that runs the device is actually a combination of several closed and open source projects. As such one of the most immediately present threats is the exposure of clients' sensitive or even personal information with cyber fraud. "This is different from other digital scams, like phishing and other types of social engineering" said Tshuva. forbes.com

Cyberattacks Becoming Faster & More Intrusive
Cyberattacks Are Now Increasingly Hands-On, Break Out More Quickly

Interactive intrusion campaigns jumped nearly 50%, while the breakout time between initial access and lateral movement shrank to less than 90 minutes, putting pressure on defenders to react quickly.

Attackers are increasingly taking a hands-on approach to network intrusions, usually avoiding using malware; they have also reduced the time it takes to move from an initial compromise to infecting other systems in a network.

That's according to cybersecurity services firm CrowdStrike, which found in a report published Tuesday that both targeted attacks and interactive intrusions have increased overall. For the 12 months ending in June, targeted attacks accounted for 18% of all attacks, up from 14% for the prior 12 months, according to the firm's telemetry.

Attackers also focused on interactive intrusions that take a hands-on approach to compromises, with an almost 50% increase in such attacks, the company found. Unsurprisingly, the increase in hands-on attacks meant less reliance on malware - 71% of all events detected by CrowdStrike indicated malware-free activity, the company said.

The technology sector continued to be the focus of the most attacks, with nearly 20% of attacks targeting the industry sector, while telecommunications became the second most targeted at 10%, and manufacturing accounting for about 8% of attacks. Cybercriminal attacks accounted for 43% of all security incidents investigated by CrowdStrike, the firm stated in the report. darkreading.com

Solving the Cybersecurity Staffing Shortage
Lack of diversity is biggest talent gap facing federal cyber workforce
In our current global political climate, nation states' cyber attacks on governments have become just as probable as data breaches from individual hackers. At this point, federal leaders are acutely aware that we don't have the cybersecurity personnel in place to combat these types of threats - but what's really to blame for the shortage?

For years, experts have lasered in on the cybersecurity talent gaps that exist in federal and state governments; there simply aren't enough highly-skilled cybersecurity experts to combat modern threats. To address these deficits, agency leaders must focus on reskilling and upskilling a workforce that represents the comprehensive viewpoints required to combat the various threats the U.S. is facing. And then, they must ensure the working environment is well-positioned to accommodate-read: retain-these individuals.

Today's cybersecurity assailants-and the risks they pose-are diverse, agile, and more often than not, unpredictable. They're anything but homogeneous, and the federal government requires a cyber workforce that's as diverse as our adversaries. federaltimes.com

Retailers 'Cannot Afford to Overlook' Cybersecurity
'All retailers need to raise the bar on cybersecurity'

In a digital-first environment, retailers cannot afford to overlook any kind of cyber threat, says AlixPartners managing director Brian Kalms

When Tesco disclosed in its 2022 annual report that it had carried out a cyberattack stress test it sent a message to other businesses - are you really resilient enough to withstand a security breach?  retailweek.com

To Ease the Cybersecurity Worker Shortage, Broaden the Candidate Pipeline
With enough passion, intelligence, and effort, anyone can be a successful cybersecurity professional, regardless of education or background.

Organizations should fear misconfigurations more than vulnerabilities

Key Takeaways From the Twitter Whistleblower's Testimony

Newman, GA: Theft ring targeting The Home Depot stores nationally, busted in Coweta County
Coweta County authorities have busted a suspected theft ring targeting Home Depot stores nationwide. Deputies say they seized two minivans full of large plastic storage bins. Those bins were stolen from The Home Depot store in Newnan, investigators say. Inside, the bins were packed with stolen tools and batteries. Forty-seven items were seized totaling more than $9,000 in store merchandise. "The individuals who put the items in the totes, sealed the totes, put them in a shopping cart, and then go by all points of sale. Once they go past all points of sale, they would run to their vehicles, put the totes in their vehicles, and then flee the area," said Coweta County Sheriff's Deputy Antonio Vives.

The investigation started when a Newnan police investigator suspected the thefts and followed the minivans and contacted the Coweta County Sheriff's Office. Deputies arrived and pulled over the vans. Investigators say five people are responsible for thefts at various Home Depot stores across the nation totaling more than $300,000 in merchandise. "So, there were two mini vans, each minivan had two individuals in it, and there was also one individual who was identified as a sort of ring leader, who went out and identified what objects he wanted stolen. And the other four individuals would put the items in the totes and they would actually commit the theft," said Deputy Vives. fox5atlanta.com

Berks County, PA: Two charged with $10,000 shoplifting spree in 4 municipalities
Two Berks County men have been charged with stealing over $10,000 worth of electrical wire, cable and other merchandise from home improvement stores in four municipalities in the county this summer. Anthony T. Serrano, 45, of the 1800 block of Morgantown Road, Cumru Township, and William C. Price, 60, of the first block of West Madison Street, Mohnton, face felony retail theft and conspiracy counts filed by police in Exeter, Spring Township and Caernarvon townships and Wyomissing. Investigators said the pair went on a crime spree, hitting Lowe's and The Home Depot, during the morning and early afternoon hours in August. According to investigators: They would enter the stores together with a large shopping cart, head straight to the electrical aisle and load spools of wire, cable and, in some of the cases, window air conditioner units. One of the men would push the cart out of the store, bypassing checkout. yahoo.com

Lower Allen Township, PA: Retail thieves steal $9,500 worth of underwear from Capital City Mall Victoria's Secret
Police in Cumberland County are investigating a pair of suspected retail theft incidents last month at a Victoria's Secret store in the Capital City Mall. Suspects made off with more than $9,500 worth of women's underwear in the separate incidents, which occurred 13 days apart, according to Lower Allen Township Police. Police have identified a suspect in the earlier incident, which occurred around 4:19 p.m. on August 6.
According to police, a suspect later identified as Nikol Garzon-Velandia, 25, emptied several drawers of underwear into shopping bags and fled with $3,750 worth of merchandise. She allegedly left the area in a silver Chevrolet Cruze, which police say was involved in a hit-and-run incident in the mall parking lot. Garzon-Velandia is charged with retail theft in the incident. A warrant has been issued for her arrest, police say. Police are attempting to identify two suspects in the second incident, which occurred in the same store at about 6:30 p.m. on August 19. According to police, two female suspects worked together to steal 220 pairs of underwear valued at $5,799. fox43.com

Brentwood, CA: $8,000 in stolen Ulta fragrances recovered by police
Two women have been arrested on suspicion of stealing over $8,000 worth of fragrances from Ulta stores in the East Bay, according to a Facebook post from the Brentwood Police Department. Last week, officers with BPD reported to a local Ulta Beauty due to reports of two women stealing fragrances from the store before getting into a car and driving away. An officer who was already parked in the Brentwood shopping center quickly responded to the call and searched the area for suspects. A short time later, the officer located the suspect vehicle and detained the two occupants, Jade Harris, 22, of Antioch, and Jamilah Ramey, 30, of El Sobrante. Police found other boxes of various fragrances in the car worth more than $8,000 in value. kron4.com

Napa, CA: Three women arrested after car chase follows perfume theft from Ulta
Police arrested three East Bay women Monday evening after the theft of more than $3,000 worth of perfumes from a Napa shop and a vehicle pursuit into Vallejo, according to authorities who linked the case with similar thefts at other stores. The women entered Ulta Beauty at 1725 Trancas St. at about 5:36 p.m., gathered a large quantity of fragrances from the shelves, then ran out of the store and fled in a white sedan, according to Napa Police Sgt. Brett Muratori. napavalleyregister.com

Riverhead Town, NY: Cash reward offered for information on theft at Home Depot
Riverhead Town police and Suffolk County Crime Stoppers are seeking the public's help to identify and locate the men who allegedly stole merchandise from Home Depot earlier this month. A Crime Stopper crime alert said the theft occurred Sept. 5 at the Home Depot on Route 58. The men allegedly stole lamps and dimmer switches before fleeing the store in a westbound direction on Route 58. The merchandise was valued at $1,084. The incident happened just before 1:30 p.m. A surveillance image shows three men, one of whom is carrying a container with the merchandise. Stolen merchandise in excess of $1,000 is considered a felony grand larceny charge. riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com

Detroit, MI: About 100 firearms stolen from Detroit-area gun, pawn shops
About 100 firearms have been stolen during weekend break-ins at two suburban Detroit businesses. Vehicles were used early Sunday and again around midnight Monday to burst through the front of a pawn shop in Dearborn Heights. Nearly 50 guns were taken from that shop, police said. Early Sunday, another 50 or so long guns and pistols were taken from a Westland gun shop after a stolen vehicle was used to smash through the entrance. No arrests have been made in any of the break-ins. mysanantonio.com

Grand Chute, WI: Thief steals thousands of dollars worth of Pokemon products from WI card shop