Prepare Now for Holiday Heists & Violence
Allied Universal's 10 Retail Shopping Safety Tips to Keep Holiday Heists and Christmas Criminals from Ruining the Magic of the Season
IRVINE, Calif. - Nov. 1, 2023 - With a rise in looting, smash-and-grabs, active assailant and other security-impacting incidents in malls and retail locations, shoppers are concerned about their safety this upcoming holiday season.

Allied Universal®, the world's leading security and facility services provider, knows better than most that the holidays mean an uptick in crime, with the severity and frequency of these incidents almost certainly heightened in November and December.

Following are Allied Universal's top 10 shopping safety tips that can keep holiday heists and Christmas criminals from ruining the magic of the season.

Safety Tips for Holiday Shoppers:

1. Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
2. Shop during daylight or at unpopular times. If you shop at night or during busy times, use buddy system.
3. Don't shop 'til you drop. Fatigue makes you more vulnerable to hazards and threats.
4. Shop at retail locations with visible security guards.
5. Know what to do in an emergency. Know the locations of exits, fire alarm pulls and hiding places.
6. Protect your wallet and credit card information, especially in line to pay.
7. Consider how much you're buying at once and how you'll get it home safely.
8. Park and lock your vehicle in a well-lit spot. Allow extra time and patience in busy parking lots.
9. Don't leave valuables or purchased merchandise in your vehicle where it can be seen. Conceal all items.
10. If you find yourself in a dangerous or unsafe situation, try to get away as quickly and safely as possible. If you can't do that, find a safe place to hide. And, if you can't do that, defend and protect yourself.

Supporting Data:

According to the nearly 2,000 global chief security officers who took part in the 2023 World Security Report:

• 49% of North American companies are expecting to experience security incidents involving violent criminals. (61% in U.S., 33% global average)

• 46% of North American companies are expecting to experience security incidents involving petty criminals. (51% in U.S., 35% global average)

• Last year's most common external security threat was theft of company physical property at 32%. (34% in U.S., 22% global average)  ausnewsroom.aus.com


Jewelry Stores Are A Top Target for Crime
2023 Big Survey: More than 9 out of 10 Jewelers Have Been the Victim of Crime

Armed robbery came in at No. 8 among types of crime, but level was still alarmingly high.

CRIME IS SADLY pretty much an inevitable part of being a jeweler in North America, with 92% of store owners telling the 2023 Big Survey they had been the victim of some form of nefarious effort to steal the precious goods they sell during their career.

Credit card fraud topped the list of crime type, with 40% of jewelers saying it had happened in their store. The top 5 was filled out by shoplifting (37%), burglary (30%), grab and run (25%) and distraction theft (24%). Armed robbery came in at No. 8, but was still alarmingly high at 11%. Perhaps most disappointing was the high number of jewelers who had experienced internal theft at 21%. Basically, you can never drop your guard.

Jewelers in Canada reported being the most frequent targets of armed robbery with 29% saying they had been held up at gunpoint. (Although our sample size was small - Canadian jewelers accounted for only 4% of survey respondents). In the US, the West saw the most armed robberies, with 16% of jewelers saying they'd been targeted for such violence.

Among the 8% of respondents who said they'd never experienced a crime, most acknowledged how lucky they had been - or prepared. One commented: "None, everyone owns/carries a gun."

According to the Jewelers' Security Alliance, crime against the U.S. jewelry industry reached a record level in 2022, with 2,211 reported incidents - the highest the JSA has ever documented. That represented an increase of 31% from 2021, when 1,687 crimes were reported.  instoremag.com

Editor's Note: This reporting tracks with the D&D Daily's exclusive retail crime reports. According to our 2022 Retail Robbery & Burglary Report, jewelry stores were the most targeted store type for incidents of robbery and burglary in 2022. In our recent Mid-Year 2023 Robbery & Burglary report, jewelry stores were the second most targeted store type, following only c-stores.  


California City Seeing 82% ORC Spike
DA blames state laws: 'Unable to prosecute repeat offenders'

How Roseville police work with businesses to fight retail theft

Roseville has seen its share of organized retail theft with an 82% jump in the last three years.

Law enforcement agencies and district attorneys up and down the state say the reason for the spike in retail theft is Prop 47, an initiative aimed at tackling prison overcrowding passed by voters in 2014. It makes non-violent theft a misdemeanor when the value is less than $950.

Ciampa says it's only made the thieves smarter. "They'll have multiple bags and they've got their phone as a calculator or an actual calculator, and they'll know how much is in each bag, so if they do get confronted or they do get caught, they drop a bag here they drop a bag there," he said.

And the consequences are low if they're arrested. Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire says his office saw a 67% increase in cases involving retail theft from 2021 to 2022. He says one of the biggest problems with California's current laws is not being able to prosecute repeat offenders.

"The idea behind Prop 47 that people who repeatedly steal might need some services... that's very true, but it's not working, what we're doing now. Unfortunately, change is probably going to look a lot like initiatives and voter-enacted changes because the legislature at least at this point doesn't seem to have an appetite to roll back any of the changes," he said.  abc10.com


Report Casts Doubt Over Target's Theft Closures
The complicated truth about Target's recent store closures
On October 5, Popular Information analyzed publicly available crime data for the stores Target is closing in New York and San Francisco. This data revealed that stores that are being closed had lower levels of theft than nearby stores that have remained open. A report by the Seattle Times of the stores Target is shuttering in the Seattle area follows a similar pattern.

Over the last three weeks, the narrative around Target's store closures has shifted. On October 25, William Blair published a report entitled, "Higher Levels of Organized Theft and Retailer Opportunism Boost Shrink Narrative." The report acknowledges that levels of theft in 2022 were elevated, but rather than an alarming trend, it represented "shrink normalization coming out of the pandemic, when temporary closures and subsequent in-store shopping restrictions led to a more dramatic decrease in shrink."

The report states that retailers are emphasizing the impact of theft "to draw attention away from margin headwinds in the form of higher promotions and weaker inventory management in recent quarters."

Further, William Blair states it "believe[s] some more recent permanent store closures enacted under the cover of shrink relate to underperformance of these locations." The report raises questions about Target's store closures specifically, citing Popular Information's analysis, and suggests the company has "ulterior, more opportunistic motives."

The report also states that "part of the reason companies are being more vocal on shrink relative to the incremental impact has to do with trying to stimulate some sort of government action." That strategy appears to be working. popular.info

   RELATED: Criminal Mischief At Target: The Impact of Organized Retail Crime


Target cancels new University City, Philadelphia location at former International House
A new Target location at 3701 Chestnut St. has been canceled by the retailer, even as construction on the space nears completion.

The renderings for the $6.5 million, two-story commercial addition were clearly marked with Target's iconography, and campus newspaper, The Daily Pennsylvanian, confirmed plans for the store last year.

Earlier this year Target closed one of its locations in Center City, at 12th and Chestnut Streets, and the company is facing headwinds nationally. inquirer.com

Philadelphia Crime Data: 2021 vs. 2022 Retail Theft Up 52.12%, Burglary/Commercial Up 40.29%, Jan 1, 2023 to 10/22/23 Retail Theft up 30%, Burglary/Commercial down 10.58%


Youths Fueling Crime Surge?
Alleged teen carjacker fatally shot as D.C. grapples with youth crime
"We have 'Grand Theft Auto' in real life," said D.C. anti-violence activist Ron Moten, referring to a video game. "Children think it's a game. And now they're dying, and other people are dying, and people are traumatized."

D.C. government data shows that in recent months, about 20 percent of youths who were under DYRS post-trial supervision, but not being held in facilities, were arrested again.

With overall violent crime up in D.C. - most of it committed by adults - officials have failed to find a unified response to what they have deemed a public safety crisis.

The U.S. attorney for the District, whose office prosecutes adult defendants, has started charging more 16- and 17-year-olds as adults with violent crimes. The D.C. attorney general's office, which prosecutes all youths who are charged as juveniles, maintains that its lawyers are doing all they can. And the executive assistant chief of police, Ashan Benedict, said Monday that police need to be "educating the judiciary and the community" about the severity of youth crime. washingtonpost.com


DA Shuts Down Crime-Magnet Grocery Store
"This is what true crime prevention looks like"

Iberville corner store, a locus for gun & drug sales, shut down by DA
The federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, New Orleans police, State Police and other agencies homed in on the corner as a locus for illegal firearms and narcotics sales during a monthslong initiative dubbed "Operation Big Easy."

Williams seized the property under Louisiana criminal law, forcing occupant Abdel Mousa to relinquish all rights, the district attorney said. "What we're doing here deals with criminality," Williams said, calling it the start of a new crime-fighting strategy targeting hubs of criminality by using data and intelligence.

"This is what true crime prevention looks like," he said. He pointed to the operators of some "troubling" apartment complexes in New Orleans East as potential next targets. nola.com


Theft is Impacting Consumer Confidence
Retail theft a growing consumer concern
Retail theft activity, which has forced retailers to lock up certain items and even close stores in the past few months, is becoming a growing concern for shoppers. More than half of consumers, 56%, are concerned stores serving their community may close due to high theft levels. When it comes to the items under lock and key 17% would shop elsewhere while 25% would go online to buy the items.

Those are data points from a Coresight Research survey regarding how retail theft and store closures are impacting consumer confidence. A good number of consumers, 73%, are concerned retails will hike prices to cover the cost of retail theft, according to a press release on the survey. retailcustomerexperience.com


Florida's Top Retail Theft Hotspot: Miami

How some DC-area stores are combating a rise in mass theft

National Conference of State Legislatures Releases
Updated NCSL Resource on Money Bail
NCSL recently updated a summary of laws authorizing financial conditions of pretrial release or "money bail." In addition to whether the conditions are authorized by state law, the summary addresses how these conditions are used. This includes state statutory requirements for courts to consider a defendant's ability to pay when using secured financial conditions requiring defendants to post money in order to be released before trial.

Illinois is the only state to entirely eliminate financial conditions of release with implementation of the new law slated to take effect Sept. 18, 2023.

A couple other states have enacted laws limiting, but not eliminating, financial conditions of release. New York has the broadest law restricting financial conditions of release, prohibiting their use for most misdemeanor and nonviolent felony cases. Colorado prohibits the use of financial conditions of release in most traffic and petty cases unless payment would result in a timelier release of the person.

State laws requiring courts to consider a defendant's financial condition or circumstances including employment are collected below. At least an additional four states-Idaho, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and South Carolina-have permissive language allowing courts to consider a defendant's financial resources but do not require consideration.

Authorization and Use of Financial Conditions Updated List by State/Citation & Ability to Pay Consideration When Determining Release/Conditions


Hybrid Work Surge is Fueling Strip Malls
Strip Malls Are the New King of Retail Real Estate

Changing consumer habits are boosting strip malls, with tenants competing for space

A major shopping-center owner is spinning off all its strip malls into a new publicly traded company, indicating that this property type is thriving under a hybrid work environment.

SITE Centers, which owns and manages open-air shopping centers in affluent suburbs, is placing 61 strip-mall properties into a real-estate investment trust called Curbline Properties, company executives said Monday afternoon.

This new company will own and manage all of SITE Centers' strip malls, which aren't anchored by a grocery or big-box store. SITE Centers said it is valuing Curbline at $1.7 billion.

The spinoff offers further evidence of how the pandemic is reshaping suburban shopping habits with more people working at least part time from home. Annual visits to strip malls increased 18% last year compared with before the pandemic, according to retail and commercial real-estate data-analytics firm RetailStat, which analyzed foot-traffic data from 2,500 centers.

People who previously drove straight to the office after school drop-off are now grabbing a coffee or running errands on their way home to hop on video calls. Others are visiting FedEx and UPS more frequently to mail back items bought online. And the rise of food-delivery services has increased the desirability of retail that is close to the road and allows drivers quick and easy access. wsj.com


Workers Walk Out of CVS, Walgreens, & Rite Aid Locations Nationwide
(Update) 'Pharmageddon' hits U.S. with walkouts at multiple pharmacies, including CVS and Walgreens
Pharmacists protesting deteriorating working conditions inside the nation's largest retail chains have launched their third and largest walkout of the season with a three-day movement they have dubbed "Pharmageddon."

Organizers estimated the effort has drawn as many as 4,500 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians from multiple chains, including CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens. It also drew support from the American Pharmacists Association, the industry's largest professional organization, which said in a statement that it stands with every participant of the movement.

Representatives from all three companies, however, told USA TODAY they are experiencing zero to minimal disruptions as a result of the effort.

It is the latest walkout to hit the troubled industry this autumn. The first closed more than a dozen CVS pharmacies in the Kansas City area in September. The second affected roughly the same number of Walgreens stores from coast to coast in early October. usatoday.com

   RELATED: 'Pharmageddon' and the future of retail pharmacies


Nationwide Walmart Upgrade Focuses on Shopper Experience
Walmart invests over $500M to upgrade 117 stores

The big-box retailer will devote more than $9 billion over two years to modernize over 1,400 stores across the U.S.

Walmart on Friday will celebrate the grand reopening of 117 stores representing over a half a billion dollars in capital investments across 30 states, the company announced Monday. Walmart is investing more than $9 billion over two years to modernize over 1,400 stores across the U.S.

The retailer said it has revamped the stores with better layouts, wider product selections and various technological improvements as part of its "Signature Experience" initiative, which aims to enhance the shopping experience for customers.

Among the improvements the retailer has made to its stores are interactive corner displays, larger pharmacies, rooms for nursing parents, QR codes and digital screens with helpful information for shoppers and a Dollar Shop at store entrances with seasonal products. retaildive.com


Goodbye, hello: Buy Buy Baby preps to be born again

How will Gen Z consumers shop for the holidays?
 

Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Director of LP & Safety job posted for Bi-Mart Corporation in Eugene, OR
This position is responsible for ensuring the safety and security of our retail, corporate, and distribution center establishments, assets, and personnel. This leadership position is responsible for developing and implementing comprehensive loss prevention and safety strategies that minimize risks, protect company assets, and create a secure environment for employees and customers. indeed.com
 

Retail Industry 'Attractive Target' for Malicious Actors
International: Cyber issues in the Consumer Goods & Retail industry
Cybersecurity threats and risks are increasing each day, and cybercriminals are getting more sophisticated in their attacks. Companies need to ensure that their data security measures keep up with ever-changing regulations and that they have protocols in place to deal with cyber threats, breaches, and ransomware attacks. Retail brands recognize that in an increasingly connected world, cybersecurity should remain a top priority. A rigorous approach to cybersecurity and data protection is, therefore, crucial to counter the malicious threats emerging and evolving in response to the relentless drumbeat of digitization.

Cybersecurity in the Consumer Goods & Retail sector

Rapid technological advancements have made it easy for CG&R businesses to collect and store vast amounts of data, making them prime targets for cyber attacks.

CG&R companies are often at the forefront of employing new technologies to enhance customer engagement and drive sales. Third-party supplier contracts require robust cyber and data security provisions to protect against supply chain attacks. Business disruption and operational impacts on manufacturing and sales make CG&R businesses attractive targets for malicious actors.

Cyber attacks can imperil finances, operations, and brand reputation, compounded by potentially serious penalties from regulatory authorities around the world. Proactively investing in cybersecurity measures, regularly training staff, and adopting robust cyber incident response strategies are essential for safeguarding both business and customer interests and in navigating the changing legal frameworks that govern the digital economy.

To learn more about the cyber issues that the CG&R sector has to grapple with, tune in and listen to our Off The Shelf* podcast series. In Part 1, our speakers discuss the top privacy and cyber security challenges of the CG&R industry. They examine the types of data that brands may want to protect and explore steps they can take to avoid a data breach. In Part 2, our speakers delve into how brands can build a cyber program that complies with global laws and provide practical takeaways for retail businesses looking to improve their cyber strategy. globalcompliancenews.com


Making Phishing Campaigns Less Detectable
'Prolific Puma' Hacker Gives Cybercriminals Access to .us Domains

Cybercriminals are upping their phishing with shortened links and showing that coveted, regulated top-level domains aren't as exclusive as you'd think.

A thriving link-shortening service is providing cyberattackers and scammers with top-level .us domains, helping them make their phishing campaigns just a bit less detectable.

In a report published this week, researchers from Infoblox named the threat actor behind the operation "Prolific Puma." In the past 18 months, Prolific Puma has generated as many as 75,000 unique domain names, often circumventing regulations to provide seedy criminals with URLs that end in a .us.

But Prolific Puma is providing its customers a lot more than just paint jobs for their dirty links.

"Shortened links offer the bad actor a shorter link for their text message (so it fits in SMS), a hidden destination (so suspect users are more likely to click), and resistance from detection by automated security products (which need to figure out where the links go)," explains Renee Burton, head of threat intelligence at Infoblox. And where companies like Bitly or TinyURL work to prevent malicious abuse of their services, in this case, there's no such annoyance in the way. darkreading.com


Small & Medium Businesses Face Surging Malware
Daily malware activity doubled year over year for small businesses
Small business cybersecurity was analyzed in a recent Comcast report. The report found that small businesses were under frequent threat from cyberattacks from July 2022 to June 2023, with daily malware activity roughly doubling year-over-year and peaks in both holiday seasons.

The widespread use of internet-connected devices has given rise to a substantial surge in threat actors targeting small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), with malware, phishing and botnets being the most common threats.

Additionally, there is a concerning lack of security measures in place for mobile devices, as the report found that nearly one in 10 devices, on average, attempted to connect to domains associated with malware, phishing or malicious bot activity.

Read the full report here. securitymagazine.com


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