Cities Ramp Up Anti-Theft Operations Ahead of Holiday Shopping Season

San Francisco Wages War on Retail Theft With Blitz Operations
San Francisco Police Retail Theft Blitz Operations Result in Hundred of Arrests, Expanding with New State Funding

Police have conducted 40 operations at local retailers leading to over 300 arrests and will be expanding these efforts going into the holiday shopping season

San Francisco, CA - With the holiday shopping season starting, Mayor London N. Breed today announced that the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) will be continuing and expanding its retail theft blitz strategy that has led to significant arrests in retail establishments across San Francisco. District Attorney Brooke Jenkins has filed charges in a number of these cases, bringing a renewed enforcement effort to San Francisco.

SFPD officers have arrested more than 300 people at more than 40 locations during these blitz operations since last year. Examples of these cases include most recently the arrest of an organized group who targeted a retail location on Geneva Avenue and the arrest of four individuals involved in numerous organized theft operations citywide.

This past September, Mayor Breed announced that San Francisco received $17 million in a state grant to combat organized retail theft. This includes $15 million in funding to support SFPD's work to combat organized retail crime, which is paying for overtime for SFPD officers to run targeted retail theft operations. SFPD will significantly increase these blitz operations over the next 3 years with funding from the new state grant.

These operations are part of San Francisco's broader strategy to address theft across the entire City. SFPD has also used bait car operations and plainclothes officers to target auto burglaries. This has helped bring larceny theft rates down by 11% year to date compared to the same period last year.

As the holiday shopping season arrives this week, SFPD will be continuing and expanding these operations in retail locations across the City. "Our Police officers are out there making the arrests and, along with our District Attorney, they are sending a clear message that if you target our retailers, you will be arrested and charged," said Mayor London Breed. "Organized retail theft hurts not just our businesses, but our workers and our residents. We are going to do everything we can to make this holiday shopping season the best one we've had in years, and that starts with deterring retail theft."  sf.gov


More Officers Patrolling Malls & Shopping Centers
Reno PD Intensifies Efforts to Combat Retail Theft During Holiday Season
In response to the increased threat of retail theft, including 'flash-mob' robberies, the Reno Police Department is intensifying efforts to fight theft by increasing patrols at several malls and shopping centers beginning the week of November 20, 2023 and throughout the holiday shopping season.

'Flash mob' thefts usually involve higher-end goods that can easily be resold. The criminals use violence to carry out their crimes and are not deterred by security tags, alarms, and even guards.

During the holiday season, shoppers can expect to see more patrols, increased visibility of law enforcement vehicles, and other strategic forms of positioning officers.

"We are taking this proactive step to deter criminals and let them know that we will not tolerate this type of violent theft in our area this holiday season," said Kathryn Nance, Chief of the Reno Police Department. "We want our residents to shop in safe and enjoyable places and having extra officers is part of that solution."

The Reno Police Department encourages the community to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities. Shoppers are also encouraged to be aware of their surroundings, secure their belongings, and report any concerns to law enforcement via the non-emergency line at 775-334-2188. For emergencies, residents should call 9-1-1. reno.gov


Calif. Sheriff Says Prop 47 is the Root of the State's Shoplifting Crisis
California voters 'duped' by reform plan that sparked shoplifting crisis: sheriff

The sheriff says voters were 'duped' into voting for Prop 47 before retail crime spiraled

Rampant shoplifting in California's capital has surpassed "crisis level," according to the outspoken sheriff of Sacramento County. "It is way beyond crisis level," Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper told Fox News Digital in a Zoom interview Thursday about shoplifting.

Cooper, a Democrat who previously served in the California State Assembly, told Fox News Digital there is a "disconnect" between retail workers who see crime issues play out in front of their eyes and request the sheriff's office for assistance, and corporate leaders who want to avoid bad press.

"To be honest, at the corporate level, the board level, it's about image. That's really what matters and it's sad," Cooper said. "People have seen shoplifting going on in the stores with your family. You see it day in, day out and quite frankly, the public's fed up. Right now, it's polling about 80%. So the public is on the side [of], 'Hey, it's out of control. It's time to do something.' But for right now, the retailers, if they choose to, can really deal with it and do an initiative, but it has to go back to the voters."

Cooper pinned blame on California's Proposition 47, which voters passed in 2014 through a ballot initiative. Under the law, shoplifting charges regarding theft of $950 or less were lowered from felonies to misdemeanors.

"It really started with the change in law in 2014 with Prop 47, which was voted on by the voters, I should say, and the voters were duped into voting for that. It was called the safe streets and schools act," Cooper said, noting the effects of Prop 47 were felt immediately in the state and has since evolved over the past nine years.

Cooper said it appears voters have not connected the dots between voting for Prop 47 nearly a decade ago and the crime they see today.  foxbusiness.com


What's Fueling the Theft Outcry?
Retail theft has become a scapegoat

Retailers may be pointing to theft to prompt government action or distract from operational issues.

Talking about shrink like that overstates the impact of theft on retailers - and hides other problems that the companies might be less willing to discuss with investors.

"Theft as a reason for shrinkage is a tale as old as time," said Melodie van der Baan, the CEO and a cofounder of Max Retail, a company that sources excess inventory from retailers and resells it. "It will always be a thing, but it's everything else that you have to manage in your business to offset it."

Theft is merely one cause of shrink, which added up to $112.1 billion, or 1.6% of all retail sales, in 2022, a report the National Retail Federation released in September found. External theft accounted for 36% of shrink in 2022, the report said. That figure includes the impact of organized retail crime.

That means other factors make up the majority of the problem. Employee theft accounted for 29% of shrink, the report said. Another 27% came from "process, control failures and errors," it added - in other words, a retailer's shortcomings in tracking inventory.

If so many elements contribute to shrink, then why are some retailers pointing to theft only? One reason, analysts at William Blair said, could be: Laying out problems managing inventory or running stores could draw ire from investors and others on Wall Street. businessinsider.com


31% of Gen-Zers Admit to Stealing From Self-Checkout Lines
'Retailers need to decide whether the self-checkout terminals are worth the risk'

Nearly a third of Gen-Zers steal from self-checkout aisles, survey shows
Roughly one in three young shoppers in the U.S. has admitted to giving themselves five-finger discounts at self-checkout counters, a new survey shows.

According to loan marketplace LendingTree, 31% of Gen-Z consumers have stolen items from self-checkout kiosks, compared to 15% of consumers of any age. Those figures come as businesses work to combat shoplifting, which some retailers have blamed for hurting their financial performance and even for store closures.

"Ultimately, retailers need to decide whether the self-checkout terminals are worth the risk," LendingTree chief credit analyst Matt Schulz said in a statement. "That's a question lots of retailers are likely wrestling with."
 
Although some respondents to the poll said they regretted having sticky fingers, 44% planned to continue stealing from self-checkout kiosks, while 37% said they would do so to save money on groceries or health care goods, according to the survey. Of those who had stolen at kiosks, only a thir said they had ever been caught, the data shows.

Losses resulting from the use of automated checkout stations appear to have spurred several major retailers to do away with the kiosks or beef up measures to detect thefts. cbsnews.com


Be Careful What You Wish For
Progressives wanted Mayor Adams to defund the NYPD - but not like this
Mayor Adams announced last week that he is planning to freeze hiring of new police officers for the foreseeable future. The budget plan would bring Police Academy classes to a halt at a time when the NYPD's uniformed ranks remain well below pre-pandemic levels.

According to department data, there are currently about 33,500 NYPD officers - about 1,400 fewer than the department is budgeted for, and about 2,700 fewer than were on the beat in 2019. Adams, a former NYPD captain, is defunding the police.

"This is truly a disaster for every New Yorker who cares about safe streets," Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry said in a statement.

"Cops are already stretched to our breaking point, and these cuts will return us to staffing levels we haven't seen since the crime epidemic of the '80s and '90s. We cannot go back there."

It'll be painful even for progressives. Their idea - rarely communicated well - was to remove funds from police departments, including the NYPD, and reallocate them to non-policing forms of public safety, such as social services, youth services, housing, education and healthcare. But guess what? Those services are facing cuts, too.

Until then, Adams said, New Yorkers must pay the price, sacrificing a degree of public safety in the process. nydailynews.com


How Shoplifting Has Become a 'Politically Charged' Issue
Shoplifting has 'outsized impact' on national debate about crime and social order, college professor argues
Shoplifting has had an "outsized impact" on discussions about crime that has been exploited by justice reform opponents, one professor argued on Friday.

Brooklyn College sociology professor Alex Vitale was one of multiple professors and researchers who discussed with CNN growing concerns over the rise in retail theft as more stores have closed or moved out of large cities. However, Vitale insisted that the concern is usually overblown.

"Historically, shoplifting has always had this outsized impact on public discourse," Vitale said.

The piece further added that the shoplifting issue has been used politically to push back against police and criminal justice reforms.

"Shoplifting has also become a politically charged crime that many on the right and some Democrats have exploited to oppose criminal justice policy reforms," the article stated.

James Walsh, who directs the University of Ontario Institute of Technology's graduate program on criminology and justice, added, "The figure of a shoplifter may provide for a scapegoat for deeper problems that are more complex and intractable... It resonates with broader concerns about law and disorder." foxnews.com

   RELATED: What America's shoplifting panic is really about


Thanksgiving Cargo Theft Trends Infographic and Security Tips 2023
JERSEY CITY, N.J., November 20, 2023 - CargoNet is warning supply chain professionals that the threat of cargo theft activity is extremely high this upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. CargoNet has been tracking a sharp increase in theft reports since November 2022. Since then, the average number of theft reports filed per week has increased to an average of 51 events per week, a 64% increase when compared to historical data between January 2012 and October 2022. The problem only appears to be escalating. Between October 1, 2023 and November 11, 2023, CargoNet has recorded an average of 66 reports per week, a 113% increase from the average number of reports per week between January 2012 and October 2022.

The Strategic Cargo Theft Threat

CargoNet has recorded 433 new theft events since October 2023, a 101% increase year-over-year. Strategic cargo thefts or fictitious pickups and identity fraud reports made up 35% of reported crimes in this time period. Fifty-six percent of strategic cargo thefts took place in California. Strategic cargo thefts happened across the state but were most frequent in the counties of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Orange. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, motor oils, auto parts, apparel, solar energy generation items, and nutritional supplements were the most frequently stolen goods in strategic cargo thefts.

Organized crime groups perpetrating these crimes seek to obtain a load tender by either: (1) outright impersonating a legitimate motor carrier, (2) using an authority they have registered or have been given access to, (3) deceiving a motor carrier into giving them the credentials to vital accounts. cargonet.com


Can Walmart's Anti-Theft Tech Create Hostile Customers?
Walmart's anti-theft technology creates a new set of problems

The retail giant wants to solve a problem that rival Target has said has impacted its bottom line.

In Walmart's case, the retailer has technology that allows a store associate to shut off a self-checkout. The worker is not supposed to tell the customer that they're suspected of theft. Instead, the worker is to pretend that it's a technical problem.

That's a strategy that inconveniences honest people and creates a grey area. Did the person steal a can of soup or did it just not scan?

At best, that's an inconvenience when the customer is not shoplifting. At worst, it's a dangerous situation as the suspected thief can become hostile - a situation Walmart clerks and checkout personnel are not fully trained to handle. thestreet.com


Fight Retail Crime Day Paid Off
New Co-sponsors Added to Combating Organized Retail Crime Act
Since Fight Retail Crime Day on Oct. 26, 12 members of Congress (9 House, 3 Senate) have signed on to support the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (H.R. 895/S. 140) thanks to the hard work and advocacy of retail advocates. There are now 88 total House sponsors and 13 total Senate co-sponsors. We expect more additions in the coming weeks as more lawmakers have signaled support. Help us keep up the momentum by participating in our grassroots campaign.


Everyday Injustice Podcast Episode 226: George Gascón Discusses Crime in LA

Op-Ed: California Dems put liberal ideology over public safety. Here's how to fix that

'No Active, Credible or Specific Threats' to Macy's Parade
But the event remains an 'attractive target' for terrorist organizations

What It Takes to Put on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, by the Numbers
The 97th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has returned to the streets of New York City. The Macy's parade has been a traditional holiday season kickoff and spectators often line up a half-dozen deep along the route to cheer the marchers, floats, entertainers and marching bands. For the first time in its long history, the holiday tradition will begin at 8:30 a.m. ET, half an hour earlier than previous years.

2.5 Mile Route - The parade route twists and turns down the streets of Manhattan, starting on West 77th street and Central Park West and ends in front of the iconic Macy's flagship store on 34th street in Herald's Square.

Two to three million people line the streets to get a glimpse of the action, according to NPR.

The Thanksgiving Day Parade marks Macy's single biggest volunteer event of the year. More than 4,500 volunteers are credited for keeping the parade alive.

Security Precautions

No large backpacks, lawn chairs, umbrellas, large coolers or alcoholic beverages will be allowed. Anyone who sees suspicious activity should alert a police officer or call 911. The NYPD's terrorism hotline is 888-NYC-SAFE.

There are no "active, credible or specific" threats to the annual Thanksgiving parade in New York but the NYPD warned in a new security assessment the event remains an "attractive target."

The document, known as an Event Threat Assessment and obtained by ABC News, said despite the absence of threats mass gatherings, iconic location and high-profile events, including parades, remain attractive targets for foreign terrorist organizations.

Part of the NYPD security profile for the parade includes blocker cars, barriers and bollards.  abc7ny.com

The D&D Daily's Previous Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Coverage
Macy's Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade: How an Old-School Tradition is Meeting Modern-Day Security Threats 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021| 2022

Black Friday Strike to Hit Macy's Locations
'We don't feel safe in our stores'

Macy's workers to strike Black Friday across Washington over 'unfair' labor practices
Macy's workers at three, popular store locations in Western Washington said they will be going on strike on Black Friday, November 24. 96% of Macy's Workers United (UFCW 3000) voted to authorize 'unfair labor practice' strikes, leaving their workplaces to join picket lines. Workers said receiving a fair wage is important, but safety is at the top of their minds.

"When workers ask that store safety just be a topic that they can talk about in future meetings with management, Macy's even says no to that," Joe Mizrahi, Secretary-Treasurer of UFCW 21, said on Friday. "Macy's workers would much rather be inside the store helping customers this Black Friday. But instead they'll be out here (at the Southcenter Mall) on one of the busiest shopping days of the year."

Macy's did not not agree to an interview, but a spokesperson emailed the following, full statement to KIRO 7 on Friday: "Thank you for your inquiry. Macy's seeks to reach a deal that is mutually beneficial to the colleague, company, and union."

Liisa Luick, who has been a Macy's associate for 15 years, said she was suspended without pay for three weeks after she called the police. According to Luick, she witnessed someone shoplifting.

"I then called management... I called loss prevention... We waited and nothing happened," Luick said. "And (then) it happened again. He came back in, got something, and left out the doors." Luick claims her managers told her to call mall security, a phone number that was never provided to her by managers until this shoplifting incident. "I called mall security. [They] said I needed to call the police," she said. "So, I called the police."

"We would love to be safe at work, but also want our customers to be safe," Azia Domingo, a Macy's associate, said on Friday. "We don't feel safe in our stores." Domingo also expressed her frustrations with stagnant wages. kiro7.com


The Rise & Fall of Canada's Jeffrey Epstein
'Are you one of his survivors?' How Peter Nygard was finally brought to justice, decades after his first sex assault charges

Peter Nygard's downfall was set in motion by a Toronto therapist, veteran #MeToo lawyers, a billionaire "arch-enemy" and well-over 100 women.

The year 2020 would prove to be the beginning of the downfall of the man who once ran the largest manufacturer of women's clothing in Canada, owned multiple properties around the world and was described as the "playboy" of Canadian fashion.

After years of rumours and accusations swirling around the now-82-year-old Nygard - withdrawn charges, no criminal convictions and his own adamant denials - things kicked into gear: a class-action lawsuit filed in the U.S. quickly grew from 10 women to 57, and criminal charges soon followed, first in New York and then in three provinces, including Ontario.

On Nov. 12, the Finland-born, Winnipeg-raised Nygard received his very first criminal convictions for sexual assault in the cases of four women whom he attacked in the top-floor bedroom at his former Toronto offices at 1 Niagara St. between the late 1980s and 2005. He was acquitted of sexually assaulting a fifth woman. A date for his sentencing hearing will be set on Nov. 21.

The story of how Peter Nygard was finally brought to justice involves U.S. civil lawyers who vetted a flood of claims; a therapist who advocated for her clients and helped them report decades-old allegations to the police at the height of the #MeToo era; and a billionaire "arch-enemy" who said he could not turn a blind eye to what he was hearing.

Most importantly, it involves the women themselves - now numbering well over 100 - including those whose allegations were dismissed, like former model KC Allan, but who kept speaking out. thestar.com

The Full Story - Nygard Was in Fact Canada's Jeffrey Epstein | Continue Reading


The Future Talent Arms Race & AI
WSJ: Amazon Launches Free AI Classes in Bid to Win Talent Arms Race

Company aims to train two million people in AI as fight for skilled workers ramps up with Microsoft, Google

Amazon.com is launching a program to train millions of workers in artificial-intelligence skills as the tech giant seeks to gain an edge in a pitched battle for talent with Microsoft, Google and other companies.

Named "AI Ready," Amazon's new program plans to train at least two million people by 2025 on basic to advanced AI skills, including how to make use of the generative AI technology that has powered language-based models such as ChatGPT. Amazon aims to fill a gap in AI talent as it has sought to generate interest in its generative AI efforts after falling behind rivals. In launching its program, Amazon is adding to a broader effort by the corporate world to get workers in various fields trained in AI.

The training is centered on eight online courses that focus on generative AI and target people with both tech and tech-adjacent roles. The classes are catered to both beginners and those with more experience, and the company said it can form the foundation for professionals to prepare for the jobs and skills now needed in the industry. The courses are free to access online through an Amazon learning website and are available for non-Amazon employees.

Amazon's effort reflects a growing awareness across the corporate sphere that AI could change how millions of people do their jobs. Companies in industries ranging from real estate to retail are now experimenting in using generative AI to help in everything from crafting marketing materials to writing software code and answering human-resources questions. wsj.com


Battle Between DOJ & Rite Aid Over Opioid Lawsuit
Rite Aid moves to block opioid lawsuit during bankruptcy

The suit accuses Rite Aid of illegally processing hundreds of thousands of prescriptions for opioid medications

Rite Aid believes its bankruptcy filing should be enough to once again pause a pending opioid lawsuit it's facing in federal court, reports Reuters.

The DOJ agreed to briefly pause the suit when Rite Aid initially claimed bankruptcy. Now the floundering pharmacy retailer says the pending lawsuit is impacting its efforts to restructure, and that as a result, the suit should be paused once more.

The lawsuit against Rite Aid accuses the retailer of ignoring red flags and illegally processing hundreds of thousands of prescriptions for opioid medications.

*Rite Aid is suing the Department of Justice because it wants an opioid lawsuit blocked while it is in bankruptcy. The struggling retailer believes the DOJ lawsuit would make it difficult during restructuring. Do you think Rite Aid should be given a break while it is filing for bankruptcy?  supermarketnews.com


The Union Debate in D.C.
Senate Committee Hears Arguments for and Against Unions
Lawmakers and union leaders debated the broad economic impacts of labor unions at a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on Nov. 14, highlighting the notable increase in union petitions and strikes this year. The debate grew heated, with disputes from past interactions coming up again.

Union leaders emphasized unions' ability to shore up the middle class and strengthen benefits and pay for rank-and-file workers. "Unions are necessary for a stable economy, our safety, our security and our democracy," said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-Communication Workers of America in Washington, D.C. "Nothing is more important for our nation to succeed than unions, collective bargaining, dialog between divergent groups, [and] solutions to the existential threats that we face."

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., raised concerns about union contracts leading to layoffs and company closings, which means job losses for workers. Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., said franchisees and small-business owners don't want or need union involvement.

Unions often act in their own interest at the cost of the interests of the members in other unions, said Diana Furchtgott-Roth, director of the Heritage Foundation's Center for Energy, Climate and Environment in Washington, D.C. shrm.org


Get ready for a blowout Black Friday


Quarterly Results

BJ's Wholesale Q3 comp's flat, digital up 16%, total club sales up 0.3%