Businesses Speak Out Amid Crime Surge in Major Cities
America's small businesses slammed by rising crime: 'People are afraid'

'People are afraid to come downtown,' one business owner said

Crime across the nation has been keeping many people on their toes. This includes America's small business owners - who are taking a hit as they recover from break-ins and as customers stay away from crime-ridden areas.

"People are afraid to come downtown," Goodwood Brewery CEO Ted Mitzlaff said. "We certainly see fewer and fewer locals coming to our downtown locations."

Shoplifting has cost business owners nearly $100 billion in profits, according to a National Retail Security Survey, as "Fox & Friends First" noted. The survey, done annually by the National Retail Federation, covers national retail security issues such as inventory shrink, employee integrity and organized retail crime issues, that organization reports.

J's Creole Wings owner Omar Duncan of New Orleans, Louisiana, added that his business was also broken into - and that the two juveniles who took part in the crime were given just a "slap on the wrist." "It was apparent that they were not going to be prosecuted, or pay for their crimes in any way," he said.

"People just don't care," he said. "We have armed guards in our building - but they're just coming in. They don't care."

Avedian reiterated that the issue is continuing because of the current lack of crackdowns on crime.

He also mentioned that he hopes the newly elected Los Angeles mayor, Karen Bass, as well as the district attorney and the city attorney, are able to do something about the crime problem.

But he noted that the local police officers are frustrated, as criminals are often put right back out on the streets. foxbusiness.com

Another City Floods Retail Districts with Security
Oakland mayor unveils public safety plan to boost holiday shopping areas
Outgoing Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf has announced plans to install more lights and crack down on illegal vending in the city's retail districts, an effort to lure holiday shoppers back to businesses that wilted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The nearly $800,000 program aims to bolster security measures in shopping areas including downtown, Fruitvale, Lakeshore, Montclair, Rockridge, Temescal and other retail neighborhoods.

"We want to create a deep sense of safety for everyone," Schaaf said at a news conference Wednesday. "We know these last few years have been difficult. People have felt unsettled, and we want you to know that the city is here to welcome you back to enjoy your shopping."

As in many other cities, the coronavirus crisis slowed foot traffic to Oakland businesses, while the city further struggled with a sharp increase in homicides and other crimes over the past two years.

Schaaf's initiative will bolster security by increasing the number of civilian ambassadors, security guards and traffic control officers, among other safety protocols.

The city's effort was welcomed by small businesses. Justin Ford, who co-owns a Black-owned apparel business in the Fruitvale neighborhood called Oakland's Own, said the mayor's move is much needed.

Schaaf said a special session will be held Tuesday to announce grants for small businesses that can be used for additional safety measures, as well as for window, glass and other types of repairs. sfchronicle.com

Murder - Robbery - Theft Down in Florida
Florida crime rate drops for record 50-year low: report
Crime is down across Florida for a 50-year low, according to the 2021 Annual Uniform Crime Report. The report covers 2021 and shows Florida's total crime volume dropped 8.3 percent, or 38,524 fewer reported index crimes, compared to 2020.

Murder was down 14 percent and robbery was down 17.5 percent in 2021. Aggravated assault was down 1.6 percent.

Other crimes related to theft also saw a decline in 2021 according to the report. Burglary was down 15%, larceny was down nearly 9 percent, and there was a drop in the number of cars stolen, statewide. Motor vehicle theft was also down 6.4 percent.

Violent and property crimes, and domestic violence crimes, were down in 2021 according to the report. The one area that yielded concerning results was rapes, which were up 13.7 percent.

In order to create this report, 239 law enforcement agencies in Florida submitted crime stats covering 57.5 percent of the population.

The data was combined into a statewide aggregate covering the entire population of Florida and compared to 2020 annual figures to determine statewide trends for 2021. Not all agencies submitted summary-based crime statistics because they are transitioning to Florida Incident-Based Reporting System.

This data can be used by law enforcement agencies to target their resources more effectively, by governments to guide policy and by researchers and the public working to understand crime in Florida. news4jax.com

Progressive DA's Crime Policies Take Center Stage at Impeachment Trial
PA state Senate to put progressive Philly DA Larry Krasner on trial
The Pennsylvania state Senate on Wednesday began what could be a long and partisan process of considering whether to force Philadelphia's Democratic district attorney, Larry Krasner, from office.

The impeachment is part of a wave of efforts across the country to remove progressive prosecutors over crimefighting policies amid a rise in violent crime nationally. Krasner has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

Krasner - a progressive civil rights lawyer who ran as an opponent of the death penalty, cash bail and prosecuting minor nonviolent offenses - was overwhelmingly reelected last year to a second four-year term. He calls his impeachment "pure politics" and an effort to subvert the will of Philadelphia voters, while Democrats call it an abuse of legislative power.

In the articles, House Republicans allege that Krasner's policies and practices "have led to catastrophic consequences" for Philadelphians.

Krasner's impeachment vote came amid rising gun violence and homicides in the state's largest city, and disagreements between Krasner and police department brass over how to stem it.

House Republicans approved seven articles of impeachment, including complaints about Krasner's prosecution and bail policies. witf.org

Can AI Solve America's Mass Shootings Crisis?
AI to be used to mitigate mass shooting threats

"We can now take proactive steps to ... prevent the common pitfalls of active threats such as human indecision, delayed calls to 911 and misinformation."

In order to mitigate the amount of harm and damage caused by this kind of event, Israeli start-up Gabriel has been deploying next-generation security technology across the United States, which can instantly and automatically detect and respond to violent threats, saving time and lives.

This week Gabriel announced the release of its newest software upgrade to combat the rise of active shooter events occurring in the United States, which will further leverage its use of artificial intelligence in order to better detect active mass shootings. Following the update, the security platform is able to identify early signs of a threat including aggressive behavior, the presence of a weapon or gunshots. Once danger is identified, the technology automatically sends alerts, calls for help, and provides responders with live video and communication inside the scene.

At the outset of the year, following a hostage situation at a Texas synagogue, an anonymous philanthropist pledged one million dollars and enlisted friends to match his gift in order to install the Gabriel Network security platform in 500 locations across the United States - protecting approximately 5,000 buildings including synagogues, campus facilities and schools.

Since then Gabriel's platform has been installed in office buildings, data centers and healthcare facilities across the US, seamlessly integrating with pre-existing security infrastructure and offering a subscription model to customers looking for affordable advanced security. jpost.com
 
'Tis the Season for Cargo Theft
Trucking companies take proactive stance to thwart theft during holiday season

Keeping customer cargo and company assets safe top priority this time of year

Cargo theft makes headlines each holiday season, driven by increased shipments, high demand and product shortages. Recent data from CargoNet shows cargo theft losses rocketed to $19 million in the first quarter of 2022 in the United States and Canada, a 73% increase over the same period in 2021.

Thieves are evolving their tactics and utilizing technology to target trucks with goods that can easily be sold off-market for a quick dollar. While the majority of the population enjoy long weekends and time off with friends and family, criminals are working around the clock, taking advantage of holiday distractions.

First line of defense - First and foremost, drivers are instructed to never unhook the truck from the trailer, especially when the trailer is loaded. An unhooked trailer is an easy target for thieves, and since some states do not title or register trailers, the stolen equipment can be quickly sold without consequence.

It's more than cargo - "In addition to the cargo on the trailers, we stress to our drivers the importance of protecting their securement equipment and their fuel, as we have seen an uptick in the theft of these items," said Erin.

Aided by technology - As criminals find new ways to hijack equipment and cargo, carriers must also continue to adapt their prevention policies. The transportation industry is advancing through the use of technology, utilizing electronic logging devices, GPS tracking, load-matching software and more.

Communication is key: freightwaves.com

North Carolina's ORC Crackdown Makes More Headlines
Charlotte, NC: New N.C. law works to combat rise in organized retail theft
A new North Carolina law is sending a message to criminals. "They're making it clear that if you work together to do crime that certainly there's going to be a stiff penalty, and now, they are looking at the fact that based on the amount of the impact that it had on the business, there's going to be a stronger consequence as well," added attorney Walter Bowers, with Wooden Bowers, PLLC.

The law says if people conspire to commit a crime, it's a Class H felony for any amount exceeding $1,500 in damage. The Class of felony correlates with the amount of merchandise stolen. Over $20,000 is a class G felony, over $50,000 a class F felony, and over $100,000 a class C felony. Jail time increases with this change in classes as well.

The new law adds all organized retail thefts in 90 days. As a result, the value of items stolen could add up quickly and, at the highest level of charges, could lead to 15 years behind bars. Under the old law, this would have been a Class H felony with a term of 4 months to 2 years in jail. cbs17.com

U.S. Jewelry Crime Is Up 50% Since 2019
Jewelers Unite To Combat Rising Store Crime
On Dec. 1, Jewelers Mutual announced its new Partner for Protection movement, which it describes as a rallying cry that gives jewelers actionable tips to protect themselves, their staff, and their businesses in light of recent crime. Partner for Protection is a pledge that gives jewelers a digital tool kit, store assets, and information to boost safety and awareness in their local communities.

Jewelers Mutual says U.S. jewelry industry crime is up 15% year-over-year and has risen 50% from 2019. Some states are seeing dramatic increases. For example, California jewelers experienced a 200% increase in smash-and-grab robberies in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the first quarter of 2021, according to the Jewelers' Security Alliance (JSA).

In some Canadian communities, daytime crime, including armed robberies, smash-and-grabs, and grab-and-runs have increased more than 300% year- over-year, according to data derived from JSA and Jewelers Mutual. jckonline.com

66 CVS pharmacies in RI now equipped with time delay safes

After Walmart shooting, Chesapeake faces all-too-familiar scenes

US: 100.7M Cases - 1.1M Dead - 98.1M Recovered
Worldwide: 648.7M Cases - 6.6M Dead - 626.3M Recovered

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 362   Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 816

COVID Cases, Hospitalizations & Deaths

Store Visits from Retail Execs Are Key in the Post-COVID Era
Why retail leaders should plan a store visit before the holiday season

A store visit can provide a boost to staff morale and uncover what works well on the retail store floor.

As we near the first festive shopping season in two years that doesn't have the looming threat of Covid-19 restrictions, customers are looking to enjoy an optimum in-store shopping experience. This Christmas, retailers must prioritize the customer experience to win footfall over fierce online shopping competition.

A Harvard Business School study found that, on average, retail leaders spend just 3% of their time with customers. This is largely due to the huge scope of responsibilities that come with CEO and chief executive roles, which can lead to a natural decline in customer-facing time.

However, this can be detrimental as a wealth of information can be gained from customers, and visiting stores can also provide a boost to staff morale and uncover what works well on the shop floor. With a large rift between head office and stores, a feeling of disconnect can begin to take hold.

After all, retail is very much a people business, and there's a goldmine of knowledge to be gained on the shop floor, where real business success happens.  retailcustomerexperience.com

Will Remote Work Fade With COVID?
Why Working From Home Could Come To An End
Working from home (WFH) has taken a big jump after the Covid-19 pandemic, and some very smart people think it's here to stay, because many highly educated workers like it. But others aren't so sure whether employers will continue supporting it, especially if the economy softens and labor markets get tighter.

If the Federal Reserve gets the recession it seems to want, then the labor market power balance will tilt more to employers. For example, some tech firms allowed significant working from home. As they lay workers off, and new job openings fall, employers will have more say over where and how the remaining staff will work.

There's no question working from home has increased since the pandemic, and some of that increase will be permanent. But it also is tied to the ongoing and shifting power balances between workers and employers. The next few years, especially if we get a recession, will tell us how widespread and persistent this labor market change really is. forbes.com

Why labor economists say the remote work 'revolution' is here to stay
Remote work was a massive pandemic-era labor experiment, borne of necessity due to the health scare and stay-at-home orders. That "revolution" will likely endure as a fixture of the U.S. job market, experts said.

The Future Of Work Is Global-Remote Leaders Should Embrace This Shift, Not Fear It

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Retailers That Embrace Facial Recognition & Other Tech Will Thrive
How Artificial Intelligence Technology Can Modernize Brick-And-Mortar Retail
As mobile commerce continues to grow, retail stores will need to adopt new technologies to stay afloat. Consumer reliance on smart devices will only become greater, so brick-and-mortar stores must act quickly if they don't want to become outdated.

This is why many stores are adding an AI solution to their business operations. With the help of AI, retailers can boost employee productivity, add value to the customer experience, and generate increased revenue over time.

Using AI solutions can help bridge the gap between the convenience of e-commerce and the experience of physical in-store shopping.

As technologies like biometrics and facial recognition become the preferred method for identification, retailers can use this function to identify customers who revisit their store and to remember their liked purchases as well as their dislikes. Advanced AI algorithms can design personalized promotions and recommend products customers might enjoy.

According to a Boston Consulting Group study, companies that integrated advanced digital technologies and data to design personalized experiences for customers saw an increase in revenue by 6 to 10%-and they saw this increase two to three times faster than the companies that didn't.

While AI is still a very new and emerging technology, businesses across all industries are making it a part of their business applications, and retailers can benefit, too. If retail companies want to truly thrive, the best way forward is to embrace AI solutions. forbes.com

Economic-Supply Chain Crisis Averted Ahead of Holidays
Biden signs bill averting rail worker strike despite lack of paid sick days
President Joe Biden signed a bill into law making a rail strike illegal, preventing workers from walking off the job weeks before the holiday season.

"The bill I'm about to sign ends a difficult rail dispute and helps our nation avoid what, without a doubt, would have been an economic catastrophe at a very bad time in the calendar," Biden said Friday morning before signing the bill.

After his administration aided in negotiations for months, and the sides reached a tentative agreement in September, talks ultimately stalled and rail workers threatened a strike. Biden then asked Congress to intervene, and the Senate passed a bill Thursday making a strike illegal.

The initial agreement brokered by the Biden administration was accepted by all but four rail unions, who were holding out for guaranteed paid sick leave days. The opposing unions, though, represent the majority of rail workers. The workers and companies had until Dec. 9 to reach an agreement before they vowed to strike, which the industry estimated would cost the U.S. economy $2 billion per day. cnbc.com

   RELATED: Retailers Commend Congress for Swift Action to Prevent Rail Strike

White Collar Retail Workers Caught Up in Recent Job Cuts
Layoffs Hit White-Collar Workers as Amazon, Walmart, Others Cut Jobs

Recent wave of job cuts marks departure from previous downturns when blue-collar workers were shed first

Recent rounds of layoffs at large U.S. companies mark a departure from the usual pattern as executives navigate fears of an economic slowdown: This time, white-collar workers have been among the first and hardest hit.

Demand has fallen sharply for professionals in technology, legal, scientific and finance fields, and companies that ramped up staffing during the pandemic, including tech firms, are slowing down hiring or cutting jobs as they close down some projects or scale back others.

Amazon.com Inc. is cutting roughly 3% of its staff, or as many as 10,000 workers, in its retail, devices, human-resources and other divisions, but it is leaving largely untouched its hundreds of thousands of warehouse workers. Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc. is concentrating layoffs in its recruiting and business teams as it cuts 13% of its workforce, or about 11,000 people. Layoffs at Ford Motor Co., Walmart Inc. and fast-fashion company H&M Hennes & Mauritz AB are also targeting salaried and office staff, rather than production or retail workers.

"There's a very clear white-collar recession in demand for labor," said Julia Pollak, chief economist at online job site ZipRecruiter Inc. wsj.com

Dollar General to open 1,050 stores in 2023
The discounter remains committed to expanding its footprint, with plans to execute approximately 3,170 U.S. real estate projects in fiscal year 2023 (ending Feb.2, 2024), including 1,050 new stores, 2,000 remodels, and 120 store relocations. It also plans to open new stores in Mexico, with a goal of operating up to 35 stores in Mexico by the end of fiscal 2023. chainstoreage.com

Walgreens launches 24-hour same-day delivery

Two Peet's Coffee Stores Move to Become Chain's First Unionized Stores

Red Robin to pay $400K after alleged violations of scheduling, wage theft laws

November Employment Report Shows U.S. Economy Added 263,000 Jobs

The Retail Cyberattack Surface is Growing
The Current State of Cybersecurity in Retail

As retail businesses expand, so does the attack surface. Every single outlet, store, website, and social media account is a potential target.

Most cyberattacks in the retail industry are financially motivated

The retail industry experienced 629 confirmed incidents and 241 breaches with confirmed data disclosures in 2021, according to Verizon's 2022 Data Breach Investigations Report. Of these attacks, 98% were financially motivated.

Retailers collect valuable data like consumer information and payment card data, making them prime targets for bad actors. Now, the introduction of contactless payment and more online buying options has created an expanded attack surface, making it increasingly challenging for retailers to protect customer data. Find out why many retailers are turning to managed detection and response (MDR) services to defend against cyberattacks and learn what MDR services can do for your retail business.

The retail industry experienced its highest rate of ransomware attacks

The retail industry experienced its highest rate of ransomware attacks last year, reporting a 75% increase over the previous year. In all, 77% of retail businesses were hit by a ransomware attack in 2021, up from 44% in 2020.

The shortage of skilled cybersecurity workers is impacting the retail industry

An estimated 4.1 million people work as cybersecurity professionals worldwide, including 1.14 million U.S. workers, yet the workforce must increase by 65% to defend against cyber threats, according to the (ISC)2 2021 Cybersecurity Workforce Study.

Social attacks are the most common threats to retailers

Social attacks, like phishing and pretexting, have been on the rise over the last few years in the retail industry, up 29% this year. Phishing and social engineering scams are sophisticated and can trick the wariest users if their guard is let down even momentarily. securityboulevard.com

Cyberthreats Will Dominate the Holiday Season
Holiday Shopping Season 2022: The Complete Retail Threat Landscape
'Tis also the season... for threat actors to exploit consumers and retailers alike, and leverage a variety of tactics for financial or ideological gain. Financially-motivated threat actors will almost surely still attempt to exploit retailers and customers.

Social engineering

Retailers are pulling out all the stops to incentivize spending, especially for electronics, sporting goods, toys, and appliances, including a high volume of discount codes. As a result, threat actors will likely tailor social engineering campaigns, like phishing emails or smishing (SMS phishing) messages, to masquerade as retail discounts in order to steal sensitive customer information like account login credentials or financial information. Last year, IKEA dealt with ongoing internal phishing attacks between Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Ransomware

Based on current trends it's likely that retailers may experience an increased threat of ransomware attacks during the October 2022-January 2023 period. Ransomware gangs and affiliates will likely target retailers based on the assumption that their victims will be more likely to pay a ransom, in order to minimize downtime and keep their names off leak sites. Otherwise, these attacks could greatly diminish overall profitability.

Refund fraud

Threat actors participating in refund fraud seek to take advantage of retailers' return policies, customer service representatives, and third-party affiliates to receive fraudulent refunds for goods. Since October 1, the most popular refund fraud methods discussed and advertised within Flashpoint collections have been the "partial refund" method and "fake tracking ID" method. securityboulevard.com

Organizations Are Still Exposed
One Year After Log4Shell, Most Firms Are Still Exposed to Attack

Though there have been fewer than expected publicly reported attacks involving the vulnerability, nearly three-quarters of organizations remain exposed to it.

The Log4j vulnerability continues to present a major threat to enterprise organizations one year after the Apache Software Foundation disclosed it last November - even though the number of publicly disclosed attacks targeting the flaw itself has been less than many might have initially expected.

A high percentage of systems still remain unpatched against the flaw, and organizations face challenges in finding and remediating the issue and then preventing the flaw from being reintroduced into the environment, security researchers say.

"The fact that Log4j is used in [nearly] 64% of Java applications and only 50% of those have updated to a fully fixed version means attackers will continue to target it," says David Lindner, CISO at Contrast Security. "At least for now, attackers continue to have a field day in finding paths to exploit through Log4j." darkreading.com

Experts Give Cybersecurity Tips for Online Shopping Season

With online sales expected to reach $236 billion this year, an increase of more than 15.5 percent over last year, this increase is good news for retailers but may present increased opportunities for cyber criminals.

With online sales expected to reach $236 billion this holiday season, an increase of more than 15.5% over the same period last year, this significant increase in online holiday sales is good news for retailers but it may also present increased opportunities for cybercriminals, a press release detailed.

Sparklight encourages all consumers to be vigilant about their online safety when cybershopping this year.  govtech.com

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