Swedish Based Axis Communications Hosts First Female Swedish Ambassador to the U.S. at AEC

Axis Communications welcomes Swedish Ambassador to its Greater Minneapolis technology center

Headquartered in Lund, Sweden, Axis briefs ambassador on regional and national business activities.

Axis Communications, the industry leader in network video, recently welcomed Karin Olofsdotter, the first female Swedish Ambassador to the United States, to its Greater Minneapolis Axis Experience Center (AEC). The visit, which included a tour of the AEC located at The Offices @ MOA and a discussion around Axis regional and national business activities, highlighted the company’s commitment to collaboration, transparency, and continued innovation.

At the AEC, she’ll also see demonstrations of our latest video, audio, intercom and access control solutions, along with advanced integrations for point-of-sales, biometric access control and geo-tracking.

“Global collaboration is one of Axis’ main driving forces as an organization,” said Karl Radke, Midwest Business Area Director at Axis Communications. “With Axis being headquartered in Sweden, hosting Ambassador Olofsdotter provided a valuable opportunity to discuss both the current and future state of our business in the Midwest and the rest of the country, including impacts on Swedish stakeholders. Sweden is an integral part of Axis’ DNA, and through daily work with our colleagues in Sweden and visits like this from Swedish leaders, we maintain a strong bond and a valuable global perspective.”

In addition to the activities outlined above, Ambassador Olofsdotter also appeared on KYMN Radio’s “National Security this week” with host Jon Olson to discuss Sweden’s foreign policy, which can be listened to here. axis.com


ADT reports first quarter 2023 results

Strong year-over-year growth in revenue; CSB and Commercial up 7% and 15%, respectively, versus prior year period

Maintained record-high customer retention and new record-high recurring monthly revenue balance

Improved capital efficiency with record revenue payback

Continued deleveraging with over $400 million debt reduction expected in 2023

Total revenue of $1.6 billion, up 4%, and end-of-period recurring monthly revenue (RMR) of $378 million, up 4%

“Demonstrating the resiliency of our business model, we had a strong start to 2023 with continued momentum in generating revenue and cash flow growth,” said ADT President and CEO Jim DeVries. “Contributing to this momentum were a number of initiatives, including our Google partnership, the strength of our Commercial business and our execution plans for changing the trajectory in Solar. ADT remains on track for continued positive progress across all our businesses and advancing toward our 2025 goals.” newsroom.adt.com
 

Monday's Value-Packed Day at RILA AP Conference

By Barbara Jones, CEO & Founder, Freeing Returns

Monday at RILA was terrific! LP leaders went to breakouts to dive into various topics. For example, Elizabeth Larson, Leah Schwartzman and Shane Bennett of Target discussed bridging the investigations gap between ORC teams, E-commerce fraud teams and brick and mortar AP teams. Students from University of Texas, my alma mater, presented their research findings after examining the MOS (marked out of stock) process across Burlington stores. My team and I grabbed dinner with the students to hear more.

The Expo was lively and busy with people coming to our booth and getting to know all the solutions. Vendors offered software, hardware and state-of-the-art Saas solutions like ours to support LP teams.

During the general session, we heard about ORC and the mental and emotional strain on people from Macy’s VP, Joe Coll. His message was for LP folks to take care of themselves. Lululemon VP, Tristen Shields was the best! He challenged retailers to give back to the communities they’re in, to show empathy when investigating issues, and to avoid bias and racial profiling, so that the people in the community don’t see crime as the only way to survive.

Tripp Taylor from RILA spoke last and encouraged everyone to visit the Expo area and he even highlighted Freeing Returns.

  


Recap Sponsored by

 

Shoplifter Shooting Brings Out Hundreds of Protesters Blaming City Leadership
San Francisco D.A. Will Not Prosecute Security Officer In Fatal Walgreen Shoplifter Shooting

Last week, a security officer in San Francisco California was charged with murder after shooting a female shoplifter at a Walgreen store on Market Street.

This week, after the San Francisco district attorney’s office reviewed all evidence, a decision has been made not to prosecute the security officer and he has been released from jail.

District Brooke Jenkins stated on Monday that her office reviewed video surveillance, conducted interviews, and looked at the evidence and she does not believe that her office can substantiate or prove the murder charge beyond a reasonable doubt.

Michael Earl Wayne Anthony, 33, the security officer involved in the shooting is now, once again, a free man.

Authorities say that the shoplifter, China Brown attacked the security officer violently and that he had no choice but to use lethal force to defend himself.

Large crowds gathered outside the Walgreen store in protest and a fence was put up around the site while police monitored the crowd from a nearby location.

Protestors say that the woman was stealing because she was hungry, a claim officials dispute though they did not say what merchandise was stolen.

Brown’s shooting comes amid a raging debate in San Francisco about public safety and complaints over the city’s property crime rate. That debate was stirred up again in recent weeks after a local Whole Foods store downtown shut its doors less than a year after it opened. sfchronicle.com


Gun Murders - Suicides - Active Shooter Incidents All Hit Record Highs
Gun murders rose 45% between 2019 & 2021

Pew Research Report: What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S.
More Americans died of gun-related injuries in 2021 than in any other year on record, according to the latest available statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That included record numbers of both gun murders and gun suicides.

How many people die from gun-related injuries in the U.S. each year?

In 2021, the most recent year for which complete data is available, 48,830 people died from gun-related injuries in the U.S., according to the CDC. That figure includes gun murders and gun suicides, along with three less common types of gun-related deaths tracked by the CDC: those that were accidental, those that involved law enforcement and those whose circumstances could not be determined.

How has the number of U.S. gun deaths changed over time?

The record 48,830 total gun deaths in 2021 reflect a 23% increase since 2019, before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

Gun murders, in particular, have climbed sharply during the pandemic, increasing 45% between 2019 and 2021, while the number of gun suicides rose 10% during that span.

Which states have the highest and lowest gun death rates in the U.S.?

In 2021, the states with the highest total rates of gun-related deaths – counting murders, suicides and all other categories tracked by the CDC – included Mississippi (33.9 per 100,000 people), Louisiana (29.1), New Mexico (27.8), Alabama (26.4) and Wyoming (26.1). The states with the lowest total rates included Massachusetts (3.4), Hawaii (4.8), New Jersey (5.2), New York (5.4) and Rhode Island (5.6).

How many people are killed in mass shootings in the U.S. every year?

The FBI collects data on “active shooter incidents,” which it defines as “one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area.” Using the FBI’s definition, 103 people – excluding the shooters – died in such incidents in 2021. The Gun Violence Archive, using a different definition of mass shooting, found 706 people died in these incidents in 2021.

How has the number of mass shootings in the U.S. changed over time?

The FBI found an increase in active shooter incidents between 2000 and 2021. There were three such incidents in 2000. By 2021, that figure had increased to 61. pewresearch.org


Tougher Penalties & Prison Sentences for Organized Retail Criminals
Major new anti-theft law passes that will mean huge changes to self-checkout

Lawmakers in Alabama were cracking down on retail theft, which is seeing retailers warn of closures and price hikes.

Under established law in Alabama, whether you face a felony or misdemeanor charge will depend on the items stolen and their value. Now, new legislation is being proposed in Alabama that would create new crime categories and see new punishments specifically for retail theft by both individuals and groups.

It will "give law enforcement and prosecutors a little bit of a different weapon," according to one supportive state senator. The Retail Theft Crime Prevention Act by State Senator Clyde Chambliss (R-Pratville) was passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

It would see charges for retail theft raised to a Class B felony when at least two people are involved, regardless of the value of the item stolen. This means that such groups would be charged as organized criminals.

The act would see that the crime of retail theft is committed "when a person uses various means to deprive a merchant of all or part of the value of merchandise, including concealing merchandise on his or her person; altering or removing price tags; concealing merchandise in other containers; failing to scan items or otherwise pay for items at self-checkout registers; and other means.

"Penalties for a violation would be contingent upon the aggregate value of the items stolen. "This bill would also establish the crime of organized retail theft to establish an aggravated form of retail theft." House Bill 288 will also see penalties increased for individuals who shoplift items between the value of $500 and $1,500.

Currently, this level of theft is considered third degree and a Class D felony, which means there is no compulsory prison time. However, under the new bill, thefts of items worth these values will increase to second-degree theft and a Class C felony. This will mean the crime will carry a sentence of between one and ten years in prison. the-sun.com


Portland-Area DA Announces New Organized Retail Theft Task Force
Multnomah DA Mike Schmidt holds press conference about organized retail theft
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office held a press conference Monday to announce two new task forces meant to address organized theft in Multnomah County.

Multnomah County DA Mike Schmidt was joined by Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson, Mayor Ted Wheeler, Portland Business Alliance President & CEO Andrew Hoan, and leaders from law enforcement to give details on the new Organized Retail Theft Task Force and Auto Theft Task Force.

Both task forces will be led by the DA's Office and cross-jurisdictional, working in tandem with various law enforcement agencies. Schmidt said that the task forces came about after months of discussion on how to immediately impact crime.

Organized retail and auto theft have been a hot topic in Portland in recent months, with businesses like REI shuttering throughout the city due to theft and police revealing that a staggering 11,000 cars were stolen in 2022.

District Attorney Mike Schmidt said retail theft went up 10 percent from 2020 to 2022. Now his team plans to dedicate resources specifically to this cause.

In the conference, Schmidt said the task forces will be provided with county and city funding, 2 deputy district attorneys, 2 investigators, and a legal assistant. The focus of the teams are to work with police to build and prosecute more cases.

We will work with [police] on improving investigations, building cases with better chances for successful prosecution, identifying prolific offenders [...] to apprehend them and hold them accountable, as well as community outreach. katu.com

RELATED: MultCo DA adding staff for auto, retail theft task forces

 
Target's Theft Lockdown in the News
Target expands locked merchandise cases to hit back at shoplifting

One of the strategies Target has utilized amid its efforts to curb more shoplifting are locked-up cases.

The company has resorted to keeping all items in the personal care aisle at a location on San Francisco’s Folsom Street in locked shelves, footage of which recently received significant engagement on social media. WNCT-TV reported that has been the case for some things there since at least October.

Another Target outside of Manhattan in Riverdale, New York, has also made it so rows in its personal care section are locked up and require a staffer to open.

Target takes a "multi-layered approach to combating theft," a company spokesperson told FOX Business on Tuesday.

"This includes in-store technology, training for store leaders and security team members, and partnerships with law enforcement agencies as well as retail trade associations," the spokesperson continued. "On a limited basis, we also employ theft-deterrent merchandising strategies, such as locking cases, for categories that are prone to theft. While we don’t share specifics on these strategies, these decisions are generally made at a local level."

The spokesperson confirmed the locking cases at the San Francisco and Riverdale stores were implemented at the local level due to theft. fox5ny.com


Maine State Battles ORC Surge
Maine mirrors national trends for organized retail crime
It's a perpetual problem for the U.S. retail industry and Maine is no exception. Evidence suggests it is growing in both scope and complexity nationwide, according to a recent report from the National Retail Federation.

Picard told Mainebiz the illegal practice has increased in Maine along with the price of consumer goods. "I think we’re seeing an increase as prices have gone up, so there’s a higher value there," he said.

Organized retail crime

Similar to national trends, which showed "significant deficiencies in ... consistent and consolidated data regarding ORC across national, state and local authorities, as well as the retail industry," tracking Maine data is difficult.

Picard said, "It’s hard to track overall loss because it's hard to shut down and recover once it’s been stolen. The closest stakeholders come is "best estimates," he added.

"People think Maine is rural and it can't happen here," Picard said, "but it's close to New Hampshire and Massachusetts and Connecticut. Thieves can hit all those states in one day and steal whatever’s on your list.”

"It's hard to track what the impact is," Picard added. mainebiz.biz


Michigan Grapples With Surging Retail Crime
Retail theft on the rise in Mid-Michigan, impacting businesses of all sizes
Whether it's a deck of cards, or a basket full of groceries, retail fraud can do damage to Mid-Michigan businesses of all shapes and sizes. Director of Communications for the Michigan Retailers Association (MRA), Andrea Bitely, said cases of retail fraud move with the economy. When inflation is high and supply chains fall short, theft can go on the rise. According to data collected by the Michigan State Police, 2021 saw a total of 872 cases of retail theft and fraud.

Bitely said MRA members are both large-scale and local retailers, meaning the impact of retail fraud is not exclusive. Bitely said the MRA is no stranger to dealing with fraud. She and her team members see cases of theft more often than they'd like to. She said acts of retail fraud impact businesses by taking items off their shelves and cutting into profits.

Some businesses are taking action against retail fraud by locking their most expensive items behind glass or adding more security tags to their shops. Bitely said the MRA is doing their part by educating shoppers and business owners about the impact retail fraud has on the local economy.

Last year, the MRA had several Organized Retail Theft initiatives signed into law with the intention of better tracking cases of retail fraud statewide. It led to the formation of an ORT task force under the office of the Attorney General. While it may not put a full stop to theft, she said it makes for a more vigilant community. wilx.com


So it Begins - Cleaning Up the Tenderloin & SoMa
Here’s what happened on first day of CHP, National Guard’s S.F. drug dealing crackdown
Little seemed changed on San Francisco’s streets Monday during the first scheduled day of the state’s deployment of the National Guard and California Highway Patrol to crack down on drug dealing.

The quiet start to the week followed a Friday news conference where top law enforcement brass announced that state police would bolster San Francisco’s efforts to tamp down the city’s open-air fentanyl markets. Mayor London Breed said then she looked forward to “a real change,” though elected officials didn’t promise an overnight transformation — and few residents expected it.

Supervisors Aaron Peskin said Monday he was informed six CHP units were assigned to the Tenderloin and SoMa, but couldn’t confirm if more than one officer was in each unit. It’s also unclear what time of day or night CHP will be deployed.

CHP has 75 officers already assigned to San Francisco and the new deployment consists of volunteers from that unit, CHP’s commissioner said Friday.

The California National Guard, which assigned 14 officers to the operation, confirmed Monday their team of criminal case analysts was working to analyze drug trafficking operations in San Francisco. sfchronicle.com


Pennsylvania's GOP-controlled state Senate passed a bipartisan bill to ban supervised injection sites

NRF Comments on FTC Noncompete Clause Proposed Rule
We also filed comments opposing the FTC’s proposed rule that would ban employers from requiring employees to sign noncompete agreements and would require the rescission of any noncompete agreements currently in existence. NRF concurred with Republican Commissioner Christine Wilson’s dissent that the FTC does not have the authority to promulgate such a policy through the regulatory process. On the merits, we expressed our opposition to the broad proscription of any agreements “between an employer and a worker that prevents the worker from seeking or accepting employment with a person, or operating a business, after the conclusion of the worker’s employment with the employer,” as well as any “contractual term that is a de facto non-compete clause.” NRF is poised to file a suit once the rule goes final. nrf.com


Social Media Influencer's Viral Video Says AP Makes False Arrests At Self-Checkouts
Criminal Defense Attorney & TikTok Personality (1.2M Followers) Post Viral Video
Advising: Using Self-Checkout May Result In Your Falsely Accused of Theft

Carrie Jernigan, an attorney and TikTok personality with 1.2 million followers, first started the fire on the video-sharing platform when she posted a video that listed three seemingly typical things she would never do because of her experience working as a lawyer.

The most shocking behavior on the list for her followers was the one about using self-checkout, so Jernigan prepared a follow-up video explaining her reasons.

In the video—which has been viewed more than 2.1 million times since being posted—Jernigan explained that as a criminal defense attorney, she has seen three categories of individuals charged with theft after using the self-checkout option at the store: those who are intentionally stealing, people who made a real mistake and missed an item and others who didn't take anything at all. She went on to share that since people in the first category have become extremely competent at stealing via self-checkout, their crimes are almost impossible to identify. As a result, asset protection at big box stores is now less sympathetic to people who did not intend to steal and has begun targeting consumers who legitimately purchased an item when the business eventually realizes they are short on inventory.

Despite having no intent to steal, customers who miss an item while checking out are charged, Jernigan claims, because "big-box businesses aren't going to spend their time and resources trying to figure out if you did it on purpose." She went on to explain how those in the third group are the "truly innocent," where "most of these are not getting charged day of." Instead, they will face charges later if someone in the store's asset protection department performs an inventory count or quality control check and "later comes up short."

Several TikTok users responded to her video by sharing their own horror stories of using the self-checkout counter. "My mom accidentally left a tiny $3 lemon oil in her cart after buying $300 in groceries. She was charged with theft and had to do community service," wrote @lexiodens. "Took me 7 months and cost me 6,000 to clear my name after I was falsely accused and the evidence should have exonerated me immediately," @catladykaren claimed. Another said that they "forgot to scan an item once & now there's a photo of me in Walmart's system." upworthy.com


Insider Threat
DOJ: Verizon Network Engineer Gets 43 Months For $1.5M Fraud
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jeremie Adam Elkins, 46, of Newark, Ohio, a Network Engineer at Verizon, Inc., from July to October 2020, Elkins used his Verizon company-issued credit card to pay for personal expenses like hotels/resorts, restaurants, bars, pawn shops and auction houses.

Using an old Verizon work order to place multiple fraudulent orders with vendor W.W. Grainger, Inc. Grainger provides tools and equipment for Verizon service vans.

Placed 46 unauthorized orders to Grainger and personally picked up most of the equipment, which totaled approximately $936,000. He used the illicit proceeds to purchase two boats and a motorcycle.

The defendant placed an additional 20 unauthorized orders to Grainger, for items totaling nearly $954,000, but never obtained the equipment.

As part of his sentence, Elkins will pay nearly $24,000 in restitution to Verizon and more than $936,000 in restitution to Grainger.

When he was arrested in August 2021, Elkins illegally possessed a pistol and admitted to investigators that he has sold 15 to 20 firearms. Elkins was previously convicted of a felony crime in Licking County, prohibiting him from possessing firearms or ammunition. justice.gov


The One Retail Store That Faced 9/11 But Crushed By COVID Lockdown
Here's one for John Feehan, former Exec. AP Dir Century 21, Jimmy Betesh, Exec. Ops & the whole AP Team

NYC Iconic Retailer Century 21 Flagship Sets Reopening Date May 16th
Century 21 — which had operated 13 stores in New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Jersey — went belly-up after insurance companies failed to pay up during the pandemic.

The bankruptcy filing and subsequent closures shocked the fashion world at the time. It was an institution in the Big Apple, attracting locals and tourists alike, and had clawed its way back after Sept. 11 when it was forced to close for a period of time.

“Century 21 is and always will be a New York City brand,” chief executive Raymond Gindi said in a statement. “Lower Manhattan has really missed that store,” said Alliance for Downtown president Jessica Lappin. nypost.com


Walmart To Provide Leadership Training in Week-Long New Manager Academy to 2,000+ Store Managers

How to Create the Best ChatGPT Policies

Adidas wants to 'double down' on U.S. market

Dallas retailer Tuesday Morning liquidating last 200 stores

Revlon, ready to exit Chapter 11, fills incoming board with former beauty retail execs

Nordstrom cuts tech workforce


Quarterly Results

Restaurant Brands International Q1 Global comp's up 10%, TH Canada up 16%, BK Inter. up 12%, BK US up 9%, system-wide sales up 15%

Columbia Sportswear 2022 DTC up 9%, wholesales up 12%, net sales up 11%

Bloomin' Brands Q1 U.S. comp's up 5.1%, revenue up 9.1%
   Outback Steakhouse comp's up 4.9%
   Carrabba’s Italian Grill up 6.7%
   Bonefish Grill up 5.2%
   Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar up 3.6%
   Combined U.S. comp's up 5.1%

e-Bay Q1 Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) of $18.4B down 5%, revenue $2.5B up 1%
 

Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Divisional Director Safety & LP job posted for Floor & Decor in Atlanta, GA
This position will report to the Division Vice President, with a dotted line to the VP of Operations, Safety and Loss Prevention. The Divisional Safety and Loss Prevention Director is responsible for ensuring store safety and minimizing shrink in their assigned division. The individual will analyze internal and external safety and theft trends in the division and to develop strategies to drive improvement. careers.flooranddecor.com

Loss Prevention Director job posted for United Gaming LLC in Atlanta, GA
The Loss Prevention Director plays a key role for this fast-growing, leading Coin Operated Amusement Machine (COAM) company in GA with explosive historic year over year growth and expected continued growth through mergers & acquisitions and organic growth. indeed.com