Chicago Wages War on Organized Retail Theft

Robberies, Burglaries & Fencing Ops Flooding Chicago
Chicago, suburbs work to fight robberies, burglaries, fencing operations
Chicago Police said they plan to lean into technology like license plate readers and POD cameras to catch those behind a big uptick in robberies and burglaries. The announcement by police officials Friday came just hours after several early-morning thefts, including a smash-and-grab robbery at a Lululemon store at 944 W. North Ave.

But the problem isn't just in Chicago. The Cook County Sheriff's office is also trying to make a dent. The sheriff's office shared exclusive video to CNN showing a group of thieves entering a beauty supply store and filling large trash bags with expensive products – all within a period of one minute.

It is one of numerous examples of organized retail theft – a large-scale operation in which a group of people steal goods and turn around to sell them.

The problem is recurring to the point that the sheriff's office has created a task force to combat it. Meanwhile back in the city of Chicago, officers are cracking down on the same problem – as well as burglaries to businesses, such as an ATM theft that was caught on camera earlier this week at a gas station at Ashland and Grand avenues in West Town.

On Friday, Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling – along with Mayor Brandon Johnson – discussed a plan to address robberies and car thefts plaguing the city.

"Our plan is to focus on prevention, to make sure others do not have to endure such trauma," said Chicago Police Chief of Detectives Antoinette Ursitti. "But to be clear, when these crimes do occur, we will identify and hold accountable the perpetrators who have caused harm."

"Everyone in every neighborhood deserves to feel safe walking down the street, commuting to work, and enjoying life in our wonderful city," added Mayor Johnson. "The plan focuses on four pillars - technology, focus missions, public engagement, and accountability."

Chicago Police said their task force has made 80 arrests and recovered 140 vehicles that were stolen or carjacked. The Chicago anti-crime plan includes using technology to catch suspects, and working with the community to solve and prevent crime. cbsnews.com

Related Coverage of Chicago's Robbery Epidemic

• Mayor, police to discuss strategy to prevent robberies
• Mobs are robbing stores. Here's what police are doing about it
• Cook County taskforce tries to stem tide of organized retail theft


New Flurry of Calif. Theft Legislation Makes More Headlines
Calif. lawmaker discusses his reason for leading the charge against ORC

California Assembly Introduces Legislation to Combat Retail Theft

Assemblymember Rick Zbur chairs the Select Committee on Retail Theft, leading the charge on new comprehensive legislation

Shoplifters beware. The California Assembly has introduced a comprehensive package of seven bills aimed at addressing the rising concerns over retail theft across the state.

One of the key initiatives is Assembly Bill 2943, jointly authored by Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D) and Speaker Robert Rivas (D). The bill targets serial retail thieves by introducing a new crime with penalties of up to three years behind bars for possession of stolen property with intent to resell. It also allows for the aggregation of similar thefts from different victims to charge grand theft, under specific criteria.

In an interview with L.A. Magazine, Assemblymember Zbur talked about his motivation behind leading the charge on this issue.

”One of the things I was hearing about more and more frequently from constituents in my district was concern, frustration and even in some cases fear related to what they were seeing happening to the retailers they frequented in our community,” he said.

AB 2943 provides law enforcement with new tools to arrest shoplifters based on sworn statements or video footage while extending the ability to keep repeat offenders in custody. Recognizing the importance of addressing underlying factors contributing to theft, AB 2943 also promotes the use of diversion and rehabilitative programs, such as drug courts, to address root causes.

The legislators authoring these bills said they are actively engaged with stakeholders to refine and strengthen the proposed legislation. They are anticipating provisions to protect businesses from retaliation, prevent the unlawful sale of stolen goods online and enhance data transparency by requiring large retailers to report specified theft data while safeguarding proprietary information.  lamag.com


'All-Hands-on-Deck Mission' to Fight ORC
Monroe County Sheriff's Office exposes illegal marketplaces for retail theft rings
An all-hands-on-deck mission spearheaded by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office is underway to combat a surge in retail theft, as organized crime rings continue to drain thousands of dollars from stores.

MCSO has launched a new social media initiative to identify retail theft suspects, exposing where that merchandise ends up and how the illegal marketplace for stolen goods has changed. A similar surge in large-scale retail theft is affecting stores across Monroe and Ontario counties, according to authorities.

"When you look at our numbers across the county, it’s really every retail outlet is being victimized," said MCSO Sgt. David Bolton. "The big box stores, the mom-and-pop stores, the local gas stations. I mean, larceny is really rampant across this county."

Bolton says in the past, stolen goods were primarily sold in secondhand dealer shops. Now, authorities are seeing products being resold via social media marketplaces — or even, in your neighborhood.

Bolton notes that between 60 and 70 percent of suspects reoffend after being arrested, and he believes thieves are getting more brazen.

"They just load up that cart right in the store and walk right out," he said. "And when loss prevention encounters them, they completely disregard loss prevention — knowing that likely they are not going to be stopped — and walk right past."  13wham.com


Deadly Australian Mall Attack
At Least 6 Dead in Mall Stabbing That Horrifies Australians, Attacker Killed

The attack, Australia’s deadliest in eight years, stunned a nation where mass violence is rare. A police officer shot the attacker, preventing worse carnage.

Six people were killed and several others injured in a stabbing rampage Saturday afternoon at a crowded major mall in Sydney, Australia’s deadliest act of mass violence in at least eight years.

The attacker was shot and killed by a lone police officer who was directed into the mall by people fleeing the scene, police said. The officer was following the man with the knife, trying to catch up to him, when he turned and lunged at her with the weapon, according to the police. The officer then opened fire, saving lives, Anthony Cooke, assistant commissioner for the New South Wales Police, said.

The man stabbed people as he moved through the mall, the police said. Four women and one man died at the scene. Emergency responders said eight people were transported to area hospitals, and the police said that one of them, a woman, later died. A 9-month-old baby was among those injured and has been in surgery, Karen Webb, the New South Wales Police commissioner, said.

The police said they have not formally identified the man but believe they know his identity. They believe he was 40 years old and acted alone. There is no continuing threat and the attack was not motivated by terrorism, Police Commissioner Webb said. nytimes.com

RELATED: Sydney mall attacker may have targeted women, police say


Chicago on 'High Alert' Ahead of Potential Summer of Violence
Anti-gun violence activisits urge Chicago to take action ahead of summer
shooting that left a 9-year-old girl dead and 10 other people injured in Chicago's Back of the Yards neighborhood is the ninth mass shooting in the area this year.

It's a stark reality that is raising concerns as summer nears. Statistics show that violence often surges in the summer months. This latest mass shooting has left many on high alert. According to the online database Gun Violence Archive, in those nine mass shootings, 21 people were killed and 31 others wounded.

Community advocates pressure the city to roll out more effective strategies focusing on youth intervention and mental health. Some have issued a warning following the tragedy on the city's Southwest Side Saturday night.

"We are in trouble, Chicago, and some people need to realize the trouble we're in," said street pastor Donovan Price. "Some people need to recognize the trouble they are in. Otherwise, we're all going to be in a world of trouble. It's going to be hot tomorrow. It's going to be hot this summer."  cbsnews.com


New York City Police Ramp Up Patrols After Israel Attack
NYPD on alert after Iran drone attack on Israel
The NYPD will be keeping a close watch on houses of worship across the city after Iran’s drone attack on Israel, officials said Sunday.

In a post on its social media accounts, the NYPD said no credible threats have been made against New York City and it will “continues to closely monitor events in Israel.”

“We will continue to deploy resources to houses of worship and sensitive locations throughout the city,” the department’s statement adds.

The Police Department’s statement mirrors similar public remarks the NYPD has made after world and national events and terrorist attacks. The department didn’t specify which locations it would ramp up patrols at. nydailynews.com


City of Brotherly Love needs tough love, not ‘safe’ drug use

Ventura, California uses new crime-reporting system
 

Retailers Realizing that Fewer Staff Can Mean More Problems
In the next decade or so, the industry is set to lose nearly 77,000 workers, a 2% decline.

Why more tech in stores shouldn’t mean fewer workers

Retailers can automate more tasks than ever, including pricing, inventory management and checkout. But for theft prevention, customer service and brand engagement, they need humans.

In recent years, for a variety of reasons — operational changes, challenges in hiring and corporate expense cuts — some retail stores are noticeably light on staff.

Since the height of the pandemic, store operations have grown more complex, as omnichannel services like online fulfillment, pickup and delivery have become entrenched. Hiring in many areas is tougher, as wages have risen and unemployment has fallen. And some retailers, facing threats to margins and profits, have slashed their expenses, including their workforces, often replacing humans with tech.

“A lot of stores run on much thinner staffing than they used to. Generally, there has been a reduction in headcount and labor hours,” GlobalData Managing Director Neil Saunders said by email. “Macy’s is a good example of this, as there are around 18% fewer staff per store than in 2019.”

It’s not just Macy’s. Employment across the sector is down and expected to decline further, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: As of March, retail unemployment was 5.1%, compared to 3.8% overall. In the next decade or so, the industry is set to lose nearly 77,000 workers, a 2% decline, compared to an expectation for 3% growth across all industries.

But running a store with a leaner staff is usually a mistake, and many retailers should beef up instead, even as they embrace new technologies for tasks previously done by humans, experts warn. For example, more than 40% of respondents to a survey by Theatro, which supplies communication tech for frontline workers, said that shopping in stores is “less enjoyable” than before the pandemic, and 60% of them blamed inadequate staffing levels.

Store staffing “is an easy area to cut as it has a very visible positive impact on the bottom line — the problem is that it causes a lot of invisible issues which negatively impact things like staff morale and customer satisfaction,” Saunders said. “Ultimately, this can harm the top line.” retaildive.com


Replacing Workers with Kiosks Amid Wage Hikes
Fast-Food Restaurants Replace Workers With Kiosks Due to Min. Wage Rise
The fast-food industry faced a major shift in California at the start of this month as the minimum wage rise took effect. As a result of the $4 increase, some restaurants are adding more self-service kiosks to save on costs, potentially replacing employees with the technology.

According to industry experts, this change is likely to be implemented in cases where the business doesn’t already have the technology in place to offset the rise in labor costs.

However, automation services have long been integrated into the sector, predating the pandemic by several years. Restaurants like Panera Bread, McDonald’s, Shake Shack, and others have employed these systems for quite some time. Even in states without the recent wage increase, the industry continues to embrace automation technologies.

Rob Dongoski, global lead for food and agribusiness at Kearney, a strategy and management consulting firm, said, “There are two things in play. One, already in motion for a while is robotics and automation at the store level.” Examples that you can find in quick-service restaurants include auto-refill technology and automated frying machines. retailwire.com


March Retail Sales Numbers Stronger Than Expected
Retail sales jumped 0.7% in March, much higher than expected
Rising inflation in March didn’t deter consumers, who continued shopping at a more rapid pace than anticipated, the Commerce Department reported Monday.

Retail sales increased 0.7% for the month, considerably faster than the Dow Jones consensus forecast for a 0.3% increase, according to Census Bureau data that is adjusted for seasonality but not for inflation.

The consumer price index increased 0.4% in March, the Labor Department reported last week in data that also was higher than the Wall Street outlook. That means consumers more than kept up with the pace of inflation, which ran at a 3.5% annual rate for the month, below the 4% retail sales increase.

Excluding auto-related receipts, retail sales jumped 1.1%, also well ahead of the estimate for a 0.5% increase. cnbc.com


NRF: Sales rise at steady pace in March
Total retail sales increased in March, with experts noting increased spending amid easing inflation.

According to the CNBC/National Retail Federation (NRF) Retail Monitor, total retail sales, excluding automobiles and gasoline, were up 0.36% seasonally adjusted month-over-month (MoM) and up 2.72% unadjusted year-over-year (YoY) in March. That compared with increases of 0.4% MoM and 2.7% YoY in February.

For the first quarter, total retail sales were up 2.65% YoY, while core sales were up 3.12%. Last month, NRF projected that retail sales will increase between 2.5% and 3.5% in 2024 to between $5.23 trillion and $5.28 trillion. chainstoreage.com

 
Is JCPenney’s First New Store in 8 Years a Good Sign?

Survey: Shoppers blame government action, manufacturers for high food prices