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1/9/24

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The U.S. Crime Surge
The Retail Impact

Using AI Solutions to Mitigate ORC
NVIDIA and Loss Prevention Research Council Introduce AI Solution to Address Organized Retail Crime

AI-enabled solution provides advance and real-time notifications to reduce large-scale store theft.

NVIDIA and the Loss Prevention Research Council (LPRC) are collaborating with several AI companies to showcase a real-time solution for combating and preventing organized retail crime (ORC). The integrated offering provides advance notifications of suspicious behavior inside and outside stores so that authorities can intervene early.

The LPRC includes asset-protection executives from more than 85 major retail chains, with hundreds of thousands of stores worldwide, as well as law enforcement, consumer packaged goods companies and technology solutions partners. It’s focused on collaborating with the retail industry to reduce shrink — the loss of products for reasons other than sales — and increase safety and security at stores and shopping malls.

The AI-based solution, which helps retailers get a jump on often-evasive, fast-moving organized crime groups, uses technology from several leading AI firms that have built their high-performance AI applications on the NVIDIA Metropolis application framework and microservices.

The solution includes product recognition and tracking, as well as anomaly detection, from AiFi, vehicle license plate and model recognition from BriefCam, and physical security management from SureView to provide advance and real-time notifications to retailer command centers.

For more information about AI solutions for mitigating organized retail crime, connect with the NVIDIA team at NRF: Retail’s Big Show, the world’s largest retail expo, taking place Jan. 14-16 at the Javits Convention Center in New York.

Attend the Big Ideas session on Organized Retail Crime on Jan. 14 at 2 p.m. ET, moderated by the LPRC, to discover how Kroger and Jacksons Food are using AI in their stores to tackle crime.

The ORC solution will be showcased at NRF — visit NVIDIA experts in Lenovo’s booth (3665) and Dell’s booth (4957) to learn more about it from NVIDIA’s software partners. blogs.nvidia.com

New York Governor Backtracks on Retail Crime & ORC Task Force

Shoplifting Crackdown Coming to New York in 2024
Gov. Hochul vows crackdown on shoplifting scourge as NY businesses plead for help
Gov. Kathy Hochul will pledge to crack down on retail theft as part of her 2024 policy agenda, The Post has learned — as fed-up New York business owners continue to plead for help with the shoplifting scourge.

Merchants are turning up the heat on Hochul and the Democratic-led state Legislature, calling for stiffer penalties against serial offenders wreaking havoc in their stores.

Lawmakers whiffed last year, refusing to pass, among others, a bill that would have increased the severity of charges for certain repeat shoplifters, making it possible for them to be ordered held on bail. The Legislature instead passed just one bill, which created a task force to study the shoplifting issue — and was vetoed by Hochul.

But Hochul’s office Sunday said the governor had heard the message, and would be unveiling a plan to stem shoplifting during her State of the State address on Tuesday.

“The rise in retail theft [is] something that we’re focused on. We have some announcements for our State of the State coming out on this initiative,” Hochul promised.

Grand larceny fell 2.5% last year — but still is substantially higher than the pre-pandemic 2019. And car thefts are up a staggering 191% since 2019, and up 15% last year over 2022.

In addition to the one proposed by Dinowitz, another priority bill for the 2024 legislative session aims at making it more difficult to sell stolen goods from brick and mortar stores online. The measure — introduced by Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal (D-Manhattan) and state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal –would create a new offense of fostering the sale of stolen goods, as a class A misdemeanor.

Another measure would raise the penalty of assaulting a retail worker from a misdemeanor to a bail-eligible Class D felony (as second-degree assault) — such as is the case with taxi drivers, utility workers, first responders and other essential government workers.

The CAP — the coalition that includes most of the city’s supermarket chains, chambers of commerce and the Association of Convenience stores — said local stores lost more than $300 million last year from theft in 2022. nypost.com

New York Governor Also Makes U-Turn on ORC Task Force
She vetoed it in November but is now asking state police to establish a retail theft task force

Hochul seeks retail theft task force headed by State Police

The initiative is expected to be highlighted in governor's State of the State address — two months after she vetoed a task force to study the problem

Gov. Kathy Hochul, who vetoed a bill in November that would have created a task force to study the surge in organized retail theft, has asked the State Police to establish a law enforcement task force that would target the incipient crime wave.

A State Police source briefed on the matter said the task force would be similar to ones that have sought to crack down on illegal gun trafficking and also gang activity. But that source said staffing for the task forces has been a concern. Still, Hochul is expected to outline her plan for the retail theft task force in Tuesday’s State of the State address.

The legislation that Hochul vetoed would have created a task force simply to study organized retail theft, similar to task forces created in several other states trying to combat the problem. The panel would have had 15 members appointed by the governor, leaders of the state Senate and Assembly, and the attorney general; it would have gathered information on organized retail crime and developed recommendations to counter losses in New York and respond to the problem.

“Because of the fiscal impact of this legislation, the proposals would be more appropriately considered in the context of the state budget process,” she said at the time she issued the vetoes.

The spike in thefts reported by the retail industry have resulted in more security personnel, including at pharmacy chains, and more items being locked up on shelves. timesunion.com

Repeat Shoplifters Would Face Jail Time Under New California Bill
(Update) New ‘third strike’ bill would see shoplifters jailed for up to three years in crackdown on soaring retail theft
Lawmakers have introduced a new bill that could see shoplifters put behind bars for at least three years amid rampant retail theft across the United States. In California, officials are making significant attempts to crack down on organized retail crime.

San Bernardino Assembly Member James C. Ramos (D) proposed a solution through a bill on January 3 that could see more severe punishments for thieves at stores in the Golden State, per a news release. The proposed bill, AB 1772, would incorporate a heavy "third strike" policy for repeat offenders.

Shoppers caught stealing after being convicted of "two or more specified theft-related offenses" would have their charge processed as criminal rather than a misdemeanor under AB 1772. That means punishment would increase to potential prison time, with possible sentences of six months to three years maximum for those convicted.

Ramos continued to cite data collected by the Public Policy Institute of California, which saw shoplifting rates increase by 29% in 2022. California voters previously voted that non-violent theft would be categorized as a misdemeanor rather than a felony.

Ballot measure Proposition 47 was approved by California voters in 2014, solidifying this, with fine increases for the theft misdemeanors rising to $950 instead of $450. Those caught with prior convictions would also not be forced to pay more than the $950 maximum. With Ramos' proposition of a felony charge and jail time, it would be a much heavier third strike for offenders.

Even so, AB 1772 must first be approved by the legislature before heading to Governor Gavin Newsom for approval and then to California voters. Voters would need to have a majority consensus to pass the bill into law during the next election. the-sun.com

External & Employee Theft Make Up 55% of Shrink for Small & Medium Retailers
Shrink is a big problem for small retailers

A new survey reveals many small- and mid-sized retailers face more of a challenge from shrink than their larger peers.

According to the Software Advice 2023 Retail Shrink Survey of 416 small- and medium-sized retailers, 68% of respondents have shrink rates that are currently above the industry standard rate of 1.5%. Shrink as a percentage of sales has increased for more than one-third of respondents.

In addition, close to half (46%) of respondents say external theft has increased in their stores, with the average respondent citing rising external theft operating a portfolio of 20 or more stores.

Given these results, it is unsurprising that almost nine in 10 (88%) respondents say preventing retail shrink is a top priority. According to Software Advice analysis, the following factors make up almost all retail shrink incidents affecting respondents:

• External theft 41% (shoplifting, robbery, fraudulent returns).
• Damaged inventory 19% (improper accounting of damaged items)
• Vendor fraud 14% (Overbilling, missing items in deliveries, price gouging).
• Employee theft 14%.
• Internal errors 11% (Inventory errors and cashier miscounts).

In addition to rising rates of overall shrink, vendor fraud (24%) is also increasing for some respondents. Other shrink factors that are growing for some respondents include employee theft (17%) and internal errors (16%). chainstoreage.com

Fordham business district says retail theft is a big concern despite drop in shoplifting
The NYPD says its crackdown on shoplifting is working, but one of the Bronx’s busiest business districts says they’re still very concerned about the current state of retail theft.

There were 656 mass shootings in 2023 - 2nd Highest Since Reporting Started

Criminal justice bills on the agenda in 2024 for Tennessee General Assembly

Amazon's Brick & Mortar Effort Continues to Stall
Amazon closes a business designed to take on Kroger, Walmart

Amazon has stumbled in its efforts to take on Kroger, Walmart, Target, and Publix.

Amazon scaled back many of its brick-and-mortar ambitions last year. As the company laid off workers, it also gave up on its fashion and "5 Star" brick-and-mortar projects. Those cuts came not long after the company shut down its bookstores.

The retail giant, however, still has big dreams for its physical stores. Amazon still operates Whole Foods and has been slowly expanding its Amazon Go convenience stores while also licensing its "grab and go" technology to other retailers.

And while Whole Foods has a national presence, it's more of a niche brand. Amazon had tried to expand that offering to broader demographics with its Whole Foods 365 concept. That effort failed, however, and the company shut down those locations as well.

That left Amazon with two remaining grocery options. The first, physical Amazon Fresh stores, were meant to challenge traditional grocery chains like Kroger and Publix along with Target and Walmart's grocery sections.

Amazon has paused adding any new Amazon Fresh brick-and-mortar grocery stores, after originally planning a massive nationwide presence for the brand. The company has also quietly exited another effort to get customers to buy their groceries from Amazon, with a different spin on how that actually worked. thestreet.com

San Francisco's Retail Exodus: What Comes Next?
With Adidas moving out of SF, what could fill city's growing empty retail spaces?
Adidas announced Friday they'll be shutting down on Jan. 13. It's not just mall space that's becoming more available in San Francisco, though. Around the city, office vacancies are at record levels. That level, now at 35% according to the latest numbers.

With all the unused space, there have been questions over whether San Francisco could do something similar to L.A. "You should be able to take a downtown core and make into, not just a business center, but an innovation center," said Sean Randolph. Randolph works with the Bay Area Council's economic institute. He says since the pandemic, several city leaders have been pushing ways to reimagine downtown.

Experts say new development won't come without challenges though. "There's issues with homelessness that are a deterrent for some companies to come in here. There are issues with crime," said Randolph. However, despite the obstacles, many city residents say they'd support the changes. abc7news.com

Employee Burnout & Return-to-Work Mandates Fueling Workplace Shifts
Should Companies Follow TikTok Trends To Make Employees Happier?
Throughout 2023, employee attitudes at the workplace underwent a significant shift. TikTok trends and social media saw buzzwords like “Bare Minimum Mondays,” “coffee badging,” “rage applying,” and “boomerang employees” emerge online. These are not just trending phrases — they symbolize the evolving mindset of the current workforce, mainly millennials and Gen Zers.

The proliferation of such trends addresses two critical issues: the alarming levels of job burnout and the resurgence of return-to-office directives. These new work concepts reflect a much-needed change — a shift from the high-strung hustle culture to a more balanced work-life approach, focusing on employees’ mental well-being.

However, these trends can be both a boon and a bane, depending on their application. The sharing of insights on how to grab a “lazy girl job” or “act your wage” at work on platforms like LinkedIn and TikTok has become common. But it’s not yet clear if these trends are mere internet fads or if they’re truly triggering meaningful changes in work cultures. retailwire.com

Over 400,000 without power as powerful winter storms pack blizzard, flooding, severe storm threats

A powerful storm is bringing snow, flooding and severe weather to many parts of the U.S. this week

After an active weekend in the Northeast, another major winter weather system is moving across the central and eastern U.S., bringing blizzard conditions, severe weather, flooding and widespread power outages.

The strong low-pressure system started in the Southwest and will move through the central Plains, into the Midwest, and eventually finish its wrath along the East Coast before exiting by midweek.

In fact, 49 of the 50 states were under some type of weather alert on Monday. North Dakota was the only state not included in any watches, warnings or advisories issued by the National Weather Service. Separate weather systems were impacting Hawaii with flooding rain and Alaska with blizzard conditions. foxweather.com

ISCPO Announces Transport Security as a Preferred Vendor Partner

ISCPO Welcomes Transport Security as Preferred Vendor Partner to Further Boost Supply Chain Security

Dallas, TX (January 8, 2024) – Today, the International Supply Chain Protection Organization (ISCPO) proudly announces the exciting addition of Transport Security as a preferred vendor partner. With the increasing risk of cargo theft, ISCPO members rely on various vendors to provide layers of security. Driven by its commitment to continuous improvement, ISCPO is dedicated to expanding its array of vendor solutions, harnessing proven products, and staying at the forefront of industry best practices. The partnership with Transport Security as a preferred vendor helps our members reduce cargo theft and pilferage, protect brand reputation and limit supply chain interruptions. iscpo.org

7 retail trends to watch in 2024

Nike, Tiger Woods end partnership after 27 years

Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Director I Profitability job posted for Stop & Shop in Quincy, MA
The Director of Profitability will create shrink strategy and be the primary owner of driving shrink control strategy across the Brand. Lead efforts to implement consistent shrink best practices across the Brand and connect with other Shrink Leads to share knowledge. Partners and influences AP, Merchandising, Operations, IT and Supply Chain leadership on all strategic and tactical initiatives to advocate for shrink and sales reducing activity minimization while supporting positive sales growth. stopandshop.careerswithus.com

Asset Protection Director job posted for Nouria in Hopkinton, MA
We are actively seeking an innovative and seasoned Director of Asset Protection to become an integral part of our fast-expanding team. This role is tailor-made for someone who is passionate about advancing and enhancing prevention programs, spearheading business continuity and crisis management initiatives, and nurturing a robust team of professionals. indeed.com

Director Safety Operations job posted for Disney Cruise Line in Celebration, FL
The Director – Safety Operations (Disney Cruise Line; DCL) will be responsible for leading teams of international safety operations professionals while ensuring seamless integration between the shipboard, island, and shore-based operations. This role is accountable for Disney Cruise Line vessels and private islands’ safety operations. The execution of all safety operations must be in compliance with all applicable International, Flag State, Port State, classification society requirements, and Company Policies for all areas in-scope. jobs.disneycareers.com

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Escalating Cyber Threats
Bots, fraud farms, and cryptojacking surge, urgently requiring attention

In this article, you will find excerpts from cyberattacks surveys we covered in 2023. These insights will give your organization valuable statistics to enhance its cybersecurity strategy.

Organizations can’t ignore the surge in malicious web links: Of the 45 billion emails analysed, 36.4% were categorised as unwanted. Within this category, just over 3.6% – or more than 585 million – were identified as malicious. This represents the widespread nature of the risk, with a vast number of emails posing potential threats.

Cybercriminals turn to ready-made bots for quick attacks: Bots and human fraud farms were responsible for billions of attacks in the H1 of 2023 and into Q3, according to Arkose Labs. These attacks comprised 73% of all website and app traffic measured. In other words, almost three-quarters of traffic to digital properties is malicious.

Rise in automated attacks troubles ecommerce industry: The ecommerce industry remains a lucrative target for cybercriminal activity. Built on a vast network of API connections and third-party dependencies, online retailers are increasingly vulnerable to business logic abuse and client-side attacks. Motivated cybercriminals are also eager to compromise user accounts for personal data and payment information.

Organizations should prepare for the inevitability of cyberattacks on their infrastructure: Global organizations are facing an unprecedented level of cyber risk due to blind spots in their environment and that security teams are being overwhelmed with significant amounts of threat intelligence data lacking actionable insights. As a result, 61% of organizations confirmed they had been breached at least once over the last 12 months, with 31% experiencing multiple breaches during the same period.

Endpoint malware attacks decline as campaigns spread wider: In Q2 2023, 95% of malware now arrives over encrypted connections, endpoint malware volumes are decreasing despite campaigns growing more widespread, ransomware detections are declining amid a rise in double-extortion attacks, and older software vulnerabilities persist as popular targets for exploitation among modern threat actors, among other trends, according to WatchGuard.

20% of malware attacks bypass antivirus protection: In the first half of 2023, researchers found that 20% of all recaptured malware logs had an antivirus program installed at the time of successful malware execution. Not only did these solutions not prevent the attack, they also lack the automated ability to protect against any stolen data that can be used in the aftermath.

Cyber extortion hits all-time high: The geographical shift of cyber extortion attacks has continued, with a significant year on year increase (42%) in Southeast Asia, with Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, and Malaysia the most impacted. helpnetsecurity.com

Cybercrime Leader Jailed - Faces Up to 5 Years in Prison
Former BreachForums admin to be jailed until Jan. 19 sentencing

Prosecutors want Conor Fitzpatrick jailed for allegedly using a computer without the required monitoring software.

Afederal judge in the Eastern District of Virginia on Friday ordered that Conor Fitzpatrick be held in jail until his Jan. 19 sentencing for his role in running the notorious BreachForums cybercrime website.

Fitzpatrick was arrested Jan. 2 after prosecutors said he violated the conditions of his pretrial release by using a computer without the required monitoring software and using virtual private network (VPN) services. During the appearance Friday morning, his lawyers did not contest prosecutors’ request to keep him detained, according to a court filing.

Fitzpatrick, 21, was originally arrested in March 2023 at his parents’ home about 40 miles from New York City for his role in establishing and administering BreachForums, a cybercrime forum where stolen data is traded, advertised and sold. At the time of his arrest, the FBI said the forum contained at least 888 datasets consisting of more than 14 billion individual records related to people, companies and government agencies around the world.

Fitzpatrick, who went by the online moniker “Pompompurin,” pleaded guilty July 13, 2023, to three felony counts related to the operation, including conspiracy to commit access device fraud and access device fraud — unauthorized solicitation. He was released on a $300,000 bond, with sentencing originally scheduled for Nov. 17, 2023, and then rescheduled for Jan. 19, 2024.

Fitzpatrick faces up to five years in prison, according to the Department of Justice. As part of the conditions for his release, Fitzpatrick agreed to not use a computer or the internet without computer monitoring software and to not use VPNs or any other tools to obfuscate his identity. cyberscoop.com

NIST: No Silver Bullet Against Adversarial Machine Learning Attacks

NIST has published a report on adversarial machine learning attacks and mitigations, and cautioned that there is no silver bullet for these types of threats.

Adversarial machine learning, or AML, involves extracting information about the characteristics and behavior of a machine learning system, and manipulating inputs in order to obtain a desired outcome.

NIST has published guidance documenting the various types of attacks that can be used to target artificial intelligence systems, warning AI developers and users that there is currently no foolproof method for protecting such systems. The agency has encouraged the community to attempt to find better defenses.

The report, titled ‘Adversarial Machine Learning: A Taxonomy and Terminology of Attacks and Mitigations’ (NIST.AI.100-2), covers both predictive and generative AI. The former focuses on creating new content, while the latter uses historical data to forecast future outcomes. securityweek.com

Potential gov cybersecurity standards to bring changes for Huntsville businesses

Social engineer reveals effective tricks for real-world intrusions

Podcasts: Convenient In More Ways Than One

Podcasts are an extremely convenient way to catch up on news, sports, and any personal interests you may have. Many apps are free or have low subscription models. Audible, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean, TuneIn, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts, are just a few platforms that allow you to listen to a plethora of content in any genre - on the go, at work, or during moments of relaxation.

Scammers Flooding Consumers with Fake Offers
How To Tell If You’re Being Scammed By A Fake Online Vendor
With the growing use of AI, scamsters are flooding consumers with fake offers designed to get their money and personal information. Some fraud merchants pose as online vendors to filch you. I asked John Gilmore, head of research for DeleteMe, a personal data removal service, what he’s seeing now in the latest cybercrimes.

How do you spot these scams? Gilmore says “there are a variety of contextual and specific flags that can help identify spoofed corporate/institutional communications. The typical contextual red-flag is "Is this message, or the action it is asking me to take different from the way I normally engage with this company/group?"

The specific red flags, for example, “are usually spotted in the source-email domain, or embedded links, which differ from that of normal company communications (e.g. Sender email may say ‘Amazon Customer Support <Support234@amazon.security.com>,’ and embedded links.”

Vendor impersonation is a subset of a larger group of swindles called “business impersonation fraud.” The Better Business Bureau provides these tell-tale signs:

• Parties reaching out unsolicited to ask for personal information or payment for something.
• Pressuring you to act immediately.
• Asking you to wire money or send gift cards (untraceable forms of payment).
• Threatening you in some way (for example, penalties or jail time).
• Offering something that is “too good to be true.”
• Check the email address or URL more closely. Scammers use similar website addresses or emails to appear legitimate, but if you look closely, you may find one letter or number that is off. forbes.com

Higher-Than-Expected E-Commerce Surge in December
Strong December growth pushes online holiday sales up 7%
Higher-than-expected December e-commerce activity helped produce healthy 2023 online holiday sales results.

According to analysis from Signifyd, U.S. online sales for the entire 2023 holiday season rose 7% from the 2022 holiday season. A key driver was 11% year-over-year (YoY) online sales growth in December, breaking well past early season predictions that the month would only see a 3% YoY increase in online sales.

The month’s surge was powered by a 27% YoY boost in grocery sales, a 19% increase in electronics spending, and a 14% rise in spending on leisure and outdoor goods. Signifyd data shows that heavy consumer use of discounts also appeared to play a role in holiday e-commerce growth. chainstoreage.com

Think Amazon Rakes In Most of Its Profit Through E-Commerce? Nope

Shein, Uniqlo tops in fast-fashion spend in U.S.

New York, NY: 15 asylum-seekers attempt to steal $5,300 Worth of Sunglasses at NYC Bloomingdale’s
A group of migrants went into Bloomingdale’s in Manhattan and attempted to steal a collection of high-end Versace, Dior, and Prada designer sunglasses worth $5,300. About 15 asylum-seekers entered the store around 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, grabbed over a dozen expensive sunglasses, and tried to escape. An alert police officer, working at the store, managed to catch one of the thieves, identified as Steven Matos, 23, who was charged with robbery and other offenses. The police recovered 10 pairs of Versace glasses, two pairs of Prada, and one pair of Christian Dior. It’s unclear if the rest of the group got away with more items. west-palm-beach-news.com

Jersey City, NJ: Two stuffed $5K in clothing into suitcase and tried to flee Newport Centre mall store
One man was taken into custody and another escaped capture after the two grabbed a suitcase at Macy’s inside Newport Centre mall, stuffed it with more than $5,000 in clothing and then tried to leave the store without paying, authorities said. Johnathan Breguero, 27, of New York, was charged with robbery in the incident that occurred Sunday at approximately 5:05 p.m., city spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione said. Police said in radio transmissions that Breguero punched, kicked and spit on the store’s loss-prevention officers when he was detained while trying to flee. The items in the suitcase were recovered, Wallace-Scalcione said. A store representative told police the merchandise was valued at $5,110, according to the radio transmissions. The investigation is ongoing, Wallace-Scalcione said. nj.com

McClean, VA: Traffic allows police to catch up to thieves accused of stealing designer handbags
Police say detectives arrested members of an organized retail theft crew as they were running out of a store with handbags in Tysons Corner. According to the Fairfax County Police Department, just after 5 p.m. on Friday, the accused thieves grabbed more than $4,500 worth of designer handbags from a store and ran away. The group reportedly jumped into a waiting Chevrolet Suburban and tried to drive away. Detectives were alerted by loss prevention and began searching along the southbound stretch of Interstate 495 in Annandale. Heavy traffic allowed officers to catch up to the crew using the Express Lanes. The Tysons Urban Team worked with Virginia State Police to apprehend the four suspects on the interstate. The stolen items were returned to the Bloomingdale's store and the four suspects were taken to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center. wusa9.com

U-Haul truck used as battering ram during smash-and-grab attempt at Bicycle shop; $40K in damages
Surveillance cameras on a downtown L.A. business captured an attempted burglary as thieves in a U-Haul box truck plowed through the steel gate into the parking lot before trying to ram their way into the brick building. More than a dozen other masked suspects stood by hoping the driver of the truck could ram through the bicycle shop’s brick building. The incident, which happened at Just Ride Los Angeles, occurred over the weekend. The owner, identified only as Danny, said he’s never had anything this extreme happen to his shop. “Through our gate and into our storage to get through and get bicycles,” he told KTLA’s Jennifer McGraw. ktla.com

Albuquerque, NM: Alleged Albuquerque shoplifter drops stolen item from jacket while talking to police
In a social media post uploaded by the Albuquerque Police Department (APD), an officer finds a suspected shoplifter just moments after he’s accused of stealing from a local Target retail store. This comes on the heels of APD completing their retail crime operation. In the post, APD Officer Raymond Casias responds to the alleged shoplifting incident at the Target on Montgomery Blvd and Wyoming Blvd. As shown in the video, Casias locates the suspect, identified as David Quintana, outside the shopping area and approaches him. Casias advised Quintana that he was being detained. As the officer moves toward Quintana, you can hear the suspect saying, “I just went to court.” As he speaks, Quintana begins to scratch his head, but a piece of merchandise falls from his jacket. In a criminal complaint, a Target employee observed Quintana take a flashlight from the home goods section. The complaint continues, stating that Quintana proceeded to walk toward electronics where he grabbed several video games. In the “Sticky Fingers Operation,” which lasted three months, APD said they have made a total of 332 arrests related to retail crime, recovered about $60,000 worth of stolen merchandise, and cleared 110 warrants. krqe.com

Guelph, ON, Canada: More than $3,000 worth of cosmetics taken in apparent distraction theft in Guelph
Three women allegedly pulled off a distraction theft at a Guelph business involving more than $3,000 worth of makeup. Guelph police said the incident occurred Friday (Jan. 5) at a business near Stone Road West and Scottsdale Drive, when, just after 2 p.m., two women entered the business, followed a short time later by a third woman. The older woman was speaking to employees in the cosmetics area and appeared to be distracting them, police said, while the younger women allegedly removed Dior cosmetics and concealed them in their coats. All three women left the store and were seen walking away together. It is believed they arrived in a white four-door sedan. guelphmercury.com

Cobb County, GA: Suspected thief ditches son at mall
Cobb County police are searching for a father wanted for shoplifting. Investigators say in addition to stealing from a store, when officers caught on to what he was doing, he ran, leaving his child behind. Police say James Calvin Smith stole $852 worth of clothes and perfume from Macy's in Cumberland Mall. Investigators say he stuffed the merchandise into a bag he stole, then tucked it all under his coat and tried to walk out. Police say a loss prevention officer approached him, but he pushed her out of the way. That's when the director of security stepped in and things grew even more violent. Police later learned, while Smith was inside the mall, his 11-year-old son was in the car in the parking lot. Investigators say when faced with running away to avoid arrest or going back to check on his son, Smith chose to run. fox5atlanta.com

Ferrisburg, VT: State police seek help identifying suspect in Ace Hardware store theft

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Shootings & Deaths

East St Louis, MO: Surveillance video shows possible suspect responsible for killing Metro East O’Reilly worker inside store
Authorities are searching for a person responsible for shooting and killing a man at a Metro East auto parts store Sunday. Illinois State Police and East St. Louis police responded to the O’Reilly on State Street around 6:30 p.m. for a fatal shooting. The St. Clair County Coroner’s Office identified the deceased individual as Dantrell Smith, 31, of East St. Louis. Investigators are not saying if the crime was a robbery or a targeted shooting, but surveillance video obtained by First Alert 4 shows a person in a dark sedan parking in front of O’Reilly at 6:20 p.m. and then going inside for eight seconds and then driving off. ISP would not confirm or deny if the person seen in the video is a suspect or person of interest. firstalert4.com

Ocala, FL: Update: Police arrest suspect in a killing that sent holiday shoppers scrambling in a Florida mall
Police arrested a 39-year-old man early Monday on a murder charge in what appeared to be a targeted shooting at a Florida mall that also wounded a bystander and sent panicked last-minute Christmas shoppers scrambling for safety. Acting on tips that poured in since the Dec. 23 shooting at Paddock Mall, officers surrounded a north Florida home around 1 a.m. Monday, Ocala police Chief Mike Balken said during a news conference. They negotiated with Albert Shell Jr. for about two hours before he was taken into custody without incident, he said, sharing a body cam video showing a shirtless Shell walking out of the house and surrendering to officers. Shell was taken to the Marion County Jail in Ocala on charges of premeditated first-degree murder in the killing of David Nathaniel Barron, 40, and attempted premeditated first-degree murder for shooting an innocent bystander in the leg, the chief said. Court records did not list an attorney for Shell. sandiegouniontribune.com

Jefferson County, CO: Update: Man linked to evidence at scene of Wheat Ridge store owner killing arrested after burglary of same store
A 39-year-old Aurora man is in custody in Jefferson County for a Dec. 26 burglary at the same store where beloved Aurora businessman Peter Arguello was killed during a robbery on Nov. 29. Police were already tracking 39-year-old Charles Robinson Shay in a stolen Polestar vehicle, which they say showed up outside Peter Damien Fine Jewelry and Antiques around 5 a.m. on Dec. 26, when it's believed a burglar tried to break in. The store was empty, having been cleared out after the killing of store owner Peter Arguello. cbsnews.com

Chicago, IL: Police Officer and suspect are wounded in exchange of gunfire after burglary attempt
A Chicago police officer and a suspect were shot and wounded in an exchange of gunfire early Monday following an attempted smash-and-grab burglary at a high-end store, authorities said. Police Supt. Larry Snelling said officers were called to the scene at around 4:15 a.m. after someone tried to drive an SUV through the windows of a Prada store in the city’s Gold Coast neighborhood. When officers arrived, several suspects fled, including an armed man whom officers chased on foot, he said. “The officers tried to de-escalate the situation by telling the suspect to drop the gun. He did not. Shortly thereafter there was an exchange of gunfire,” Snelling told reporters. myjournalcourier.com

Robberies, Incidents & Thefts

Mobile, AL: Man arrested in connection to Christmas burglary at Winn-Dixie
A local man was arrested after he was allegedly involved in a Christmas Day burglary caught on camera at a Winn-Dixie, according to the Mobile Police Department. On Dec. 25, around 5:30 p.m., surveillance cameras caught a man busting a window at the Winn-Dixie on Government Boulevard and climbing inside the store. He grabbed some items inside the store before leaving the way he had entered, according to the footage.
Gregory Lewis, 63, was arrested on Jan. 5 after police received tips from the public based on the surveillance video. news.yahoo.com

Cincinnati, OH: Employees, customers stop thief at Delhi liquor store
Security camera video from a Delhi Township liquor store showed employees and customers thwarting a thief. William Vinson, 27, was arrested on a theft charge by the Delhi Township Police Department. Vinson was allegedly the man in the video who was confronted while trying to steal a $70 bottle of Woodford Reserve in his pants. The video showed two employees blocking the doors of the store. Vinson took a swing at one of them with a bottle which started a short scuffle. Vinson then shoved his way out the entrance, but was confronted by customers who pinned him down outside. Police arrived and Vinson was arrested. An employee at the store said they had a message - don’t steal from the store. If you do, they’ll call the police and you’ll be arrested. fox19.com

Scottsdale, AZ: Man accused of burglary following Old Town Scottsdale art gallery incident

Madison, WI: MPD investigating string of liquor store burglaries

• Art – Scottsdale, AZ – Burglary
• Auto – East St Louis, MO – Armed Robbery / Emp killed
• Bicycle – Los Angeles, CA - Burglary
• Bloomingdales – New York, NY – Robbery
• Bloomingdales – McClean, VA – Robbery
• C-Store – Enosburg, VT – Burglary
• C-Store – Houston, TX – Robbery
• C-Store – Cleveland, OH – Burglary
• Jewelry – Oakland Park, IL – Burglary
• Jewelry – Hanover, MD- Robbery
• Jewelry – Sunbury, OH - Robbery
• Jewelry – Newark, CA - Robbery
• Jewelry – Tempe, AZ – Robbery
• Liquor – Cincinnati, OH - Robbery
• Liquor – Madison, WI – Burglary
• Macy’s – Cobb County, GA – Robbery
• Macy’s – Jersey City, NJ – Robbery
• Prada – Chicago, IL – Burglary / Officer wounded
• Restaurant – Tampa, FL - Burglary
• Shoes – Burlington, VT – Burglary
• Sports – Oahu, HI – Burglary
• Walmart – Columbus, OH – Robbery

Daily Totals:
• 12 robberies
• 10 burglaries
• 2 shootings
• 1 killed

Click map to enlarge

None to report.

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