NRF's 'Fight Retail Crime Day' is Today!

Join the NRF in Pushing for Congressional Action on ORC & Theft

TODAY is Fight Retail Crime Day in Washington, D.C.! Join with the National Retail Federation (NRF) in pushing for congressional action this fall on the retail industry's top two priorities to address organized retail crime and theft.

Taking action only takes one minute - add your voice along with thousands of retail professionals, and tell Congress to act on our top two priorities. Click here to take action.

NRF's priorities include:

• INFORM Consumers Act (S.936/H.R. 5502): Requires online marketplaces to verify the identity of high-volume third-party sellers to help curb the sale of stolen and counterfeit merchandise. NRF supports inclusion of the INFORM Act in the pending Senate National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) manager's amendment.

• Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act (S.5046/H.R. 9177): Establishes a new Organized Retail Crime Coordination Center that will help federal, state and local law enforcements agencies better coordinate to effectively combat criminal activities. Recently introduced in both chambers of Congress, NRF is advocating for additional cosponsors.

We invite you to share this information widely with your colleagues and networks. Every voice counts.

   
Get Your LP/AP Executives to Support This Effort

Reach Out to Your Member of Congress Directly

Find Your Representative Here
 

Store Clerk's Location is Key to Averting Violent C-Store Robberies
The Psychology Behind Convenience Store Robberies That Turn Violent

A new study looks into the behavioral scripts and social norms of convenience store robberies - and offers a solution that could help save lives.

Despite the proliferation of modern security measures, from bulletproof glass and CCTV to security guards and window railings, convenience stores still remain easy targets for thieves. In the U.S., 6 percent of all robberies known to the police take place in these mom-and-pop stores, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Justice. And though most of the time cash is handed over without anyone getting hurt, sometimes things go horribly wrong.

Convenience stores have some of the highest rates of workplace homicides in the U.S. - second only to taxicab drivers. Beyond that, researchers have shown that is often the smallest stores in the poorest neighborhood that are the most vulnerable. Unable to afford better security measures, they are repeatedly targeted by thieves.

But University of Toronto researcher Katherine DeCelles and her colleagues have been investigating why some convenience store robberies go wrong. Beyond that, in a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers suggest some cost-free changes that could save lives in the process.

Chain of Events

After analyzing CCTV footage from 196 robberies, the researchers found a pattern: Robberies were more likely to get violent when the store clerk was not behind the counter when thieves entered the store.

Having a closer eye on petty shoplifters likely deters them from stealing something like a chocolate bar, DeCelles says. But in the case of armed robberies, it can set off a chain of events that means someone is more likely to get hurt.

The Psychology of Robberies

The biggest determinant of violence in a convenience store robbery is most likely the behavior of store clerks, the report by the U.S. Department of Justice found. The unexpected scenario also means potentially uneasy thieves must take control of the situation to move the clerk to the cashier. Such a tense standoff may require touching, verbal interaction or a number of other methods which increases the chance of misunderstanding, panic and ultimately violence. discovermagazine.com

Retailers Need To Prepare For 'Thieving Season'
Security Window Film May Deter Smash and Grab Crime
For retailers the winter season is traditionally one of their strongest sales periods of the year, but it is also 'thieving season'. Retailers need to prepare for crimes of opportunity such as lightening quick smash and grab crimes, states the nonprofit International Window Film Association (IWFA), which is recommending the installation of security window films to help deter thieves.

Smash and grab is a bold crime that involves smashing a glass barrier, such as a store window, a door, or showcase, grabbing valuables, and then making a quick getaway, without concern for setting off alarms or creating noise. In 2019, retail theft reportedly added up to $69 billion.

Nearly 67 percent of leading retailers surveyed report a moderate to considerable increase in organized retail crime, and 80 percent believe it will only get worse in the future. Academic research has suggested that most retail theft represent crimes of opportunity. In other words, people steal when it is easy to do so.

Security window films can be the thickness of two drivers licenses stacked together, or much thinner. In addition to the strong adhesive used to secure the film to glass, a wet glaze system designed to adhere the film's edges to the window frame itself, or to a display case, may also be added for more strength and security.

"Unprotected glass can be broken by a thief in a few seconds, but with security window film it may take several minutes or more, even after multiple impacts," said Smith. "This time delay may frustrate a would-be thief and encourage them to move on, and it may also buy a retailer time so other actions may be taken or the police may arrive in response to some alarm," he added. yahoo.com

NYC Crime is Down 44.4% Since 2020
Crunching the numbers: Yes, crime is up - but NYC is still safer than it was two decades ago. The NYPD's statistics prove it.

NYC isn't exactly falling into chaos - and the NYPD's own statistics tell that story.

While overall crime has increased year-over-year in New York City last year and so far this year, the NYPD's historical CompStat figures show that the Five Boroughs are still far safer now than they were back in 2000.

Last year, the NYPD reported a total of 102,741 major felonies (murder, rape, robbery, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny and auto theft). That's up from the 95,593 felonies reported during the pandemic year of 2020, and the highest total since 2016, when the NYPD tallied 101,716 felonies.

But turn the clock back to 2000, and the NYPD catalogued that year 184,852 major felonies. Despite terrorist attacks, recessions, a pandemic and other societal issues in the previous 21 years, crime in New York City was down 44.4% in 2021 from the 2000 totals.

In fact, 2000 was the high-water mark for every single major crime category but one over the past 21 years.

Back in 2000, the city saw 673 homicides. That's 27.5% higher than the 488 murders the NYPD tallied in 2021, which marked only the third time since 2012 that the city recorded more than 400 homicides in a single year.

Robberies were up significantly in 2021, with 13,831 such crimes reported, a 5.5% increase from 2020. But the robbery total of 2021 represents a 57.5% decrease from the 32,562 robberies that the NYPD tallied in 2000.

Another property crime, burglaries, are still way below the numbers tallied in 2000. That year, the NYPD tallied 38,352 break-ins; in 2021, that number was just 12,811, or about 33.4% of the 2000 burglary total.

Grand larcenies (40,870 in 2021 compared to 49,631 in 2000) are also down over the past two decades. amny.com

San Francisco's Latest Crime Closure
Why Did Cotopaxi Leave San Francisco?

The company's CEO explains his decision to close its store in the "city of chaos."

Hayes Valley is an aspirational neighborhood located in central San Francisco, the main strip of which is lined with trendy stores and restaurants. It's also a neighborhood where, according to Davis Smith, the CEO of the outdoor-gear brand Cotopaxi, retailers have begun to lock their doors during the day for fear of being robbed in broad daylight.

Last week, Smith announced that he would be temporarily closing his company's flagship outpost on Hayes Street, which he says has been robbed dozens of times since its opening just a year ago. In a LinkedIn post talking about the decision, Smith called San Francisco "a city of chaos."

Caroline Mimbs Nyce: For starters, tell me how this decision came about.

Davis Smith: We opened the store, and within a few days the front window was smashed in, and they looted the store. That was really disappointing. We replaced the window, and it was immediately smashed in again and the store was looted again.

Nyce: Had you even trained the staff at that point?

Smith: It happened four times. We boarded up the windows, and people graffitied the boards. We ended up putting some vinyl signage of our brand over the boards, so it looked better. We eventually were able to get some metal gates that were installed so that we could protect the store when we were closed. Unfortunately, what we saw was that then basically organized theft rings would just walk into the store and grab thousands and thousands of dollars worth of product and walk out of the store. Our staff is trained to not confront people. It's not worth risking someone's safety over a backpack or a jacket.

Nyce: Do you think you were being systematically targeted? Have you heard of this happening to other Hayes Valley stores?

Smith: It's not just us. A bunch of our neighboring retailers have experienced the exact same thing. Obviously, some retailers might be more immune to it. But a company like ours, we have a $250 down jacket and you can go grab 20 of them really easily. theatlantic.com

Sign of the Times in Philadelphia as Crime Surges
Update: Crews Remove 'Wawa' From Shuttered Center City Store

The Wawas along Center City in Philadelphia closed this week due to 'continued safety and security challenges,' Wawa said

A sign of Wawa drawing back on its Philadelphia presence took place Tuesday morning as crews took down the signage in front of the recently shuttered store along Market Street at 19th Street.

NBC10 cameras captured crews ripping off the light-up W's and A's from the façade of the Center City location before daybreak.

The 19th and Market Wawa location, along with the 12th and Market location, of the popular convenience store both closed Sunday, Wawa said.

Earlier this month, Wawa cited safety concerns and security challenges as its reasoning for closing the two locations in the heart of the city.

"Despite reducing hours and investing in additional operational measures, continued safety and security
challenges and business factors have made it increasingly difficult to remain open in these two
locations," Wawa said. nbcphiladelphia.com

New York City Will Increase Police Presence in Subways to Combat Crime
With less than three weeks until Election Day, Gov. Kathy Hochul is trying to address a troubling series of violent incidents on the subway.

Crime takes center stage in New York governor's race

Will Violent Crime Drive a Red Wave in the Midterm Elections?

US: 99.1M Cases - 1M Dead - 96.6M Recovered
Worldwide: 633.9M Cases - 6.5M Dead - 612.9M Recovered

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 362   Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 812

New COVID Initiative from Walgreens
Walgreens partners with DoorDash to deliver COVID-19 medication free

Walgreens and DoorDash are jointly responding to a call for COVID-19 action from President Biden.

The drugstore giant and online delivery platform are launching a new initiative to facilitate free home delivery of prescriptions of Paxlovid, an oral COVID-19 medication administered to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death infection. This effort follows a public call from President Joe Biden for consumers and retailers to take action to halt the spread of COVID-19.

Through this new program, consumers with a prescription for Paxlovid being filled at Walgreens will be able to have their medication delivered directly to their homes through DoorDash at no additional cost. Eligible consumers will be able to access free same-day delivery of Paxlovid via Walgreens.com and the Walgreens app, with contactless delivery powered by the DoorDash Drive white-label fulfillment platform.

Walgreens first added DoorDash as an on-demand delivery partner in summer 2020, when online delivery volumes as a whole were rising to meet the needs of consumers homebound by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This collaboration is the latest service Walgreens has provided to help combat the pandemic. The retailer partners with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and life sciences firm Labcorp to make Pixel by Labcorp COVID-19 at-home collection kits available nationwide, at no cost to consumers who meet clinical guidelines for requiring a COVID-19 test. chainstoreage.com

Biden Meets With Pharmacy Execs in New COVID Booster Push
After getting COVID booster, Biden to announce new initiatives alongside pharmacy execs
President Joe Biden will get his updated COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday while calling on more Americans to do so ahead of the winter and holiday season, according to the White House.

When delivering remarks, Biden will be joined by leaders of major U.S. pharmacy chains Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid and Albertsons, as well as Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, the president's chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy and the White House COVID-19 response coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha "to discuss ongoing efforts to mobilize pharmacies to reach more Americans and encourage them to receive their updated COVID-19 vaccine," according to a White House official.

In the coming weeks, Walgreens will team up with DoorDash and Uber "to provide free delivery of prescriptions of Paxlovid, an oral COVID-19 treatment, directly to the doorsteps of Americans living in underserved communities," the White House said.

The Biden administration will release a "fall playbook for businesses to manage COVID-19," the White House said. Meanwhile, Albertsons, CVS, Rite Aid, Southeastern Grocers, Walgreens, Walmart and Sam's Club have their own initiatives to help Americans get vaccinated. abcnews.go.com

COVID Has Shown Importance of Diversity in the Workplace
The Importance Of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion an a Post-Covid Work World
Ask almost any company leader, and they will tell you they place a high priority on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). There's probably a finely sculpted DEI statement on the corporate website spelling out the company's position, and maybe there's even a DEI course for employees.

But the reality, both in the office and on the factory floor, often does not live up to the promise-a situation that has been brought into sharper focus by the Covid-19 pandemic. Considerable differences exist in the work experiences of employees of different genders, races and sexual orientations. forbes.com

NYC Rescinds COVID Mandate for Private Employers, High-Risk Extracurriculars

Regular exercise may improve the effectiveness of coronavirus vaccines

Omicron keeps finding new evolutionary tricks to outsmart our immunity

Consumers & Companies Battle Over Biometric Data Use
Retailers, tech companies, banks allegedly collect voiceprints, other biometric data

Consumers recently filed lawsuits against companies accused of violating the law by collecting, storing and using their customers' biometric data without their consent.

The biometric data privacy class action lawsuits involve claims under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), which regulates what a company must do before collecting biometric data. BIPA stipulates that a company must first obtain express written consent before collecting any biometric data and provide retention policies and plans to destroy the biometric data eventually.

Papa John's accused of unlawfully collecting voiceprints of food orderers

Papa John's faced a class action lawsuit accusing it of violating BIPA by allegedly unlawfully collecting voiceprints and other biometric data from customers placing food orders on its PapaCall automated ordering system.

Walmart faces claims it used store cameras to unlawfully collect customer biometric data

Walmart was hit with a class action lawsuit in September by a consumer alleging the big box retailer unlawfully collects, stores and uses the biometric data of its customers without their consent. The consumer behind the complaint argues Walmart unlawfully collects the biometric data of its customers by using cameras and advanced video surveillance systems outfitted in its retail stores.

Christian Dior unlawfully captures facial geometric information with Virtual-Try On feature, class action says

The consumer behind the class action lawsuit argues Christian Dior uses its Virtual Try-On feature to unlawfully capture the facial geometric information of consumers who virtually try on eyewear on its website. topclassactions.com
 
   RELATED: Polish retail chain trials biometric payments

Retailers Boosted by Halloween Sales
How Halloween became a $10B business for retailers
Halloween decorations have increasingly grown in popularity over the years and it's become a lucrative opportunity for retailers.

Nearly 70% of consumers plan on celebrating Halloween this year, sending projected spend on the category to $10.6 billion, up from $10.1 billion in 2021, according to a survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics and the National Retail Federation. One of the most popular ways consumers plan to celebrate the holiday is through outdoor decorations, coming only second to candy, the survey found.

Similarly, a LendingTree survey released earlier this month found that 87% of consumers plan to spend on Halloween this year, a 16% increase from last year, with about 40% saying they'll spend on outdoor decorations. retaildive.com

First-Ever National Costco Union Contract
Teamsters union reaches national contract with Costco
The Teamsters union, representing more than 18,000 workers, said it had ratified on Friday a national contract with Costco Wholesale Corp.

The first-ever national agreement provides members with significant wage improvements over the next three years and a substantial increase in pension contributions by Costco, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters said in a statement.

In June, the union had rejected the company's initial contract offer by a vote of 93%, the union said. "This is an earth-shaking win for Costco workers and the American labor movement. Corporations like Sysco, UPS, and Amazon remain on notice," Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien said. reuters.com

Clorox recalls 37 million cleaning products over contamination concerns

Gap and Foot Locker remove all Kanye West merchandise

The Children's Place gets its second CFO in 2 years
 

Online Liquor Store Targeted by FTC Over Breach
FTC Targets Drizly & CEO Over Cybersecurity Failures That Led to Data Breach
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) this week announced an administrative complaint against online alcohol marketplace Drizly and its CEO, James Cory Rellas, over the company's poor data security practices.

The FTC acted on the company's security failures that led to a data breach impacting the personal information of over 2.5 million individuals, and which occurred even though Drizly and Rellas were informed of existing security issues two years prior.

Because the company failed to implement strong protections for customer data, the FTC is now requiring Drizzly to destroy unnecessary data and to collect less information from its customers, and binds Rellas to specific data security requirements.

"Our proposed order against Drizly not only restricts what the company can retain and collect going forward but also ensures the CEO faces consequences for the company's carelessness. CEOs who take shortcuts on security should take note," FTC director Samuel Levine said.

The Boston-based Drizly, which was acquired by Uber in 2021, operates an online store where individuals of legal drinking age can order beer, wine, and alcohol at retailers, for delivery.

In 2018, after a Drizly employee posted a set of credentials on GitHub, hackers accessed the company's servers and deployed cryptocurrency miners. Two years later, a hacker compromised a Drizly employee's account, accessed corporate GitHub credentials, and stole customer information.

The FTC is requiring Drizly to limit its data collection practices, destroy unnecessary data, and implement a comprehensive information security program to ensure that it can prevent similar security incidents from occurring.  securityweek.com

Stress & Burnout Overwhelming Cybersecurity Teams
Cybersecurity teams are reaching their breaking point. We should all be worried

Stress and burnout are having a massive impact on cybersecurity teams, leaving people and businesses more vulnerable than ever.

Cybersecurity professionals are "reaching their breaking point" as ransomware attacks increase and create new risks for people and businesses. A global study of 1,100 cybersecurity professionals by Mimecast found that one-third are considering leaving their role in the next two years due to stress and burnout.

The report found that rising rates of cybercrime and mounting media attention around cyberattacks are placing intense pressure on cybersecurity teams, with many fearing their will lose their jobs as a result of a cyberattack and others struggling to cope with the growing strain.

Mimecast said cybersecurity teams face "a pressure cooker of ongoing attacks, disruption, and burnout" that is making it even more difficult to attract and retain much-needed cybersecurity professionals to keep businesses secure.

Speaking to ZDNET, Johan Dreyer, EMEA CTO at Mimecast, said the impact of under-staffed IT security teams would have a "domino effect" on IT teams "across the whole sector" unless action is taken to address the issues faced by the industry.

Dreyer added that ransomware, payment fraud, corporate espionage, intellectual property theft, and disinformation campaigns had all increased "at an alarming rate" in the past few months alone, leaving businesses and consumers even more vulnerable to cyber criminals.

"The demand for cyber skills is more significant than ever, and a shortage of workers with the required expertise has created a constantly increasing skills deficit within the workplace," Dreyer told ZDNET. zdnet.com

All Tricks, No Treats When it Comes to Cyber Risks
Cybersecurity Risks & Stats This Spooky Season

From ransomware to remote workers to cyber-extortion gangs to Fred, cybersecurity concerns can keep you awake this season and all seasons.

Despite the horrors that accompany the Halloween season, for many people, nothing is more terrifying than ... cybersecurity risks. From professional Russian hackers to simple-but-dangerous human error, here are the horrors keeping business leaders up at night.

Ransomware's Villain is Back

Spooky stat from cyber pros: Nearly two-thirds (63%) of security pros say an increasing number of ransomware incidents are driving their cybersecurity decisions.

Digital Transformation, Remote Work & The Great Unknown

Spooky stat from cyber pros: Two-thirds (66%) have difficulty monitoring user activity in remote/hybrid settings and 60% admit they have difficulty protecting a remote workforce.

Human Error: The Killer You Know

Spooky stat from cyber pros: Nearly three-quarters (74%) of cyber pros say protecting their network from insider threats is a top strategic priority this year.

Escalating Cyber Conflict May Have Nuclear Consequences

Spooky stat from cyber pros: There's no spooky stat for this one. It's too spooky. darkreading.com

Phishing Attack Hits LinkedIn Users
LinkedIn Phishing Spoof Bypasses Google Workspace Security

A credential-stealing attack that spoofed LinkedIn and targeted a national travel organization skates past DMARC and other email protections.

A phishing email purportedly from LinkedIn with the subject line "We noticed some unusual activity" was discovered targeting users at a travel organization, in an attempt to pilfer their credentials on the social-media platform.

The phishing campaign slipped past Google's email security controls after cheating email authentication checks via SFP and DMARC, according to Armorblox, whose email security system at the victim organization found and stopped the attack pointed at some 500 user inboxes.

"The main call-to-action button (Secure my account) included within the email contains a bad URL and took victims to a fake landing page. This fake landing page ... mimicked a legitimate LinkedIn sign in page that included LinkedIn logos, language, and illustrations that mirrored true LinkedIn branding," Armorblox wrote in a post about the attack campaign. darkreading.com

To retain cybersecurity professionals, keep remote work as an option

Windows Mark of the Web Zero-Days Remain Patchless, Under Exploit

Lancaster County, NE: 3 Florida men arrested in $9 million-dollar theft ring of stolen meat across Midwest
Three Florida men have been arrested for allegedly stealing $9 million worth of frozen meat across the midwestern United States, authorities said Tuesday. Yoslany Leyva Del Sol, Ledier Machin Andino and Delvis L. Fuentes, all from the Miami area, face charges of money laundering and transportation of stolen goods, according to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The trio are the alleged masterminds behind what HSI described as a Florida-based "highly sophisticated organized criminal enterprise" targeting beef and pork packaging plants in the Midwest. The investigation into the multimillion-dollar theft ring began in June after several semi-trailers and loads of frozen beef -- valued at an estimated $1 million -- were stolen in Nebraska's Lancaster County. The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office worked with HSI's Omaha field office to identify approximately 45 thefts that occurred since June 2021 across Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin, totaling $9 million in losses, according to HSI. Investigators determined that an organized criminal enterprise set up in Miami was responsible for the thefts and, on Oct. 20, identified and arrested three prime suspects -- Del Sol, Andino and Fuentes. As the men were taken into custody in Miami, investigators also recovered three tractor trailers with stolen merchandise valued at $550,000, according to HSI. "This investigation is ongoing and part of the HSI Omaha and Lancaster County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Task Force," HSI said in a statement Tuesday, announcing the arrests. abcnews.go.com

Los Angeles, CA: Van used to smash into Chanel store in Beverly Grove area
A van was used to smash through the security gate of a Chanel store in the Beverly Grove area Tuesday. Authorities received a call reporting the incident around 2:45 a.m. in the 100 block of Robertson Boulevard, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson confirmed. Video showed the abandoned van still partially inside the business after ramming head-on into the store's security gate. Investigators believe as many as four suspects wearing face masks fled the scene but it was unclear what property may have been taken. The same store was burglarized back in July. Thieves used a vehicle to ram through the security door in that incident as well.  ktla.com

Medford, OR: Man accused of using a handsaw as weapon during Grange Co-op robbery
A California man faces a string of felony charges accusing him of threatening an employee with a handsaw during a robbery of the south Medford Grange Co-op. Thomas Lee Call, 26, of Fortuna, California, was charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree theft, second-degree burglary and unlawful use of a weapon for allegedly loading up a shopping cart with more than $1,800 in merchandise from the Grange Co-op warehouse, at 2531 S. Pacific Highway in Medford, the afternoon of Oct. 15, according to Jackson County Circuit Court filings. During the warehouse robbery, Call allegedly pulled an orange handsaw from his cart and used the tool to threaten a store staff member who attempted to grab the cart containing boxes of Carhartt clothing, according to an affidavit filed by the Jackson County Sheriff's Office. The employee had been roughly a yard away when Call allegedly "feigned as if he was going to strike" the employee. The store employee backed away as the suspect made his way through the retail area with the cart full of merchandise.  news.yahoo.com

Murfreesboro, TN: Suspects Steal Over $9K of Merchandise From Finish Line Store

American Canyon, CA: $1,000 worth of merchandise stolen from Walmart; prior felony convictions

Leesburg, VA: Homeless man jailed after allegedly trying to steal $830 worth of baseball cards

Walton County, FL: Man wanted for stealing $500 in tools from Freeport Ace Hardware store