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NRF Big Show: Enhancing Health and Safety
Protocols
NRF Announces Additional Investments for Annual NRF Convention as Partner and
Exhibitor Momentum Continues
 The
National Retail Federation announced today additional investments in health and
safety protocols for its 112th Annual Convention, which is on track to welcome
more than 25,000 attendees to New York City January 16-18 for
NRF 2022: Retail's Big Show. In addition, NRF announced that with nearly one
month until the event, the total number of exhibitors and square footage of
exhibit space already exceeds totals for NRF 2020.
NRF announced enhancements to existing health and safety protocols,
which require proof of vaccination and indoor mask-wearing to attend the event.
In addition, NRF will provide attendees and exhibitors of the annual NRF Big
Show with
COVID-19 rapid self-tests, as well as access to PCR tests on-site at the Javits
Center. Testing kits
will be available at both remote registration sites and at the convention
center, and PCR tests will be available on-site at the Javits Center during the
show.
"Like all of our attendees, we are closely monitoring the external health
environment. That's why we are making additional investments to enhance our
existing health protocols, which require vaccination and mask-wearing for all
attendees."
More information is available about the
Big Show and
health
protocols.
Sensormatic Solutions by Johnson Controls releases Super Saturday shopper
traffic insights
 ●
Compared to Super Saturday 2019, the last pre-pandemic year, shopper traffic was
down -26.3% this year
●
Super Saturday is expected to remain the second busiest day of the holiday
shopping season in the U.S.
NEUHAUSEN, Switzerland-December 20, 2021-Sensormatic
Solutions, the leading global retail solutions portfolio of
Johnson Controls,
today released in-store shopper traffic data for U.S. brick-and-mortar retail
stores and shopping centers on Super Saturday (Dec. 18), the last Saturday
before Christmas. These insights are informed by retail traffic data analytics
within the company's intelligent operating platform,
Sensormatic
IQ.
Compared to 2019, the last pre-pandemic year, shopper traffic on Super Saturday
was down -26.3% in 2021. Compared to 2020, Super Saturday shopper traffic
increased by 19.4%.
Read more here
The U.S. Crime Surge
The Retail Impact
Roundtable: How to combat the retail theft epidemic
Loss
prevention experts weigh in on recent wave of flash mob incidents and what
stores can do to mitigate the threat
 Retailers
throughout the country in recent weeks have been bombarded by so-called "flash
mob" robberies in which groups of individuals descend upon a store from
seemingly out of nowhere to steal as much loot as possible before making a quick
getaway. From high-end clothing establishments in Los Angeles to consumer
electronics big box stores in the suburbs of Minneapolis, retailers across the
spectrum have been impacted by these coordinated attacks.
To get a better understanding of the scope of the problem, SecurityInfoWatch.com
(SIW) recently spoke to several loss prevention experts to discuss the steps
that retailers can take to mitigate against the threats posed to stores by these
mass thefts as well as what can be done more broadly to address organized retail
crime (ORC) as a whole.
Meet the Panel:
●
Christian Beckner, VP of Retail Technology and Cybersecurity, National Retail
Federation (NRF)
●
Dean Correia, Emeritus Faculty, Business Continuity Lead, Security Executive
Council, former Director of Corporate Security for Walmart Canada
●
King Rogers, former Vice President of Assets Protection, Target Corp.
SIW: What do you see as the drivers behind the recent wave of flash mob
thefts?
Rogers:
There are two drivers behind the motivation and execution of these incidents:
Organized criminal enterprises who are motivated by profits and by achieving a
position of power by creating mayhem within the American retail culture, and the
"group think and do" mentality of the actual smash and grabbers or looters who
are motivated by being part of the group, by the thrill and risks of the
smashing of property and the theft of merchandise which doesn't belong to them.
I think that once investigators peel this onion back, they will learn that the
organized criminal enterprises are well-funded, experienced gang leaders who are
personally motivated by the perceived power they achieve by directing their
followers and wannabe gang members to actually commit the on-site criminal
activity. These enterprises have established communications networks and they
develop coordinated tactics designed to hit targets hard and fast and get away
with the spoils of their efforts and sell their loot, make profits and languish
in the adoration of their followers.
At some point, the fallout from an incident will be human casualties (customers,
employees or bystanders, including those unfortunate enough to find themselves
in the path of fleeing vehicles being driven by perpetrators of these crimes).
It's sort of like attending a stock car race where part of the thrill is to wait
for and watch a serious accident occur as an outcome of an entertaining sport.
Beckner:
There's not a single, definitive answer to that question. There are a variety of
factors, and it is different, in some degree, in different locations and cities.
In some cases, it is one factor and there are areas where there has been
decreased law enforcement presence. In some jurisdictions where you have a
decrease in what law enforcement can do in terms of arrest and prosecution, that
is a factor. Both of those things contribute to organized criminal gangs and
others looking at this as a relatively low-risk type of activity compared to
other types of criminal activity that they might otherwise be engaging in.
Correia:
Many of the recent flash mob thefts are the result of a myriad of legislative
and economic factors in certain cities, coupled with known reduced or hesitant
police response.
SIW: What should retailers be doing to protect their employees, customers and
assets from these types of crimes?
Rogers:
In order to impact these incidents, retailers and shopping center operators
should have well-designed camera video systems in place and should ensure they
are operational every day. Camera placements are crucial to cover as much area
where these events are likely to take place as possible. Video clarity is just
as critical as area coverage. While there might be some deterrent effect, the
use of video systems is primarily for post-incident investigative efforts and
for evidentiary purposes in subsequent criminal and civil proceedings.
Well-managed video systems are a very good and necessary technology application
in mitigating these incidents but do little to enable the retailer to anticipate
these attacks and intervene prior to them happening.
Yes, retailers can undertake the expense of uniformed security or off-duty law
enforcement personnel as some form of visible deterrence but frequently their
presence is ignored and even challenged by the perpetrators of these crimes. But
the best tool(s) for retailers to have in their tool belts is to have a very
good and mutually respective relationship with local and state law enforcement
and collaborate and share information and to have a shared robust intelligence
gathering and analysis system. Social media researchers and data collection
experts are a phenomenal resource, especially if they are capable of deep dives
in the more shady and obtuse social data sites. When perpetrators of these
incidents of criminal behavior are apprehended, law enforcement can develop
human intelligence through legal questioning of these individuals and, working
with their retail social media researcher counterparts, collaborate and
corroborate information learned and, in many cases, develop action plans to
interdict deterrence activity.
Today there are companies that exist primarily to provide data gathering and
analysis for retailers who are also very adept at nurturing relationships with
partners in law enforcement to help their retail customers actively protect
themselves. Utilization of the services provided by these companies is highly
recommended.
securityinfowatch.com
DOJ to Help Fund Retail Theft Programs Nationwide
- 1st Time Ever Mentioned in Grant Awards Press Release
Justice Department Will Award $1.6 Billion to Reduce Violent Crime and
Strengthen Communities
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today announced the Department of Justice
will award $1.6 billion in grant awards to support a wide range of programs
designed to reduce violent crime and strengthen communities. The grants, which
are being distributed to communities and organizations throughout the nation,
are
administered by the department's Office of Justice Programs (OJP).
As law enforcement agencies address a range of public safety challenges -
from violent crime to human trafficking to retail thefts
- these awards will provide additional tools to advance violence intervention
activities and evidence-based police and prosecution strategies. Funds are also
intended to reduce recidivism, help people coming out of prisons and jails make
the transition back into their communities and support responses to crises like
drug overdoses and episodes involving mental illness. These grants build on
earlier OJP investments, including more than $1.2 billion to support
victim assistance and compensation programs, $187 million under the state
formula
Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants Program, more than $175
million in funding for
victim services and
public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, over $21
million in grants to address
hate crimes and $17.5 million in
Project Safe Neighborhoods grants. The COPS office also funded
the hiring of over 1,000 officers in 183 police departments this year.
A full list of awards, as they are made, will be available on the
OJP
Grant Awards page.
justice.gov
Stores deploying unique methods to combat retail theft
"Organized retail crime costs retailers an
average of $700K per $1B in sales"
 Stores
looking to crack down on theft and
smash-and-grab type robberies this holiday season have resorted to deploying
coiled wire and other protective measures to deter would-be criminals.
At The Grove shopping center in Los Angeles -- whose Nordstrom store
was targeted around Thanksgiving -- yellow, coiled wire akin to something
you would see guarding a prison has been erected outside, according to
Newsnation Now.
"If somebody's running, trying to get through something quickly, they are going
to have to navigate it and get tangled up," Josh Nielsen, the vice president of
Adamson Police Products, told the media outlet this week.
in San Francisco, officials announced new traffic patterns near high-end
retailers in a bid to make it harder for thieves to park, commit crimes and race
away,
NBC News reports.
"We will do what we need to do to put an end to this madness," San Francisco
Police Chief William Scott was quoted as telling the media.
After a Nordstrom store was
looted outside of San Francisco in Walnut Creek on Nov. 20, officials there
reportedly closed a street.
"If it means that we are going to detour roads, if it means we're going to have
more police on the street and more security around, whatever it is, every option
is on the table," Walnut Creek Mayor Kevin Wilk told
NBC Bay Area.
The San Francisco Police Department
also announced in early December that "newly implemented crime-prevention
strategies and beefed-up deployments of police resources in the wake of
organized gang robberies
in and around Union Square on Nov. 19 have resulted in significant
reductions in retail- and holiday-related crime."
The
police tactics being used in the shopping area, which the Department says
includes officer deployments that will run "24/7 until further notice" and
"partial or full street closures, if needed," has resulted in only 12 theft
incidents between Nov. 20 to Dec. 6, compared to 67 in the preceding 16-day
period, data shows.
At a Safeway supermarket in San Francisco, automatic gates reportedly have been
installed to block potential thieves from quickly fleeing the store with
shopping carts of goods.
The same store also added barriers around its self-checkout area - creating only
one exit -- blocked off empty checkout aisles and placed a large display of
water bottles in front of its entire side entrance, according to the San
Francisco Chronicle.
foxnews.com
Theft-Driven Closures or Part of the Announced Planned
Closures?
CVS to close at least three stores in downtown S.F. next month
CVS plans to close at least three downtown San Francisco locations next month,
adding to the spate of
closures from convenience store chains around the city in recent months, some a
reaction to frequent retail theft.
Convenience store closures have become a flashpoint in the debate over the state
of retail theft in San Francisco, as rampant shoplifting at Walgreens locations
prompted the chain
to close five stores in San Francisco
in October and at least 10 since the start of 2019. A video of a
shoplifting incident
at the Walgreens in Hayes Valley went viral over the summer and in part prompted
measures from Gov. Gavin Newsom and Mayor London Breed to make new proposals
they hope will
crack down on
organized retail theft.
CVS has doubled its crime investigations team over the past two years and runs
its own surveillance van to monitor organized retail crime at its stores. A
Wall Street Journal story this fall described a stakeout of CVS stores in
San Francisco's Tenderloin district.
A spokesperson for Walgreens
told news outlets this fall that shoplifting losses in San Francisco were
five times the national average.
Some doubt has been cast on whether crime was the motivating reason behind the
closures, as Walgreens said in a
Securities and Exchange Commission filing prior to the pandemic that it
planned to close 200 stores across the U.S. to reduce costs. San Francisco
Police Department data on shoplifting incidents did not support the Walgreens
claim about retail theft here, the
San Francisco Chronicle has reported,
but it is worth noting
incidents often go unreported.
bizjournals.com
Chicago mayor calls for federal help to fight violent crime
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) is calling for federal officials to help her
curb gun violence in the city and target its root causes.
The mayor also requested that judges in Cook County stop releasing people
charged with violent crimes including murder, aggravated gun possession, sex
crimes, illegal gun possession and kidnapping on electric monitoring, the
Tribune noted.
The solutions proposed by Lightfoot, none of which are new strategies, were
reportedly criticized as "regressive" and "clearly unconstitutional."
Cook County Public Defender Sharone Mitchell told the Tribune the mayor
"diagnosed the very real root causes of violence, the solutions were textbook
policymaking based on fear."
thehill.com
Raleigh Man Sentenced to 85 Months for Setting Fire to Businesses During
Downtown Riots
&uuid=(email))
COVID Update
496.2M Vaccinations Given
US: 52M Cases - 828.8K Dead - 40.7M Recovered
Worldwide:
275.9M Cases - 5.3M Dead - 247.6M Recovered
Former Senior Loss Prevention Executive
Know of any fallen LP exec? Let's remember &
recognize.
Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 334
Law
Enforcement Officer Deaths: 570
*Red indicates change in total deaths
'Nation Will See Record # of Cases,
Hospitalizations & Deaths From Omicron'
NYC seeks federal help as U.S. braces for record cases with omicron wave
Federal and state officials are
warning of an oncoming wave of coronavirus infections fueled by the omicron
variant that
could bring the highest level of cases yet during the pandemic in the United
States
- and New York, as it did in the pandemic's early months, is feeling the effects
first.
Anthony S. Fauci, the nation's top infectious-disease expert, said Sunday on
CNN's "State of the Union" that
"unfortunately" he believes the nation will see record numbers of cases,
hospitalizations and deaths.
He added during an appearance on ABC that the omicron variant is "really
something to be reckoned with."
For the third day in a row, New York reported a
record daily level of new coronavirus cases. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio
(D), who said in a news conference Sunday that "we are seeing a very substantial
rise in the number of cases in a way we haven't seen previously," called on
President Biden to invoke the Defense Production Act, a wartime law, to provide
supplies of testing kits and treatments to New York City and the rest of the
country.
washingtonpost.com
Record Wave of Infections Coming?
Europe gives US gloomy portrait of what's to come with omicron
As the omicron variant batters Europe with
exponentially skyrocketing COVID-19 cases,
public health experts warn that the
U.S. could be barreling down the same path and face record waves of infections
in the coming days and weeks.
Due to the strain's high transmissibility, top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci predicted
omicron will be the dominant variant in the U.S. in "a few weeks"
with the potential to overwhelm hospital systems already strained by delta
cases.
But several experts said data is signaling the
country is heading for a rough next few weeks
coinciding with the holiday season, with Michael Osterholm, the director for the
Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of
Minnesota. He called it
"a perfect storm in all regards."
"We're going to end up
in a viral blizzard here in this country in the next three to eight weeks,"
the former Biden adviser told The Hill.
thehill.com
From 12.6% to 73% in 1 Week
CDC: Omicron now a majority of US COVID-19 cases - 73 percent
The statistics are for the week ending Dec. 18 and show the rapid spread of the
variant in the U.S. That spike is a significant increase from just 12.6 percent
of cases one week earlier.
The omicron variant is highly transmissible, and officials are bracing for a
large wave of infections in the coming weeks. However, people who are
vaccinated, and especially those with booster shots, are well protected against
severe disease from the variant, experts say, meaning the greatest risk is for
the unvaccinated.
thehill.com
ETS Starts Feb 9, 2022 - All Employees Vaccinated
or Tested Weekly
OSHA plans 'enforcement discretion' after court reinstates vax mandate
Trucking companies and other private businesses covered by the Biden
administration's COVID-19 vaccine and testing mandate have been given a small
amount of compliance breathing room by the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) after a federal appeals court reinstated the rule.
In a
decision issued late Friday, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the Sixth Circuit voted 2-1 to grant a motion by OSHA to lift a stay
of the vaccine-or-test Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS).
But the court's majority opinion underscored OSHA's contention that the ETS as a
life-saving measure.
"In a conservative estimate, OSHA finds that the ETS will 'save over 6,500
worker lives and prevent over 250,000 hospitalizations' in just six months," the
court stated. "A stay would risk compromising these numbers, indisputably a
significant injury to the public. The harm to the government and the public
interest outweighs any irreparable injury to the individual petitioners who may
be subject to a vaccination policy."
In addition, starting
Jan. 4, 2022, all employees were to be vaccinated and/or all employees who are
not fully vaccinated were required to be tested weekly.
After Friday's decision, however,
OSHA stated it will not issue citations for noncompliance
with any requirements of the ETS before Jan. 10, nor will issue citations for
noncompliance with the testing requirements
before Feb. 9, "so long
as an employer is exercising reasonable, good faith efforts to come into
compliance with the standard," according to the agency. "OSHA will work closely
with the regulated community to provide compliance assistance."
Employers who fail to comply with the mandate may be subject to penalties that
include up to
$13,653 per violation for serious violations
and heightened penalties for
willful or repeated violations of up to $136,532 per violation, according to
OSHA.
freightwaves.com
Retail Reacts to Vaccine Mandate Ruling
NRF Responds to Stay Lifted for OSHA Employer Vaccine Mandate
 The
National Retail Federation today issued the following statement from Senior Vice
President of Government Relations David French regarding the Sixth Circuit U.S.
Court of Appeals' decision to lift the stay for the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration's
(OSHA) COVID-19 employer-based vaccination and testing Emergency Temporary
Standard (ETS).
"NRF is disappointed that the Sixth Circuit has decided to lift the stay
instituted by the Fifth Circuit.
NRF will consider additional legal options.
We will also continue to prepare our members to comply with this onerous
mandate.
"NRF has long maintained that OSHA, in promulgating its Vaccine Mandate
Emergency Temporary Standard, exceeded the authority granted to it by Congress
in 1970 and crafted a rule that is infeasible for employers to implement during
the critical holiday season.
"NRF
urges the Biden Administration to delay the ETS's implementation timeline.
We can work together to find viable ways to increase vaccination rates and
mitigate the spread of the virus in 2022."
nrf.com
Large Employers Hesitant About Vax Mandate
"The majority of employers are really in
wait-and-see-mode" amid legal challenges to the Biden administration's COVID-19
vaccine rule.
Most large U.S. employers do not appear to be motivated to require employees to
be vaccinated against COVID-19 unless the Biden administration's mandate
survives legal challenges.
In a survey of 1,000 of its members, the Society for Human Resources Management
found that
75% of those subject to the mandate said they are not likely to require vaccines
or testing if it is permanently struck down by the courts.
The mandate applies to organizations with 100 or more workers. More than half
(51%) of the survey respondents are waiting to see how current legal challenges
unfold before deciding on a vaccination policy.
cfo.com
Whiplash on U.S. Vaccine Mandate Leaves Employers 'Totally Confused'
Companies are struggling to figure out what to do as legal battles and rising
Covid cases complicate their plans. Even up in the air: What does "fully
vaccinated" mean?
No company has been spared the whirlwind of changes in the last week, set off by
the spike in Covid cases that have, in some instances, cut into their work
forces. Then on Friday, an appeals court lifted the legal block on the vaccine
rule, though appeals to the ruling were immediately filed, leaving the rule's
legal status up in the air. On Saturday, hours after the appeals court ruling,
the Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration urged
employers to start working to get in compliance. But OSHA also gave employers
some leeway, pushing back full enforcement of the rule until February,
recognizing that for all its best intentions the rollout of the rule has been
muddled.
For companies struggling to meet OSHA's standards because of testing shortages,
the Labor Department said Sunday that it would "consider refraining from
enforcement" if the employer has shown a good-faith effort to comply.
The reaction of companies has been muddled as well. Over the weekend, some took
the first steps in developing testing programs. Others remained in wait-and-see
mode. And some employers went even further than what the government has so far
required by mandating boosters, spurred by fears over the spread of Omicron.
Adding a layer of confusion, many states and cities have created their own
vaccine rules - some more stringent than the federal government's, as in
New York City, where an option to test out of vaccine requirements isn't
allowed, while some, like Florida,
have sought to undermine OSHA's rule. There's also the question of whether
companies will eventually be required to mandate boosters, which would require
accommodating the six-month delay between the second and third shots.
nytimes.com
COVID-19 cases continue to rise in L.A. County as Californians brace for winter
surge
Los Angeles County health officials reported 3,512 new coronavirus cases on
Sunday,
more than double the number of cases recorded just a few days before.
That tally follows 3,730 new cases reported in L.A. County on Saturday - the
highest single-day total in months - sparking concerns of another winter
surge stoked by holiday festivities. Meanwhile, COVID-19 hospitalizations are on
the rise in California as the Omicron variant spreads.
Businesses in L.A. County are
reporting notable outbreaks among workers.
Nationally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention forecasts that
there could be more than 1 million new coronavirus cases recorded the week of
Christmas. By contrast, around Halloween, there were 500,000 new weekly cases.
latimes.com
Cases and hospitalizations spike in D.C. region, stirring holiday travel angst
On Friday, D.C. reported the
highest single-day total of new coronavirus cases since March 2020: 844.
On Saturday, the Maryland Department of Health reported that 1,257 people had
been hospitalized with the virus -
more than double the rate of 581 people this time last month
- causing at least one hospital to reach capacity.
washingtonpost.com
Weekend shopper numbers on UK high streets suffer Omicron hit
Shopper numbers, or footfall, plunged 8.5% in central London and 6.4% in cities
outside of the capital this weekend.
reuters.com
'A Lot of Uncertainty': Covid Surge Puts Many Americans on Edge About Traveling
Fear of the virus is causing some to rethink
their holiday plans, while others say they will proceed, perhaps with more
caution.
More than 109 million Americans
are expected to travel between Dec. 23 and Jan. 2, a 34 percent increase
from last year, according to AAA. The number of airline passengers alone is
projected to rise 184 percent from last year.
nytimes.com
Offices Shut and Holiday Parties Dim as a Familiar Feeling Sinks In
Employers mandate
boosters, postpone return dates and brace for an Omicron surge.
Office workers this week watched as events unfolded that were at once familiar
and jarring in their persistence: Covid case counts ballooned, and employer
plans deflated. The United States is reporting an average of more than 120,000
new Covid cases each day, up 40 percent from two weeks ago, according to a
New York Times database. New York City is experiencing a spike in cases
larger than any since last winter. Employers that had been growing bolder in
their plans - reopening offices, mandating or strongly suggesting that workers
report back, promising holiday blowouts -
are now scaling back their ambitions for in-person business and socializing.
"Despite all best efforts, Covid is really forcing a rollback of plans," said
Kathryn Wylde, head of the partnership.
"The contagion factor with Omicron has meant that people are going to hunker
down again."
As employers weigh vaccine guidelines and adjust their office returns, they also
face a more immediate challenge: How will they celebrate the holidays as Omicron
spreads? After a year of email and Slack correspondence, corporate teams had
been eagerly anticipating holiday parties. But as New York City's new Covid
cases rose significantly after party invitations went out,
dozens of companies scrambled to cancel their plans.
nytimes.com
NYPD rolls out stricter masking policy - ALL COPS Must Wear - amid citywide
surge
Kroger eliminates paid COVID-19 leave for unvaccinated
'No guarantees' Britain won't see COVID lockdown before Christmas: health
official
D.C.'s Bowser reimposes indoor mask mandate as coronavirus cases surge
&uuid=(email))
Dems Come Out Swinging at Amazon's 'Inhumane
Business Model'
Democrats press Amazon about fatal warehouse collapse
 Democrats
are pressing Amazon for answers about company safety protocols after six people
died at an Illinois warehouse that was hit by a tornado.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) and Rep. Alexandria
Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) led a group of Democrats in
a letter Monday asking the e-commerce giant for details about its policies
and actions both at the Edwardsville, Ill., facility and nationwide.
"Amazon profits should never come at the cost of workers' lives, health, and
safety," the Democrats wrote.
"These reports of Amazon's workplace safety failures at the Edwardsville
facility are disturbing when considered alone. But they fit all too well with an
ongoing,
company-wide pattern of worker mistreatment,
including
neglecting worker safety, shortchanging workers on proper pay and benefits,
and employing union-busting tactics towards workers when they have tried to
organize for better working conditions," the Democrats added.
Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokesperson, said the company is "reviewing the letter
and will respond directly," but right now is focusing on "taking care of our
employees and partners, the family members of those killed by the tornado, and
the communities affected by this tragedy."
The pressure from Democrats comes a week after the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration said it would be
investigating the fatal collapse.
In their letter, Democrats accuse
Amazon of using an "inhumane business model"
and a pattern of having workers come in during extreme weather events. The
Democrats point to Amazon leaving warehouses open during Hurricane Ida in
September despite flooding in New York and leaving them open during the deadly
wildfires in California in 2018.
The Democrats also accuse Amazon of
launching anti-union campaigns.
In November, the National Labor Relations Board ordered a new union election at
the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Ala., after allegations were filed against the
company's initial victory.
The lawmakers are asking Amazon for details about internal communications with
workers about the tornado, as well as about the company's policies on fire,
tornado and severe weather safety at warehouses.
thehill.com
Card industry faces $400B in fraud losses over next decade, Nilson says
●
Card fraud over the next decade
will cost the industry a collective $408.50 billion in losses globally,
according to an annual report from the industry research firm
Nilson Report. By
2030, when total payment card volume is expected to hit a whopping $79.14
trillion, the industry will lose an estimated $49.32 billion to fraud.
●
Last year, the
U.S. was again responsible for a bigger share of global card fraud than total
card volume. Despite
making up only 22% of total card volume globally, the U.S. accounted for 36% of
card fraud last year; in 2019, those figures were 22% and 34%, respectively. By
2030, U.S. fraud losses are expected to reach $17 billion, with total card
volume at nearly $19 trillion.
●
Systems designed to combat card fraud that are used by large e-commerce
retailers have beat back organized fraud efforts.
This success, however, has led "the most sophisticated criminals to engage in
cryptocurrency fraud and ransomware," the report warned.
Losses in the card payment industry have remained steady the past several years,
as issuers, merchants and ATM and merchant acquirers have employed
fraud-fighting efforts. Still, the gross fraud amount doesn't include billions
of dollars in losses related to transactions between bank accounts, or to QR
code payments not linked to card accounts.
"The decline in the dollar amount of fraud losses in 2020 will not be repeated
in 2021," the report asserted.
Actual losses experienced by issuers, merchants and acquirers exceed the $28.58
billion lost globally last year and can't be accurately calculated, the report
noted, because there are additional expenses related to fraud investigation,
managing call centers and maintaining operations, which tend to rise annually.
paymentsdive.com
Will PETA Videos Make a Difference?
Gucci, Louis Vuitton skin reptiles alive to make pricey handbags: PETA
 Some
of the reptiles were bludgeoned repeatedly with a machete - with workers cutting
off their legs even as the lizards floundered helplessly, according to
hidden-camera video that captured the practices and was shared with The Post.
Other videos show snakes that were partially slit open, with hoses stuck down
their throats to inflate them with water - apparently to make it easier to skin
them alive, according to an investigation by animal-rights group People for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA.
"Because of their unique physiology, lizards do not die instantaneously after
being decapitated and their brains can remain conscious and fully able to feel
pain for over 30 minutes," according to PETA." The videos captured two instances
in which lizards' heads continued to move after they'd been hacked off from the
rest of the body.
The disturbing photographs and video footage of the grisly killings at a
facility in Indonesia represent the first time PETA has been able to demonstrate
how these reptiles used in the luxury fashion industry are slaughtered,
according to PETA spokeswoman Ashley Byrne.
nypost.com
Minimum wage is about to rise in 21 states, 35 localities as more embrace $15 an
hour
Twenty-one states and 35 cities and counties are set to raise their minimum
wages on or about New Year's Day. Base hourly pay will climb from $11 to $12 in
Illinois; from $9.25 to $10.50 in Delaware; from $9.50 to $11 in Virginia; from
$12 to $13 for most workers in New Jersey; and from $10.50 to $11.50 in New
Mexico.
Since some governments will act later in the year, a total of 25 states and 56
localities - a record 81 jurisdictions - will lift their pay floors sometime in
2022, according to NELP.
California's minimum will reach $15 for the first time on January 1 for large
employers. New York state - already at $15 in New York City and for fast-food
workers statewide - will extend that benchmark to Long Island and Westchester
County on New Year's Eve.
All told, by 2026, about 40% of the U.S. workforce will be covered by $15
minimum wage mandates, NELP figures show.
Separately, at least 100 or so mostly large companies already have raised their
pay floors to $15 or higher, including Best Buy, Costco, Wayfair, The Container
Store and Southwest Airlines, according to the NELP study.
usatoday.com
Feds increase scrutiny of buy now, pay later
Regional Hy-Vee appears to be preparing to expand nationally
Sears owner reportedly plans to sell its corporate HQ
California: Attorney General Bonta Sues Walmart Over Alleged Improper Hazardous
Waste Disposal
Senior LP & AP Jobs
Market
Director of Loss Prevention job posted for EOS Fitness in Carlsbad, CA
 This
is a new role to us and we expect that it will be an integral part of our
fast-growing, constantly evolving environment that partners with all of our
departments. We want the role to be responsible for conducting and resolving
theft and safety investigations, anticipate and monitor potential theft and
safety suspicions/opportunities, introduce and recommend changes and new
policies as needed, and establish a culture of accountability through clear
expectations.
indeed.com
Manager of Physical Security job posted for Lowe's in Mooresville, NC
 The
primary purpose of this role is coordinate between field and SSC personnel to
assist in follow-up on incidents, design and implement programs supporting
strategic initiatives and run the business activities. This position will serve
as the first point of contact on emergency response items, facilitating
intelligence gathering and summarization for the Director of Asset Protection
Operations.
sjobs.brassring.com
Last week's #1 article --
CA Retailers Install Anti-Theft Wire
How retailers are trying to stop organized retail theft
In an effort to combat a wave of retail thefts and smash-and-grab robberies,
some retailers are
setting up coiled wire - not unlike what can often be seen outside a prison
- to act as a barrier between potential thieves and high-end merchandise.
The
product is called concertina or tangle wire, and its
Slinky-like design acts
both as a deterrent and a means to slow down thieves.
It's also
safer than the
alternative razor or barbed wires,
said Josh Nielsen, the vice president of Adamson Police Products. Although it's
not impenetrable, it does work as a visual deterrent and has the potential to
slow down thieves in time for police to apprehend them, Nielsen said.
"If somebody's running, trying to get through something quickly, they are going
to have to navigate it and get tangled up," Nielsen said. As
the security measure is
erected at shopping centers including The Grove in Los Angeles,
suppliers have said they can't keep it in stock.
kron4.com
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San Francisco, CA: District Attorney Announces Arrests, Indictments in 2-Year
Retail Theft Probe
A pair of criminal indictments along with arrest warrants for five people have
been issued as part of a two-year investigation into organized retail theft, San
Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin announced Monday. In a press release,
Boudin said district attorney's office began the operation, known as Operation
Focus Lens, in December 2019 following a series of thefts at the Union Square
Macy's that led the discovery of a major, organized retail theft ring with
international ties.
The
multi-jurisdictional law enforcement action has led to the recovery of
approximately $2 million in suspected stolen property and the identification and
indictment of two individuals, arrests of two suspects, and three outstanding
arrest warrants for multiple charges of organized retail theft, grand theft,
possession of stolen property, and money laundering.
sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com
Fresno County, CA: Sheriff's office seeking help in theft investigation
 Two
men, Israel Guerrero and Joseph Martinez, were arrested December 11 after
refusing to pull over for Fresno County Sheriff's deputies during a traffic stop
in Fresno. When the car spun out of control, two women got out of the car and
ran away. Deputies did not catch up with the women. Inside the car, deputies
found thousands of dollars worth of what they believed to be stolen goods.
"Everything from hoverboards to expensive headphones, alcohol that still hasn't
had the security caps taken off, and a bunch of makeup," said Tony Botti with
the Fresno County Sheriff's Office.
Both Guerrero and Martinez have upcoming court appearances scheduled, but there
is a major problem: "At
this point, we, unfortunately, don't have any proof of when and where they were
stolen," said Botti. No stores in the Fresno County area have reported similar
items as stolen. The sheriff's office is asking retailers to pay close attention
to the items and give detectives a call if the stolen merchandise looks
familiar.
Meanwhile, in Tulare County, two people are being charged with commercial
burglary, grand theft, and conspiracy to commit a crime. The Tulare County
District Attorney's office says Mikey Manning and Debanee Harrell stole several
tablets, speakers, a doorbell camera and other electronics from Best Buy in
Visalia. Harrell already has one strike related to a robbery charge in 2006. "A
robbery is a strike offense, it's a serious and violent offense, which would
place Herrell in a greater risk category in terms of public safety," said Erica
Gonzalez, supervising Deputy District Attorney for Tulare County. But, a judge
determined both Harrell and Manning were not enough of a public safety risk to
keep behind bars so they were released and are awaiting arraignment in January.
abc30.com
Marion County, SC: Deputies arrest 6 men in $250K theft operation
Deputies arrested six people in connection with a theft operation that resulted
in the recovery of more than the $250,000 worth of stolen trailers, ATVs and
equipment, according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office. "Let this be your
notice, we know who you are and we know where you are. We will not allow this
type of criminal enterprise to thrive in Marion County. When you hear a knock on
your door in the next few days, it may not be Santa," said Marion County Sheriff
Brian Wallace.
wmbfnews.com
Jackson County, FL: Retail theft suspects from Webb apprehended in Marianna
 Two
Webb residents were charged with thefts from two Florida retail businesses after
they returned to a store to pay for items they're accused of stealing. Andrew
Phillips and Anthony Silbernagel, both of Webb, were taken into custody without
incident and charged with grand theft and retail theft. According to a news
release form the Jackson County Sheriff's Office (JCSO), deputies responded to a
retail theft on Saturday at the Dollar General on Caverns Road in Marianna.
Deputies were provided photographs of the individuals as well as descriptions of
the stolen merchandise. The photographs were posted to the JCSO Facebook page
and assistance of the public was requested. During this time, a similar report
was received from Walmart, which confirmed the suspects were the same as the
Dollar General incident. Over $650 in merchandise was taken and the suspects
left the store prior to deputies' arrival. The suspects returned to the Caverns
Road Dollar General later that night, in an attempt to pay for the stolen
merchandise. Law enforcement was notified, and the suspects fled the store. The
store clerk advised the deputies of their direction of travel, and the suspects
were apprehended north of Greenwood.
dothaneagle.com
Lincoln, NE: Theft at Lincoln Ulta store, subjects have yet to be identified
At about 2:25 p.m. on Sunday, Lincoln Police Department officers were dispatched
to Ulta Beauty in the Lincoln Crossing Marketplace, regarding two females who
fled the store without paying and had two store baskets filled with store
merchandise. While the subjects have yet to be identified, this is an open
investigation, and officers of the Lincoln Police Department are currently
working to identify the subjects based on a number of leads, according to
Lincoln Police Department Sgt. Goin.
goldcountrymedia.com
American Canyon, CA: Man arrested after smash-and-grab theft from Walmart,
vehicle pursuit
A smash-and-grab theft of jewelry from the American Canyon Walmart led to a
short vehicle chase and the arrest of a Vallejo man Saturday morning, according
to police. At about 7:45 a.m., American Canyon Police officers were sent to the
Walmart at 7011 Main St. after employees reported a man
had broken a glass
display case with a mental object and taken several necklaces with a total value
of more than $9,000, police said in a news release.
napavalleyregister.com
Manheim Township, PA : Police investigating Grab & Run at Ulta
Three unidentified men filled four shopping baskets with colognes and perfumes
and then stole them from an Ulta Beauty store at 1575 Fruitville Pike at 1:10
p.m. on Dec. 16, police said.
lancasteronline.com
Gulf Shores, AL: Police seek man for questioning in Walmart theft
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Shootings & Deaths
North Carolina QVC employee dies in massive distribution center fire
 One
employee of a QVC distribution center in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, died in a
devastating fire that started in the early hours of Saturday morning, officials
announced Sunday. Search and recover members located the body around 11:30 a.m.
and the remains were positively identified as 21-year-old Kevon Ricks at 4:00
p.m., according to the Edgecomb County Sheriff's Office. "Our thoughts and
prayers go out to the family of Mr. Ricks as well as all team members affected
by this tragedy," the sheriff's office said in a statement. The fire started
around 2:00 a.m. while about 300 employees were working and destroyed the "main
section" of the 1.2 million-square-foot building, Edgecombe County Manager Eric
Evans said. More than 50 agencies from eight counties eventually responded to
the massive fire, which burned for at least 16 hours, according to the Rocky
Mount fire Department.
foxbusiness.com
Detroit, MI: Woman shot by police at Detroit gas station was waving Airsoft gun
 Investigators
have identified the woman officers shot Sunday at an east side gas station after
she waived a gun at customers and pointed it at police, officials said. Detroit
Police Chief James White said the woman who was shot was Nakita Williams, 33, of
Detroit. In addition, he said Williams may have suffered from a mental illness
and the weapon she brandished at the store was an Airsoft gun. He said the
shooting remains under investigation. "I offer my condolences to Miss Williams'
family," the chief said during a news conference Monday at Detroit Public Safety
Headquarters. He was joined by his executive staff. "It was a very tragic
situation that unfolded last night," White said. The chief also said he was
providing the update Monday to be transparent about what happened.
clickondetroit.com
Houston, TX: Officer opened fire on suspect armed with knife who ran at them
A Houston police officer opened fire on a suspect who investigators say charged
at them armed with a knife in southwest Houston Sunday morning. It happened just
before 11 a.m. at a meat market on Richmond Avenue. Employees told police the
suspect was trying to take money from a tip jar. The employees tried to stop
him. They were able to get out of the store while locking the suspect inside.
Police arrived a short time later and saw the man inside the store. One officer
told the suspect to lie on the ground, but he reportedly refused. The suspect
continued to disregard the officer's instructions and eventually tried to run to
the back of the store. Officers tried to stop him by using their Taser, but the
suspect's clothes prevented it from being effective. Investigators said the
suspect then turned and ran at the officers, still with a knife. That's when one
of the officers opened fire but missed the suspect. The suspect took off running
but was later arrested.
The officer who opened fire is a sergeant and a 10-year veteran.
khou.com
Laredo, TX: Two people injured in Lubbock mall shooting
Lubbock Police are searching for a suspect after shots were fired at South
Plains Mall on Sunday evening. Police say one person was grazed and another
person suffered minor injuries while fleeing the area. They say the shots were
fired in the common area of the mall between women's Dillard's and a local
cinema. Lubbock Police said this was an isolated incident and that there was no
active shooter inside the mall.
kgns.tv
Syracuse, NY: One man shot at Destiny USA
An argument led to a man getting shot in the leg in the upper level of the
Destiny USA parking garage Monday, according to the Syracuse Police department.
Police responded to reports of a shooting shortly before noon, but could not
locate the suspect. Police say he got himself to Upstate University Hospital and
his injuries are not life-threatening.
localsyr.com
Durham, NC: Police respond to shots fired call at Southpoint mall
Police are investigating a shooting in the parking lot of Streets at Southpoint
mall in Durham. Police responded to reports of a suspicious person with a weapon
and shots fired about 2:15 p.m. Sunday. Authorities have not found a suspect or
any victims in the case. However, police said the incident did not appear to be
random. There were no reported injuries.
abc11.com
Spring, TX: Shots fired at woman in vehicle in Target parking lot
Deputies are investigating a shooting at a Target parking lot in Spring Monday
morning. Harris County Pct. 4 says it happened at the store located in the
shopping center off the North Freeway at Cypresswood Dr. A suspect fired shots
at a vehicle occupied by a female victim, who was not injured in the incident.
fox26houston.com
Portland, OR: Woman gets life in prison in killing of Portland pawn shop owner
in his riverfront mansion
Jackson, MS: Biloxi Man Pleads Guilty to Murdering Three Employees of Hinds
County Business
Chattanooga, TN: Man shot outside Cheesecake Factory in possible robbery attempt
Saturday night
Robberies, Incidents & Thefts
San Diego, CA: Attempted burglary, false reports of possible shots fired cause
chaos at National City mall
Authorities are investigating after an attempted burglary at a Macy's and a
false report of possible shots fired at an AMC theater Saturday prompted people
to run out of a mall in National City, causing several injuries. Initially, the
National City Police Department said they received numerous 911 calls regarding
possible shots fired at the Westfield Plaza Bonita around 3:48 p.m. Officers
arrived at the scene shortly after and sent in teams to the AMC theater and
other parts of the mall. According to the department's police captain Alex
Hernandez, there was nothing to indicate that shots were fired in the mall, as
no people with firearms nor shell casings were found. Local hospitals were also
checked, but no gunshot victims related to the mall were discovered. However,
Hernandez says one movie patron did pull the fire alarm that caused a stampede
and fight with some people being trampled.
fox5sandiego.com
Austin, TX: Jewelry store heist prompts shopping mall evacuation
A shopping mall in Austin, Texas, was evacuated Saturday night after police
responded to reports of gunfire amid a jewelry store heist. An unspecified
number of suspects fled after removing items from Helzberg Diamonds at the
Barton Creek Square mall in southwest Austin around 8:30 p.m., FOX 7 of Austin
reported. The incident appeared to be part of a trend of thefts and robberies at
retail stores around the U.S. in recent weeks that have involved multiple
suspects. Austin police cleared the scene around 10 p.m., declaring it safe, the
station reported. Police said what was believed to be gunfire may have been the
sound of the suspects striking hardened glass inside the jewelry store. No
evidence of guns or gunfire was found, police said. No injuries were immediately
reported, according to FOX 7.
foxnews.com
Lauderdale Lakes, FL: After Tips Pour-In, Detectives Arrest Gun Wielding Bike
Thief In Walmart Theft; Charged With Armed Robbery
Los Angeles, CA: Police seek 3 involved in string of 7-Eleven robberies
Fort Myers, FL: Seven-Time Felon Convicted In Connection With Armed Robbery At
Labelle Pawnshop
Charlotte, NC: Federal Jury Convicts Man Of Atlantic Metals Xchange Armed
Robbery And Firearms Offenses
Appomattox County, VA: Pamplin man sentenced to 8 years for Dollar General Armed
Robbery
Fire & Arson
DOJ: Tampa, FL: Serial Arsonist Sentenced To Five Years In Federal Prison For
Setting Fires To Publix Store
According to court documents, on three consecutive dates in 2020 (December 25,
26, and 27), Lovett started a fire at a Publix store in Bradenton, Florida. On
December 26 and 27, Lovett actually entered the store and purchased the lighter
fluid he used to start the fires, both of which he set while the store was open
for business. The fire he set on December 26 caused significant heat damage to
the back of the store. Law enforcement officers apprehended Lovett on December
28, 2020, when he returned to the same Publix and again purchased lighter fluid.
In a statement to law enforcement, Lovett admitted to starting the fires on each
of the three preceding days.
justice.gov |
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Featured Job Spotlights
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Help Your Colleagues By Referring the Best
Refer the Best & Build the Best
|
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Region Asset Protection Manager-South Florida Region (Bi-lingual Required)
Doral, FL
- posted December 21
Responsible for managing asset protection programs
designed to minimize shrink, associate and customer liability accidents, bad
check and cash loss, and safety incidents for stores within assigned region.
This position will develop the framework for the groups' response to critical
incidents, investigative needs, safety concerns and regulatory agency visits...
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Corporate Safety & Security Leader
San Francisco, CA
- posted December 15
RH is seeking a Corporate Safety & Security Leader. The
role will lead a team of Safety & Security Associates on our Corporate Campus in
Corte Madera, CA. The Leader acts as the key point of contact for safety and
security incidents including identifying, investigating, mitigating, and
managing risks...
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Legends
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Regional Loss Prevention and Safety Specialist
New York, NY
- posted November 29
You will act as a coach, trainer, mentor, and enforcer to support the
risk management program at Legends. Responsibilities can include, but are not
limited to: Identify, develop, and implement improved loss prevention and safety
measurements with risk management team; Conduct internal audits that have a
focus on loss prevention, personal safety, and food safety, and help the team to
effectively execute against company standards and requirements...
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Asset Protection Manager
Philadelphia, PA
- posted November 5
As an Asset Protection Manager II you will be responsible for one of our
highest shortage locations with an elevated scope of responsibility that may
include executive direct reports and increased staff levels, higher Sales Volume
or significant Shortage risk. You will be the subject matter expert on Asset
Protection and Shortage Reduction Strategies within your location...
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Safety Director (Retail Background Preferred)
Jacksonville, FL
- posted November 3
This role is responsible for developing, implementing, and managing
purpose-directed occupational safety and health programs designed to minimize
the frequency and severity of customer and associate accidents, while complying
with applicable regulatory requirements. This leader is the subject matter
expert on all safety matters...
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Director, Loss Prevention & Safety
Goleta, CA
- posted September 24
The Director of Loss Prevention & Environmental, Health
and Safety plans, organizes, implements, and directs HERBL's programs,
procedures, and practices to ensure the safety and security of company employees
and property...
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Corporate Risk Manager
Hayward/LA, CA
- posted October 5
Summary of Role and Responsibilities: A proactive approach to preventing
losses/injuries, whether to our employees, third parties, or customer's
valuables. They include but are not limited to cash in transit, auto losses, or
injuries...
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Regional Loss Prevention Manager
Houston, TX (Remote Opportunity)
- posted October 14
The position will be responsible for: Internal theft investigations;
External theft investigations; Major cash shortage investigations; Fraudulent
transaction investigations; Missing inventory investigations; Reviewing stores
for physical security improvements...
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Featured Jobs
To apply to any of today's Featured Jobs,
Click Here
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This
is a supervisory job responsible for directing cyber security areas across
products, services, infrastructure, networks, and/or applications while
providing protection for AT&T, our customers and our vendors/partners. Works on
various projects relating to the protection of devices, customers, assets, data,
IT, and networks.
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