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2/24/21

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Protests & Violence

FBI alert about possible ‘war’ against Congress reached D.C. and Capitol Police on eve of attack, deepening security questions
Around 7 p.m. on Jan. 5, less than 24 hours before an angry mob overran the U.S. Capitol, an FBI bulletin warning that extremists were calling for violent attacks on Congress landed in an email inbox used by the D.C. police department. That same evening, a member of the Capitol Police received the same memo.

But the alert was not flagged for top officials at either agency, according to congressional testimony Tuesday — deepening questions about the breakdowns that contributed to massive security failures on Jan. 6.

Both acting D.C. police chief Robert J. Contee III and former Capitol Police chief Steven Sund said the intelligence community at large failed to detect key information about the intentions of the attackers and adequately communicate what was known in the run-up to the Capitol riot.

“I would certainly think that something as violent as an insurrection at the Capitol would warrant a phone call or something,” Contee told lawmakers. washingtonpost.com

The Capitol Being Turned Into a Fortress Spurs D.C. Push for Statehood

DC Council: Razor wire is ‘wrong solution’ for failures that took place during Capitol riot

Rochester, NY: Protesters take to the streets after grand jury announces no officers will be charged in killing of Daniel Prude
On a snowy night last March, Daniel Prude sprinted shirtless out of his brother’s home in Rochester, N.Y., seemingly in the grip of a psychotic episode. Distraught, his brother called police for help.

Instead, the officers handcuffed Mr. Prude, placed a mesh hood over his head and pressed him into the pavement until he lost consciousness. His death — as well as what emerged as an apparent cover-up of the circumstances around it — further inflamed a national reckoning around racism and brutality in policing.

On Tuesday, the New York attorney general, Letitia James, announced that none of the officers who arrested Mr. Prude would face charges in connection with his death. A grand jury convened by Ms. James to investigate the case declined to charge any of the seven officers on the scene that night with a crime. Ms. James was blunt in acknowledging that she had hoped for a different outcome.

Rochester braced for the possibility of protests over the grand jury decision. As word spread that an announcement in the case was imminent, concrete barriers were placed around the city’s public safety building.

On Tuesday evening, a crowd of about 150 people marched through the city, denouncing the grand jury decision and the system that made it possible. Around 9 p.m., the crowd gathered outside a police building on Child Street, chanting and singing before a line of officers in riot gear. After many of the officers went back inside the building, some of the remaining protesters made their way down a nearby ramp and began marching on Interstate 490, toward downtown Rochester. nytimes.com

DOJ Will Review NYS AG Report on Daniel Prude Investigation

With New Grand Jury, DOJ Revives Investigation Into Death of George Floyd

As the Minnesota state murder trial of Derek Chauvin approaches, the federal government has accelerated its own investigation

A new federal grand jury has been empaneled in Minneapolis and the Justice Department has called new witnesses as part of its investigation of Derek Chauvin, the former police officer who will go on trial in state court next month on a murder charge for the death of George Floyd, according to two people with direct knowledge of the investigation.

The fresh slate of witnesses subpoenaed to give testimony about Mr. Chauvin is an early sign that the federal investigation into the death of Mr. Floyd, which began last year and then languished, is being reinvigorated under the administration of President Biden.

It is unlikely that the Justice Department, in presenting evidence to a new grand jury, is hoping for a quick indictment of Mr. Chauvin before his state trial, which is scheduled to begin March 8. But if there was an acquittal or a mistrial, attention would immediately shift to the federal investigation, and to whether Mr. Chauvin would face trial for violating Mr. Floyd’s civil rights. (The charge does not involve race, but is based on the idea that an officer “willfully” violated someone’s constitutional rights, such as protection against unreasonable seizure, or the right to due process.) nytimes.com

Minnesota Court of Appeals will hear arguments to add third-degree murder charge in George Floyd case

Chicago: 90-day protest begins at McDonald’s headquarters; Black franchise owners allege discrimination

Lawsuit alleges McDonald’s growth has been “predatory in nature”

Community organizers on Monday kicked off 90 days of picketing at McDonald’s world headquarters in the West Loop, hoping to call attention to what they say are discriminatory practices against Black-owned franchises.

“We are coming after every McDonald’s that we shop in,” activist Mark Carter said Monday morning. “We send this message starting today that if you don’t want to see us outside of your headquarters, then it would be in your best interest to sit down with those who have traveled 700 miles from Memphis, Tennessee.”

The protest was organized ahead of a meeting scheduled for Tuesday in Chicago between McDonald’s executives and two brothers from Memphis, James Byrd and Darrell Byrd, who own four locations between them. The Byrd brothers filed a class-action lawsuit against the company in October, arguing that McDonald’s has put Black operators in economically distressed communities with high levels of crime, leading to higher overhead costs in terms of security, insurance, employee turnover and even rent.

“McDonald’s has denied the Black franchisees the same opportunities as white operators and continually steer them to economically depressed and dangerous areas with low volume sales,” said Wallace “Gator” Bradley, president of United in Peace, a political activist group fighting for the Black community.

The company issued a statement in response to the protest: “McDonald’s takes its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion seriously and does not tolerate discrimination of any kind,” Reggie Miller, the company’s global chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer, was quoted as saying. “We must go further and remain focused on serious action to accelerate meaningful and overdue societal change.” suntimes.com

COVID Update

US: Over 28.9M Cases - 515K Dead - 19.2M Recovered
Worldwide: Over 112M Cases - 2.5M Dead - 88M Recovered

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

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 279 Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 251
*Red indicates change in total deaths

3rd U.S. Covid Vaccine Moves Forward
FDA staff endorses Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot vaccine for emergency use
The Food and Drug Administration’s staff endorsed Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use, a critical step in bringing a third shot to the U.S. marketplace. The staff report released Wednesday is meant to brief the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, which will meet Friday to review J&J’s request for emergency use authorization.

During similar requests by Pfizer and Moderna, the agency authorized those companies’ vaccinations one day after the committee of outside medical advisors backed emergency use authorization. The committee is expected to recommend J&J’s vaccine. The FDA doesn’t have to follow the committee’s recommendation, but it often does.

J&J submitted its Covid vaccine data to the FDA on Feb. 4. The vaccine’s level of protection varied by region, J&J said, with the shot demonstrating 66% effectiveness overall, 72% in the United States, 66% in Latin America and 57% in South Africa, where the B.1.351 variant is rapidly spreading. However, the FDA staff documents show the vaccine was 64% effective in South Africa after about a month. The company said the vaccine prevented 100% of hospitalizations and deaths. nytimes.com

Pfizer, Moderna, J&J pledge 240M Covid-19 vaccine doses by the end of March
The United States can expect to see a total of 240 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine by the end of March, drug companies told a House subcommittee Tuesday. Pfizer and Moderna -- the two companies with Covid-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use in the United States -- have pledged to make a combined total of 220 million doses available for shipment by the end of March. Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson, which could secure emergency use authorization for its Covid-19 vaccine from the US Food and Drug Administration later this week, has pledged to make 20 million doses available in the same time frame. cnn.com

42% of U.S. Workers Want Employers to Delay Re-Opening Until Vaccines Widely Available to Employees, Research Finds
As the U.S. ramps up coronavirus vaccinations, new national research finds that many U.S. workers (42 percent) indicate that their employer should wait to re-open until COVID-19 vaccines are more widely available to employees. About one-quarter (26 percent) say employees should be required to take a COVID-19 test before entering the workplace, while 37 percent say testing should be encouraged.

A new national poll of working Americans from Eagle Hill Consulting also finds that 57 percent of survey respondents believe employers should offer vaccine incentives to employees. And, slightly above half (52 percent) agree that employers should require vaccines, up from 49 percent in December 2020. And, there is growing support among employees that employers should stay involved in some areas like requiring and encouraging masks, social distancing, COVID-19 testing and temperature checks at work.

In terms of COVID testing, most (45 percent) say that employers should cover the costs for any employer-mandated tests. Twenty-nine percent say the federal government should bear the costs, while 15 percent say insurance providers or state/local government (10 percent) should pay for required tests. Only two percent agree employees should pay. prnewswire.com

8 challenges for business leaders that will shape year 2 of COVID-19
As we enter the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the intersection of the ongoing economic crisis, the continuing pandemic, the social justice movement, and increasing inequality are just the short list of what leaders need to acknowledge, manage - and help to solve. We gathered a group of corporate reputation strategists who have spent the last year helping companies manage some of the most important and central issues surrounding COVID-19 to identify key challenges corporate leaders will likely face in this second year of pandemic response.

Leaders will need to imagine forward rather than look to playbooks of the past. Here are eight challenges on the horizon for companies:

1: As companies look to “build back better,” the question will be better for whom?

2: The collapse of Main Street and small businesses will accelerate corporate reckoning over growing wealth inequality

3: A permanent shift to working from home sets the conditions for decreasing employee loyalty and increasing employee activism

4: The treatment of and reliance on essential workers throughout the pandemic will lead to a reemergence of the labor movement during the early days of the Biden administration

5: Companies - and managers - will need to face America’s deteriorating mental health as it continues to directly impact the workplace

6: Social justice issues will stay front and center. Companies will face pressure to deliver beyond commitments made in 2020.

7: The disappearance of women from the workforce will worsen, undermining diversity, wiping out hard-fought gains in leadership and pay equity, and robbing the future talent pipeline of female leaders.

8: Divergent expectations and lack of societal norms around the return to both work and play will create significant conflict that businesses will be forced to mediate. Read more here: fastcompany.com

Crisis shifts CEOs' priorities
The pandemic has put business leaders to the ultimate test as unanticipated disruptions changed the way we work. Many chief executives are prioritizing organizational agility, technology and emerging regulations as they navigate the pandemic, according to IBM’s 2021 CEO Study.

The survey of 3,000 chiefs found that leaders at high performing organizations cited managing an “anywhere” workforce as a top challenge over the next few years. “The COVID-19 pandemic challenged many leaders to focus on what’s essential, like their people,” says Mark Foster, senior vice president at IBM Services. linkedin.com

Survey: Despite COVID-19 fears, consumers still carry cash

Cashless payments are on the rise in the wake of COVID-19, but don’t write off hard currency just yet.

A new survey from online deal platform CouponFollow, “The State of Cashless Spending in 2021,” indicates nearly half (49%) of surveyed adult U.S. consumers are worried about using cash due to the potential risk of COVID-19 transmission. As a result, 41% started using cashless payments during 2020.

However, respondents are not entirely abandoning cash as a means of making retail purchases. Six in 10 (62%) used cash for some of their shopping in 2020, and nine in 10 (91%) carry cash on them at any given time. About one-third (35%) of respondents said they are prepared to give up using cash completely.

The survey also reveals that smartphone-based payments show promise for future growth. Four in 10 (43%) respondents started using apps like Venmo and PayPal more in 2020, while 33% are increasingly reliant on digital wallets like Apple Pay. Other cashless payment forms that saw upticks in use by more than one-third of respondents included credit cards (40%) and debit cards (38%). chainstoreage.com

Swipe fees making it harder for retailers during the pandemic
Visa and Mastercard are planning to raise interaction (AKA swipe fees) for some credit card purchases. Merchants paid $18.1 billion in interchange fees last year, up 13 percent year-over-year, according to the Nielson Report. The fees charged by the card issuers have long been a source of dispute with retailers who claim that the high price of conducting transactions, particularly online, is cutting into what little profits they already make. retailwire.com

One of the Nation’s Largest Chicken Producers Pleads Guilty to Price Fixing and is Sentenced to a $107 Million Criminal Fine

First Corporation Pleads Guilty in Ongoing Criminal Antitrust Investigation into the Broiler Chicken Industry

Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation (Pilgrim’s), a major broiler chicken producer based in Greeley, Colorado, has pleaded guilty and has been sentenced to pay approximately $107 million in criminal fines for its participation in a conspiracy to fix prices and rig bids for broiler chicken products, the Department of Justice announced Tuesday.

According to the plea agreement entered in the U.S. District Court in Denver, from as early as 2012 and continuing at least into 2017, Pilgrim’s participated in a conspiracy to suppress and eliminate competition for sales of broiler chicken products in the United States that affected at least $361 million in Pilgrim’s sales of broiler chicken products. The District Court accepted Pilgrim’s guilty plea and sentenced the company to pay a criminal fine of $107,923,572.

Pilgrim’s is the first company to plead guilty for its role in a conspiracy to fix prices and rig bids for broiler chicken products. Broiler chickens are chickens raised for human consumption and sold to grocers and restaurants. Ten executives and employees at major broiler chicken producers have also previously been charged. The investigation remains ongoing. justice.gov

NRF’s Jon Gold talks port congestion impact on retail
Lori Ann LaRocco speaks with Jonathan Gold, VP of supply chain and customs policy at the National Retail Federation, about the retail import slowdown. No retailer wants to have empty shelves or place items they receive late immediately on discount. These added costs from the delays ultimately have to be absorbed by the retailer. They discuss how retailers are navigating the container crunch so they can be fully stocked.

KEY QUOTES FROM GOLD:

“The ripple effects that we’re seeing from all of this congestion are pretty significant. It’s going to impact all sectors of the economy going forward.”

“The inventory ratio is incredibly low. Folks are struggling to get product in.”

“Some of the challenges that we’re facing are just operationally related issues that I don’t think Congress can address. But having a policy going forward so that we understand the need for improving freight movement throughout the United States and putting money towards that is incredibly important and sends the right signal. ... What we’re pushing for is a robust freight movement plan as part of an infrastructure bill going forward.”

Watch the video here: freightwaves.com

Coca-Cola slammed for diversity training that urged workers to be ‘less white’; LinkedIn removes lesson from its website after complaint goes viral
After a whistleblower complained that Coca-Cola was asking its employees to engage in diversity training offered by LinkedIn Learning that encouraged them to "try to be less white," the social media firm has removed the program.

"The Confronting Racism course featuring Robin DiAngelo is no longer available in our course library, at the request of the 3rd party content provider we licensed this content from," LinkedIn vice president of corporate communications Nicole Leverich told Newsweek in an email. "We provide a wide variety of learning content, including more than 270 courses on the topics of diversity, inclusion and belonging."

Coca-Cola has been criticized on social media since Friday when Karlyn Borysenko, who is an organizational psychologist and YouTube commentator, tweeted screenshots of the LinkedIn course. She received the tip from whistleblowers at Coca-Cola who said employees were "required" to take the online course, though other companies were similarly asking their staff to engage in the course, as well. newsweek.com

Leading Retailers Endorse Equality Act
Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) Senior Executive Vice President, Public Affairs, Michael Hanson issued the following statement in support of the Equality Act, legislation which would amend Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to provide employment non-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity:

“RILA proudly supports the Equality Act. This legislation complements the industry’s ongoing efforts to promote opportunity and inclusion in the workforce. No one should face discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation or gender identity.” rila.org

Instacart diversifying beyond groceries
Instacart, which started and grew primarily as a grocery delivery service, has expanded its reach to offering similar services for retailers like Walgreens. The company is also working with Best Buy, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Sephora and Staples. cnn.com

Belk files for Ch. 11 bankruptcy, eyes lightning-fast exit

Fry’s Electronics going out of business, shutting down all stores

Gap to invest $140 million to build Texas warehouse as online sales swell

Skincare company Heyday wants to open ‘hundreds of stores’ in next five years

Quarterly Results
Lowe's Q4 comp's up 28.6%, net sales up 26.7%; full-year net sales up 24.2%
TJX Companies Q4 comp's down 3%, net sales down 10.3%; full-year comp's down 4%, net sales down 23%

This Week We are Making History with our
Health & Wellness Webinar!

Prevent financial loss by equipping employees with education and training

On Thursday, February 25, Product Protection Solutions' (PPS) is partnering with the Loss Prevention Foundation (LPF) and Movement Rx. They will offer education and training to promote health and wellness within the loss prevention community.

Register for Part 1 of this 2-part webinar series this Thursday, February 25 at 1:00 P.M. EST., "Working From Home: How to Get Employees Happier & Healthier" here.

Then register to attend Part 2 on Thursday, March 4, at 1:00 P.M. EST., Happy Retail: Simple Tools to Improve Employee Physical & Emotional Health" here.

The 2019 Retail Risk Report showed retail 2018 retail companies paid over $64 million in losses due to strain injuries between 2016-2018. Physical injuries not only impact the bottom line but also affects employee lost time. The average employee lost time due to a physical injury is 24 days.

The webinars will...Read More

All the News - One Place - One Source - One Time

Thanks to our sponsors/partners - Take the time to thank them as well please. If it wasn't for them The Daily wouldn't be here every day for you.

New LPRC Report:
Feedback and Trial Results of CIS Security Solutions' Tick-R-Tape Technology

Package tags and wraps are widely used to protect merchandise. However, as retail offenders adapt and learn techniques to defeat these technologies, solution providers must respond by developing new, more secure ways to protect products.

CIS Security Solutions Inc. developed and sought to test their Tick-R-Tape technology, a universal package tag designed to protect hard and soft merchandise.

In 2019, the Loss Prevention Research Council worked with a large department store chain to better understand the effects of implementing CIS' Tick-R-Tape in-store. The goals of the research were to:

1. Examine offender reactions to the Tick-R-Tape technology

2. Understand customer perceptions of CIS' Tick-R-Tape technology

3. Understand associate perceptions of CIS' Tick-R-Tape technology

4. Compare the Tick-R-Tape to traditional keeper boxes and spider-wraps by examining size differences and shelf availability between the technologies

3 RH-ISAC Cyber Thursday Webinars Tomorrow, Feb. 25

The Retail and Hospitality Information Sharing and Analysis Center

11 am ET: Staycations for Cybercriminals: How Hackers Are Exploiting the Shift Toward Online Retail and Hospitality Services

1 pm ET: Manage and Mitigate Risks With Information Security Capability Prioritization *Member Exclusive Webinar

3 pm ET: Stop Fraud Without Friction: How to Stay Ahead of Motivated Attackers

See RH-ISAC's other upcoming events here.

Checkout Skimmers Powered by Chip Cards

Easily the most sophisticated skimming devices made for hacking terminals at retail self-checkout lanes are a new breed of PIN pad overlay combined with a flexible, paper-thin device that fits inside the terminal’s chip reader slot. What enables these skimmers to be so slim? They draw their power from the low-voltage current that gets triggered when a chip-based card is inserted. As a result, they do not require external batteries, and can remain in operation indefinitely.

The overlay skimming device pictured here consists of two main components. The one on top is a regular PIN pad overlay designed to record keypresses when a customer enters their debit card PIN. The overlay includes a microcontroller and a small data storage unit (bottom left).

The second component, which is wired to the overlay skimmer, is a flexible card skimmer (often called a “shimmer”) that gets fed into the mouth of the chip card acceptance slot. You’ll notice neither device contains a battery, because there simply isn’t enough space to accommodate one.

Virtually all payment card terminals at self-checkout lanes now accept (if not also require) cards with a chip to be inserted into the machine. When a chip card is inserted, the terminal reads the data stored on the smart card by sending an electric current through the chip.

Incredibly, this skimming apparatus is able to siphon a small amount of that power (a few milliamps) to record any data transmitted by the payment terminal transaction and PIN pad presses. When the terminal is no longer in use, the skimming device remains dormant.

The skimmer does not stick out of the payment terminal at all when it’s been seated properly inside the machine. krebsonsecurity.com

Mexican Politician Removed Over Alleged Ties to Romanian ATM Skimmer Gang
The leader of Mexico’s Green Party has been removed from office following allegations that he received money from a Romanian ATM skimmer gang that stole hundreds of millions of dollars from tourists visiting Mexico’s top tourist destinations over the past five years. The scandal is the latest fallout stemming from a three-part investigation into the organized crime group by KrebsOnSecurity in 2015.

Jose de la Peña Ruiz de Chávez, who leads the Green Ecologist Party of Mexico (PVEM), was dismissed this month after it was revealed that his were among 79 bank accounts seized as part of an ongoing law enforcement investigation into a Romanian organized crime group that owned and operated an ATM network throughout the country. krebsonsecurity.com

10K Targeted in Phishing Attacks Spoofing FedEx, DHL Express
Two large phishing attacks, aimed at a combined 10,000 victims, spoofed emails from FedEx and DHL Express in an attempt to steal their targets' business email account credentials.

The attackers' techniques included social engineering, brand impersonation, and link redirects, report Armorblox researchers who detected the campaigns. They also hosted phishing pages on Quip and Google Firebase. Because these domains are considered reputable, malicious emails may bypass security filters configured to block bad links and files, researchers note. darkreading.com

SolarWinds Attackers Lurked for 'Several Months' in FireEye's Network

Top execs from FireEye, SolarWinds, Microsoft, and CrowdStrike testified before the US Senate Tuesday on the aftermath - and ongoing investigations - into the epic attacks.

The attackers who infiltrated SolarWinds Orion's software build and updates had spent "several months" embedded in FireEye's network before the security firm spotted them, Kevin Mandia, CEO of FireEye, told a congressional committee today.

"The attacker wasn't alive every single day" on our network, Mandia told the US Senate Intelligence Committee in response to a question about the attack time frame on FireEye's network. "They were on our systems for three hours on one day, a week would go by, and a couple of hours another day. We weren't a full-time job for [them] ... because they had broken into another 60-plus, if not 100, organizations. There were several days of activity before we detected them."

Mandia, along with Microsoft president Brad Smith, CrowdStrike president and CEO George Kurtz, and new SolarWinds CEO Sudhakar Ramakrishna, testified before the intelligence committee today in a hearing on the so-called SolarWinds cyber espionage attack campaign that US intelligence officials say is most likely the handiwork of Russian nation-state actors.

Conspicuously missing from the panel was Amazon Web Services (AWS), which declined the Senate's invitation to testify -- a snub that appeared to rile several senators on the committee. Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., pointed out that the attack was waged inside the US, and some secondary command-and-control nodes were hosted on AWS's infrastructure. darkreading.com

More SolarWinds Hack Victims Yet to Be Publicly Identified, Tech Executives Say

SolarWinds hack was work of 'at least 1,000 engineers', tech executives tell Senate

In Case You Missed It

'Responding to Escalated Violence in Retail'
Hear from Sean Sportun at the Upcoming Retail Loss Prevention Forum

Security Mgr, Circle K, Central Canada | Board Chair, Toronto Crime Stoppers

Sean has spent the last fifteen years as Security Manager for Circle K Stores Central Canada Division. He is tasked with ensuring the safety of customers and employees, crime deterrence programs, and managing all investigations for the division's 740 locations.

Sean will discuss how to respond to escalated violence in retail. With an increase in violent situations occurring in retail spaces, LP professionals must reevaluate their strategies. Sean will share the results of community engagement and training strategies that lowered violence and increased sales. He will also explore the value of partnering with Crime Stoppers.

During the Retail Loss Prevention Forum on April 8, you'll gain actionable insights on responding to violence and other pertinent LP topics.

Visit RCCLPConference.ca for full event information and stay tuned for more agenda announcements. Register today to take advantage of early bird rates.

Third COVID Wave in Canada?
Trudeau warns of dangerous 3rd wave as Canada copes with vaccine 'drought'
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned Canadians that public health measures, including restrictions on indoor social gatherings, would have to continue for weeks to come as new Covid-19 variants, and a slow vaccine rollout, risk causing a dangerous third wave of the virus.

"We have to keep taking strong public health measures," said Trudeau during a news conference Friday adding, "otherwise we could see a third wave that is even worse than the second or the first, and I know that's not the news you want to hear."

Canadian public health officials released alarming new modeling Friday indicating that even current public health measures will not be enough to contain a third wave if fueled by faster spreading variants of Covid-19. cnn.com

Ontario Scraps Plan to Ease COVID Restrictions
No Reprieve for Toronto as Tight Lockdown Extended to March
Ontario’s government has scrapped plans to allow more businesses to reopen in Toronto after city officials warned it would be a deadly mistake.

Stay-at-home orders will remain in place until at least March 8 in Canada’s largest city and financial center, as well as two other regions of the province. Toronto had been expected to return to less-stringent measures on Feb. 22, allowing for limited opening of some retail businesses that have been closed to in-person activity since November.

“These are difficult but necessary decisions, in order to protect against Covid-19 variants and maintain the progress we have all made together,” Health Minister Christine Elliott said in a statement.

The reversal came after municipal officials, including Toronto Mayor John Tory, urged Ontario Premier Doug Ford to slow down reopening plans, which would have allowed struggling retailers to open at 25% capacity. bloomberg.com

‘Five hundred feet away, and they can let people inside, but I can’t?’
Steeles Avenue a frustrating border for locked-down Toronto businesses
“Five hundred feet away, and they can let people inside, but I can’t? How does that make any sense at all? It’s terrible,” said Gianopoulos, owner of Laterna, a small North York restaurant serving Greek and Italian food.

In Toronto and Peel Region, there’s still a stay-at-home order in effect to slow the spread of COVID-19, at least until March 8. On Monday, York Region moved out of the stay-at-home order and into the “red zone,” meaning restaurants could allow indoor dining, barbers could provide haircuts, and non-essential retailers could open up, at limited capacity.

Just a few minutes away from Laterna on the north side of Steeles in Thornhill, Sababa Fine Foods offers a wide array of Middle Eastern foods at its deli counter. The family which owns Sababa is mulling over whether or not to open up the dining room, now that they’re allowed to have diners inside.

That discrepancy frustrates Toronto business owners who’ve struggled with various levels of restrictions since the global pandemic was declared last March. It also means, say small business advocates, that Toronto residents will simply head a few minutes north to do their shopping, eat in a restaurant, or especially, to trim their lockdown-lengthened hair. thepeterboroughexaminer.com

CFIB Statement on Lockdown Extensions in Toronto and Peel

Toronto small businesses weary from pandemic uncertainty

Opinion: Manitoba retailers paid bigger COVID price than rest of Canada

Vaccines are Only One Piece of the Puzzle
Mass vaccinations not only factor in Canada's reopening timeline
Canada’s chief public health officer says the timing of when Canada will return to some state of normalcy is not solely dependent on the country achieving mass vaccination.

Weighing in on U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s statements that England will move to lift all COVID-19 restrictions by June 21, Dr. Theresa Tam said Canada’s reopening timelines rely on a variety of factors.

She said while vaccinations generally play a "key role," other indicators include "the actual epidemic curve in terms of where it’s moving, the rates of serious outcomes including ICU admissions, hospitalizations and deaths...and you also want the public health capacity for testing, tracing, contact tracing all to be in place." ctvnews.ca

Record Vaccine Delivery
Canada to receive record 640K vaccine doses this week with Pfizer, Moderna deliveries
Canada is poised to receive a record number of COVID-19 vaccine doses this week thanks to scheduled deliveries from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, as the country looks to speed up its vaccination efforts.

The Public Health Agency of Canada says it expects more than 640,000 shots from the pharmaceutical giants this week, which would represent the largest number of deliveries in a single week.

The previous record was set last week when Pfizer and BioNTech delivered more than 400,000 doses of their vaccine following a month-long lull while they expanded a production plant in Europe. ctvnews.ca

U.S. is outpacing Canada's COVID-19 vaccine rollout

Retailers Rushing to Build Logistics Hubs
E-Commerce Explosion to Fuel Warehouse Building Boom in Canada

Canada is on the verge of a warehouse building boom as soaring demand for online goods is expected to continue beyond the pandemic.

Forty million square feet of additional warehouse space will be needed in the next five years after e-commerce sales rose 32% last year, according to a report from brokerage CBRE Ltd.

That’s more than all the leasable warehouse space in the country’s three largest industrial real estate markets combined, meaning there will be little choice but to build new facilities, according to the report.

After lagging some developed countries in embracing e-commerce, Canada is now posting some of the fastest growth as shoppers doubled the share of their online purchases to at least 40% during the pandemic, according to a recent report from JP Morgan. Retailers are rushing to build logistics hubs to fulfill orders, making the country’s three largest cities, Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, the three tightest markets for industrial space in North America, CBRE said. bloomberg.com

Struggling Bars & Restaurants Facing New Competition from 7-Eleven
Why 7-Eleven's plan to serve alcohol in Ontario sparks concern — and curiosity — in business community
7-Eleven's new plan to sell wine and beer at several Ontario stores is raising both eyebrows and concern in the business community. Already struggling with COVID-19 restrictions, Ontario bars and restaurants may soon be facing new competition from a powerful, multinational chain of convenience stores.

That's right: it will be restaurants and bars competing with 7-Eleven if its applications are successful. The company is applying for licences to sell beer and wine for in-store consumption only. Corner store alcohol sales remain prohibited in Ontario. cbc.ca

Union workers call on Ontario to reject 7-Eleven proposal to sell alcohol

Largest Monthly Drop Since April
Canada: Retail Sales decline by 3.4% in December vs. -2.5% expected
Retail Sales in Canada fell by 3.4% in December to $53.4 billion and recorded the largest monthly fall since April, the data published by Statistics Canada showed on Friday. This reading followed November's increase of 1.3% and missed the market expectation for a decrease of 2.5%. fxstreet.com

Canadian Tire to Close National Sports Store Chain Amid New Competition

How the Pandemic Has Changed Consumer Expectations While Accelerating Ecommerce in Canada

Canadian retail sales of cannabis double in December 2020

Scarborough, ON: Boy, 16, charged with murder in fatal strip mall shooting
Toronto police have charged a 16-year-old boy with first-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of a 62-year-old man at a Scarborough strip mall earlier this month. Cam-Thanh Tat was found with gunshot wounds in an apartment above the plaza in the Lawrence Avenue East and Pharmacy Avenue area around 7:08 p.m. on Feb. 8. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The teen, who cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was arrested Friday and appeared in court by video the same day. Police say their investigation remains active and ongoing. Cam-Thanh's death is the city's seventh homicide of the year. ca.news.yahoo.com

Vancouver, BC: Alleged mask thief cuts hands of LP officers during his escape
Face masks are apparently becoming so valuable they are being stolen off Vancouver shelves. According to a release from the Vancouver Police Department, on Monday evening a man walked into an East Vancouver retail store and picked up some packages of face masks. Two loss prevention officers in the store saw him allegedly conceal the masks and attempt to walk out, neglecting to pay for the masks. The release goes to state that when officers confronted the alleged thief, he cut each of their hands with a sharp object and fled the store. A few hours later, a VPD municipal police officer spotted the suspect. He was then arrested for theft, and assault with a weapon, and taken to jail. vancouverisawesome.com

Edmonton, AB: Another robbery too much for business owner during pandemic
Outside his Edmonton sporting goods shop lays the metal frame that was supposed to protect his storefront. Someone weaved a chain through the bars and ripped it down. Edmonton police investigators believe a heavy vehicle was used. Sports Shack has been broken into five times at its current location and twice in the last few months. Break-ins would be difficult enough for the small business owner to endure but this, coupled with the pandemic, has made it even worse. edmonton.ctvnews.ca

Quinte West OPP arrest three suspects in province-wide shoplifting spree

Welland, ON: Canine helps track down suspect after pharmacy armed robbery

Kingston, ON: 3 men arrested following armed robbery of convenience store

Robberies & Burglaries

● C-Store - Kingston, ON - Armed Robbery
● Pharmacy - Welland, ON - Armed Robbery
● Sports Shack - Edmonton, AB - Burglary

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Vaccine Incentives for Amazon Employees
Amazon offering bonuses to front-line employees who get Covid vaccine

New up-to-$80 benefit to those who get the vaccine off-site is the latest in our efforts to support employees, customers, and communities during the pandemic.

As COVID-19 vaccines become available to front-line workers, we are asking our employees to be vaccinated at the earliest appropriate time to protect themselves, their families, and communities. To help, hourly employees in the U.S. such as those working in Operations, Customer Service, AWS Support and Data Centers, Devices Support and Data Associates, Whole Foods Markets, and Physical Stores will receive $40 for each dose if they have to go off-site for the vaccine.

In addition to supporting employees when they go off-site to get the vaccine, we have begun the work to build on-site vaccine options at many of our Operations sites and will use them in partnership with local governments as the vaccine becomes available to us.

This new benefit is on top of the $2.5 billion we invested in special bonuses and incentives for our teams globally over the last year, and the $11.5 billion we invested in COVID-19-related measures overall. This investment has enabled us to provide more than one million in-house COVID-19 tests for employees, a pop-up clinic in Seattle, PPE and extensive safety measures for employees and partners throughout our network, a $25 million relief fund for partners, and two million testing kits to teachers, staff, and select students in Colorado, to name a few. aboutamazon.com

Kohl's tried striking a deal with Amazon. It wasn't enough
When Michelle Gass took over as Kohl's CEO in 2018, she tried getting creative to bring more shoppers into stores. The company had just struck a deal with Amazon the previous year to allow customers to bring their returns to select Kohl's locations. The hope was that the deal would attract younger consumers who would then stick around and shop. Kohl's expanded the partnership to every store during Gass's tenure, and she said in November that it was "pleased" with the program.

Kohl's has attempted several other new approaches to draw customers in recent years, including expanding its sportswear assortment and leasing out space at a handful of stores to Planet Fitness (PLNT) and Aldi. Such efforts haven't been enough to fend off activist investors, who now want to shake things up. cnn.com

E-Commerce Boom is Driving Blue-Collar Job Growth

Online shopping grows to over 70% of EU internet users

Charlotte, NC: Criminals turn to online marketplaces to sell stolen merchandise
Online bargain hunters beware: You may be getting more than you bargained for. If you shop online, like many people, you might be surprised to learn that the hot deal you just got might actually be “hot” as in stolen. “They’re brazen,” said CMPD Det. Thomas Kendziora. “They’re bold and they just go in and take the items.” Stolen items are turning up on sites like Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and OfferUp. That means a gift you got or an item you purchased cheap could be part of a police report. “There’s a good chance that it’s stolen,” said Home Depot spokesperson Christina Cornell. This souped-up shoplifting is known as organized retail crime. Professional thieves are working in groups to steal tens of thousands of dollars of merchandise, sometimes over several months, then turn to online marketplaces to sell it. “They’re trying to resell these items very quickly,” said Cornell. “For cash.” counton2.com

Laredo, TX: Women jailed for allegedly stealing clothing from Old Navy, Target
Two women have been arrested in connection with a couple of thefts at Old Navy and Target, according to Laredo police. On Tuesday, Maria del Socorro Jimenez, 30, and Ana Gabriel Martinez, 22, were served with arrest warrants charging them with theft of property and engaging in organized criminal activity. LPD officers responded to a theft report on Jan. 16 at the Old Navy on 7605 San Dario Ave. Loss prevention personnel stated that three women entered the store and stole assorted items. The women allegedly took three packs of men’s briefs and two graphic tees before concealing them in a plastic bag and exiting the store without paying for the merchandise. lmtonline.com

Palos Height, IL: Burglars In Stolen Car Break Into T-Mobile
Burglars broke into a Palos Heights cell phone store making off with merchandise and cash early Tuesday morning. Officers responded to an alarm around 4:15 a.m. at T-Mobile, College Drive, Palos Heights. When officers arrived, they discovered that the business's front window had been shattered. The suspects removed an unknown number of phones and cash, police said. patch.com

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Shootings & Deaths

New York, NY: Suspect arrested in fatal Harlem liquor store shooting
A suspected gunman wanted for a Harlem liquor store slaying has been busted, police said Wednesday, Isiah Smith, 35, was arrested Tuesday evening and charged with murder and gun possession in the shooting of Darell McAllister, 24, the night of Dec. 22. Police said the shooting had a gang element. Smith is Blood, police believe, though it does not appear his victim had any know connection to a gang or crew. The trouble began when McAllister got into an argument with several men inside R & C Wine & Liquor on E. 111th Street. nydailynews.com

Trenton, NJ: Man Gunned Down, Another Shot In The Face outside Gas Station
Authorities in Mercer County announced they are investigating a fatal double shooting in Trenton that happened on Monday night. Trenton police report responding to the shooting on Sanhican Drive shortly after 6 p.m. Monday. Officers report finding two men suffering from gunshot wounds out front of the Sunoco Station. After transport to the hospital, 25-year-old Khalil Gibbs of West Windsor was pronounced dead. Authorities say he was struck in his torso. The 20-year-old shooting victim from Trenton remains hospitalized after being shot in the face, according to the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office. planetprinceton.com

Update: Beachwood, OH: Beachwood Police officer fired after July 2019 shooting of a suspected shoplifter at Beachwood Place
In a letter sent from Beachwood Mayor Martin S. Horwitz to former officer Blake Rogers, the mayor says that Rogers violated multiple ethical, use of force, and standards policies enforced by the Beachwood Police Department, including discharging his weapon in the presence of children. During the incident, Officer Rogers reportedly shot a suspected shoplifter after the man was seen stealing a $60 hat and attempted to leave Beachwood Place. The suspect, later identified as Jaquan Jones, drove over Officer Rogers' foot while attempting to leave the mall parking lot.

"Your employment as a City of Beachwood Police Officer is terminated immediately," said Beachwood's Mayor Martin S. Horwitz in a letter to Rogers. "As there is current legal action filed by you against the City of Beachwood, there will be no further comments or interviews on the behalf of the City." In October, a Cuyahoga County Grand Jury announced that there would be no felony charges filed against Rogers. The former officer filed a lawsuit against the City of Beachwood following the announcement that he would not face charges. cleveland19.com

Fort Mills, SC: Man wanted in S.C. gas station killing turns self in to police

Robberies, Incidents & Thefts

Staten Island, NY: Man sought for questioning in connection with knife-point robbery at Nordstrom Rack
The NYPD is asking via social media for the public’s help identifying a man sought for questioning in connection with a knife-point robbery in the afternoon at a store in St. George. The incident occurred at Nordstrom Rack in the Empire Outlets at 15 Richmond Terrace on Feb. 3 at about 2:20 p.m., according to a spokeswoman for the NYPD’s Deputy Commissioner of Public Information. silive.com

Phoenix, AZ: Parents find 5,000 fentanyl pills in child’s toy from thrift store
A child’s toy bought at an Arizona thrift store turned out to be stuffed with what police believe was thousands of pills of the dangerous drug fentanyl. A couple bought the Glo Worm toy for their daughter at a store in El Mirage, according to Phoenix police. wkrg.com

Sandy UT: Man arrested after committing 4 Gas Station Armed Robberies in 3 days

	Todd Stresen-Reuter named Loss Prevention & Safety Business Partner for PetSmart
	Philip Johnson promoted to District Loss Prevention Manager for The TJX Companies
	Ben Robeano, CFI promoted to Regional Director of Safety & Asset Protection for Lowe’s Pro Supply
	Marlon Ortez named Multi-Store Asset Protection Manager for The Home Depot

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Featured Job Spotlights

Sr. Manager, Retail Asset Protection
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The Senior Manager, Retail Asset Protection is responsible for implementing strategies and training to ensure the effective execution of Protect Retail initiatives. This position will be responsible for leading a team that executes core programs and strategies relating to safety and security, theft and fraud mitigation and operational excellence in retail stores...

Regional Manager LP, Audit & Firearms Compliance
IL, WI, MN, IA, ND, SD, NE, OK, MO & KS - posted Feb. 12

The Regional Loss Prevention Manager is responsible for the control and reduction of shrinkage at the stores in their Territory. Investigate and resolves all matters that jeopardize or cause a loss to the company’s assets...

Regional LP & Safety Manager
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The Regional Loss Prevention & Safety Manager implements Risk Management and Loss Prevention objectives within assigned region. The position will provide assistance and training to the field operations teams to address specific Risk Management and Loss Prevention issues within an assigned span of control. Read job description here

Manager of Asset Protection & Safety Operations
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The Manager of Asset Protection & Safety Operations is responsible for the control and reduction of shrinkage and safety compliance for Party City Holdings, by successfully managing Asset Protection (AP) Safety programs and reporting...

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As a Loss Prevention Auditor and Fraud Detection Analyst for Staples, you will conduct LP operational field audits remote, virtual and in person, within a base of 60 retail stores to ensure compliance to operational standards to drive operational excellence and preserve profitability....

Leader, Asset & Profit Protection
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As the leader of the Data/Analytics & Investigations strategy, you should have strong analytical/investigation skills, the drive to innovate, and the ability to build strong partnerships to lead through the influence of others. They will be personable, open to learning, collaborating with others...

Customer Success Specialists
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The role of the Customer Success Specialist is to engage, empower, and excite our community. As a Customer Success Specialist, your primary responsibility is to ensure both retailers and law enforcement, who make up our community, have great experiences and achieve real crime reduction outcomes from using our platform. Apply Here

Sales Representatives
NuTech National - posted October 13

NuTech National, an established and rapidly growing 40+ year electronic security company is expanding our National Sales Team. Seeking motivated, driven and successful sales reps to expand our national retail and governmental vertical markets. Top pay, benefits and signing bonus available. Please apply to melissa@nutechnational.com

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Vice President, Loss Prevention
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The Vice President of Loss Prevention reports to the Company's General Counsel and is responsible for leading the organization's global asset protection and security efforts. You will collaborate effectively across the Company. linkedin.com

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The Regional AP Manager oversees AP, security, theft, fraud, investigations, and related procedures within the field. The RAPM supports and continuously interacts with club management to analyze shrink, identify profitability gaps and address issues related to protecting company assets. See all the job listings

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Vice President
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VP, LP	Williams Sonoma	San Francisco, CA	January 19
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Dir. AP	Albertsons Companies	Boise, ID	February 18
Director, Asset & Revenue Management	Caleres	St. Louis, MO	February 3
Dir. Field AP	Chipotle	Columbus, OH	January 13
Associate Dir. AP & Inventory Control	Crate & Barrel	Northbrook, IL	January 20
Dir. AP	Express Stores	East Brunswick, NJ	February 12
Dir. Risk & Analysis	Genesco	Nashville, TN	November 17
Dir. Safety/Risk Mgmt.	Goodwill of SE Louisiana	New Orleans, LA	April 2
Sr. Dir. LP	Harbor Freight Tools	Calabasas, CA	January 28
Sr. Dir, LP	HearingLife	Somerset, NJ	February 12
Dir. Global Distribution Safety & Security	Michael Kors	Whittier, CA	January 6
Dir. Physical Security	Netflix	Los Angeles, CA	January 5
Executive Dir. AP	Panda Restaurant Group	Rosemead, CA	January 28
Dir. of Loss Prevention	Parker's C-Stores	Savannah, GA	June 3
Dir. Security	Pictsweet Company	Bells, TN	February 12
Sr. Dir. AP	Rite Aid	Camp Hill, PA	January 21
Director, AP Finance & Analytics	Rite Aid	United States	January 26
Sr. Dir. Environmental Health & Safety	Ross Stores	Dublin, CA	October 9
Dir. Safety & LP	Trinity Logistics	Milford, DE	February 2
Dir. Corporate Security	Veritiv	Atlanta, GA	January 7
Dir. AP Solutions	Walgreens	Deerfield, IL	January 28
Corporate/Senior Manager
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Mgr. Corp. Security	Constellation Brands	San Francisco, CA	February 12
AP Operation Manager	Follett Corporation	Westchester, IL	January 7
Sr. Mgr AP	Home Depot	Atlanta, GA	January 28
Sr Manager, Security	JB Hunt	Lowell, AR	February 8
Group Investigations Manager	JCPenney	Plano, TX	January 19

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Seems like the longer a process goes, the harder it is for everyone to stay focused on the initial purpose and maintain the enthusiasm as when it began. Time and difficulty have their impact, but maintaining the passion and enthusiasm is up to each person. With the last step seemingly the easiest, it is usually the most critical step of all and many tend to approach it as if it is a mere formality when, in reality, that last step can be the biggest and, if you do not watch out, it could be a step right off the cliff.

Just a Thought,
Gus

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