The Loss Prevention Foundation (LPF) Announces New Board Members

(Mooresville, NC - March 7, 2022) The Loss Prevention Foundation (LPF) has announced the selection of its newest board members to assist in governing and providing strategic direction for the Foundation.

● Cita Doyle, LPQ, VP of Sales and Marketing for InstaKey Security Systems is a long time supporter of the LPF and one of the original members of the LPF Advisory Council. Cita will step down from the LPFAC to join the board.

● Kris Vece, LPQ, VP of Strategic Accounts with Protos Security, is a long time supporter of the LPF and one of the original members of the LPF Advisory Council. Kris will step down from the LPFAC to join the board.

● Ned McCauley, Director of Sales, IoT, and Smart Sensors will be joining the board. Ned works for Sensormatic Solutions which is a founding partner and amazing supporter of the LPF.

● Karen Edwards, Senior Instructor and Interim Associate Dean at the University of South Carolina will also join the board. Karen was instrumental in getting the LPQ course taught at University of South Carolina where over 200 students have been given the opportunity to complete the LPQ course.

Read more here
 

Could Supreme Court Decision Impact Retail Criminals?
High court narrows reach of law targeting career criminals
The Supreme Court on Monday narrowed the reach of a federal law that strengthens penalties for career criminals found to illegally have a gun.

The high court was ruling in the case of a man a lower court classified as a career criminal after counting the man’s burglary of 10 different public storage units on a single evening as 10 separate offenses. The high court said unanimously Monday that was an error.

The man’s 10 burglary convictions should have been treated as one event rather than separate crimes when considering whether he qualified for a stiffened sentence under the federal Armed Career Criminal Act, the justices concluded.

Without the stronger sentence, the man’s recommended sentence would have been approximately two years, but he was instead sentenced to nearly 16.

“Convictions arising from a single criminal episode ... can count only once under ACCA,” Justice Elena Kagan wrote.

The decision could result in reduced sentences for other people subject to stronger sentences under the law. According to a U.S. Sentencing Commission report, however, people classified as armed career criminals have recently made up less than one percent of those sentenced every year for federal offenses.

The Armed Career Criminal Act requires a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence for anyone found to have a gun after three or more previous convictions for violent felonies or serious drug offenses. The law says that each of the offenses must have been “committed on occasions different from one another.”

Kagan wrote that a single “occasion” can include distinct activities, citing the example of multiple events occurring on a couple’s wedding day. apnews.com

NYC's Theft Surge 'Fueled by Recidivism'
Frustrated small business owner talks rise in shoplifting
Locking doors between customers, hiding expensive merchandise in the back, and posting photos of thieves hanging on top of the fridge. That’s how Peter Panayiotou says he has to do business now.

Frustrated by all city leaders, past and present, liquor store owner Panayiotou says in the last year and half shoplifting has become rampant and the criminals are more brazen.

According to the NYPD, the city has seen a jump in retail theft complaints; In 2019, there were 37,918 complaints. That number dropped to 32,358 in 2020 and in 2021 police received 43,864 complaints. A 16.5% increase in complaints over 2019 even with all of the store closures throughout NYC.

Petit larceny is generally taking property worth under $1,000. According to NYPD crime statistics, Manhattan south has seen the largest increase in petit larceny so far in 2022 — a 57.8% increase compared with the same time last year.

NYPD Chief of Crime Control Strategies Michael Lipetri says the increase is fueled by recidivism.

“When we came out of the COVID lockdowns we really saw a large increase in shoplifting all across the city. The borough of Manhattan has seen the sharpest increase,” said Lipetri. “In the borough of Manhattan last year, we identified over 250 individuals that were arrested three or more times at the same location. If we expand that to not include the same location, we arrested over 500 individuals for shoplifting three or more times.”

Panyitou blames state bail reform laws, which in 2019 eliminated cash bail for most misdemeanor and non-violent felony charges and critics of the changes say they have created a revolving door for criminals.

“So anybody can just go into any store and steal and just walk away with it and the police just let them go," said Panayiotou. ny1.com

'New Yorkers deserve better'
NYC crime jumps 58% – with hate crimes leading the uptick

NYC police expert questions Mayor Eric Adams' execution more than two months after Adams takes reigns

New York City Mayor Eric Adams insisted Friday that the Big Apple "would defeat crime" after recent police statistics showed nearly every type of criminal offense – including subway and hate crimes – was up in the month of February.

The New York Police Department released its crime statistics for the month of February late Thursday, showing a 58.7% increase in overall crime compared to February 2021. "Every major index crime category saw an increase for the month of February 2022," the NYPD said.

The NYPD identifies the seven major index crimes as being murder, rape, robbery, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny and grand larceny auto.

"The department has made far too much progress over the decades – and invested far too much in the communities it serves – to fall back by any measure," NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said in a prepared statement. "New Yorkers deserve better."

Speaking to reporters at an unrelated press conference on Friday, Adams – who was sworn in as mayor just over two months ago – said city offices were "executing our plan, and we’re going to defeat crime." foxnews.com

Allowing Store Owners to Use 'Deadly Force' Against Criminals
Arizona Bill Proposes Businesses Use Deadly Force Against Property Damage
The Arizona state Senate is set to consider a bill on Monday that would allow business owners a wider range of justifications for the use of deadly force against someone with a "deadly weapon" who is damaging their property.

Current state law allows for the use of deadly force when it is used to prevent crimes like murder, rape, child molestation or arson of a building with people inside, according to the Arizona Daily Star.

Michelle Ugenti-Rita, the Republican state senator sponsoring the bill, said it was motivated by the increase of "smash and grab" thefts across the country that led to property damage for business owners.

Critics of the bill, including Senate Democrats and some community activists, said in a committee hearing last week that the bill is too broad and could give business owners the ability to inflict serious violence on someone who might just be spraying graffiti, according to the Associated Press.

The bill passed through a committee last week and is set for a full state Senate vote on Monday afternoon. If it passes, it will go to the state House for more hearings and debate, the Daily Star reported. newsweek.com

Serial Thieves Avoiding Criminal Prosecution
Are clever crooks stealing just enough to avoid felony charges?
Substance abuse is a big driver of property crimes like retail theft, and many businesses around Chittenden County say it’s becoming an increasing problem with no easy solution.

These businesses say it’s frustrating to see many people skipping the checkout line and stealing items. They say it’s not just stolen goods but more about a lack of enforcement and prosecution.

The issue exists outside of Burlington, as well. According to data from the Williston Police Department, in 2018 the department received 94 complaints and that number grew to 149 complaints last year. Lt. Joshua Moore says they’ve already had 32 complaints so far this year.

Back in the Queen City, the Burlington Business Association says it’s time for city and state leaders to step up. In Vermont, if the value of the stolen items is under $900, it’s considered a misdemeanor, which rarely results in serious criminal prosecution.

But, S.180, a bill sponsored by Sen. Phil Baruth, aims to add up the amount that was stolen on each occasion so that multiple thefts might result in felony charges. But the bill hasn’t gained much traction. wcax.com

The Other Side of the Bail Reform Debate
(Op-Ed) We must follow facts, not fear: Bail reform not the reason for rise in some crimes in NYC
I want to make clear that bail reform is unequivocally not to blame. Attacking this modest, and so-far successful, policy is not only a distraction, but does a disservice to our commitment to true public safety.

Here is the reality: Because of bail reform, nearly 200,000 more innocent-until-proven-guilty people have been free to be with their families, jobs, housing, education and communities without the threat of being detained on Rikers Island and other violent jails across the state. And just as before bail reform, of those who are released pretrial — including people charged with violent felonies, who judges still have power to detain under the law — nearly 95% have not been rearrested for anything, and 99% have not been rearrested for violent felonies.

Let’s go through the numbers:

Grand larcenies decreased after bail reform. There were 7,745 fewer grand larcenies in 2020 than 2019, the year before bail reform — an 18% decrease — and 2,380 fewer in 2021 than in 2019 — a 5% decrease.

Burglaries were overall consistent after bail reform. The numbers in 2020 and 2021, while higher than the year before bail reform, were relatively consistent with the years 2015-2017. These are normal fluctuations.

Robberies decreased after bail reform. There were 265 fewer robberies in 2020 than in 2019, the year before bail reform – a 2% decrease.

If we blame bail reform for increases in murders after its implementation, it would only be consistent to credit bail reform with the corresponding decreases in these other major categories of crime. But that, too, would be misguided, as we cannot determine causation based on short-run statistics. nydailynews.com

Op-Ed: NY progressives’ weak-on-crime policies hurt women the most

US: 80.9M Cases - 985.9K Dead - 55M Recovered
Worldwide: 448.4M Cases - 6M Dead - 382.6M Recovered

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

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 353  
Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 694
*Red indicates change in total deaths

U.S. Inches Toward 1 Million COVID Deaths
Global death toll surpasses 6 million for the pandemic now in its 3rd year
The official global death toll from COVID-19 eclipsed 6 million on Monday — underscoring that the pandemic, now entering its third year, is far from over.

The milestone, recorded by Johns Hopkins University, is the latest tragic reminder of the unrelenting nature of the pandemic even as people are shedding masks, travel is resuming and businesses are reopening around the globe.

As death rates remain high in Poland, Hungary, Romania and other Eastern European countries, the region has seen more than 1 million refugees arrive from war-torn Ukraine, a country with poor vaccination coverage and high rates of cases and deaths.

And despite its wealth and vaccine availability, the United States is nearing 1 million reported deaths on its own. npr.org

The Mask Debate Continues To Rage
Restaurants Debate Masks as Covid-19 Rules Rapidly Disappear

Shake Shack keeps facial coverings, Texas Roadhouse drops them as Americans are divided on the issue

Covid-19 restrictions are easing. Restaurants are deciding whether to keep masks on the menu. California, New York, Connecticut, Illinois and other local governments in recent weeks have ended mask requirements for dining inside and working at restaurants.

Some businesses, including Texas Roadhouse Inc., the Cheesecake Factory Inc. and Applebee’s, believe that there is a benefit for business and their workers when mask mandates are removed. The facial coverings are hot and uncomfortable to work in, and not having to put them on between bites and sips makes customers more motivated to dine out, Applebee’s President John Cywinski said Wednesday.

Other restaurant operators said they feared alienating workers and diners by eliminating mask and vaccination requirement rules when allowed to do so. Some restaurant owners are still struggling to recruit enough staff to fully run their operations and worry that relaxing rules could scare off employees fearful about their health. wsj.com

Retail Trade Shows Pick Up Steam - Again
How To Attend Grocery Trade Shows In The Covid-19 Era
Grocery industry trade shows are picking up steam again as Covid-19 restrictions ease. These huge events, such as the upcoming Natural Products Expo West, are opportunities for brands, investors and retailers to network, negotiate, and check out the latest trends.

There are over 280,000 food retail doors in the U.S. But around half of that sales volume is monopolized by the top four grocery chains. Walmart alone captures more than 50 percent of grocery share in over 200 markets. And despite the business models and formats that distinguish these channels, there is now less difference in their product assortment than ever due to the increased consolidation in wholesale, CPG, co-manufacturing and processing. For a brand that is exhibiting at a trade show, it is important to distinguish themselves and know which channels matter most to their business.

While attending trade shows can feel like being at the center of the universe, it’s really just the tip of the iceberg. The real work of the food industry happens in stores, at wholesalers and manufacturers, at co-packers, over the road with truckers and behind the farmgate.

And despite the return of trade shows, the pandemic is still raging. While we are told that 1500 deaths a day is an acceptable level of carnage for a return to normalcy, many food industry workers lost colleagues and loved ones to Covid-19. And many are immune-suppressed or have high risk factors. Trade show attendees can prevent turning these shows into super-spreader events by exercising some caution and consideration for their colleagues, including masking up indoors. Be safe out there. forbes.com

With COVID Fading, Demand for Retail Space Could Surge
How Office, Retail and Hospitality Can Reposition As COVID Wanes

If COVID is less deadly and less restrictions need to be in place, that is an important shift in thinking.

As COVID cases ramp down, the outlooks for office, hotel, and retail are on the rise. And if COVID is in fact less deadly and less restrictions need to be in place, “that is an important shift in thinking, a trigger point,” Chang says. “If COVID is considered endemic, that implies government restrictions will be reduced and people will finally begin to get back to normal.”

Chang also predicts the demand for retail space could accelerate, especially for experiential concepts and gyms, restaurants, and movie theaters.

“Hope springs eternal,” Chang says. “And I’m pretty optimistic about the possibility of getting through this pandemic and getting back to business. That will bring a lot of properties that investors have been cautious about, like offices and retail centers, back into the mainstream. It’s simply a matter of time.” globest.com

‘Seismic shifts accelerated by Covid will redefine retail in years to come’

People in the U.S. can now order 4 more free Covid tests online

Study links even mild Covid-19 to changes in the brain