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America's #2 Retailer - Kroger's AP Efforts Paying Off
Appoints 1st VP AP, April 2017

With nearly 2,800 stores in 35 states under two dozen banners & annual sales
of more than $115.3 billion, Kroger today ranks as one of the world's largest retailers


Kroger's New Investment On 1st VP of AP Role in April 2017
Paying Off - Here's the Proof
Kroger CFO, Mike Schlotman, Calls Out & Recognizes Continuous Shrink Improvement In Last 3 Quarterly Results Calls
Quarterly & Full Year Results Conference Call Transcripts With Shareholders & Media

March 8, 2018 - Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2017 Results Prepared Remarks: "We are also pleased that shrink continued its steady improvement throughout the year with good results in the fourth quarter."

June 21,2018 - Q1 2018 Earnings Release Prepared Remarks: "A big focus continues to be on store productivity and waste. Our teams controlled shrink well in the first quarter. As we've said before, we won't leave a penny on the table as we seek to reinvest savings to grow our business."

Sept. 13, 2018 - Q2 2018 Earnings Release Prepared Remarks: "Looking at gross margin, we were pleased to see that our shrink rate continued to improve during the second quarter."

Shrink improvement and waste has been a major focus at Kroger. Which is why they staffed a Vice President level position, Mike Lamb in April 2017. Their first ever VP level AP executive in their long history.

Prior to that they had two Director level executives splitting responsibilities. With one, the Dir. of LP position, also being Kroger's first ever Dir. of LP role they staffed in Jan. 2008.

With one Dir. covering shrink in a shortage control and merchandise protection type function and the other covering Loss Prevention with an emphasis on security, front end shortages (rolled out first EBR program) , store audits, standardizing field job functions, and managing Kroger's in-house central station alarm operations.

The new Vice President role combined the two corporate functions in one position and started standardizing, refining, and broadening the AP processes throughout the company.

With the twenty two banners operating totally independently in a decentralized organization this made the standardization efforts even more difficult to accomplishment.

However they've been very successful in redefining the AP functions, increasing the impact, and gaining company wide support.

With the comments being made over the last three quarterly and full year conference calls by the CFO, they're seeing some significant and continuous shrink improvement, which is obviously a reflection of the new corporate leadership, new structure, and the entire AP team's efforts throughout all of the divisions. It's great to see a new officer level position in the AP community having such an impact.  ir.korger.com

Rarely Seen Recognition of the LP/AP Efforts Mentioned in Financial Results Conference Calls
Share Yours with the LP/AP Community - Great For All of the LP/AP Teams & Retail Industry to See

We don't see it often but when we do it deserves to be called out to the industry and to the LP/AP Teams across America. As it's a strong positive reflection for the entire industry and establishes a goal for every team throughout retail.  And obviously it's great to acknowledge all the work and efforts the Kroger AP team and leadership team has made.

So if your department is complimented and recognized in your company's financial results/transcripts let us know and we'll share it with the community. As it reflects on the entire industry. Just a thought.
-Gus Downing



 


 

 

Barry Brown, CFI named Director of Loss Prevention for MadRag/10Spot
Prior to taking the role of Director of Loss Prevention for MadRag/10Spot, Barry spent more than two decades at Burlington Coat Factory as a Regional Loss Prevention Manager. Before that, he was a Detective for the NYPD for nearly nine years. He also studied Criminal Justice/Police Science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Congratulations, Barry!

Submit Your New Corporate Hires/Promotions or New Position







California continues risky experiments with public safety
California's most damaging creation, Senate Bill 10, ends bail in California

Instead of cash bail, criminal courts will conduct "risk assessments" to determine whether an offender should be held until trial or released back into the community. This experimental bail system jeopardizes the safety of our neighborhoods, making it even easier for criminals to evade justice.

How will this new process work? Would every arraignment become a trial where experts have to testify and who would pay for it? Why would anyone appear in court if there is no cash bail? No one knows - not even supporters.

Proponents say that most nonviolent misdemeanor offenders will be back on the street within 12 hours. The rest? Their fate will be determined by a computer algorithm created by each court.

Contained in a vacuum, California might be able to withstand the criminal onslaught during the experimental fine-tuning stage of this new bail algorithm. But, this isn't the only ongoing public safety experiment in California. Under Assembly Bill 1810, convicted criminals with any type of mental disorder can wipe the slate clean after completing a two-year diversion program.

Residents of Garden Grove recently witnessed a brazen snatch-and-grab job at a Garden Grove cell phone store - in broad daylight. Criminals are thumbing their noses as they think they can get away with crimes such as petty theft here in California, thanks to state politicians.

Law-abiding citizens must speak up and make our voices heard. Thankfully, in California we are able to have a direct check on this out of control behavior through the initiative and referen-dum process

For starters, support the Reducing Crime and Keeping California Safe Act. Scheduled to be on the November 2020 ballot. the initiative would reign in some of the damage done by Prop. 47, Prop. 57 and AB109. This common-sense proposal would reclassify current "non-violent" crimes like rape of an unconscious person, trafficking of a child for sex, assault of a peace officer, felony domestic violence and other similar charges just as violent, making perpetrators ineligible for early release after committing these heinous acts. Other components of the initiative will fix problems with DNA collection, serial theft, parole violations and other issues caused by Sacramento's ill-conceived attack on our criminal justice system. presstelegram.com

Former Rite Aid Vice President & Atlanta Business Owners
Charged In 22 year - $5.7 Million Vendor Kick-Back Scheme

James W. Pilsner, age 60, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was charged in a criminal information filed on September 20, 2018, with one count of wire fraud and one count of federal income tax evasion. The criminal information alleges that Pilsner, a former Vice President for Advertising for Rite Aid, engaged in a kick-back scheme with Larry Nuckols and Vance Taylor, the owners of Nuvision, Inc., an Atlanta, Georgia based company, between 1995 and August of 2017.

Pilsner entered into an agreement with Nuckols and Taylor whereby Pilsner would approve Nuvision's invoices, some of which were false and inflated, for payment. In exchange, Nuckols and Taylor would "kick-back" a significant portion of Rite Aid's payments to Pilsner.

The criminal information alleges that between 2001 and August of 2017, Rite Aid paid Nuvision approximately $45.3 million dollars. Pilsner allegedly received no less than $5,124,862 in kick-backs over that time period, with another $634,300 paid to other Rite Aid employees designated by Pilsner.

Larry D. Nuckols, age 69 of Valdosta, Georgia, is also charged in the same criminal information as Pilsner with one count of wire fraud. Vance Taylor, age 71, of Acworth, Georgia, also owner of Nuvision, was indicted on September 19, 2018, by a federal grand jury and charged with 40 counts of mail fraud, wire fraud and unlawful monetary transactions.

The maximum penalty under federal law for Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. justice.gov

Editor's Note: The obvious question is who are the "other Rite Aid employees designated by Pilsner" that were paid the $634,300?

Owner of Four New York City Pharmacies Charged in Scheme to Defraud Medicare and Medicaid For $7.9M


PetSmart In the Crosshairs
Talk About Social Media Impact & Brand Reputation

At Least 47 Dogs Die Shortly After Grooming at PetSmart in 14 States
Facebook Group Numbers in Tens of Thousands
A new investigation is raising questions about the safety of dogs at PetSmart.

An NJ Advance Media investigation documented 47 cases across 14 states since 2008 in which families claim they took their dog to the nation's leading pet retailer for a grooming - everything from a nail clipping to a haircut - only to have it die during or shortly after the visit.

Most cases - 32 in total - occurred after the start of 2015, the same year the company was bought out by a private equity firm. But those numbers are hardly a definitive accounting of deaths because very few groomers are required to publicly report them.

PetSmart, which fiercely defends its safety record, has not admitted wrongdoing in any of the deaths reviewed by NJ Advance Media.

But the nine-month investigation found deaths during or after groomings at PetSmart stores - once portrayed by company officials as "entirely separate and unrelated" anomalies - appear to happen far more frequently than customers and the general public know.

At the same time, rising awareness already has PetSmart in the crosshairs on social media. Tens of thousands of people in recent months have organized on Facebook, and customers have shared their stories and criticized the company.

Some former employees allege PetSmart's groomer training - which the company touts as the industry's very best - can fall short of what's advertised. They say they have seen unprepared trainees rushed into stores because of short-staffing, putting dogs at greater risk of injury. Read the Rest of Story

'Time'Article & Video - PetSmart Story
47 Dog Deaths After Grooming at PetSmart Documented, But Link Uncertain

Over the past decade 47 dogs have died across the U.S. during grooming, or within days of showing signs of ill health after grooming, at the nation's leading pet retailer, a New Jersey news organization reports, though what the numbers mean is uncertain.

NJ.com said that its count is based on reports by PetSmart customers in 14 states, and said it is not definitive because there is little public accounting of such deaths, and no state requires all individual groomers to be licensed.

PetSmart does millions of groomings a year, so the deaths cited represent only a tiny fraction of the pets it works with.

And because of a lack of data, NJ.com said it was impossible to determine if the rate of deaths during or immediately after grooming at PetSmart is higher or lower than at other groomers. time.com

PetSmart Press Release
Response to NJ.com Story

The death of a pet is always heart breaking. As a company of pet lovers who are dedicated to the health and happiness of all pets, we empathize with these grieving families. Nevertheless, we are not aware of any evidence suggesting that PetSmart services caused the deaths of these pets. Read Full PetSmart Press release. petsmartcorporate.com

According to Multiple Third Party Sources
PetSmart Could be Facing Massive Downsizing or Altogether Bankruptcy is Imminent

This past June PetSmart Inc, the largest U.S. pet retailer, has hired restructuring advisers to explore ways to trim its debt pile of more than $8 billion as it continues to face falling profits, according to people familiar with the matter. The move comes as PetSmart's debt trades at a deep discount to its full value amid concerns the brick-and-mortar retailer's big bet on online commerce has yet to pay off. PetSmart told investors in its bonds on Monday it would move part of its ownership of e-commerce website Chewy Inc away from the reach of its creditors. reuters.com


John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan
College professors allegedly sold drugs, 'pimped' out students
4 Professors placed on administrative leave - allegations of drug sales & sexual misconduct
#1 for CJ Degrees in NYC Area - School of Choice for Law Enforcement & Retail LP

Veteran professors at the Manhattan school renowned for training future crime-fighters ran a lawless den of depravity called "the swamp," where they allegedly used and sold drugs, and "pimped" out and sexually preyed on students, according to two women at the center of a widening scandal at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

State authorities are investigating allegations that several longtime professors at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan committed a wide range of crimes and other misconduct, according to documents and people briefed on the inquiry. The allegations include the use and sale of drugs on campus, the attempt to coerce women into prostitution, and rape.

Most of the professors named in two complaints filed with the college have been longtime fixtures in John Jay's anthropology and sociology departments who have done extensive research on the history of drug use and prostitution.

The allegations, if proven, would suggest that a small group of faculty at the Midtown campus, long the choice of police and correction officers and others in law enforcement, presided over an academic underworld. Drug use and sex were said to be common in the offices of some professors and in an area known as "the Swamp" in one of the school's buildings.

One women compliant first told their story to The New York Post, which published their account on Saturday. nytimes.com nypost.com


"Employers Asleep at the Wheel"
The Opioid Epidemic Affecting 70% of all Businesses
Going Beyond the Blue Light Special


"Employers have been asleep at the wheel"
Workplace Overdose Deaths Increasing 25% Annually Since 2010
Workers Overdose on the Job, and Employers Struggle to Respond

As the opioid epidemic continues to rage across the country, with a record 72,000 drug overdose deaths estimated in 2017, the fallout is increasingly manifesting itself at construction sites, factories, warehouses, offices and other workplaces. A stunning 70 percent of employers reported that their businesses had been affected by prescription drug abuse, including absenteeism, positive drug tests, injuries, accidents and overdoses, according to a 2017 survey by the National Safety Council, a research and advocacy organization.

At least 217 workers died from an unintentional drug or alcohol overdose while at work in 2016, up 32 percent from 2015, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Workplace overdose deaths have been increasing by 25 percent or more a year since 2010. Those numbers don't include the many more overdoses that don't end in death or accidents caused primarily or partly by drug impairment.

Incident reports from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration paint a grim national picture of workplace overdose deaths: a Sam's Club worker who died while stocking shelves in a Texas warehouse.

But despite the growing problem, many employers have turned a blind eye to addiction within their work force, ill-equipped or unwilling to confront a complicated issue they do not know how to address, according to researchers and business executives. nytimes.com

The Problem: Injection Drug Use in Public Bathrooms in Service Industry
National Institute of Health Develops Opioid Overdose Response
& Naloxone Administration Program for Service Industry Employees
Trains 18 Mgr.'s & Employees at Coffee Shops in Brooklyn & Manhattan

Feeling confident and equipped: Evaluating the acceptability and efficacy of an overdose response and naloxone administration intervention to service industry employees in New York City.

Background

The problem of injection drug use in public bathrooms has been documented from the perspectives of people who inject drugs and service industry employees (SIEs). Previous studies suggest that SIEs are unaware of how to respond to opioid overdoses, yet there are no behavioral interventions designed for SIEs to address their specific needs. In response to this gap in the field, we constructed, implemented and evaluated a three-module behavioral intervention for SIEs grounded in the Information-Motivational-Behavioral skills model. This paper focuses on the evaluation of one module, namely, the intervention component addressing overdose response and naloxone administration (ORNA).

Conclusions

This study highlights the acceptability and evidence of efficacy of the ORNA module, as well as the utility of training SIEs in ORNA. The expansion of this training to other SIEs and public employees (librarians, etc.) who manage public bathrooms warrants further investigation. drugandalcoholdependence.com

Public Bathrooms Become Ground Zero In The Opioid Epidemic
During an epidemic, you might think public health officials would issue safety practices for bathrooms but there's very little discussion of the problem in public. Here's why.

"It's against federal and state law to provide a space where people can use knowingly, so that is a big deterrent from people talking about this problem," says Dr. Alex Walley, director of the addiction medicine fellowship at Boston Medical Center.

Without some guidance, more libraries, town halls and businesses are closing their bathrooms to the public. That means more drug use, injuries and discarded needles in parks and on city streets. wbur.org

Public bathrooms become clandestine epicenter of opioid crisis
Safe Injection Sites Coming to San Fran, New York, Seattle & Philadelphia

Experts say the seclusion afforded by these spaces makes them dangerous, especially as fentanyl has increased the potency of heroin to unpredictably strong levels. "(Using drugs in public bathrooms) is a common occurrence because people want some kind of privacy to inject,"

In response, some building managers have restricted access to their bathrooms, tried design tweaks to discourage drug use or equipped their security guards with naloxone, the overdose-reversing medication.

But Chicago activists say it's time for a bolder step - the creation of government-sanctioned facilities where users can consume drugs under medical supervision.

Brett Wolfson-Stofko, a public health researcher with the National Development and Research Institutes in New York who has examined drug use in public bathrooms, said business owners are in a tough spot. If they're too restrictive, they risk discrimination complaints. If they turn a blind eye, bad things can happen.

"They can lose customers because of what's happening in their bathrooms," he said. "The staff is also at a lot of risk for needle sticks and other things. The business community is a stakeholder in all this."

Businesses also face liability concerns. After Altop died in the White Castle bathroom, her family sued the company for negligence, and in January the restaurant chain settled the case for $120,000.

Jamie Richardson, a White Castle vice president, said the restaurants are installing keypad locks on their bathroom doors; customers will have to get the code at the front counter. That will allow employees to know when someone is inside, he said, and eliminate issues with lost or defective keys.

The company has also educated its managers about overdose awareness and worked with police to keep abreast of drug problems in areas near its restaurants, he said.

In Boston, the public health commission has alerted business owners about the danger of overdoses.

It has handed out posters that say, "Check your restrooms: Your actions could help save a life," and offered to train employees to use naloxone.

Some say the best solution is to establish "safe consumption sites" - places where people can take drugs without fear of arrest, and where trained staff can revive them if they overdose.

Such centers already exist in Canada and some European countries, and San Francisco is poised to open the first in the U.S. later this year. New York, Seattle and Philadelphia have announced their intentions to begin similar services. chicagotribune.com


Canada's Biggest Drug Store Chain - Shoppers Drug Mart Gets Medical Pot License
First Step in Retail Mainstreet Selling Pot - Too Much Money at Stake
Shoppers Parent Loblaw Wants to Sell Recreational Pot

This comes after Shoppers in October 2016 applied to Health Canada to become a licensed medical marijuana producer. Although now they say they have no interest in producing medical marijuana.

"As trusted medication experts, we believe pharmacists have an important role to play in the safe and informed use of medical cannabis, and this is the first step in our journey to provide medical cannabis to our patients," said Loblaw spokeswoman Catherine Thomas in an emailed statement. "We will share more information about our plans in the coming weeks."

Shoppers' parent company, Loblaw Companies Ltd., is also looking to sell recreational pot once in Newfoundland and Labrador once it is legal nationally on Oct. 17. The grocery conglomerate's applications for several locations were among those on a list of potential licensed cannabis retailers selected by Cannabis NL, the provincial body handling pot sales. financialpost.com

Travel still dangerous in flooded areas of North Carolina
Gov. Roy Cooper said nine of the state's river gauges are at major flood stage and four others are at moderate stage, while parts of Interstates 95 and 40 will remain underwater for another week or more. Emergency management officials said residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed will begin moving into hotel rooms next week.

South Carolina also has ordered more evacuations as rivers continue to rise in the aftermath of a storm that has claimed at least 43 lives since slamming into the coast more than a week ago. msn.com

Some retailers paying up to 10X more than regular rates for shipping
Driver shortage is driving up rates and consumer demand and expectations has retailers scrambling. Editor's Note: Which may also increase risk and exposure. With everything moving faster, more rookie drivers, new freight carriers, new and creative delivery methods such using store associates, such is the case at Walmart, the risk will increase. Both from a loss and insurance standpoint. Less training, less experience, more accidents. chainestoreage.com


Retail Cash Strategy Summit, Nov. 1st, 2018, Hyatt Atlanta Midtown

Supervalu to sell 19 of its 36 Shop 'n Save Supermarkets to Schnucks

Huge retail and hotel project moves forward in Times Square
 

Last week's #1 article --

Bankrupt retailer Claire's says time's up for alternative reorg plan

 


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This smart robot packs potential for large retailers
The GAP has smart robots in two warehouses now

Huge retail warehouse market seen for the Sort system, made by Canada's Kindred Systems Inc. The man-machine hybrid features a robot arm and a grasping technology powered by reinforcement learning and, yes, that means it learns from humans.

"Manufacturing robots are pretty dumb," he says. "People need smart robots" to sort customer orders in the Walmart online warehouses.

"All of these retailers have woken up to the fact that the biggest existential threat to their business is they just can't find people to do the job."

The Sort system is something of a man-machine hybrid that incorporates a robot arm and a grasping technology that is powered by reinforcement learning.

The arm uses sensors to identify products in a sorting bin. Kindred's "AutoGrasp" algorithm then determines the best grip angles and pressure for the arm to use. It also calculates the proper movement path to take so that the arm doesn't hit other items and drop what it's holding. Finally, the algorithm tells the robot where to place its cargo.

But, because retail products come in various shapes, sizes and forms, the Sort robot does often encounter situations in which it doesn't know what to do. In such cases, it calls in a human operator in Toronto, employed by Kindred, who can take over remotely and execute the proper sorting.

"Each time it executes its task, whether it's successful or not, it learns from that," he says. "Our human is being piped in only 20 per cent of the time." theglobeandmail.com

6 Security Training Hacks to Increase Cyber IQ Org-Wide
Move beyond generic, annual security awareness training with these important tips.

Some of security's toughest nuts to crack are the vulnerabilities introduced by the human element. Users are duped by phishers every day. IT operations staff configure infrastructure insecurely over and over again. Developers repeatedly write code in the same insecure fashion. Executives are tricked by business email compromises into wiring large sums of money directly to crooks. And IT security staff is asked to carry out near impossible feats of digital protection because they themselves are poorly trained to set up the tools and practices they need to keep up with attackers.

Security pundits agree that if organizations are going to make a real dent on cyber-risk, they need to start taking security training to the next level. Here are six suggestions for moving beyond generic annual awareness training and truly increasing cybersecurity IQ across the entire organization.

Continuously Train to Boost Security Culture If organizations are going to mitigate the human factor among their general user base, they need to create a culture of security. Step one of establishing that culture is by adopting a continuous training approach. "Creating an awareness and training program that provides continuous education and testing throughout the year is imperative for creating a first line of defense,"

Put Training to the Test organizations also need to stress test that training and track how effective it truly is at turning employees into the first line of defense for security. A security policy and security awareness training is a start, but you have to test your employees regularly with social engineering tactics to make sure that they are following policy and provide additional training when necessary.

Consider More Specialized User Training Organizations should teach everyone the basics about how phishing scams work, how to protect their devices on the road, and so on. But they should also consider doling out specialized training based on users' roles and access to sensitive systems. "I'm starting to see more companies diversify their training,"

Don't Set Culture Back with Bad UX There's nothing that puts the brakes on a strong security culture than obtrusive security tools that impede users from getting their jobs done. ."Keep it soft at the front end," he says. "Keep end user experience neat without plastering and weighting infrastructure too much."

Don't Underestimate Importance of IT Cross-Training "Security is something an IT organization must weave into its culture - something which all influential individuals, from the network engineers to the DevOps and automation staff, must hold in as high regard as they do their design, implementation, and maintenance work," he explains. "Cross-training, outside the security organization can mitigate a large number of perceived gaps in enterprise skills."

Adopt Pathway-Based Education For Security Pros If organizations are going to come to grips with the major security skills gaps facing the industry, they need to rethink how they skill up their cybersecurity teams. Stanger is a strong believer in pathway-based training, which offers a formalized set of progressive classes and learning experiences to give security professionals an official route for stepping up skills. "Pathway-based education incentivizes people and keeps teams together," he says. darkreading.com

Blockchain is Having a Major Impact on the Future of Retail
Blockchain technology has proven itself to have many useful applications across a range of industries, including the retail sector. From customer loyalty programs to supply chain tracking to payment options, the possible use cases of blockchain in retail are extensive. Many blockchain solutions for the retail space are already in place or underway, and more are sure to come in the future.

One of the most obvious applications of blockchain in retail is regarding accepting payment. More retailers have begun accepting cryptocurrency as a form of payment, particularly in the case of online or technologically oriented stores. In addition to adding convenience to customers who want to pay with Bitcoin or Ether, accepting cryptocurrency can reduce the costs associated with payment processing.

Another key use case of blockchain for retail is that of managing the supply chain. Current systems of supply chain management tend to require someone from each step in the process to maintain their database. This can lead to delays in information as well as a lack of information in general. The supply chain applications are particularly useful in retail sub-sectors that deal with products that can be easily compromised if not appropriately treated, such as medicines.

This supply chain application of blockchain can also help prevent disruptions in the supply chain that lead to fraud or forgeries. When you buy a designer purse, the blockchain can let you know that it is the real thing and worth the money.

Inventory management is a natural progression of supply chain management on the blockchain. With the use of blockchain, retailers can keep better records of what they have sold and what is in stock, making it possible to order the proper amount. blocktelegraph.com

Russian Operator of Counter Antivirus Service "Scan4you" Gets 14 Years in Prison
Provided essential aid to the world's most destructive hackers
Cost One Retailer $229M in Expenses

A Latvian "non-citizen," meaning a citizen of the former USSR who resided in Riga, Latvia, was sentenced to 168 months in prison today for offenses related to his operation of "Scan4you," an online counter antivirus service that helped computer hackers determine whether the computer viruses and other malicious software they created would be detected by antivirus software.

"Ruslans Bondars, 38, helped malware developers attack American businesses."

A Scan4you customer, for example, used the service to test malware that was subsequently used to steal approximately 40 million credit and debit card numbers, as well as approximately 70 million addresses, phone numbers and other pieces of personal identifying information, from retail store locations throughout the United States, causing one retailer approximately $292 million in expenses resulting from the intrusion. justice.gov
 




 



     



The Shrink Story... By the Numbers:
The National Retail Security Survey - 25 Years and Counting

Dr. Richard Hollinger, lead author of the National Retail Security Survey (NRSS) for over 25 years, shares the findings of the 2018 report. Are industry shrink numbers shifting upwards? Do LP executives expect staffing to increase? Hear the numbers and delve into the insights behind the data in this LPNN interview.

Dr. Hollinger also shares some of the key and emerging trends in LP, while Bob Moraca talks about the National Retail Federation's role in the industry-benchmarking NRSS study.

Episode Sponsored By:


Dr. Richard Hollinger - Quick Take 5

Dr. Richard Hollinger, Professor Emeritus, Sociology Criminology & Law, University of Florida, explains what data is hardest to capture in the annual National Retail Security Survey and what surprised him the most about this year's results.



 





 

Want to See What's Up Amazon's Sleeve? Take a Tour of Seattle
The e-commerce giant uses its headquarters city as a living laboratory, trying out new retail and logistics models.

"Seattle is great for rolling out tests that haven't been completely debugged," said Jeff Shulman, a business professor at the University of Washington.

Amazon said it employed more than 45,000 people in the city, and its teams turn to them to test new products and services.

Amazon Go: Two Locations, Two Formats

Pickup Storefront: A Lot Like a Post Office

AmazonFresh Pickup: Groceries to Go

Amazon Books: A Return Center


"A big part of the costs is first-mile, last-mile stuff," Mr. Geller said. "It's the law of nature that over time people will take the path of least resistance. If they reduce the friction by making more drop-off locations, and in more kinds of places, that is going to become compelling." nytimes.com

Levi's takes on Chinese counterfeiters in US court
US fashion brand Levi Strauss has taken on unknown entities for alleged trademark infringement and selling counterfeit products.

According to the claim, the unknown defendants are believed to be based in China and have set up internet stores where customers can purchase counterfeit clothing bearing the company's trademarks. Products on offer include jeans and jean jackets.

"The defendants create the defendant internet stores by the hundreds and design them to appear to be selling genuine Levi's brand products, while actually selling counterfeit Levi's products to unknowing consumers," claimed the fashion brand. worldipreview.com

Amazon is making product recommendations that shoppers are sure to 'like'

85 percent of US consumers endorse online identity verification



 







 

Eighth Member Of "Manche Boy Mafia" Gang Sentenced To 7 yrs In $600K Credit Card Fraud Scheme
U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Aeon L. Graham (23, Tampa) to six years and nine months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft. Graham pleaded guilty on June 12, 2018.

Between at least 2015 and 2017, Graham and others affiliated with "Manche Boy Mafia" or "MBM" organization conspired to commit credit card fraud and identity theft in the Tampa Bay area. To facilitate the scheme, the conspirators purchased stolen credit and debit card account numbers online from various websites, some of which used bitcoin as their currency. They then purchased or stole reloadable gift cards and used machines to emboss the stolen account numbers and their own names on to the front of these altered gift cards, thereby producing counterfeit credit cards. The conspirators then used these counterfeit credit cards at various retailers around the Tampa Bay area to purchase gift cards and electronics, which they either kept or sold for cash.

Graham was held responsible for more than $600,000 in intended or attempted purchases with counterfeit credit cards and stolen account information. justice.gov

Santa Rosa, CA: Apple store at Santa Rosa Plaza robbed, again; 1 suspect arrested
Police have detained one person suspected of stealing merchandise Sunday afternoon from the Santa Rosa Plaza Apple store, which just last month was hit by a group of thieves. The suspect, who hasn't been identified, is believed to have acted with several other people, said Santa Rosa Police Sgt. Kyle Philp. Philp said the theft is currently being investigated by the Police Department's property crimes unit. "We're still waiting for Apple to provide us with a list of the items taken," he said. Hooded thieves captured on surveillance video made off with more than $35,000 in merchandise from the same store on Aug. 29 while employees and other customers stood by.  appleinsider.com

Update: Grand Rapids, MI: Mail theft leads to $400K in credit-card charges at Meijer's
A group is accused of stealing mail to get credit-card account numbers to buy nearly $400,000 in gift cards and merchandise at Meijer Inc. stores and other retailers, an indictment said. The suspects operated throughout Michigan, the government said. The indictment said that $396,000 was fraudulently charged to credit cards. The government said stolen account numbers were used at Meijer stores in Kent, Kalamazoo, Eaton, Calhoun and Berrien counties. The mail was stolen from Kalamazoo, Kent, Washtenaw and Wayne counties, the indictment said. The indictment was unsealed Thursday, Sept. 20, upon the arrests of Travis Rolle, Fabian Johnson and Kendal Jones, court records showed. mlive.com

Albuquerque, NM: Shoplifting suspects grabs hundreds of dollars in merchandise from Ulta

Miami Beach, FL: Nearly 20 phones stolen from Boost Mobile store in North Miami Beach

Pasco County, FL: PCSD searching for Shoplifting Suspects at Children's Place; merchandise valued at over $2,000

Beaumont, TX: Man accused of stealing over $1,000 worth of power tools from Lowe's
 

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Shootings & Deaths

Silver Springs, MD: Security guard fatally shoots man during altercation
outside 7-Eleven
A security guard shot and killed a man in Silver Spring on Sunday during a fight outside a convenience store, the Montgomery County police said. The shooting occurred shortly before 4 a.m. outside the 7-Eleven store in the 8200 block of Georgia Avenue, the police said. The victim was identified by police as Deon Christopher McDonald, 27, of Hyattsville. While buying something at the store, McDonald got into a dispute with a store clerk, and the guard intervened, police said. They said the argument turned physical and continued outside the store. During the fight, the guard fired his weapon, and McDonald was hit, police said. They said he died at the scene. According to police, the guard was armed and on-duty. He worked for a company that had been contracted by the property manager to provide security for the store, the police said. He was 44 years old, they said, but he was not otherwise identified.  washingtonpost.com

Detroit, MI: Tire shop Employee killed in shooting at east Detroit
A 33-year-old man died after being shot three times Saturday inside his workplace on Detroit's east side. According to authorities, the incident began with an argument between the worker and a former employee at the F & M Tire Shop on 7 Mile Road.
The shooter fled in a white SUV but was taken into custody not far from the scene about two hours after the shooting by 11 Detroit police officers.  clickondetroit.com

Memphis, TN: C-Store Manager shot & killed during Armed Robbery in Parkway Village

Dallas TX: Two Men arrested for Wing Stop Robbery in Red Bird; Armed Security guard shot 1 suspect

New Orleans, LA: Customer shot twice after confronting Armed Robber outside of C-Store

Indianapolis, IN: Teen critically wounded in shooting outside Footlocker Outlet store

Marrero, LA: Deputy shoots man who shot store clerk

Visalia, CA: C-Store Armed Robber shoots at Police, drops cash

Wayne, NJ: Willowbrook Mall threats of mass shooting deemed not credible
 


Robberies, Thefts & Incidents

Victorville, CA: Machete Robbery Suspect Arrested; Food4Less Security Guard slashed
Surveillance video from a robbery at a Victorville Food4Less store was the break police needed to catch a man they say attacked a security guard with a machete in March. Police arrested Kenneth Bryant who is seen in the footage walking out of the store with stolen food. As he headed toward the exit, a security guard approached him. Bryant then appears to pull a machete from his pants and slash the security guard on the hand.  nbclosangeles.com


Indio, CA: Walgreens robbed of $14K in prescriptions; linked to similar heists across SoCal
An Indio Walgreens pharmacy robbery involving the theft of about $14,000 in prescription medication last year is linked to dozens of similar heists reported across Southern California, investigators said. Charges were filed this month against Stefontae Jones, who is a suspect in a series of robberies. A second suspect, Larue Jones, hasn't been charged in the Indio robbery because he wasn't positively identified by a witness. Both are in custody, although details vary depending on the law enforcement agency since thefts happened in numerous jurisdictions and charges are being filed at any given time. It could not be determined if they are related. desertsun.com

Colorado Springs, CO: Office Depot employee 'bear hugs' a baseball bat wielding Car thief attempting to flee police

Hollywood, FL: Man wounded after fight breaks out at Walmart

Memphis, TN: Target Pharmacy robbed at Gunpoint, search for suspect continues

Albuquerque, NM: Nob Hill business owners say crime in the area has gone up

Brooklyn, NY: Man wanted for 7-Eleven Unarmed Robbery pattern in Brooklyn

Hong Kong, China: Nepali man arrested for role in $786,000 Hong Kong Jewelry Store Robbery; two store employees stabbed

Perth, Australia: Detectives investigate four armed robberies across Perth overnight

Oregon man admits to stealing gifts from 4 Weddings on same day; totaling $18,700

Kay Jewelers in the Rosewood Commons, Columbia, SC reported a Grab & Run on 9/23, item valued at $3,699

Kay Jewelers in the Village at Sand Hills Center, Columbia, SC reported a Grab & Run on 9/23, item valued at $3,299

Kay Jewelers in the Flagstaff Mall, Flagstaff, AZ reported a Grab & Run on 9/19, item valued at $1,665

Piercing Pagoda in the Las Vegas Outlet Center, Las Vegas, NV reported a Burglary on 9/19, items valued at $76.440

 


Sentencings, Indictments & Charges

Brooklyn, NY: Two Men Plead Guilty to Violent Armed Robbery of Jewelry Store
At approximately 5:15 p.m. on May 25, 2017, Williams and Odom entered the 60 Court Street store disguised as construction workers. Kenneth Davis, also disguised as a construction worker, stood watch outside, and Shaka Davis waited in a getaway car. Inside the store, one of the robbers pistol-whipped the store owner, and the robbers stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and jewelry. justice.gov

Pensacola, FL: Man gets 20 years in state prison for stealing $600 worth of cigarettes
Robert Spellman, 48, was convicted in August of a Circle K burglary and grand theft for the Dec. 28 incident. The length of the sentence was based on Spellman's 14 felony and 31 misdemeanor convictions before this latest charge, qualifying him as a habitual offender. wsbtv.com

Minneapolis, MN: Guilty Pleas Entered In Cell Phone Store Robbery
 

 

Apple store - Santa Rosa, CA - Robbery
Boost Mobile - Miami Beach, FL - Burglary
C-Store - Memphis, TN - Armed Robbery
C-Store - Topeka, KS - Robbery
C-Store - Medford, OR - Armed Robbery
C-Store - Visalia, CA - Armed Robbery
C-Store - Franklin County, GA - Armed Robbery/Customer wounded
C-Store - Jackson, ID - Armed Robbery
C-Store - Tehama County, CA - Burglary
Discount Store - Bronx, NY - Robbery
Dollar General - Jackson, MS - Armed Robbery
Dollar General - Warren County, MS - Robbery
Gas Station - Springfield, MA - Armed Robbery (Sunoco)
Gas Station - Springfield, MA - Armed Robbery (Pride)
Gas Station - Dayton, OH - Armed Robbery
Gun Store - York County, PA - Burglary
Restaurant - Macon, GA - Armed Robbery
Restaurant - Dallas, TX - Robbery
Restaurant - San Diego, CA - Armed Robbery
Starbucks - San Antonio, TX - Armed Robbery
T-Mobile - Napa, Ca - Robbery
T-Mobile - Killeen, TX - Armed Robbery
Target - Tomball, TX - Burglary
Target (Pharmacy) - Memphis, TN - Armed Robbery
Walmart - Queensbury, NY - Burglary
7- Eleven - Newport News, VA - Armed Robbery
7-Eleven - Norfolk, VA - Robbery
 

 

Daily Totals:
22 robberies
5 burglaries
1 shooting
0 killings


 

 

 



 


 

None to report


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Featured Job Spotlights

 



Director Loss Prevention
Irvine, CA

The Director of Loss Prevention at Tillys builds and implements policies, programs, and procedures that control risk, reduce shrink and protect the employees and assets. The director is responsible for leading and developing LP team members in the corporate, retail, and distribution centers...
 
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The Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) is the GameStop executive responsible for leading our global information security organization and will have officer level fiduciary responsibility...
 


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Oversees and directs all Asset Protection related functions for a Corporate Office, multi-state distribution centers and large retail store network. Responsible for enterprise direction and strategy as it pertains to Asset Protection with a goal of minimizing shrink, reducing loss and maximizing security and associate safety...
 
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Project Lead (LP Technology)
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The Lead, Project Coordinator facilitates the development, implementation, and ongoing execution of multiple Loss Prevention technology projects, programs and systems. This is accomplished by leading projects from concept to completion, acting as a subject matter expert, and working effectively with internal partners (i.e. Store Operations, Store Planning, IT, HR, Logistics, Purchasing, etc.) and external resources (i.e. vendors, service providers, etc.) to drive results, and monitoring to ensure all projects meet scope, timeline, and budget needs...
 


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Loss Prevention Market Specialist
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To monitor store locations to detect, investigate and resolve internal and external situations and circumstances that could lead to or result in losses to the company. All actions and conduct within the scope of the position must be performed according to performance standards set by Burke's policies, procedures and Code of Ethics...
 

Loss Prevention/Asset Protection Investigator
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Responsibilities will include but are not limited to:
● Protect the assets of the store as well as the associates and visitors.
● Maintain surveillance of the store via CCTV and conduct physical inspections including perimeter checks...
 

Asset Protection Analyst
Norcross, GA

AP Analyst based in Norcross, GA reporting to the Director of Asset Protection. This high-visibility role will be responsible for business-wide security administration, multiple fraud detection programs and functional communication...
 

Regional Loss Prevention Manager
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● Develops and implements shrink reduction strategies and action plans for their coverage region and for individual stores as needed
● Creates and conducts training sessions at the regional, district, and store level to educate and bring awareness to loss prevention and shrink related topics...
 

Regional Loss Prevention Manager
Atlanta, GA

● Develops and implements shrink reduction strategies and action plans for their coverage region and for individual stores as needed
● Creates and conducts training sessions at the regional, district, and store level to educate and bring awareness to loss prevention and shrink related topics...
 

Asset Protection District Manager
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The Asset Protection District Manager will lead the District in shrink reduction and profit maximization efforts. The position will proactively seek to bring economic value to the company, promoting profitable sales and world class customer service while ensuring a safe place to work and shop...
 

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Making judgments on people is a serious thing and has a ripple effect that goes well beyond your immediate group. We all make judgments on every executive we know and it's human nature to be critical. Leave it to say that the best opinion is one of direct first-hand experience and is based on both sides of every story. It's easy to react to the self-serving opinions of others, but the real professional takes the high road and focuses on what's best for their organization, their team, and their industry.

Just a Thought,
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