OROCC, MAORCA, CCROC join the growing Auror community to address ORC

Ohio Regional Organized Crime Coalition (OROCC), Mid-Atlantic ORCA (MAORCA), and Cook County State's Regional Organized Crime Task Force (CCROC) have announced a new partnership with Crime Intelligence Platform Auror to address the impact of Organized Retail Crime (ORC) groups in their regions. This partnership provides the ORCAs with the ability to record, investigate and collaborate on retail crime events and help them solve ORC cases fasterr.

Auror VP Retail Partnerships - North America Bobby Haskins says stopping retail crime, in particular ORC and repeat offending, requires a community effort where ORCAs, law enforcement agencies and retailers work together and support each other.

Read more here in today's D&D Daily V-Newsletter
 

The Great Debate Over Prop 47 & Rampant Theft
California lawmakers want to reverse Prop 47; ‘make crime illegal again’

The voter-approved measure has come under intense scrutiny over the past year amid rampant theft across California

As crime continues to concern communities throughout California, Republican state leaders are making efforts to repeal a much-debated measure critics say has emboldened criminals and tied the hands of law enforcement.

In March, state legislators on the General Assembly's Public Safety Committee will conduct a hearing on AB 1599, which would pose the question of Proposition 47 – known as the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act -- to voters once again in an effort to crack down on rampant theft.

The measure was ushered in by voters in 2014 and has been blamed for the many brazen smash-and-grab thefts and shoplifting incidents plaguing cities up and down the state.

"It has essentially legalized theft and open drug use in California, culminating in these unbelievable smash-and-grab robberies," state Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, who is one of three GOP lawmakers who introduced AB 1599 in January. "Voters were egregiously misled about what this would do."

Hailed as a step toward criminal justice reform by supporters, Prop 47 downgraded charges pertaining to certain theft and drug possession crimes from a felony to a misdemeanor if the value of the stolen goods is less than $950. As a result, thieves feel emboldened to commit crimes because of the soft penalties, said Kiley, whose assembly district includes portions of Sacramento County, northeast of San Francisco.

In addition, the measure also allows defendants serving sentences for felony offenses that would have qualified as misdemeanors under the measure to petition courts for re-sentencing under the new misdemeanor provision and authorizes those who have completed their sentences to ask that their convictions be re-classified as misdemeanors.

The new legislation introduced by Kiley and other lawmakers would overturn much of what’s in Prop 47 in an effort to "make crime illegal again," he said. foxnews.com

Federal Anti-Theft Bill Passes the House of Representatives
Congress looks to stem mass retail thefts by cracking down on online marketplaces
Legislation that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says would help undercut mass retail thefts passed the House on Friday and has a shot at becoming law. Instead of going after the thieves directly, however, the bills would target how the theft rings make money — fleecing the goods online.

Such burglaries have plagued the Bay Area in recent months, as organized groups have carried out smash-and-grab crimes in San Francisco and beyond, further harming stores and shopping districts already struggling amid the pandemic and the growth of online shopping.

The two retail laws in question — the Inform Consumers Act and Shop Safe Act — have bipartisan sponsors in both chambers, and could survive negotiations to get into the final package. The measures sidestep the thorny questions of how much to criminalize certain behavior or how harshly to prosecute crimes, focusing instead on how thieves make their money.

The INFORM bill would require online marketplaces to collect identifying information like government ID and tax ID from "high-volume" third parties that sell on their platforms, defined as those who make more than 200 sales amounting to $5,000 or more in a year. The Shop Safe bill focuses mostly on counterfeit goods, but would similarly require that marketplaces verify the identity of sellers, require attestations from sellers that their goods are authentic and would hold the marketplaces liable for certain violations.

The Buy Safe America Coalition, a group that represents retailers and industry associations including many that have been plagued by thefts, hailed the Inform Act's passage in the House.

"The INFORM Consumers Act would modernize our nation's consumer protection laws, addressing the sale of counterfeit and stolen merchandise on e-commerce platforms," said Michael Hanson, Buy Safe America Coalition spokesperson. "Our focus now lies on ensuring the Senate advances Inform Consumers as it stands and getting the bill signed into law." securityinfowatch.com

Retail Theft Surging in Southwest Florida
How legislators are working to protect consumers from stolen goods
People steal almost everything from designer clothing, baby formula and even razors from Southwest Florida stores. Authorities say thieves do it most of the time to sell the stolen goods. It’s becoming a matter of routine at Crime Stoppers.

If you think retail theft is soaring, you’re right, and in the end, you pay for it: “At the end of the day, they’re going to jack up the prices of the items that are stolen. So ultimately, it trickles back to the consumer,” said Trish Routte with Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers.

Routte puts out the posts that ask for your help locating the many thieves across our area. She said there is a reason people are stealing and stealing specific items. That source sells them online at a very attractive price to buyers.

CVS said they experienced a 300% increase in retail theft since the pandemic began. The Florida Retail Federation said 70% of our retailers reported an uptick in thefts last year.

A new bill working its way through the state legislature. Senate Bill 944 would require eBay and other middlemen between remote sellers and buyers to verify identity and contact information for anyone who sells more than $20,000 a year on a platform.

“If somebody’s selling something, one new item in a box on an online platform, it certainly makes sense. Sometimes you have something, you know, one, if you’ve got 30 products that are in the box brand new, that’s a little suspicious. So the legislation is designed to collect a little information about that seller, and really create a better avenue to understanding where the products came from and, and cut off that out for anonymous sales,” said Shalley. winknews.com

Nationwide Backlash Over 'Soft-on-Crime' Progressive DAs
They Wanted to Roll Back Tough-on-Crime Policies. Then Violent Crime Surged.

With violent crime rates rising and elections looming, progressive prosecutors are facing resistance to their plans to roll back stricter crime policies of the 1990s.

Four years ago, progressive prosecutors were in the sweet spot of Democratic politics. Aligned with the growing Black Lives Matter movement but pragmatic enough to draw establishment support, they racked up wins in cities across the country.

Today, a political backlash is brewing. With violent crime rates rising in some cities and elections looming, their attempts to roll back the tough-on-crime policies of the 1990s are increasingly under attack — from familiar critics on the right, but also from onetime allies within the Democratic Party.

In San Francisco, District Attorney Chesa Boudin is facing a recall vote in June, stoked by criticism from the city’s Democratic mayor. In Los Angeles, the county district attorney, George Gascón, is trying to fend off a recall effort as some elected officials complain about new guidelines eliminating the death penalty and the prosecution of juveniles as adults. Manhattan’s new district attorney, Alvin Bragg, quickly ran afoul of the new Democratic mayor, Eric Adams, and his new police commissioner over policies that critics branded too lenient.

The combative resistance is a harsh turn for a group of leaders whom progressives hailed as an electoral success story. Rising homicide and violent crime rates have even Democrats in liberal cities calling for more law enforcement, not less — forcing prosecutors to defend their policies against their own allies. And traditional boosters on the left aren’t rushing to their aid, with some saying they’ve soured on the officials they once backed. nytimes.com

Retailers Get Creative to Fight Theft
Has shoplifting increased since the pandemic?

A new Axios report shows shoplifting has gotten so bad that some national chains like Rite Aid are closing stores and sending terrified employees home.

Retailers that have already been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic are dealing with a new problem: Shoplifting. Industry experts say it's getting out of control and store owners are having to get creative with new security features. But why has shoplifting gotten so bad since the pandemic began?

A new Axios report shows shoplifting has gotten so bad that some national chains like Rite Aid are closing stores and sending terrified employees home. Retailers say a lot of the uptick is due to how easy it is to sell stolen goods online.

The National Retail Federation says gangs typically steal designer clothing, laundry detergent, razors, handbags and deodorant. The NRF also reports that shoplifting losses cost companies anywhere from $700,000 to $1 billion in sales.

But retailers are fighting back by locking up high-theft items and arming more products with security tags. Retailers are also tightening return policies to crack down on stolen product returns for store credit or gift cards. wcnc.com

Crime fears, homeless crisis shaping LA mayor election

US: 79.9M Cases - 955.4K Dead - 51M Recovered
Worldwide: 420.7M Cases - 5.8M Dead - 344.7M Recovered

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

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 346  
Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 659
*Red indicates change in total deaths

Cases Down in All 50 States
COVID cases plummet all across the U.S.
COVID cases are plummeting across the U.S., in some places even falling to relatively manageable levels. But deaths remain stubbornly high.

The big picture: States and cities of all political stripes are removing mask and vaccine mandates as the Omicron variant loses steam, though in some regions there's still a ways to go before the virus is truly under control.

By the numbers: Nationwide, the U.S. is now averaging roughly 140,000 new COVID cases per day — a 64% drop over the past two weeks. The pace of new infections is declining in every state.

What we're watching: Omicron is clearly on its way out, and the overall situation in the U.S. is getting much better. But unvaccinated Americans remain at risk for serious illness and death. The virus is killing more than 2,300 Americans per day, on average. axios.com

Best News Since 2019: Business is Booming
"Americans Are Traveling & Spending Again With a Vengeance"

Americans Are Emerging From the Pandemic Ready to Splurge on Events and Travel

More consumers are hitting theme parks, dining out and booking hotel rooms

More Americans are satisfying their wanderlust and spending big to do it, companies say.

With daily new Covid-19 cases falling, restrictions easing and the strongest consumer finances in recent history, Americans are finally emerging from the pandemic eager to splurge on everything from travel and sports events to restaurants, cruises and theme parks, executives say.

Companies including Marriott International Inc., Expedia Group Inc., Coca-Cola Co. and MGM Resorts International told analysts recently that business is already improving from an Omicron dip and indications point to an American public eager to live large.

“Premium customers, who after being cooped up for 2020 and the first part of 2021, are traveling and spending again with a vengeance,” Wynn Resorts.

MGM Resorts said attendance of key conferences like the CES tech conference in January was hurt by the Omicron variant, but after a short drop, the company’s forward hotel bookings are back above pre-pandemic levels. And MGM’s 65-and-over crowd has now reached pre-pandemic levels in terms of room nights, CFO Jonathan Halkyard said. wsj.com

Are Your Shipping Costs Exorbitant?
DOJ expands scrutiny of possible supply-chain profiteers

Trucking, warehousing, 3PLs could be in antitrust division’s crosshairs

The U.S. Department of Justice is now targeting a wider swath of transportation companies that it deems may be using supply chain disruption to gouge customers

The initiative, which DOJ announced Thursday, broadens the scope of the Biden administration’s heightened scrutiny of anticompetitive behavior in various industry segments, including transportation.

“The lingering challenge of supply chain disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic has created an opportunity for criminals to fix prices and overcharge customers,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to collaborate and investigate schemes that violate our antitrust laws and stifle our economic recovery.”

Up to now, DOJ’s stepped-up oversight of anticompetitive behavior in the transportation sector has focused on the maritime industry and railroads, where there has been evidence that the relatively few players have wielded their market power to raise rates.

But Thursday’s announcement should now put companies involved with trucking, warehousing, 3PLs and last-mile delivery on notice as well, according to one trade expert. freightwaves.com

The "COVID Rage" in NYC
Restaurant owner spends $750K on security to deal with customers’ COVID ‘rage’
A surge in unruly customers during the COVID-19 pandemic has forced a national restaurant group to spend a small fortune on enhanced security, according to the company’s boss.

Cameron Mitchell, the CEO of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants – whose holdings include Ocean Prime in New York – said his chain has been forced to invest in security for the first time. The security is needed to protect staffers, he says, who are often tasked with ensuring compliance with mask and vaccine rules in many states.

“We never spent a dollar on security in our restaurants prior to COVID and now we spend about three quarters of $1 million a year on security to protect our managers and our staff from some unruly guests that happen in our restaurants,” Mitchell said in an interview with CNBC.

Mitchell noted the security challenge faced by his restaurants is similar to that of the airline industry, where crews have experienced an uptick in violent confrontations during the pandemic. Security issues led some airlines to suspend alcohol service during the pandemic.

Separately, retail and grocery stores have contended with increased instances of shoplifting. Midwest grocery chain Hy-Vee recently unveiled its own security force to — it says — protect staffers and customers. nypost.com

Shifting Out of COVID 'Crisis Mode'
California lays out plan to live with Covid for the long-term, fight future surges and new variants

California’s plan aims to pick up rising viral transmission early and rapidly sequence new variants to determine whether vaccines and therapeutics are still effective.

California on Thursday laid out a plan that manages Covid as a permanent aspect of life, anticipating future surges and new variants that may require temporary public health measures such as facemasks depending on how much the virus is disrupting economic and social activity.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said California, the largest state economy in the U.S., is shifting out of the crisis mentality that has characterized the pandemic response for the past two years. Newsom said the Golden State must learn to live with the virus by preparing as much as possible for an uncertain future using the tools developed over the past two years.

California’s response plan aims to use wastewater surveillance to detect rising viral transmission early, so the state can rapidly identify new variants as they emerge and determine within 45 days if vaccines, tests and therapeutics are effective against the strain. The state would then quickly deploy additional testing and health-care staff to regions impacted by rising transmission, according to the plan. cnbc.com

No More COVID 'Excuses'
Mayor Eric Adams calls out NYC workers to return to offices
Mayor Eric Adams called Thursday for people to revive the state’s economy by getting “back to work” — and said he was tired of hearing excuses about the COVID-19 pandemic. “New Yorkers, it’s time to get back to work,” Adams said during a speech at the state Democratic Committee’s Nominating Convention.

Adams said that white-collar workers who continued working from home were hurting service-oriented businesses that rely on a steady stream of customers: “That accountant that’s not in his office space is not going to the cleaners,” he said. “It’s not going to the restaurant. It’s not allowing the cooks, the waiters, the dishwashers [to make a living].”

Adams also appealed to New Yorkers’ civic pride, saying: “It’s time to open our state and our city and show the country the resiliency of who we are.” nypost.com

Firing Unvaccinated Officers in the Middle of Crime Wave?
LA sheriff rips push to fire 4,000 unvaccinated deputies amid crime wave
As Los Angeles County residents endure rising crime and increasing homelessness, Sheriff Alex Villanueva is slamming what he describes as a political push fueled by defund police activists to fire 4,000 sheriff department employees who have not been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Villanueva, who oversees the largest sheriff's department in the nation, said he’s the "only one left standing" when providing counterbalance against the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, which has progressive Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon "in their back pocket."

"This is nothing but a power grab by the board. And it's shameful, and it's going to be harmful to public safety," Villanueva told Fox News Digital. He noted that the board endorsed Gascon, who is now facing a second recall effort backed by wealthy Democratic donors and Hollywood honchos. foxnews.com

The Pandemic's Lasting Impact on Work
Neiman Marcus plans new Dallas office hub to address remote working
The luxury retailer has office space in its downtown Dallas store on Main Street. But before the pandemic, corporate employees also worked in two other buildings downtown.

Subvariant may spread faster and cause more serious illness than Omicron

Non-Pharmacy Retailers Can Now Offer COVID PCR Tests to Customers

Here’s what is changing about mask & vaccine requirements in WA & King County

Estimated 73% of U.S. now immune to omicron: Is that enough?

DOJ Ramping Up Law Enforcement Efforts For Cryptocurrency
Should be a highly sought after speaker for LE conferences

Justice Department Announces First Director of National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET)

The Justice Department today announced the selection and appointment of Ms. Eun Young Choi to serve as the first Director of the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET).

With the rapid innovation of digital assets and distributed ledger technologies, we have seen a rise in their illicit use by criminals who exploit them to fuel cyberattacks and ransomware and extortion schemes; traffic in narcotics, hacking tools and illicit contraband online; commit thefts and scams; and launder the proceeds of their crimes,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The NCET will serve as the focal point for the department’s efforts to tackle the growth of crime involving these technologies. Eun Young is an accomplished leader on cyber and cryptocurrency issues, and I am pleased that she will continue her service as the NCET’s inaugural Director, spearheading the department’s efforts in this area.”

Prior to her service as Senior Counsel to Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, Director Choi began her career at the department as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, where she served as the office’s Cybercrime Coordinator and investigated and prosecuted cyber, complex fraud and money laundering crimes, with a particular focus on network intrusions, digital currency, the dark web and national security investigations. justice.gov

   RELATED: FBI to form new cryptocurrency unit

4-Day Workweek Coming to America?
The four-day workweek is gaining ground in Europe. It’s time Americans give it a serious look.

As Belgium adopts a shorter workweek, shorter shifts and regular three-day weekends hold growing appeal for workplaces confronting burnout and the ‘Great Resignation’

With the “Great Resignation” still in full-swing, and work-induced burnout an official occupational hazard according to the World Health Organization, a growing number of employers — and countries — are rethinking the standard 40-hour workweek. Iceland led the way in experimenting with shorter workweeks, without pay cuts, over several years. The experiment has largely been hailed as a success, with an estimated 86 percent of workers expected to adopt it.

Perhaps the biggest argument in favor of a shorter workweek is that it doesn’t seem to harm productivity, counterintuitive as that may seem. The other part is that minds and muscles can function for only so long before fatigue kicks in and starts affecting long-term health. After a certain length of time, most workers start getting diminishing returns on their efforts. After 50 hours in a week, stress-induced damage starts appearing in the form of high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, insulin resistance, and other dangerous symptoms. washingtonpost.com
 
Former top employee of workout supplement manufacturer convicted of misleading consumers
McALLEN, Texas – A 26-year-old former leader at Science Production Products LLC (SPP) admitted he committed a felony relating to importing and selling misbranded drugs.

Robert Lance Schuffert, 28, Auburn, Alabama, entered a guilty plea to one count of importing, causing misbranding and distributing misbranded drugs for sale with the intent to mislead and defraud the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and consumers. He also admitted the company caused SARMs to become misbranded drugs and sold them to workout supplement brick-and-mortar retailers throughout the United States. This included a retailer located in McAllen.

FDA has warned against the use of SARMs like those found in SPP’s products. They issued a public safety alert in 2017, which advised consumers against ingesting workout supplement products containing SARMs. The FDA reported that these products were linked to life-threatening reactions, including liver toxicity and increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Schuffert faces up to three years in prison and a possible $10,000 maximum fine. justice.gov

Kroger expanding into Oklahoma City as it builds national delivery network


Quarterly Results

Walmart Inc. Q4 sales were $152.9B up 0.5%, negatively affected by $10.1 billion due to divestitures
Walmart Q4 U.S. comp's up 5.6%, eCommerce sales grew 1% and 70% on a two-year stack,

Sam’s Club Q4 comp sales increased 10.4%, and 21.2% on a two-year stack,

Walmart Int'l net sales were $27B, a decrease of $7.9B, or 22.6%, negatively affected by $10.1B due to divestitures

Walmart Inc. FY 2021 total revenue was $572.8 billion, up 2.4%, negatively affected by $32.7 billion related to divestitures
Walmart U.S. comp sales up 6.4% & 15.0% on a 2-year stack, eCommerce sales grew 11.0% & 90% on a 2-year stack

Sam’s Club comp sales up 9.8% and 21.6% on a two-year stack

Walmart Int'l net sales down 16.8%, negatively affected by approx. $32.6B related to divestitures.

DoorDash Q4 revenue up 34% Y/Y to $1.3N, Total Orders grew 35% Y/Y to 369M, Marketplace GOV grew 36% Y/Y to $11.2B
In 2021, over 6M people dashed, earning a total of well over $11B. Monthly active users jumped 22%.