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2/16/21

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Brit Hehn promoted to Director of Loss Prevention Operations/LP Field Mexico for Old Navy
Brit has been with Old Navy for nearly 19 years, starting with the company in 2002 as a Loss Prevention Agent (Multi-Store). Before her promotion to Director of Loss Prevention Operations/LP Field Mexico, she spent five years as Senior Manager Loss Prevention Operations/ LP Field Mexico and nearly four years as Manager of Loss Prevention Operations. She also served as a District Loss Prevention Manager earlier in her Old Navy career. Congratulations, Brit!

See All the Executives 'Moving Up' Here

Submit Your New Corporate Hires/Promotions or New Position

ADT Commercial Enters Electronic Article Surveillance Market To Deepen Retail Security Capabilities

Strategic partnership with WG Security Products, Inc. is expected to provide U.S. customers complete electronic article surveillance (EAS) solutions

ADT Commercial, a premier provider of commercial security, fire, life safety and risk consulting services in the U.S., announced today its expansion into the electronic article surveillance (EAS) market through a strategic alliance with WG Security Products, Inc.

ADT Commercial will install and service WG Security Products’ comprehensive EAS portfolio in the U.S., including a full range of detection systems, hard tags, specialty tags, disposable labels, deactivation devices and detachers.

Read more in today's Vendor Spotlight below.

ADT: Super Serving Our Communities Through ADT Cares

Earlier this month, ADT teams gathered in Tampa for the Big Game to participate in the Super Service Challenge and help tackle hunger. Food, shoes, and socks were distributed to 1,000 families in need.

Wearing masks and staying safely apart, team members distributed thousands of new shoes and socks to residents in vehicles lined up in a parking lot. Volunteers from Feeding Tampa Bay also loaded four bags of groceries, many containing fresh vegetables, into each car and truck.

In addition to the volunteerism, the team was honored to make a $10,000 gift to Feeding Tampa Bay on behalf of ADT. Read More Here

Protests & Violence

Minneapolis' Post-Riot Recovery
Torched in riots, Highland Plaza is up and running again in Minneapolis

Insurance companies have been slow to pay commercial-property claims

After an eight-month hiatus, Cost Cutters and three other Highland Plaza tenants reopened last week, marking a major post-riot turnaround in an area devastated during several nights of violence. Mall owner Tom Roberts, who is spending $5 million on the rebuilding effort, expects several more tenants to open their doors in the coming weeks.

Though many landlords are still deciding whether or not to rebuild in the wake of the riots, Roberts charged ahead shortly after the fires were extinguished at Highland Plaza. The mall is one of more than 1,200 commercial properties ransacked or destroyed in Minneapolis and St. Paul in May, generating more than $500 million in estimated damages.

So far, however, insurance companies have been slow to pay claims. According to the most recent report from the Minnesota Commerce Department, $163 million of $293 million in commercial-property claims were paid as of December, or 55% of the total. By contrast, 89% of personal auto claims have been paid. startribune.com

Court of Appeals won't intervene in Derek Chauvin trial on March 8
Prosecutors did not establish a basis for the court's involvement, said a Friday ruling.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled Friday that it would not intervene in the case against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with killing George Floyd, and delay his trial from March until the summertime as prosecutors had requested.

Prosecutors argued that the COVID-19 pandemic made it unsafe to hold Chauvin's trial in March. They asked the Court of Appeals to hold a hearing so they could argue their case orally, or, to skip a hearing and immediately issue a "writ of prohibition" to stop the trial. startribune.com

NYC: BLM protest Friday turns violent, leaving 2 NYPD cops injured, 11 arrested
A Black Lives Matter march through Midtown Manhattan turned violent Friday night, with 11 protesters arrested. The NYPD reported that two officers suffered minor injuries during the protest, which was attended by about 100 marchers; officials could not immediately say how the cops were hurt.

At least some of those arrested were accused of attacking Daily News photographer Sam Costanza at the intersection of Sixth Avenue and 54th Street in the mistaken belief that he was a cop, sources said. foxnews.com

Georgia bill would increase penalties for crimes committed during protests
Months after Atlanta was the site of weeks of unrest in response to police brutality across the country, a Republican senator and former police officer has filed legislation that would increase penalties for people who commit crimes during a protest. Senate Bill 171 would increase the penalties for crimes such as blocking a highway, assaulting someone or damaging property when gathered in groups of two or more. ajc.com

Chicago PD Identifies 20 ‘Weaknesses’ In Its Response To Last Summer’s Protests, But Doesn’t Mention Brutality Allegations
Protesters in Chicago claimed they were brutalized by police, business owners had their stores ransacked and Chicago cops complained of a lack of planning and leadership over the summer during the most stressful days of their policing careers. Now, the Chicago Police Department has completed its own assessment of how it handled the protests and looting.

The “after-action” report, which was published last week by CPD, identifies nearly 20 “weaknesses” in the department’s response – but the internal review makes no mention of the brutality alleged by activists and glosses over complaints from officers that department failures put cops at risk.

The internal review comes as a court-appointed monitor is investigating how the Chicago Police Department handled the protests and as activists sue the city for alleged misconduct and brutality by dozens of officers. In a lawsuit filed last fall, 60 activists claimed the department’s response to the protests were “brutal, violent and unconstitutional.”

According to the CPD report, nearly 600 complaints of misconduct were filed against officers for alleged actions between May 29 and June 11, when the city saw massive protests and widespread looting after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. wbez.org

St. Louis agrees to $5 million settlement with Black officer beaten by police at protest

Rochester, NY police outline revised protest strategy to police board

Portland protesters hit cops with snowballs, break businesses’ windows

LA protester lost testicle after he was shot with rubber bullet: lawsuit

COVID Update

US: Over 28.3M Cases - 498K Dead - 18.3M Recovered
Worldwide: Over 109M Cases - 2.4M Dead - 84M Recovered

Former Senior Loss Prevention Executive
Know of any fallen LP exec? Let's remember & recognize.

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 276
Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 245
*Red indicates change in total deaths

New COVID Cases Decline in 40 States
Monday saw the lowest number of newly reported cases in nearly four months

● Deaths declined sharply to fewer than 1,000 for Monday.
● Europe is bracing for a rise in cases resulting from spread of new, more contagious variants.

There were more than 52,000 new cases reported for Monday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, down from 64,938 a day earlier and 89,727 a week earlier. The latest number was published early Tuesday Eastern time and may be updated later in the morning. wsj.com abcnews.com

#1 Discussion Article in Retail Wire Last Week
Should retailers ask workers to return to their offices?
VMH is instructing Tiffany's corporate staff to return to offices two days a week beginning at the start of March. The decision comes as the arrival of vaccines has corporations exploring when, how and whether to bring officer workers back.

On Tuesday, Salesforce announced that it is giving employees three work options. Some who don't require an office will work remotely full-time. "Flex" workers will work in the office up to three days a week to support collaboration, customer meetings and presentations. The smallest portion will work in a location four to five days per week if their roles require it.

Another Journal report, published yesterday, said Qurate Retail, the parent of QVC and HSN, recently shifted its planned May return to offices to September at the earliest due to a slower-than-hoped vaccine rollout.

Eliminating office space would save money for corporations, although it's still debatable whether traditional office benefits of fostering collaboration, mentoring and evaluating employees for promotions can be accomplished to the same degree virtually.

A Pew survey taken in October found 65 percent of workers new to teleworking due to the pandemic feel less connected to their coworkers. Among more seasoned teleworkers, only 27 percent felt that way. Younger teleworkers were found to be more likely to say they've had a hard time feeling motivated to do their work and parents with young children had a harder time getting work done at home

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Do you see most corporate workers returning to offices as the pandemic eases, continuing to work remotely or shifting to a hybrid set-up? What might retail's corporate staff lose with a strong shift to remote working following the pandemic?

Take a look at the various comments from industry executives here: retailwire.com

How a sluggish vaccination program could delay a return to normal and invite vaccine-resistant variants to emerge
Experts warn that the current pace of vaccinations won’t just prolong coronavirus restrictions. It could also make it more likely that new variants will infect the previously immune.

On the fifth day of his presidency, Biden appeared to aim higher, saying 1.5 million shots per day was within reach.

Less than a month into the Biden presidency, as the rate of vaccinations continues to increase, the country has nearly reached the pace needed to achieve that milestone, with 1.48 million shots per day administered over the past week. washingtonpost.com

Across the Pond the Picture is the Same as NYC's 5th Avenue
UK: Over 50,000 Oxford Street jobs will disappear post-lockdown
New research has shown that at least one-fifth of London’s Oxford Street will be “boarded up with no hope of recovery” as the UK remains in a third lockdown.

The New West End Company, a lobby group that represents 600 firms, warned that over 50,000 retail and hospitality jobs will be lost when the latest lockdown ends.

Meanwhile, 243-year old department store chain Debenhams is set to shutter its stores, including its Oxford Street flagship. Microsoft is considering closing its recently opened flagship store on neighbouring Regent Street to save cash.

Selfridges asset management director Tim Reade said that although Oxford Street is seen as “world class” this is not the case at the moment. retailgazette.co.uk

COVID-19's Impact on the Annual Budget Process
Corporate Spending Plans Tweaked as Recovery Pace Uncertain
Some companies are moving away from annual budgets in favor of rolling forecasts

Finance chiefs are fine-tuning the way they draft their annual spending plans, opting for more frequent check-ins to review and authorize costs throughout the year after the coronavirus pandemic rendered their 2020 budgets virtually obsolete.

The impact of the virus varies across industries, lifting profits at grocery chains and makers of cleaning supplies while causing ongoing financial pain for retail, travel and hospitality businesses.

The core problem facing chief financial officers is that traditional methods for developing a budget are backward-looking by design, meaning they can quickly become useless in a crisis.

The pandemic has prompted some companies to update their spending plans more frequently, such as monthly or quarterly, and to rely on forecasts that look beyond the current year. The process, known as rolling forecasting, has been around for years but has become more popular in recent months, advisers said. wsj.com

Walmart Administers First Vaccines Friday, many in medically underserved areas

Rite Aid CEO says drugstores are ready to step up COVID-19 vaccinations

Walgreens & Uber Team Up To Help Provide Vaccinations To Underserved Communities

Maine bought over 2 million potentially counterfeit masks now subject to recall

Covid-19 Testing Won’t Be Required Before Domestic Flights, CDC Says

10% of Marylanders have received 1 COVID vaccine dose; positivity rate drops beneath 5% for 1st time since November

The Legal Landscape Starts to Unfold

State Governments' Legal Powers - Biggest Test in a Century
Challenges to Covid-19 Lockdowns Have Been Mostly Losing in Court
Judges generally uphold restrictions on businesses and the scope of freedom, in biggest test of state governments’ legal power in a century.

A long line of defeats for businesses and individuals challenging lockdown rules and state emergency measures intended to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. Together, the roughly 300 civil liberties lawsuits related to Covid-19 represent the most significant test in more than a century of the emergency powers of state governors and the scope of liberty in dire times.

A review of rulings on emergency measures shows that federal and state courts have been reluctant to second-guess governors, upholding widespread restrictions on travel, gatherings and commerce.

When judges did push back against state orders, their sharpest scrutiny was reserved for restrictions on religious worship and abortion access. wsj.com

Insurers Being Directed to Accept Claims of Some Front-Line Workers
Why So Many Covid-19 Workers’ Comp Claims Are Being Rejected

Employees who allege they contracted coronavirus on the job can face a high bar to prove their cases

Determining where a person contracted Covid-19 is proving to be a difficult legal puzzle. In many workers’ compensation cases, carriers said individuals were most likely infected in their off hours, while workers’ attorneys said their clients’ Covid-19 cases were directly linked with unsafe job environments.

Insurance carriers and business groups feared at the start of the pandemic that they would be overwhelmed by workers’ comp claims related to Covid-19. That concern intensified as more than a dozen states passed laws giving some employees including nurses and firefighters a presumption of eligibility, or access to workers’ comp coverage without requiring them to prove infections occurred on the job.

Those fears turned out to be unfounded. Workers filed hundreds of thousands of virus-related claims in 2020, but those cases, according to state and industry data, were more than offset by a steep drop in non-Covid-19 claims as layoffs, shutdowns and remote work reduced the number of workplace accidents and injuries.

The data also suggest that carriers are denying a significant percentage of claims related to Covid-19, even in states with the so-called presumptive-eligibility rules. Through these measures, insurers are directed to accept the Covid-19-related claims of some front-line workers, bypassing the usual step in which workers have to prove their accident or illness occurred while at work.

Continue Reading: Workers Comp Payments - Legal Ambiguity - "Occupational Disease" - Thousands of Cases - Case-by-Case

Winter Storm Pummels Large Part of U.S.

Icy Storm Barrels Across Central U.S., Leaving Millions Without Power

The snowstorm covered a huge part of the country, including states unaccustomed to slick roads and a deep freeze.

A massive winter storm bulldozed its way across the southern and central United States on Monday, leaving millions of people without power amid freezing temperatures, sending vehicles crashing into one another on ice-glazed highways and bringing blizzard-like conditions to places where snowfall is usually the news from elsewhere.

The storm was notable for its enormous reach — 150 million people were under storm warnings — and for a particularly perilous element it brought nearly everywhere: ice. It left a treacherous varnish on roads across a midsection of the country, including places where driving on ice is a rarity.

It was as confounding a storm as it was punishing. Snow blanketed Gulf of Mexico beaches and people went ice sledding on the roads of southern Louisiana. Alabama was warned of brutal ice storms in some places and of possible tornado outbreaks in others. Temperatures were lower in Austin than in Anchorage, Alaska.

The state of Texas woke up on Monday to the worst winter onslaught in decades. The state was blanketed by one of its largest snowfalls on record and grappling with hundreds of thousands of power outages, flight cancellations and urgent warnings from government leaders and emergency supervisors to stay put and reduce electric consumption. The 8 degrees recorded in Austin was the lowest in 32 years, forecasters said, and the 6.4 inches of snow dumped on the city overnight was reported to be the deepest in 55 years.

Across the country, at least 11 people have died since the storm intensified in the middle of last week; 10 have been killed in car crashes on Kentucky and Texas roads, including a pileup in Fort Worth, attributed to slippery roads, involved more than 100 vehicles and killed six people.

Business Impact
Walmart temporarily closes over 600 stores, Amazon shuts down delivery stations as businesses confront tough weather

Grocery stores and shopping centers closed early or didn’t open at all Monday

As of 8 a.m. Tuesday, approximately 628 Walmart and Sam's Club stores from Oregon to Florida have temporarily closed while the company's emergency operations center monitors the storms and "other potential disasters." The retailer put together an interactive map to help shoppers determine if their neighborhood location was open or not. Some closed stores continued to operate curbside pickup and delivery. Its closings spanned 10 states, including Texas.

And if you didn’t see Amazon delivery trucks in your neighborhood Monday, the online retailing giant closed its delivery stations in Dallas-Fort Worth to protect its drivers from navigating treacherous roadways.

Businesses faced with unprecedented nasty weather across Texas, and elsewhere around the southern U.S., had to decide Monday if worker safety outweighed expectations that they’d be open for customers needing food and other essentials.

The prospects of a second snowstorm makes decisions trickier during what’s shaping up to be a week of sub-freezing temperatures. dallasnews.com foxbusiness.com

Houston-area grocery stores closed, reducing hours due to weather and outages

Hardware stores working around the clock amid winter storm

Central Texans cleaned out grocery stores ahead of winter storm

Winter Storm Not Over Yet For Much Of The Country

Storm slows vaccine rollout as clinics close and deliveries stall

Study: The food safety-environment dilemma
COVID-19 has disrupted the status quo, accelerated trends and created a new landscape of consumer concerns and needs, redefining the ground rules for the industry and creating new paradigms.

Not surprisingly, COVID-19 is the number one concern for consumers worldwide, as evidenced in Tetra Pak's latest consumer research study. Against this backdrop, economic worries have seen a sharp upturn, reflecting widespread uncertainty about the impact of the pandemic on the economy, particularly employment.

Here are 10 takeaways from the study that show what it means for the food and beverage industry.

1: COVID has transformed the consumer landscape
2: Interplay between food safety & the environment
3: Transparency & trust more important than ever
4: Food waste is rising up the agenda
5: Consumers want to help – but labelling is key
6: Concern for the environment remains strong
7: Sustainable packaging matters
8: Convergence is increasing
9: What consumers want
10: Key conclusion supermarketnews.com

Westfield Properties Getting Out of the US:
"Our exposure to the US will be minimal, if not zero.”

Ahold Delhaize USA Grows Micro-Fulfillment Capabilities

Cruise ship visits to Canada now banned until February 2022

Carnival Cruise Line - Holland America & Princess Cruises Pause Sailings to Alaska Until May-June

Quarterly Results
CVS Health Q4 comp's up 5.3%, Front Store down 1.8%, Retail/LTC Segment revenue up 6.6%, revenue Pharmacy revenue up 1.9%, total revenue up 4%
CVS Health FY 2020 Front Store Revenue up 1.2%, Retail/LTC Segment revenue up 5.3%, Pharmacy revenue up 0.3%, total revenue up 4.6%
CVS Health Care Benefits Segment Q4 revenue up 11.4%, FY 2020 revenue up 8.4%

Canada's Indigo Books and Music Q3 retail channel down 27%, e-commerce up 92%, revenue down 5%

Last week's #1 article --

Close Call for Mike Pence, U.S. Senators
New security footage shows harrowing details of Capitol attack
The new footage, released on the second day of Trump's Senate trial, takes advantage of Capitol security cameras positioned around the complex, depicting both the violent intentions of the mob and the heroics of several Capitol Police officers, including Eugene Goodman, who diverted the mob away from senators on the chamber floor.

Among the revelations from the new footage: Goodman is seen racing down a second floor hallway toward the Senate chamber, where he bumps into Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who is fleeing toward the Rotunda. Goodman appears to redirect Romney back toward the chamber - and safety.

Some of the new footage was taken from the dozens of security cameras that are positioned inside the Capitol and the connected House and Senate office buildings as well as around the Capitol grounds.

The clear timeline reveals just how close a call it was for Pence. thehill.com

Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Sr. Manager, AP Operations job posted for Bath & Body Works in Columbus, OH
Management position responsible for the management of Asset Protection system-based initiatives, analytics, AP training/education and center investigations. Position typically reports to the Director of Asset Protection and directly manages field and office-based associates. Provide oversight and direction to support investigations being conducted into internal and external theft/fraud. To include training, coaching, and developing a team of analysts and field manager(s). careers.lb.com

New Podcast Series 'Gus Unplugged' Coming Soon!
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ADT Commercial Enters Electronic Article Surveillance Market To Deepen Retail Security Capabilities

Strategic partnership with WG Security Products, Inc. is expected to provide U.S. customers complete electronic article surveillance (EAS) solutions

BOCA RATON, Fla. (Feb. 16, 2021) – ADT Commercial, a premier provider of commercial security, fire, life safety and risk consulting services in the U.S., announced today its expansion into the electronic article surveillance (EAS) market through a strategic alliance with WG Security Products, Inc. ADT Commercial will install and service WG Security Products’ comprehensive EAS portfolio in the U.S., including a full range of detection systems, hard tags, specialty tags, disposable labels, deactivation devices and detachers.

“We’re thrilled to expand into electronic article surveillance and offer customers another provider to consider in their search for EAS solutions, one with service excellence at its core,” said Dan Bresingham, Executive Vice President, Commercial, at ADT. “We’re proud of the dedicated team we’ve assembled, with decades of retail and EAS experience to deliver on the promise of best-in-class service, including Rex Gillette, a 35-year veteran in retail loss prevention and the EAS market.”

ADT Commercial will help customers build and maintain their current EAS solutions that utilize 58 kHz AM frequency technologies, regardless of type or manufacturer, as well as install new systems. Additionally, ADT Commercial will provide remote system tuning and troubleshooting, which reduces the need for technician trips and helps customers save money.

“WG Security Products is a trusted and comprehensive provider, and this partnership enables us to offer customers a total EAS solution,” said Rex Gillette, Vice President, retail sales at ADT Commercial.

“We’re excited to have ADT Commercial as our business partner,” said Graham Handyside, Executive Vice President at WG Security Products, Inc. “WG strives to help more retailers minimize shrink, improve sales and reduce in-store labor costs.”

About ADT Commercial
ADT Commercial is the commercial channel of ADT and a premier provider of commercial security, fire, life safety and risk consulting services in the United States. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla., ADT Commercial supports more than 300,000 customer locations with its strong network of over 5,000 employees across 150 offices. ADT Commercial is built on a foundation of customer service excellence and strengthened by decades of industry expertise. For more information, please visit www.adtcommercial.com and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Treating Ransomware Demands Like Any Other Business Transaction
How ransomware negotiations work

Here's what experienced negotiators say your organization should expect if it ever needs to pay a ransomware demand.

Many factors and parties are involved in ransomware payment decisions, from CIOs and other executives to external counsel and insurance carriers, but the increasing need to make such payments has created a market for consultants and companies that specialize in ransomware negotiation and facilitating cryptocurrency payments.

What happens when ransomware hits?

In an ideal world a ransomware attack should trigger a well-rehearsed disaster recovery plan, but unfortunately many organizations are caught off guard. While large enterprises might have an incident response team and plan for dealing with cyberattacks, the procedures for dealing with various aspects specific to a ransomware attack—including the threat of a data leak, communicating externally with customers and regulators, and making the decision to negotiate with threat actors—are typically missing.

Who decides if the ransom gets paid?

The decision-making process usually involves the general counsel, the CIO, and the COO. The general counsel weighs the decision based on legality and risk. The CIO and their team are in charge of the backup processes and the business continuity or disaster recovery plans. The COO makes the decision based on how the affected data impacts operations.

How does a ransomware negotiation work?

According to Minder, the negotiators can have a discussion with the attackers to educate them about the actual financial circumstances of the victim, but it's better to just objectively treat it as any business transaction and not rely on emotions, which is what a victim might be inclined to do if they attempt to negotiate on their own. csoonline.com

New York's 1st Guidance - Once Set - Adopted by All?
NYDFS Issues Cyber Insurance Risk Framework for Regulated Entities
In what the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) is touting as the first guidance by a U.S. regulator on cyber insurance, NYDFS announced on February 4, 2021, in Insurance Circular Letter No. 2 (2021), that it has issued a new Cyber Insurance Risk Framework (Framework) addressed to authorized property/casualty insurers that write cyber insurance. Nonetheless, NYDFS states “property/casualty insurers that do not write cyber insurance should still evaluate their exposure to ‘silent risk’ and take appropriate steps to reduce that exposure.”

The Framework consists of seven practices that “all authorized property/casualty insurers that write cyber insurance should employ,” while stating that “[E]ach insurer should take an approach that is proportionate to its risk.” The seven practices include:

● Establish a Formal Cyber Insurance Risk Strategy
● Manage and Eliminate Exposure to Silent Cyber Insurance Risk
● Evaluate Systemic Risk
● Rigorously Measure Insured Risk
● Educate Insureds and Insurance Producers
● Obtain Cybersecurity Expertise
● Require Notice to Law Enforcement jdsupra.com

Privacy Legislation Progresses in 5 More States

States Would Join 3 Others That Have Already Enacted Laws

Five states are making progress this year toward passing privacy legislation along the lines of California's Consumer Privacy Act, according to the International Association of Privacy Professionals.

If Virginia, Minnesota, New York, Washington and Oklahoma succeed in enacting new privacy laws this year, the total number of states with privacy regulations would go up to eight, says Caitlin Fennessy, research director at the IAPP. Previously, Maine and Nevada, in addition to California, each enacted legislation.

Ten other states introduced privacy legislation last year.

The steady stream of privacy legislation at the state level might eventually create momentum for a federal privacy law, Fennessy notes.

The majority of bills being considered at the state level are modeled on the CCPA and the recently instituted California Privacy Rights Act. Full enforcement of the CCPA began in July 2020 (see: It's Official: CCPA Enforcement Begins). Washington's pending legislation has also played an influential role, Fennessy notes. govinfosecurity.com

See the roundup list

TikTok sale to Oracle, Walmart shelved as Biden reviews security
A U.S. plan to force the sale of TikTok’s American operations to a group including Oracle Corp. and Walmart Inc. has been shelved indefinitely, people familiar with the situation said, as President Biden undertakes a broad review of his predecessor’s efforts to address potential security risks from Chinese tech companies. marketwatch.com

100+ Financial Services Firms Targeted in Ransom DDoS Attacks in 2020

Using your smart phone camera handsfree

Your smart phone can take a snapshot or open the camera with voice commands. For Android smart phones say “OK, Google, take selfie” the camera will open and snap the photo. For IOS “Hey, Siri, take a photo,” for IOS you will have to press the actual shutter button. Both IOS and Android offer other options and shortcuts to make photo taking a snap.

Curbside & Only Grocery Shopping is Surging
Innovations Driving Growth For Grocers Amid Crisis

Grocery is thriving, but sustained success will require tech and a fresh plan

In 2020, major grocery chains including Walmart, Target, Albertsons and Kroger saw steady revenue increases, with roughly 10 percent year-over-year growth. Not surprisingly, online revenue jumped even more dramatically – exceeding 240 percent for some grocers. While these gains are encouraging, we are far from the end of the crisis. Harder times are expected, and reports indicate grocery revenue could fall sharply if grocers don’t stay ahead of the still changing market.

Below are four tech-driven innovations that will help the industry hold on to the increases from the past year and continue growing despite ongoing downward economic pressures.

Predictive technology and automated ordering. AI has become essential to inventory planning and smarter buying. Data from our customers shows that predictive forecasting and automated ordering can increase gross margins by up to 30 percent. The key is for buyers to trust the technology.

Improved delivery auditing. The disruption in the food chain has left suppliers scrambling to meet demand. In some cases, they are unable to deliver 100 percent of the product ordered. If stores aren’t auditing deliveries, they may be getting shorted without realizing it. The disruptions of this year have provided a stark reminder of the importance of managing supply and maintaining strong auditing processes – which are made significantly easier with software solutions and inventory management technology.

Merchandising to optimize sales and reduce waste. The volume of food wasted at most grocery stores remains grossly underrepresented in the industry. Ensuring first-in, first-out (FIFO) merchandising is critical. An easy measurement is for buyers to use analytics to determine whether more than 5 percent of their SKUs are compliant with FIFO. If they are above this range, there’s an opportunity to recover potentially tens of thousands of dollars in revenue at the individual store level by making simple merchandising adjustments.

Scan-based trade. Grocers can hedge against volatility in consumer demand by exploring scan-based trade models and tech that provide an alternative to simply throwing away expired food. When supported by technology that examines buying trends, predicts demand and informs grocery buyers exactly how much to order, this approach makes it possible to keep shelves well-stocked while virtually eliminating the cost of shrink. theshelbyreport.com

China E-Commerce is 'Unmatched Worldwide'
Historic first: Ecommerce in China will account for more than 50% of retail sales
This year, China will take a step in its digital transformation that once may have seemed almost unthinkable. We forecast that 52.1% of the country’s retail sales will come from ecommerce in 2021, up from 44.8% a year prior. That means that for the first time anywhere, a majority of retail sales for an entire country will transact online. To put this further into perspective, China’s ecommerce success is unmatched worldwide. emarketer.com

Walmart+ gains traction 5 months after launch with 8M+ members

San Francisco, CA: 3 Bay Area men arrested in connection to Organized Retail Crime in Reno
Three Bay Area men were arrested Thursday and more than $150,000 in merchandise was seized following the investigation of a large retail theft in Reno, the Golden Gate Division of the California Highway Patrol said. When clothing worth an estimated $50,000 was stolen recently from a Lululemon store in Reno, some of the five suspects were recognized by store loss prevention investigators as repeat offenders with ties to the Bay Area, the CHP said.

The retailer contacted the Organized Retail Crime Task Force, which includes the CHP, the San Francisco Police Department and the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, which executed search warrants Thursday in San Francisco and Antioch, officials said. Three suspects were arrested and $150,000 in suspected stolen merchandise, $7,000 cash and a handgun were recovered. "The recovered merchandise included clothing, cosmetics, purses and sunglasses from multiple retailers including Lululemon, Macy's, Nordstrom, Victoria's Secret, JCPenney, Sunglass Hut, Solstice Sunglasses, Ulta Beauty, Sephora, Burberry, Sax Off 5th, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Gucci, Channel," and other retailers, the CHP said. ktvu.com

Wrentham, MA: Police seek 3 suspects in ‘smash and grab’ at Burberry at Wrentham Outlets
Police are searching for three suspects accused of smashing the front door of Burberry at the Wrentham Outlets and grabbing a large amount of merchandise early Monday morning. The suspects drove an SUV crossover-style vehicle and left the front door of the business shattered, according to Wrentham police. No additional information was immediately released. whdh.com

Aiea, Hawaii: Hawaii Jewelry Sellers Carjacked, Robbed of $200,000+ in Merchandise
It happened around 7:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021 near Aloha Stadium. The victims, a 75-year-old man and his 62-year-old wife, were in a white van filled with jewelry they were planning to sell at the swap meet. They’ve been vendors there for about 25 years. The victim says they were on Kamehameha Highway near the mauka gate of the stadium when his van was hit in the back by another car. So he stopped and he then saw a man wearing a ski mask run up to the van. khon2.com

Fort Lauderdale, FL: 3 Arrested for Thefts But More Suspects Sought; responsible for stealing at least $100,000 in clothing, watches
Police have arrested three men in connection with a series of thefts at high-end retail stores in Fort Lauderdale but say they're searching for more suspects. The three suspects, all residents of Miami-Dade, are facing grand theft charges, Fort Lauderdale Police said Monday. In December, police released surveillance images of the suspects, who they said had stolen nearly $100,000 worth of merchandise including expensive clothing and watches from two businesses along East Las Olas Boulevard. nbcmiami.com

Bethel Park, PA: Couple jailed in $1,300 shoplifting spree after woman found passed out in car at Home Depot
Bethel Park Police arrested two suspects for theft after they were alerted to one of the suspects being passed out in a vehicle. According to police, they were called to the parking lot of the Home Depot for reports of a woman passed out in a vehicle. Once on the scene, she was woken up and identified as 40-year-old Jessica Clibbens. She was observed to have potentially stolen merchandise in the car. Police then found her associate Adam Foltz, a 42-year-old from Jefferson Hills, inside the store in the process of stealing more merchandise. More than $1,300 of stolen merchandise was recovered from Home Depot, Bed Bath & Beyond, Giant Eagle, Macy’s DICK’s Sporting Goods, Target, and Walmart from the two suspects. pittsburgh.cbslocal.com

Seal Beach, CA: Police Arrest Pair Suspected In $1,000 Burglary At Target
Police said the man and woman entered the store and selected multiple items. The woman then exited, got into the pickup and drove it around the back of the building, where the man “quickly ran out of the store’s rear emergency exit,” according to police. The pair was accused of stealing over $1,000 in merchandise, including high-end liquor and electronics, police said. “Based on the excellent video captured by the witness, plus Target’s in-store video surveillance system, Seal Beach Police detectives quickly went to work identifying the suspects,” the police department said. watchourcity.com

Wichita Falls, TX: City manager among victims of ID theft by Phone contractor inside Walmart

The Villages, FL: Girlfriend arrested in $3,200 vacuum cleaner heists at Target

Natick, MA: Waltham woman accused in attempted theft of $2500 in purses, clothing from Macy's in Natick

West Chester, PA: Giant Eagle reports two “Large amounts” of Baby Formula stolen

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Shootings & Deaths

Phoenix, AZ: Desert Sky Mall has seen at least three shootings on the property in the last 15 months
Valentine's Day brought another shooting to Desert Sky Mall, leaving 17-year-old Alejandro Martinez dead and business owners wondering "not again." “It happened quite a few times here, this is not the first time,” Michael Woo, who runs a business inside the mall, said. Sunday's shooting came after police said two men got into an argument with a kiosk employee. Police said both the employee and one of the men pulled out a gun and "exchanged fire." The two men were hit. A 20-year-old is in critical condition but is expected to survive, while 17-year-old Martinez died at the hospital. The employee was initially detained, but no arrest has been made.

Witnesses said the fight began at a kiosk that normally sells shoes. The shooting marks at least the third time in the last 15 months that there was a shooting on the property of Desert Sky Mall. Back on Dec. 23, 38-year-old Richard Ruiz shot two people outside the mall and hijacked a red pick-up truck. Police later killed Ruiz in the parking lot. Last March, police arrested 27-year-old Daymond Deray Hayes after he shot and killed a 15-year-old. Sunday's shooting marked the latest incident at Desert Sky Mall that sent shoppers running for their lives. 12news.com

New Haven, CT: Two Connecticut restaurant workers found dead in supply closet
Two restaurant workers in Connecticut were found dead in the building’s supply closet, a report said. A third worker was hospitalized at about noon Monday after all three suffered apparent drug overdoses in the New Haven building. Two of them, in their 50s, were declared dead on scene. A third man found in distress outside the storage room was taken to the hospital. The owner of Jack’s — a restaurant in the building — confirmed to the news outlet that one of the men who died was employed by the eatery, while the other was an ex-worker. The man in the hospital is also a current Jack’s employee, the report said. wtnh.com

Darby Township, PA: Police asking for help in locating Walmart shooter;
employee wounded
Police are searching for a man accused of shooting at an employee inside a Walmart store in Darby, Pennsylvania, over the weekend. Police said Devante Dixon, 28, was inside the Walmart on 50 North MacDade Boulevard in the Glenolden section of Darby Township Sunday afternoon when he got into an argument with a store employee. Dixon allegedly pulled out a gun and fired at least one shot at the employee before fleeing the scene. No injuries were reported during the incident. Police continue to search for Dixon who is considered armed and dangerous. delcotimes.com

Columbus, OH: Police identify officer in shooting outside restaurant on Flags Center Drive
Columbus police have identified the officer who was involved in a shooting at a restaurant and bar Saturday. Officer Jaque Carter is a 12-year veteran of the Columbus Division of Police. On Saturday, he was working as a uniformed special duty officer outside the restaurant when he responded to hearing shots about 1:30 a.m. Carter reportedly found people fighting in the parking lot and discharged his firearm. One woman was injured, although it was not immediately known whether she was shot by the officer or during the altercation. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is looking into the incident. nbc4i.com

St. Louis, MO: 18 year old man charged in shooting death of 15-year-old outside C-Store

El Monte, CA: Police Fatally Shoot Man Suspected in El Monte Store Robbery

Troy, MI: Police probe death of man found Monday outside tire store

Robberies, Incidents & Thefts

Stonecrest, GA: 11 arrested after Publix Pharmacy Burglary in DeKalb County
DeKalb County Police arrested 11 people after tracking a crew of four suspects who burglarized a Publix pharmacy in the wee hours of the morning on Valentine’s Day. Police responded to the burglary at 3045 Panola Road in the city of Stonecrest around 2:15 a.m., authorities said. The suspects, who broke into Publix and stole the prescription medications, were tracked to a home in Atlanta where 11 people were arrested at 11:30 a.m. The suspects are believed to be connected to a number of pharmacy burglaries in DeKalb and the metro Atlanta area, police said. The investigation remains active. ocgnews.com

Brooklyn, NY: Violent Robbery At King’s Plaza
New video this morning of a violent robbery at the King's Plaza Shopping Center at Mill Basin, Brooklyn. Police say what started as an argument ended with the suspect punching the victim in the face and stealing $100 before walking away. This happened back on February 6. The victim refused medical attention at the scene. news.yahoo.com

Chicago, IL: Rolex authorized dealer dragged into court on charges of Racketeering
A Chicago-based Rolex authorized dealer has been dragged into court by a former employee who is accusing the company of covering up a conspiracy to “illegally sell Rolex watches to foreign grey market resellers in order to enrich themselves”. The case concerns C. D. Peacock (CDP), a multibrand jeweler with agencies for Rolex, Patek Philippe, Cartier, TAG Heuer and others for three stores in Chicago. The company, its owner the highly respected Seymour Holtzman and four employees including Robert Baumgardner, who was CEO at the time of the allegations, are being sued by Suzana Krajisnik. She was fired by CDP in December 2019 and says that termination was in retaliation for whistle-blowing and “refusing to engage in flagrant illegal activity that violated state and federal law; firing her and committing common law retaliatory discharge; and engaging in racketeering, in violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act”. Those found guilty of racketeering, with all its mafia associations, can be fined up to $25,000 and sentenced to 20 years in prison. The case was filed with The United States District Court For The Northern District Of Illinois on February 11. usa.watchpro.com

Philadelphia, PA: Police Searching For Suspects Wanted In Smash And Grab Robbery At Upper Darby Foot Locker

Hinesville, GA: Search continues for Burglary suspects who took 23 weapons from a Pawn Shop

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Your success is directly tied to the relationships you have with your stores, with your colleagues, and with your vendors. The ability to develop, nurture, and grow those relationships is critical if you expect to deliver the results you need. And as in the case of all relationships, it's also about what you bring to the table and the value you add. Oftentimes, one's biggest challenge is usually driven by your weakest or worst relationship and over time those are the ones that'll have the biggest impact. So take the time to access them and remember it's never too late to try to change one.

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