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The U.S. Crime Surge
The Retail Impact

Low Lights - Locked Doors - Appointment-Only Shopping
Madison Ave retailers lock doors in daytime amid crime frenzy

New York City’s luxury retail outlook is dim — literally.

Swanky Madison Avenue shops on the Upper East Side are lowering lights, locking doors and opening by appointment only in an effort to combat a relentless scourge of brazen daytime shoplifters terrorizing the glitzy thoroughfare.

The Carolina Herrera boutique near 67th Street has been robbed so many times it now pretends to be shuttered, with lights dimmed and door dead-bolted shut, even during normal business hours.

“The normal thing now today is to lock our doors on Madison Avenue,” confessed Carolina Herrera sales associate Michelle Singh, while showing off the fashion accessories, handbags most notably, that have proven a favorite target of an apparent organized band of shoplifters brazenly plucking luxury fashions off the shelves of avenue boutiques.

Nearby, Chanel (at 64th) and Prada (at 70th) are also locked during normal business hours, with well-dressed security guards standing by, opening the entrance for potential shoppers after eyeing them through the door windows. An NYPD patrol car with two officers sat outside Prada Friday afternoon.

“It’s very much an organized crime model,” said Matthew Bauer, president of the Madison Avenue Business Improvement District. The shoplifters, who often go un-prosecuted under soft-on-crime Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, are “just the tip of the iceberg” and “following orders” for a much larger crime syndicate, Bauer said.

There has been a shocking rise in theft across the city, with grand larceny up 54 percent and petty larceny up 42 percent, according to NYPD data. Citywide shoplifting complaints have jumped 81 percent in the past year, Chief of Crime Control Strategies Michael LiPetri said in April.

The fallout for shoppers is that a stroll down Madison Avenue has lost much of its luster and spontaneity. Many retailers now encourage, or even require, shoppers to make appointments before they open the doors. nypost.com

Prop 47 Reform Fails for the 5th Time
Democratic Lawmaker’s Effort to Amend California’s Prop. 47 Fails
The effort of a Democratic lawmaker to amend Proposition 47 failed for the fifth time in the Assembly Public Safety Committee in a 2–5 vote as the state crime trend persists. “I guess we really are dependent on Batman to bring accountability and justice. Perhaps maybe we should call the Avengers too,” the author of the bill Assemblyman Jim Cooper (D-Elk Grove) wrote on Twitter on April 26.

Proposition 47, which was passed by voters in 2014, downgraded some crimes, such as simple drug possession, from felonies to misdemeanors and raised the minimum amount of stolen goods from $400 to $950 for a theft case to be classified as a felony.

Assembly Bill (AB) 2718 would have classified petty theft and shoplifting to be defined as serial theft—a new crime under the bill.

Serial theft of property valued over $500 would have led to prosecution if the offender had two or more previous convictions of theft—reducing the $950 minimum enforced in Proposition 47, according to the bill.

Receiving stolen property and credit card fraud are also defined as serial theft in the bill. If passed, voters would have decided at the next statewide election on whether to make the legislation law. The bill was supported by the California District Attorneys Association (CDAA)—an advocacy group for state prosecutors—that actively speaks out against crime, according to the bill analysis.

“California is suffering from an unprecedented increase in all types of thefts, including organized retail theft, smash and grabs, and vehicle theft, which negatively affects all Californians, including crime victims, consumers, and business owners,” the attorneys association said.

It’s unclear whether Cooper will bring AB 2718 back to the committee for another vote. For now, the bill goes into the pipeline of failed attempts to reform and repeal Proposition 47. theepochtimes.com

Is More Police the Solution to Retail Crime Surge?
Concerns arise over SF plan to stop retail theft
More police will now be available to deter retail theft in the City of San Francisco, police said Thursday at a press conference in SF’s Chinatown. However, not everyone thinks that more police is the answer.

The city’s latest attempt to curtail retail theft is the 10A program. Like the current 10B program that allows private retailers to hire SFPD officers to provide on-site security, the 10A program will allow businesses to contract deputies from the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office to do the same.

The problem is that the cost of this service may be a bit out of reach for smaller shop owners, said the president of the California Retailers’ Association, Rachel Michelin.

“You have to have a certain sales revenue,” she said. “This is an expensive program. It’s not cheap, and it really will impact larger retailers, probably more of the national brands. Maybe some bigger regional retailers. But if you’re a mom-and-pop in San Francisco, maybe just one store, this really isn’t going to help you.”

She said she would like to see a more comprehensive approach to solve the retail theft problem in the city. “While being able to contract with sheriff’s deputies is certainly a way to deter it, we don’t believe that is the answer long term to really get a handle on the growing issue of retail theft,” Michelin said.

The 10A legislation allows private businesses to contract deputies on an occasional basis to provide additional law enforcement in commercial corridors and retail establishments. kron4.com

Seattle Battles Repeat Retail Criminals
Seattle, King County to crack down on thieves committing repeat retail thefts
The Seattle City Attorney’s Office with the King County Prosecutor’s Office is cracking down on people who commit repeat retail thefts. The news comes as the Seattle Police Department continues to conduct undercover operations to fight the rising problem, which is costing stores like Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Target lots of money.

Just last week, both offices discussed the issue of repeat retail thefts in Seattle and decided to combine some of their cases in the hopes of getting a full understanding of a person’s repeat offender’s criminal history.

“To the folks that say what’s being done, we’re frustrated with it too. We don’t like seeing people rip off stores at Bartell’s and Walgreens. And you know, we don’t want businesses to leave Seattle, we have been working on this. We’ve been identifying these high-profile offenders for years. And now that we have this really excellent partnership with the city attorney’s office, people can be reassured that we’re going to keep paying attention,” said Casey McNerthney with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

“What’s frustrating is people can steal a cartload of items, five to six hundred dollars or more worth of goods, and that’s still a misdemeanor offense. But now, that we’re working with the city attorney’s office, even more closely than we have before, those cases are also being aggregated too,” McNerthney said.

Earlier this year, Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison announced the “High Utilizer Initiative,” which pulls together resources from several city and county agencies to keep repeat offenders in custody and get them the help they need.

The initiative has found that 118 people were responsible for more than 2,400 criminal cases in the past five years. In the past several months, tens of thousands of dollars have been stolen off Seattle store shelves. kiro7.com

NYC's Plan to Combat Summer Violence
Mayor Adams meets with NYPD precinct commanders amid rising crime, shootings
There was a big weekend meeting Saturday at NYPD headquarters as Mayor Eric Adams called in the commanders from every precinct in the city. They spent the day talking about ways to curb violence ahead of the summer.

One by one, the commanding officers from all 77 NYPD precincts, along with other police officials, arrived at headquarters for the unprecedented meeting. They were asked to bring ideas on how to improve policing and drive down violence. It lasted about three hours.

"In order to start policing the city safely again, I heard across the board, it's time to get back to the basics," Adams said. "We also need every other agency in this city engaged."

According to NYPD statistics, so far this year, as of April 28, there have been 441 shooting victims citywide. That's up nearly 9% compared to the same time last year, when there were 406 victims, and up 85% compared to the same period in 2020.

The NYPD has released more details about its summer violence reduction plan to curb shootings. Starting Sunday, May 1, every borough will have a single inspector working as a violence reduction coordinator so they can deploy cops and resources faster. The Bronx will get two of these inspectors.

In 40 precincts citywide, they'll be adding more officers and modifying shifts to start three hours earlier. As CBS2's Christina Fan reports, plans are already in place to tackle summer violence, including new Neighborhood Safety Teams that took 50 guns of the streets in the last six weeks. cbsnews.com

Target Murder Highlights Connection Between Domestic Violence & Shootings
After fatal shooting at Brickyard Mall, advocates urge people to speak out about domestic violence
A day after a woman was shot and killed in a Target parking lot outside of the Brickyard Mall, Belmont Cragin area leaders and organizations are calling for more people to speak out about domestic violence, and encouraging victims to take advantage of services and resources.

"It's tragic, because there were clues and hints that this violence was occurring, and people were quiet and silent on it, and I think that it's important that when these incidents occur, that people stand up, neighbors stand up. Call it out, so that way we don't find ourselves in a position where we have – in this case here – a woman that was shot and killed. This could have been prevented," Villegas said. cbsnews.com

Tarver explains vote against organized retail theft bill

 

COVID Update

576.4M Vaccinations Given

US: 83.1M Cases - 1M Dead - 80.7M Recovered
Worldwide: 514M Cases - 6.2M Dead - 468.8M Recovered

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

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 355  
Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 763
*Red indicates change in total deaths

Covid-19 Cases Rise in the U.S., With Limited Impact

Hospitalizations are climbing, but with comparatively fewer severe cases or fresh mitigation efforts

As new Omicron variants further infiltrate the U.S., a jumble of signals suggest the latest increase in Covid-19 infections hasn’t sparked a commensurate surge in severe illness even as risks remain.

Epidemiologists say the U.S. may have gained at least some temporary protection from the record-breaking wintertime surge triggered by an earlier version of Omicron in combination with protection from Covid-19 vaccines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week estimated the proportion of people in the U.S. with infection-induced antibodies jumped from 34% in December to 58% in February. wsj.com

The Return of Mask Mandates & Health Restrictions?
New York City Enters Higher Coronavirus Risk Level as Case Numbers Rise

The city moved into the medium risk level, known as yellow, as it sees a troubling increase in cases and the mayor weighs bringing back some restrictions.

As coronavirus cases continue to rise in New York City, the city entered a higher risk level for the virus on Monday, a troubling reminder that the pandemic is not over and that the virus still has the power to harm New Yorkers.

The city moved into the medium, or yellow, risk category for virus transmission, a development that could trigger the return of public health restrictions, although they are not required to be reinstated at this point.

Mayor Eric Adams, who last month contracted his first known case of the virus, will face difficult decisions over whether to bring back mask and vaccine mandates at a time when he is focused on the city’s economic recovery and workers are returning to offices.

What’s more, case levels in New York City, and around the country, are likely much higher than the official statistics because many residents are testing at home, and positive at-home tests are not typically included in official tallies. nytimes.com

Amazon's 'Safe Return to Normal'
Amazon is ending its paid COVID-19 sick leave policy for workers

Amazon also said it was changing some policies as part its "safe return to normal."

Amazon announced to its employees on Saturday that the company is ending its paid time off policy for employees with COVID-19 and is "returning to standard sick leave policies." Amazon employees in the US will now receive up to five days of excused, unpaid time after receiving a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis, according to the company announcement that was viewed by Insider.

As of early January, Amazon had offered employees up to one full week of paid sick leave for employees diagnosed with COVID-19. Prior to that, the company had granted employees two full weeks of paid time off for COVID-19.

Amazon will also no longer excuse any time for employees who are waiting for test results given that rapid testing is "widely available," according to the announcement to employees. In its announcement to employees on Saturday, Amazon said it was changing several of its COVID-19 policies as part of "our safe return to normal where we can."

Amazon also announced it was ending its vaccine incentives and discontinuing its practice of sending site-wide notifications of positive COVID-19 cases in its facilities, unless required by law. news.yahoo.com

COVID Cases Jumped 139% Following Coachella Music Festival in Riverside, California

Sneakers, Elastic Pants: People Alter Office Wear Amid COVID

 

Customer Harassment Rising with Prices
Fast food workers say they're facing more harassment than ever before as angry customers lash out in response to rising menu prices

As inflation pushes menu prices up, they said many customers are taking their anger out on workers.

Fast food workers have long borne the brunt of misplaced anger from customers. Now, as inflation causes food prices to skyrocket, restaurant workers say the job has become harder than ever.

Rising prices for ingredients and transportation within a beleaguered supply chain have translated to menu price increases at several popular fast food chains, leaving workers to field mounting questions and frustration from customers.

And while some companies have made changes like raising salaries and improving benefits in the last year to account for the labor shortages and demands for better working conditions, 11 fast food workers told Insider that it hasn't been enough to offset the recent onslaught of customer harassment.

The employees — who work at major chains including McDonald's, Chipotle, Starbucks, and Dunkin' — spoke to Insider anonymously to protect their jobs and their employment status has been confirmed. Workers who spoke to Insider all agreed that as prices go up, customers feel that they're entitled to changes in service, whether that means extra food, perks, or attention and energy from employees.

It's a common theme across companies, according to the employees. A Michigan Dunkin' worker said that she's had more than one customer try to jump over the counter upon finding out their desired ingredient wasn't available.

He added that customers seem to increasingly feel that "it's okay to emotionally abuse workers and leave messes." businessinsider.com

Macy's Small Store Rollout Continues
Macy’s Is Betting Even Bigger on Smaller Stores

Format offers a frequently updated inventory that mixes trendy and staple items

Macy’s Inc. is accelerating its rollout of smaller department stores, betting that it can attract more shoppers with fewer products and more digital services at stores closer to where customers run their daily errands.

Department stores like Nordstrom Inc. and Bloomingdale’s, a unit of Macy’s, began experimenting with smaller footprints years ago as online shopping depressed foot traffic to malls and millennials began moving to the suburbs. The pandemic accelerated the trend, with retailers gravitating toward suburban shopping centers where people are making more frequent visits to grocery stores and using new curbside pickup services.

Open-air shopping centers have been the “backbone of retail over the last five to 10 years,” said Brandon Isner, head of Americas retail thought leadership at CBRE Group Inc., a commercial real-estate services firm. These centers include grocery-anchored shopping hubs and strip malls with smaller convenience and services-oriented tenants.

Macy’s opened five Market by Macy’s locations over the past two years in Texas and Atlanta. At 22,000 to 58,000 square feet, these stores are about a fifth the size of the company’s department stores. The smaller stores offer a frequently updated inventory that mixes trendy and staple items, such as the latest style of loafers and classic T-shirts.  wsj.com

More Amazon Closures
Amazon is closing 6 Whole Foods stores across the US

Amazon recently closed nearly 70 retail shops to focus on its grocery business.

The closing locations are located in Montgomery, Alabama; Mobile, Alabama; Brookline, Massachusetts; Tarzana, California; and two stores in Chicago, Bloomberg first reported. There are about 500 Whole Foods locations around the world.

In March, Amazon announced it would close 68 physical stores, including Amazon Books, Amazon 4-Star, and Amazon Pop Up stores in the US and UK. That decision was part of a plan to focus on grocery, the chain told Insider at the time.

Amazon is at an "inflection point," in terms of brick and mortar strategy, head of analytical research at Placer.ai RJ Hottovy told Insider. Amazon can refine its strategy at this point to figure out what the relationship between Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh will be going forward. businessinsider.com

Apple Workers Fight to Unionize
This is what Apple retail employees in Atlanta are fighting for
The Apple Store, located in Atlanta’s Cumberland Mall, is the first of the company’s 272 retail locations to file for a union election. Employees have written an open letter explaining what changes they are pushing for: fair compensation and transparency on alleged pay inequality within the company, a commitment to promote more BIPOC employees into leadership positions, and increased COVID-19 safety measures in stores.

“We want to have a voice in our workplace,” says Elli Daniels, a retail employee and union organizer. “We are doing this because we adore Apple and we love our jobs and we want to make sure we can continue to love the company as much as we do right now. We aren’t doing this because we want to turn our backs on the company.” theverge.com

J.C. Penney is reinventing itself. Again.
As the department store unveiled a marketing campaign designed to woo back customers, its owners reportedly bid on rival Kohl’s. What else is new.

Ulta Beauty apologies for ‘insensitive’ Kate Spade email

Surging prices force consumers to ask: Can I live without it?