MOUNT LAUREL, N. J., October 28, 2020 - Agilence, Inc. the industry leader in operational analytics, automated alerts, and prescriptive action plans for retail, grocery, restaurant, pharmacy, and convenience organizations recently announced that grocery retailer, SpartanNash is the recipient of their annual Visionary Award. The award recognizes SpartanNash's outstanding vision and commitment to driving success throughout their organization through their proficient use of Agilence's data analytics platform. SpartanNash along with other industry peers celebrated the win during Agilence's annual User Forum.

The Agilence Visionary Award acknowledges customers who demonstrate an exceptional model and use of the Agilence application throughout their company that drives insights to achieve their business goals. SpartanNash joins past Visionary Award winners including Shoe Carnival (2019), Neiman Marcus (2018), and Heinen's Grocery Store (2017).

"We couldn't be more pleased and honored to receive the Agilence Visionary Award," said Damon Cavasin, Director of Asset Protection at SpartanNash. "My entire retail Asset Protection team, and in particular my analysts, Jason Mann and Kari Dorsher, have really gone above and beyond this year to drive efficiencies throughout the business. They've used Agilence to deliver relevant data in a timely manner to our field investigators which has resulted in an increase in identified theft cases. Their efforts have also helped to improve business outcomes by measuring charitable donation scans, identifying training issues at the Point of Sale, providing insights to our eCommerce team, and increasing overall efficiency. I'm incredibly proud of this team and they are certainly deserving of this award."

SpartanNash's achievements with Agilence reach beyond the success of their team to benefit departments like Internal Audit, HR, and Operations. The team has campaigned for the widespread use of Agilence to support the entire organization by providing data-driven insights and action. Thanks to their efforts and the application's ease-of-use, SpartanNash has over 300 personnel taking full advantage of the platform's various features to support their day-to-day responsibilities. In addition to their successes within SpartanNash, Cavasin's team openly share their recommendations with the Agilence community spreading their wisdom and methods to help their industry peers succeed. 

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Property Crime Down 20%, Break-Ins Up 18%
Vancouver crime rate steady in 2020 compared to 2019, according to new stats
Comparing the same time period, from January to September, there were 4,396 reported crimes in 2020 versus 4,397 incidents in 2019. The VPD says certain types of crime have increased - for example, serious assaults have increased by 14 per cent over the previous year - and others, like robberies, have decreased by six per cent.

Crime fell in these categories compared to 2019:

● Robberies are down six per cent.
● Property crime decreased by 20 per cent.
● Theft from vehicles has decreased by 37 per cent.
● Theft, like shoplifting, decreased by 26.6 per cent.
● Reported sexual offences have decreased by 5 per cent.

Const. Tania Visintin with the Vancouver Police says some of the numbers can be explained by the pandemic shutdown including a decrease in shoplifting and the increase in business break-and-enters because many businesses were closed earlier this year. cbc.ca

Stopping Fraud In Its Tracks
Pharmacy employee goes above and beyond to prevent fraud
According to police, on Oct. 6, the employee heard a customer talking to a fraudster on the phone. The fraudster was telling the victim to purchase gift cards, which is part of a common scam.

The employee, aware of the scam, not only declined the purchase but also took note of the victim's license plate and called the OPP. Const. Amanda Allen of Essex County OPP says it's that extra step the employee took that makes this a notable case of fraud prevention.

"Any time you witness any type of crime, we ask our witnesses to be a great witness - get as much information as possible," she said. "Obviously we don't want people to put themselves in danger, but if you can assist us with identifying features, that helps us to follow up on suspicious circumstances and helps us to prevent crime." cbc.ca

Two Month Strike
Loblaw secures 1 injunction against striking Dominion workers, loses dozens others
Loblaw Companies Limited has been granted an injunction prohibiting striking Dominion employees from picketing at a Mount Pearl distribution centre but has also lost dozens more.

Striking Dominion employees claimed victory Monday despite being hit with an injunction that prohibits them from picketing at the Loblaw distribution centre in Donovans Business Park.

That's because Loblaw Companies Limited lost dozens more injunctions filed to prevent striking employees from picketing at about 50 other locations either owned by or connected to the company. cbc.ca

Canadian Retail Getting Back On Track - Sort Of
The latest numbers from Statistics Canada show that total retail sales increased 3.2% year-over-year for the 3 months ending August 2020 on a not seasonally adjusted basis. That's not bad, considering that retail sales growth for all of last year was just 1.2%. But while the trend looks good, it may not last with a second (or third) wave of COVID pandemic, and if stores and shopping malls have to be shut down again. retail-insider.com

Five Key Considerations for American Retailers Opening in Canada

Le Chateau Shutting Operations After CCAA Filing

Uniqlo builds a bigger presence in Canada

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Robberies & Burglaries

● Gas Station - Prince George, BC - Armed Robbery
● Unnamed Business - Sault, ON - Robbery

Miami, FL: Thieves Steal 6 Million Medical Gloves from Florida Supplier
A shipping container holding more than six million medical gloves was stolen from a supplier in Florida on Sunday (Oct 25) evening in a swift manoeuvre that left three hospital systems battling the pandemic without some of the crucial equipment that they were waiting for. The gloves, worth about US$1 million, were delivered Friday evening to Medgluv, the supplier, at its Coral Springs, Florida, office, about 40 miles north of Miami. The gloves had been running 12 days late during their delivery from the manufacturer in Malaysia, Medgluv's vice president of sales and marketing, Mr Rick Grimes, said Tuesday. On Sunday around 11.40pm, according to surveillance footage, a semi-truck pulled up to the container along with a white pickup truck. The people in the trucks hooked the container to the truck "like it was any other type of day," Mr Grimes said. "These guys were in no hurry." nytimes.com

Update: Moses Lake, WA: Man gets nearly 6 years in prison in 2017 ax-wielding incident at Home Depot
A man was sentenced to nearly six years in prison for swinging an ax at Home Depot employees after being caught shoplifting at the Moses Lake store. Cory Campbell pleaded guilty to second-degree assault with a deadly weapon, second-degree theft, second-degree retail theft and possession of a controlled substance in connection to the December 2017. Employees told police Campbell had filled a shopping cart with close to $2,000 worth of items, including an ax. Campbell was carrying the ax when employees told him to stop as he neared the front doors. Police say Campbell refused to stop and began fighting with employees. Campbell began swinging the ax at an employee before throwing toward several employees, causing one employee to duck to avoid being hit. No employees were injured. Moses Lake police reported Campbell had stolen merchandise twice from Walmart and once from the Ephrata Rite Aid within a month of the Home Depot incident. ifiberone.com

Urbana, IL: Man pleads guilty to over $500 of Power Tool theft from The Home Depot; 2 years probation
A Rantoul man who was buying stolen merchandise from known drug users has been sentenced to two years of second-chance probation. Matthew Fritz, 56, of the 300 block of East Congress Avenue, pleaded guilty Tuesday to theft, admitting to Judge Randy Rosenbaum that on May 4, he possessed more than $500 worth of DeWalt tools knowing they had been stolen. Assistant State's Attorney Chris McCallum said Champaign police Detective Cully Schweska was investigating a series of tool thefts from large box stores in town, including Home Depot, Rural King and Menards, in the spring. Schweska learned that the tools were being stolen by known drug users, who then sold them to Fritz. A court-authorized search of Fritz's Rantoul home was done on May 4, and several tools, still in the original packaging, were recovered, McCallum said. news-gazette.com

Mt Airy, NC: Thieves steal a Golf Cart valued at $12,259

Clarksville, TN: Aldi thief flees with $635 of merchandise

Chicago, IL: Two sisters are facing charges after prosecutors said they stabbed a store Security Guard 27 times after being told to wear a mask
Jessica Hill, 21, and Jayla Hill, 18, were both charged with attempted first-degree murder after allegedly stabbing a 42-year-old security guard at Snipes - an athletic apparel store - around 6 p.m. Sunday. Officials said the stabbing happened after the women were told to wear masks and use store-provided hand sanitizer. Investigators said one of the women held the security guard down while the other one stabbed him repeatedly. The security guard was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital in critical condition. The sisters appeared in bond court Tuesday where bond was denied. fox8.com

Lawrence Twp. , NJ: 3 charged for burning, strangling Walmart employee
during robbery
Three men are facing charges after investigators say they robbed, strangled and unlawfully restrained a Walmart employee who owed them money. Authorities say 18-year-old Ronald Pinto, 19-year-old Michael Young and 20-year-old Jonathan Pennington Jr. are facing several felonies related to robbery. According to Lawrence Township police, officers were called to Walmart Oct. 23 after a Walmart employee reportedly had his wallet and phone stolen at knife-point. origin.wjactv.com

Northwood, IA: $15,000 Burger King Embezzlers to be sentenced in December
Kristine Marie Morrow, 55 and Angelina T. Hamilton, 41, were arrested in January after the fast food restaurant contacted the Worth County Sheriff's Office about more than $15,000 that had gone missing. Investigators say Morrow and Hamilton stole the money over the course of several moths while employed at the Burger King station inside the Diamond Jo Casino and the full restaurant nearby. Morrow was charged with 1st degree theft and Hamilton with 2nd degree theft. They are scheduled to be sentenced on December 7. kimt.com

Charleston, WV: "Operation Double Impact" Nearly 100 arrested in federal operation targeting gang crime
U.S. marshals in the Southern District of West Virginia said a 30-day operation targeting violent gang crime resulted in 98 arrests. Of those arrests, marshals said five were gang members, three are accused of murder and three abducted children in a custody dispute from California were recovered. "Operation Double Impact" concluded at the end of September, U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of West Virginia Michael Baylous said. In addition to the arrests, law enforcement officers seized 74 firearms, 152 kilograms of narcotics that included marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin and more than $180,000 in currency. wchstv.com

Cleveland, OH: Man accused in string of Armed Robberies indicted on federal charges

Spring Township, PA: Gas Station Employee charged with stealing $3,000 worth of lottery tickets

Biloxi, MS: Shoplifter wanted for stealing a Machete from West Marine store

Baton Rouge, LA: Cleaning crew worker busted for robbing LSU fan inside stadium bathroom

While progress is a slow process comprised of small intentional steps it requires a deep focus and an unwavering commitment towards always accomplishing the basics and integrating the change or evolution methodically. While your eyes remain locked on your end result one must always look inward and be able to see or realize the miss-steps or the mistakes along the way or else you'll never reach the goal. Without the ability or willingness to admit self-failure progress will always be elusive. For it is through failure that we learn how to win and both play their equal parts in progress. 

Just a Thought,
Gus