It's 'Prosegur Week' on the D&D Daily! Check out today's 'Vendor Spotlight' from Prosegur Security directly beneath the 'Top News' column to learn how LP teams can save up to 74% on certified pre-owned EAS.

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The U.S. Crime Surge
The Retail Impact

Stores Have to Find Balance in ORC Battle
Retailers increasingly vexed by rising "shrink"
The National Retail Federation is out with its 2022 Retail Security Survey. And it says retail "shrink" - which includes problems like theft, gift card fraud and inventory mismanagement - accounted for nearly $95 billion worth of losses last year. That's about $5 billion more than the year before.

Meanwhile, there's been news that Target, Walgreens and other major retailers have closed some locations or shortened store hours because of thefts. The kind of theft that's mostly happening isn't run-of-the-mill shoplifting. It's organized crime, said Mark Mathews at the National Retail Federation.

Maybe you've seen stories about people running into stores and grabbing items in plain sight. Mathews said thieves are usually not so dramatic and much more calculated. "They're smart," he said. "They'll often steal just below the felony threshold. And they're also aiming for certain types of products."

People coming into stores to steal accounts for close to 40% of retail shrink. Nearly 30% is theft by employees.

"It could be theft of product. It could be outright cash theft, credit card fraud, discount products fraudulently to friends," said Karl Langhorst, who teaches retail asset protection at the University of Cincinnati. There are plenty of ways retailers try to prevent theft: more security cameras, software that recognizes strange buying patterns, including at self-checkout.

Langhorst said the most effective method, though, is low-tech. "Let's say it's a clothing store, and [a shopper has] a handful of blue jeans. 'Can I hold those for you at the register until you're ready to check out?'" he explained.

That tells thieves that employees are engaged, which also increases perceived safety for shoppers.

Read Hayes, who directs the Loss Prevention Research Council, said relying too much on security tags and locking up products can create a hostile shopping environment. "The place can become a place that nobody wants to work, that very few want to shop in," Hayes said.

When retailers stop selling certain products or close altogether, he said, the biggest losses are convenience for shoppers and jobs for the community. marketplace.org

Retailers Walking a Tightrope with Self-Checkout Technology
Wegmans yanking its self-checkout app because of theft reveals a fraught quandary for retailers

Retail companies are weighing the benefits of automation against the costs, with consumers' expectations of convenience getting caught in the middle.

By now, self-checkout is old hat at all kinds of supermarkets, convenience stores, and pharmacies. Surveys show consumers' relationship with it is very love-hate, with many presumably enjoying the ease of zipping in and out of stores without having to talk to anyone, but growing annoyed when it takes five minutes to flag down an attendant so they can buy a six-pack of beer.

Amazon has separately pioneered what it calls Just Walk Out technology, in which shoppers are effectively tracked from the moment they walk in by a network of cameras and sensors that record every item they place in their carts (or even stop and look at). Just Walk Out lets customers simply leave when they're done shopping, and Amazon will automatically charge them for everything they grabbed.

Wegmans' system was less invasive than Amazon's, but perhaps at the chain's expense. It acknowledged that users had said "they love the app and convenience it offers." It didn't say how much "shrinkage" had occurred, as theft and waste are euphemistically called by the industry. Data has shown shrinkage for retail establishments (due to both theft and error) is almost twice as high in self-service lanes than in traditional checkout lanes.

Wegmans also didn't say whether it has any way of knowing if the losses were items customers stole intentionally, or items they accidentally forgot to scan-after all, this is hardly muscle memory for most grocery shoppers just yet.

The other big feature is a new line of smart carts that sound like what Wegmans probably wishes it had done: "Caper Carts" are effectively normal shopping carts tricked out with touchscreens, scales, and sensors. Customers drop in their items, which get sized up, weighed, and recorded, and then check out using the tablet connected directly to their cart's handle. They never manually scan anything. fastcompany.com

De-Funding Police Movement's Impact in Portland
Drunk on Theft in Oregon - Liquor Thefts Up 100%+

Amid a spike in shoplifting, liquor stores in the state have become leading targets.

New data from the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission show a huge surge in the shoplifting of alcohol.

In 2021 Oregon's liquor stores reported more than 459 incidents of shoplifting, up from some 266 in 2019, according to our analysis of state data. The trend continues this year as alcohol vendors had reported some 450 shoplifting incidents by the end of July.

Portland accounts for more than half of the alcohol heists. Already this year its liquor stores have reported more than 275 shoplifting incidents by the end of July-more than the entire statewide total in 2019.

In the aftermath of George Floyd's murder, vandals and looters broke into Portland's Pioneer Place Mall, the Apple store, and other businesses. The state's elected officials responded to the riots with legislation that strictly limits when police can use tear gas and other force.

Meanwhile, Portland slashed its 2021 police budget by some $27 million. The city also reduced its authorized sworn police force from 1,001 in 2019 to 882 in 2021. Frustrated with the lack of political support, officers resigned and retired in masse, and the police bureau currently has some 108 vacancies that it's struggling to fill.

The Portland Police Bureau has had to triage its response to crime and encourages theft victims to report the crime online instead of calling 911. "I have never received a follow-up call or a visit for shoplifting," Mr. Miner says. In Oregon, theft of goods worth less than $1,000 is a mere misdemeanor. Thieves are clearly drunk on their impunity. wsj.com

The Impact of Big City Progressives' Soft-on-Crime Policies
Perspective: Democrats' policies on criminal justice are killing the West Coast

They 'reimagined' criminal justice, and the results have been disastrous for law enforcement and for cities

The reforms, championed by Black Lives Matter activists, grew out of a progressive ideology that views criminals as victims - victims of a justice system steeped in white supremacy. The effects have been disastrous, particularly on the West Coast, where a culture of lawlessness has taken hold as police departments have lost funding.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti followed through on his pledge to cut $150 million from the Los Angeles Police Department budget. Violent crime - especially murders - soared. And the department was short some 500 officers in 2021, with the city now experiencing a 2022 recruitment crisis.

In San Francisco, Mayor London Breed cut $120 million from the city's police department. Homicides increased by 17% in 2021 compared to 2020. Rape, larceny, assault and motor vehicle theft are also up according to the SFPD crime dashboard. It's the worst possible time to have a staffing shortage; the department is down 300 officers.

Traditionally safe cities have been hit the hardest in the Pacific Northwest. Homicide rates in and around Seattle and Portland hit historic highs after their police departments were defunded.

The Seattle Police Department experienced a mass exodus, leaving the city short at least 500 officers. Staffing is so low that detectives were pulled from sexual assault cases so they could work patrol, as precincts routinely fail to reach staffing minimums.

Portland is looking for at least 100 new officers after veteran cops quit. Portland Police Association President Sgt. Aaron Schmautz blames, in part, the "180 sustained days of open rioting in 2020" by Antifa and other elements. deseret.com

'Biggest Property Crime Unit in the Region'
Tigard police's unique unit dedicated business crime
The Tigard Police Department just might have the biggest property crime unit in the region, thanks to its unique funding source. It's called the Commercial Crime Unit; the team consists of three detectives and one sergeant who are dedicated to fighting crime for local businesses. If you own a business in Tigard, some of your business license fees fund the positions.

The program has been in place for 14 years in Tigard and city employees say the unit's funding structure is unique among police departments on the west coast, and possibly the nation.

And as other local police departments have, in recent years, struggled to devote resources to fight property crime, Tigard Police's unit has expanded since it started -- their jobs, untouchable, as long as those business license fees pour in.

The detectives investigate fraud, phone scams, fake luxury goods, shoplifting and organized retail crime, among other duties. Recently, detectives showed FOX 12 some of the popular methods used by thieves, such as ATM skimmers and even a money-washing scheme that allows them to alter money.

In Tigard, police say organized retail crime is one of the biggest issues that businesses face. It's these sorts of cases where Mace recently had a victory: A Washington County grand jury recently indicted a suspect on several aggravated theft charges, stemming from $200,000 in stolen merchandise from Target and Fred Meyer, over a period of six months.

"We have loss prevention agents from other counties that will contact us and say 'hey, we could use your guys' help with this.' If we can find a business with a tie to Tigard, then we are all about it," Mace said. msn.com

Minnesota Poll: 54% believe crime has increased the past few years

 

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COVID Update

612.7M Vaccinations Given

US: 97.5M Cases - 1M Dead - 94.1M Recovered
Worldwide: 618.2M Cases - 6.5M Dead - 598.1M Recovered

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 362   Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 796

COVID Cases, Hospitalizations & Deaths

No More Private Sector COVID Vaccine Mandate in NYC
NYC Vax Mandate for Private Sector Ends Nov. 1, Stays for Public Workers
Almost six months after a newish New York City Mayor Eric Adams told people frustrated over ongoing COVID vaccine mandates to get over it, the Democrat is officially pulling the plug on the unprecedented pandemic program -- at least as far as the private sector goes. Adams announced Tuesday that the strictest-in-the-nation COVID vaccine requirements for private businesses will end on Nov. 1. But he said the same rule for municipal employees will stay.

"Our vaccinated workforce kept the city open and operating, with over 300,000 employees it was crucial to put it in place and we're keeping it in place," Adams said. "Our vaccinated workers have carried out their jobs and stepped up when the city needed them the most and we think it's imperative to send the right message and lead by example."

The mayor said lifting the COVID restrictions is intended to provide schools, parents and businesses more flexibility, but the change by no means indicates the city is pulling back on encouraging booster shots and COVID vaccinations for all. nbcnewyork.com

26.6M Remote Workers & Hybrid Work Policies Driving Higher Attendance Rates
Return-to-Workplace Uptick Closely Tied to Use of Hybrid Schedules
"Employees with the ability to work remotely are largely anticipating a hybrid office environment going forward" Gallup reported.

Atlanta; Austin, Texas; San Francisco; Seattle; and Washington, D.C., lead other locations when it comes to a work-from-home lifestyle, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Only about 10 percent of workers in Memphis, Tenn.; El Paso, Texas; and Wichita, Kan., perform their jobs from home.

The Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA) found that organizations with policies allowing for hybrid work have a higher attendance rate than those that do not. "However, for those with hybrid working policies, attendance is far lower than expected, and at best 42 percent," according to the AWA.

Company location may play a part, too. The New York Times reports that most workers in small and midsize U.S. cities have returned to their work commute.

CEOs who want or require their employees to return to the office regularly must earn workers' willingness to commute. shrm.org

$250M COVID Fraud
Feds: 47 charged in 'brazen' $250M COVID spending fraud centered in Minnesota
Federal authorities on Tuesday charged 47 people in what they described as the country's largest COVID-19 funding scam, alleging an elaborate operation that stole at least $250 million in federal funds meant to feed needy children but that went instead to buy cars, luxury goods, jewelry and property in the United States, Kenya and Turkey.  mprnews.org

"It's going to be a worse year than we've seen in the last few years"
Said Dr. Bessey Geevarghese, a pediatric infectious disease physician at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital.

Covid will be a leading cause of U.S. death indefinitely, whether or not pandemic is over

Is the Covid-19 pandemic over? The answer is more art than science

 

RFID Now Top LP Technology Focus - According to 2022 NRSS

The NRF's annual National Retail Security Survey (NRSS), now in its 31st year, has been the #1 research tool for retailers, solution providers and our law enforcement partners, and helps inform policymakers and the media as well.

Conducted this year with the Loss Prevention Research Council with Appriss Retail continuing it's sponsorship, there was an interesting new development that's not appeared before in any of the previous survey's and yet it topped the ranks of new strategies and technologies retailers are either implementing or planning to implement. With 38.6% (25) of the 63 retailers surveyed listing it as their top technology response to mitigating risks.

Figure 18. Retail Loss Prevention Technologies

The greatest percentage of participating retailers reported that they were implementing or planning to implement: (1) RFID systems; (2) AI-based point-of-sale (POS)/self-checkout (SCO) video analytics; (3) license plate recognition; and/or (4) self-service locking cases or lockers. These changes are understandable, given the new risks. For example, RFID has many uses throughout retail, from managing and tracking inventory in the supply chain to maintaining up-to-date in-store inventory records, or identifying and recovering stolen products.

RFID systems 38.6%
AI-based POS/SCO video analytics 29.8%
License plate recognition 19.3%
Self-service locking cases or lockers 17.5%

In many ways, these technological changes represent a shift toward more intelligence based loss prevention practices, as many of the technologies provide more data, and richer data, about offenders and loss events at stores and other facilities.

For years the retailers have been hesitant to make that investment. But with m-commerce and e-commerce competing in real-time, any out-of-stock issues have to be resolved and RFID is the clear solution. So now that the merchants see the benefit and the senior leaders see the sales and shrink improvements, RFID is finally a top priority. -Gus Downing

Platini Fashion Brand Co-Founder Pleads Guilty to Fraud & Conspiracy
L.A. clothing importer admits to skirting $6.4M in tariffs & Doing business with the Sinaloa Cartel
A Los Angeles County clothing brand and wholesale distributor, has agreed to plead guilty to submitting fake customs forms to skirt almost $6.4 million in tariffs over ten years on clothes from China. And to doing business with a woman who has ties to the Sinaloa drug cartel, federal prosecutors said Tuesday.

Ghacham Inc. which does business under the “Platini” brand name, and a company executive, Mohamed Daoud Ghacham, 38, will both plead guilty. Ghacham Inc. also agreed to plead guilty to a conspiracy charge under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. The company admitted to doing business with Maria Tiburcia Cázares Pérez, the sister of Sinaloa cartel figure Victor Emilio Cázares Salazar, who was sentenced in 2016 to 15 years in prison for shipping tons of cocaine from producers in Colombia and Venezuela to Mexico and distributing the drugs throughout the United States.

In 2006, Cázares Pérez and Ghacham Inc. entered into a joint business venture called “Platini Jeans Cougar De Mexico Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada de Capital Variable” or Platini Mexico, proseuctors said.

With their guilty pleas, Ghacham Inc. will face a statutory maximum of a $10.5-million fine and five years’ probation, and Mohamed Ghacham will face up to five years in federal prison. latimes.com

   DOJ press release

$147M Opioid Settlement with Walmart & CVS
W.Va. announces $147M opioid settlement with CVS, Walmart
Walmart and CVS Pharmacy have settled with the state of West Virginia for a combined total of $147 million in a lawsuit over the companies' roles in contributing to the oversupply of prescription drugs that fueled the opioid epidemic in the country's most impacted state, Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced Tuesday.

Walmart and CVS were two lawsuits that were part of a larger trial that was pushed back to June of next year along with Kroger and Walgreens. Morrisey recently announced a settlement with Rite Aid for up to $30 million to resolve similar litigation.

The lawsuits allege the pharmacies' contributions to the oversupply of prescription opioids in the state have caused "significant losses through their past and ongoing medical treatment costs, including for minors born addicted to opioids, rehabilitation costs, naloxone costs, medical examiner expenses, self-funded state insurance costs and other forms of losses to address opioid-related afflictions and loss of lives."

It brings the total settlements by the state in opioid lawsuits to $875 million, including $296 million with manufacturers, $400 million with wholesalers and $177.5 million involving pharmacies.

Walmart agreed to a settlement of just over $65 million and CVS for $82.5 million. Morrisey said the deal with CVS includes a provision that means West Virginia can still receive money from any future national settlements that arise. kktv.com

Home Depot's Unexpected Union Effort
Home Depot workers in Philly petition to unionize, in what could be a national first
Workers at a Home Depot store in Northeast Philadelphia have filed paperwork to unionize - launching an unexpected campaign that, if successful, could mark the largest collective bargaining unit to date at any branch of the global home improvement retailer.

According to a petition filed with the National Board of Labor Relations, the unit seeks representation for 274 merchandising, specialty, and operations associates at the 4640 Roosevelt Blvd. branch under the name Home Depot Workers United.

Vincent Quiles, a store employee who identified as one of the organizing workers, told The Inquirer he delivered a petition with 103 worker signatures to the NLRB on Tuesday after a store manager refused to accept it in person. Quiles said the main concerns of the proposed union are compensation, store staffing, and working conditions, with overall concerns about upper management.

Quiles said the 274 employees listed on his petition did not reflect the number of supportive members but the potential size of the unit he was seeking to organize, which he said was based off employment figures provided by the retailer. fltimes.com

Amazon, Pfizer Among Companies Pledging to Hire 20,000 Refugees

Major U.S. companies will help integrate recent wave of Afghans and Ukrainians

Tent Partnership for Refugees, which is pressing corporations to hire refugees said Monday in NYC that the pledges reflect a growing awareness by U.S. companies that hiring refugees benefits their business. It said research shows that consumers value ethical behavior and refugees make more loyal employees.

More than 100 major U.S. companies have signed up to join the Tent Partnership network.

Major companies such as Amazon.com Inc., Walmart Inc. and Uber Technologies Inc. have emerged as key destinations for Afghans and other refugees looking for their first job in America. U.S. companies also committed to providing training resources and internship opportunities for thousands of refugees. In total, 45 companies made announcements. wsj.com

Time to Review Workplace Romance Policies
Amid Remote Work, Romance and Risk Persist
While it's true that many people date their coworkers and sometimes end up marrying those whom they get to know in the workplace, HR specialists say navigating workplace romance is among their toughest assignments. That's because the issue involves weighing fairness against people's right to privacy and the possibility of legal liability for the company if things go awry.

Indeed, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) research shows something unexpected: Even as more workers went remote, the number of workplace romances rose during the pandemic. One-third of U.S. employees are currently involved or have been romantically involved with a coworker, up from the 27 percent who reported workplace romances before the public health crisis began. So, this is a good time for business leaders to revisit their company policies on workplace romance, experts say, especially since many of those policies are lacking. asisonline.org

Gap Is Cutting 500 Corporate Jobs
The Gap job cuts follow recent corporate layoffs at other retailers, including Walmart Inc., Abercrombie & Fitch Co., and Stitch Fix Inc. In addition, Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. has said it plans to shrink its corporate ranks amid a deep sales slump. wsj.com

Twilio announces 11% of employees will lose jobs in 'Anti-Racist' layoffs
Twilio CEO Jeff Lawson announced in a message to all employees that 11% of its workforce would be laid off, stating that they made the layoffs through an "Anti-Racist" and "Anti-Oppression" lens.

Ralph Lauren to open 250 stores in the next 3 years

Home Depot Strengthens Networks to Support Hardware Refresh


Quarterly Results

Casey's General Stores Q1 in store comp's up 6.3%, total revenue up 40%
 

Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Director Asset Protection job posted for Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin & Metropolitan Chicago in Milwaukee, WI
Develops long- and short-term business strategies (3-5 years), and oversees implementation for safety and security across all Retail Facilities. This position is also developing and implementing asset protection business plans for stores, warehouse facilities and the supply chain to prevent and detect internal and external theft. recruiting2.ultipro.com
 

Good News: 75% Now Using Multifactor Authentication
Bad News: Survey Shows CISOs Losing Confidence in Ability to Stop Ransomware Attacks

Despite an 86% surge in budget resources to defend against ransomware, 90% of orgs were impacted by attacks last year, a survey reveals.

An annual survey of CISOs from Canada, the UK, and US reveals that security teams are starting to lose hope that they can defend against the next ransomware attack.

The survey was conducted by SpyCloud, and it showed that although budgets to protect against cyberattacks have swelled by 86%, a full 90% of organizations surveyed said they had been impacted by a ransomware over the past year.

"Additionally, more organizations have implemented 'Plan B' measures this year, from opening cryptocurrency accounts to purchasing ransomware insurance riders," the SpyCloud ransomware report said. "These findings suggest that organizations realize threats are slipping through their defenses and a ransomware attack is inevitable."

The survey did show some bright spots on the cybersecurity front - nearly three-quarters of those organizations surveyed are using multifactor authentication (MFA), with an increase from 44% to 73% year-over-year. The report added that respondents said they are focused on stopping credential-stealing malware, particularly on unmanaged network devices. darkreading.com

'Growing Technological & Cybersecurity Threat Posed by China'
Commerce lacks intelligence resources to keep U.S. tech from fueling Chinese cyberthreat, experts warn
The Commerce Department unit that approves sensitive U.S. technology exports does not have the intelligence resources to fully realize the national security consequences of selling advanced equipment and software to China, several experts and a former agency official told CyberScoop.

These critics are especially alarmed by the high percentage of technology approved for the Chinese market and question whether the Bureau of Industry and Security has the staffing and Intelligence Community connections to carry out its mission to safeguard U.S. national security and protect economic interests.  cyberscoop.com

Making the Most of Cybersecurity Spending
Quantifying ROI in Cybersecurity Spending

In cybersecurity, there are too many variables on both the attack and defense sides to easily calculate ROI for specific spends

You cannot separate cost and value in business: value is used to justify cost. Business value is measured by the return on investment (ROI) from cost. By understanding current ROI it is easier to justify future cost because you know the value. But this is a problem: how do you measure or quantify ROI in cybersecurity spend?

The problem

"A good day in security is when nothing bad happens," says Sounil Yu, CISO at JupiterOne. The problem for understanding ROI is why did nothing bad happen? Was it luck, and on that day, you were not attacked by an elite hacker? Was it because you maintain a thorough patching program? Was it because of one or more of your cybersecurity controls - but which one or ones were successful, and how much cost to the firm did they prevent? None of these is easy to explain or quantify if nothing bad happened.

But, continues Yu, "Calculating some form of value from security expenditures becomes necessary for security leaders to differentiate luck from skill." This is important information to convey to the board or whoever controls the security budget.

Some areas can be quantified

Not all elements of an ROI calculation are impossible - for example, the cost of specific failure in certain areas. "There are areas where you can quantify losses, making the cost of mitigating controls realistic," says Rick Holland, CISO and VP of strategy at Digital Shadows. He cites the cost of lost revenue if an ecommerce site is forced offline (which can be used to justify DDoS mitigation spend); while B2C companies can forecast the impact of stolen credentials (justifying spend on enhanced authentication solutions).

Taking this approach to its logical conclusion, the CISO can approach the board with a total cost of cybersecurity failure and a budget request to mitigate all loss. It's a nice idea, but one that won't float. The board will not entertain total failure, but will demand to know the likelihood of individual failures.  securityweek.com

Spell-Checking in Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge Browsers Leaks Passwords

Beware of Phish: American Airlines, Revolut Data Breaches Expose Customer Info

Canada Facing Same Crime Concerns as U.S.
Prolific offenders, bail, crime rates: BC Prosecution Service weighs in on public safety concerns
The head of the BC Prosecution Service has weighed in on the conversation swirling in cities around the province about crime and public safety, saying "the system is not broken."

In a statement released earlier this month, Peter Juk QC, who is also the province's assistant deputy attorney general, addressed a number of issues that have been the focus of debate and discussion, responding to what he describes as "recent criticism" of the criminal justice system and its efficacy.

"Politicians at all levels, along with some police officers, members of the public, and media outlets have voiced repeated concerns about public safety, 'prolific offenders,' and random acts of violence. This appears to have led to perceptions that the overall crime rate is up across British Columbia," he wrote.

Juk noted that these conversations are happening in the broader context of the overlapping crises of the COVID-19 pandemic, an unabated increase in toxic drug deaths, increasing homelessness, persistent housing unaffordability and a strained social service and mental health system. He also notes voters in municipalities across the province are set to go to the polls in October.

"When other sectors of society appear challenged or overwhelmed, citizens tend to look to the criminal justice system to fill the gaps," he wrote.

"Although it has a critical role to play and must inevitably be part of society's response, the criminal justice system acting alone lacks the capacity, the tools, and the legal authority to remedy underlying social problems and to fill all the gaps left by other sectors of society."

After outlining the role of the BCPS and the legal standard for approving criminal charges, Juk turned his attention to the hot-button issues of "prolific offenders," the bail process, and crime rates.  bc.ctvnews.ca

Solving the Out-of-Stock Nemesis
Walmart Canada Brings AI to Shelf Edge

Partnership with Focal Systems set to roll out nationwide

After a successful pilot program at 70 stores, Walmart Canada is expanding its partnership with software company Focal Systems to bring a computer vision artificial intelligence (AI) solution to stores throughout the country. The technology will help the retailer detect low-stock or out-of-stock products in real time.

Focal Systems' solution is integrated with Walmart Canada's existing inventory systems to automatically detect availability concerns and direct store teams to replenish products. The retailer is one of the first in Canada to deploy this type of technology for on-shelf availability.

Megan Osborne, a store manager at one of the pilot locations, said her associates are excited to work with Focal Systems' technology and that it's been a "game-changer" in her store.

"With this bold step, Walmart is driving this industry forward in AI-adoption and retail automation, challenging the status-quo on availability, customer experience, and employee satisfaction," shared Francois Chaubard, CEO of Burlingame, Calif.-based Focal Systems. "Walmart is raising the bar, and we are inspired to help in any way we can. Focal is thrilled to be a key part of Walmart's store digitization efforts nationwide!"

Walmart Canada operates a chain of more than 400 stores nationwide serving 1.5 million customers each day. Walmart Canada is No. 23 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer's 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America, while Walmart U.S. is No. 1. progressivegrocer.com

1st Ever Walmart Quebec Fulfillment Center
Walmart Announces 1st-Ever Fulfillment Centre in Quebec with $100m Investment
Retail giant Walmart Canada is building its first-ever fulfillment centre in Quebec which is a $100-million delivery hub for Quebec and Atlantic Canada customers and part of the retailer's plans to invest $1 billion in infrastructure this year. That includes about $330 million in a record number of store renovations this year. retail-insider.com

Toronto's Yonge & St Clair Area Seeing Major Developments with New Retailers

Hurricane Fiona track veers back toward Atlantic Canada
 

Indianapolis, IN: 12 men accused of operating "highly organized" cellphone theft ring in downtown Minneapolis
Investigators say thieves worked together to steal phones from people in downtown Minneapolis, then used apps to take hundreds of thousands of dollars. "You feel very violated when someone is going through your phone," Minneapolis resident Kory said. He believes he was a victim of an elaborate cellphone theft ring that targeted dozens of victims across the city over the span of a year. He said his iPhone was stolen while he was out with friends at The Saloon in downtown Minneapolis in January. "Before I knew it my phone was gone and he had locked me out of everything, and had venomed and stolen from my crypto currencies," he said.

They drained $15,000 from his apps, which his bank eventually covered. "The fact they had gotten into my accounts, it was very stressful," he said. He wasn't alone. Victims across downtown Minneapolis and Dinkytown were targeted in the scene. On Tuesday, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office charged 12 people for their involvement. According to charging documents, most victims were targeted as they left bars while waiting for a ride. Sometimes the suspects were aggressive and left the victims with injuries. Other times they were friendly and asked to borrow their phone or add them on social media. In both cases, they would make sure the victim unlocked their phone, prosecutors said. Investigators said they transferred cash and crypto currency to themselves or others in the organization using mobile apps like Venmo, Zelle and Coinbase. Total losses from more than 40 victims topped $300,000, they said. cbsnews.com

Grand Island, NE: Where's the beef? Police search for trailers, cargo valued at $750K
Warehouses and storage facilities in one Nebraska city may want to look into "beefing" up security after another high-dollar meat theft has was reported. Police in Grand Island, Neb., are investigating the theft of three trailers full of meat. The trio of trailers were carrying meat from the Gibbon Packing Co. - a division of the American Foods Group LLC. The total value of all three trailers and cargo has been valued at just over $750,000. Authorities say all three trailers were stolen from the AmeriCold Logistics cold storage facility between Sept. 16-18. The first two trailers were reported stolen on Sept. 16 in the early evening after a driver noticed the two trailers and the cargos had been stolen. The third trailer was reported missing on Sept. 18. Police believe that all three incidents occurred on Friday, Sept. 16. Capt. Jim Duering of the Grand Island Police told KSNB news they have not recovered the trailers or missing cargo. There are no suspects at this time. However, Duering said the department does have some video surveillance footage they are examining for possible leads. This is the second high-dollar meat theft to occur in Grand Island in a matter of months. In late June, two semis and three trailers were reported stolen in the area. While two of the three trailers were recovered in that incident, Duering told Land Line that no arrests have been made in the case. landline.media

East Hampton, NY: Update: Third Defendant in Balenciaga Snatch-and-Grab Theft Pleads Guilty
A third defendant in the five-person swarm, snatch and run theft at Balenciaga in East Hampton Village on March 3 has pleaded guilty to grand larceny and possession of stolen property, both felonies. Jamal Johns, 26, will be sentenced to 3 ½ to 7 years in state prison on October 17 in a deal agreed to on Tuesday by Justice Anthony Senft. Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney James O'Rourke had asked for a 5-to-10-year sentence. The haul of couture handbags stolen netted the thieves about $94,000 in property, albeit for just a few hours. The three who have pleaded guilty, along with another codefendant, Ali Harris - who is in custody, waiting for his case to be adjudicated - and a fifth, female participant who remains at large, were cornered by police several hours after the crime when their getaway vehicle broke down. All four of those arrested were from Newark, New Jersey. Police are actively seeking the fifth suspect. 27east.com

Crete, IL: Criminals use Vehicle to ram Gun Store in Burglary attempt
Extensive security measures prevented thieves from obtaining guns or ammunition at a gun supply store Tuesday morning. According to Crete Police, the robbery attempt took place at 2:30 a.m. when police were called to Asgard Arms at at 548 First St. Officers arriving at the scene noticed a car had run into the store front of the business. Upon arrival officers observed a vehicle crashed into the side of the building. Video surveillance was obtained of the incident. Upon further investigation it was revealed that (5) suspects had purposely used the vehicle to "ram" the wall of the building to gain access.  countryherald.com

Sebastian, FL: 2 men steal TV from Walmart before going to Taco Bell
What did two men do after trying to steal a 75-inch television at the Walmart store in Sebastian, Florida? They went next door to Taco Bell. The Sebastian Police Department received a call from a store employee about two men who tried to load a large television in a black Cadillac Escalade, which fell out as they drove away. Officers located the SUV at the fast-food restaurant and questioned the two men. During questioning, the police discovered another television in the back of the vehicle.

Miguel Shane Waddell, 23, and Ramone Javonie Carl Waddell, 21, both from Palm Bay, said they were trying to return the TV at Walmart. They showed the officers a receipt from the Palm Bay Walmart and denied stealing the television. A Walmart loss prevention officer told the police the two men were observed in the store attempting to leave with another television, similar to the one they already had in the SUV, valued at $796.00. As they approached the exit, a store employee asked them for a receipt. They told the employee the TV was a return and walked towards the customer service area.

Soon after, they exited the store and pushed the television into the vehicle, yelling, "go go go" to one another as the loss prevention officer was following them. However, as the vehicle was leaving, the TV fell out of the rear because the door wasn't closed. The two subjects then drove next door to Taco Bell, where officers located them. The two men were charged with grand theft and transported to the Indian River County Jail, where their bond was set at $5,000 each. sebastiandaily.com

Update: Orange, CA: Video shows thieves ripping phones from walls during smash-and-grab at T-Mobile store in Orange
Customers at a T-Mobile store in Orange got caught in the middle of an alarming smash-and-grab that was caught on video in which two men stole thousands of dollars' worth of phones. It happened at the store located at 3320 East Chapman Ave. just before 6:30 p.m. on Monday. Video shows two men dressed in black rushing into the store and heading straight toward the area where the more expensive phones were displayed. The two men are seen grabbing the phones and ripping cords from the wall. Police said the two suspects got away. The total amount of merchandise they got away with is unknown.  abc7.com

Lock Haven, PA: Man charged with 3rd strike Felony theft for Bic lighter
A 22-year-old Lock Haven woman was arrested and charged with trespassing after returning to the Nittany Minit Mart. Woodward Township Police were called to the convenience store on Sept. 20 where they found Desirea Jordan sitting behind the Nittany Minit Mart building. Jordan allegedly entered an employees only portion of the store before fleeing, police said. She was told during a previous incident in June that if she returned to the store she would be charged with trespassing. According to police, during the recent incident Jordan pulled out a BIC brand cigarette lighter, valued at $2.11, and admitted to stealing it from the store. The statement was confirmed after police viewed store security footage. This was Jordan's third retail theft offence meaning, no matter the value of the merchandise, it was graded as a third degree felony, police said. Jordan was taken into custody and arraigned before District Judge Keith Kibler. lockhaven.com

Cranston, RI: Police looking for $1200 Walmart thief that has stole at other locations
According to police, on August 24th of this year, who worked together with a man, stole $1257 of KitchenAid mixers from Walmart in Cranston.

Falls Church, VA: $40,000 worth of comic books stolen from store

Gloucester Township, NJ: Police seek help identifying man accused of robbing Lowe's store of $1300 in merchandise