What's Small And Round And Makes Lots Of Sound?
The Tick-R-Tape Tag and Super Mini Tape Tag!

The Tick-R-Tape Tag can be used alone with just the base or secured to the package with conductive tape or a conductive label, creating additional alarm capabilities. It can replace wire package wraps and "keepers". When the merchandise goes through the POS, the associate keeps the tag and leaves the base and tape on the package to go home with the customer for removal later, with no damaged packaging. Through testing and research with the LPRC, it has been established that the customers are not bothered by that and actually feel better knowing the package had not been opened by others. See the report on our website, or in the LPRC knowledge Center.

This tag has 6-alarm capability when using 2-pieces of conductive tape and can self-alarm out the door while activating the EAS pedestals. Its 98 dBl alarm can be heard throughout the store. The Tick-R-Tape Tag uses our handheld decoder to deactivate the alarm before removing it from the package. This will prevent unauthorized detachers from being used. The Tick-R-Tape Tag has unlimited life due to having a replaceable battery. It is water resistant and cannot be "jumped". With our new modifications, the Tick-R-Tape Tag can be used with the new Gen6 SP on large, boxed goods like vacuums.

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Is Inflation the Real Fuel of the Shoplifting Surge?
Shoplifters point to inflation and economy as main reasons for stealing from retailers
Inflation has led to price surges at grocery stores, car dealerships and even dine-in restaurants nationwide. A new study finds it's also the main motive behind another recent surge: shoplifting.

More than 20% of Americans have admitted to stealing items from stores within the past year or so, according to a new survey from personal finance website LendingTree, which polled 2,000 U.S. consumers from ages 18 to 78.

Of those who admitted to recent retail theft, roughly 90% of them said they did so because of inflation and the current economy. Specific reasons included, prices becoming otherwise unaffordable (34%), helping make ends meet (30%) and helping save a few bucks (27%).

"Lots of people are struggling in the face of still-rising prices, and they're going to somewhat desperate measures to help them get by," LendingTree chief credit analyst Matt Schulz said in a statement. "With inflation stubbornly sticking around, that's not likely to change soon."

LendingTree's survey follows a recent report from the Council on Criminal Justice, which found that shoplifting rose 24% in the first six months in 2024, even as reports of other crimes have gone down.

To be sure, retailers have long raised concerns about a rise in shoplifting, particularly so-called "smash-and-grab" incidents in which thieves shatter glass display cases to steal valuable merchandise like electronics or jewelry. But the LendingTree survey, to some extent, marks a new piece of insight into why Americans are now committing retail theft at a much higher clip.

About half of shoplifters in the survey, 52%, said they've stolen from chain stores. A smaller number, 28% said they've stolen from smaller local stores. Grocery stores are considered the easiest to steal from according to 46% of those surveyed. cbsnews.com


Grant Funds are 'Essential Tool' in Fight ORC
Combating organized retail theft with grant funding: Strategies and solutions

Organized retail theft has risen sharply in recent years, and federal and state grant initiatives can be crucial in combating this threat

Organized retail theft — also known as organized retail crime (or ORC) — has seen a significant spike in the past several years, impacting communities nationwide. Unlike petty shoplifting, these crimes are orchestrated by criminal rings that steal large quantities of goods from businesses with the intent to resell them. This rise in theft has prompted legislative and law enforcement actions at both the federal and state levels. Grant funds are becoming an essential tool in efforts to fight the problem, providing the necessary resources to tackle organized retail theft effectively.

Organized retail theft differs from individual shoplifting in both scale and sophistication. These criminal groups often employ violence and advanced tactics to maximize their haul. For example, in an October 2023 theft in a Nashville Nordstrom store, at least five robbers deployed bear spray to facilitate the theft of about $60,000 in merchandise. According to a Forbes story from the same month, “88% of retailers reported that shoplifters are more aggressive and violent now compared with a year ago, including 49% who said they have observed ‘much more’ violent and aggressive behavior.”

Authorities say perpetrators of organized retail theft frequently cross state lines to exploit outdated prosecution and sentencing laws. These loopholes allow them to operate with relative impunity, accumulating vast quantities of stolen goods which they then sell to unsuspecting customers on various online platforms as legitimate merchandise.

Recognizing the severity of the issue, state and federal legislatures have initiated actions to strengthen the fight against organized retail theft. More than a dozen states have launched organized task forces that collaborate with private companies and law enforcement agencies to combat the scourge of organized retail theft. These task forces aim to address the theft problem comprehensively, from street-level thefts to the fencing networks that facilitate the resale of stolen goods.

In Alabama, for instance, the Retail Crime Prevention Act has been enacted to enhance the punishment for these crimes. Similarly, in California, the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) awarded over $267 million to local law enforcement agencies to combat the retail crime wave, demonstrating a significant commitment to pushing back against the growing problem. police1.com


Another State Battles 'Violent Retail Theft' with New Law
Proposed law targets retail theft sprees as organized crime
Ohio is looking at treating escalating and increasingly violent retail theft sprees as organized crime with a statewide law enforcement task force and stronger criminal penalties.

Now in the Senate, a House-passed bill would create the task force to collaborate with the state attorney general's office and the Ohio Organized Crime Commission to assist law enforcement and prosecutors and to share information in real time across jurisdictions.

Dubbed the Fight Organized Retail Crime and Empower Law Enforcement (FORCE) Act, the bill passed the House 69-27 in late June just before the chamber recessed for the summer. The Senate does not plan to return to Columbus until after the Nov. 5 election.

The bill is supported by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and multiple other business and retail entities.

“We do not have an interest, nor do our members, in locking up or punishing individuals who make a one-off mistake or find themselves in unique situations where they feel they have no choice but to commit theft,” Alex Boehnke of the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants told a House committee in support of the bill. “Our focus remains on large-scale theft rings that operate across municipalities and states, committing targeted thefts on retailers.”

Some Democrats voiced concern that the bill would exacerbate the state's existing prison overcrowding problem, pointing to language that would escalate penalties for new crimes if an offender had previously been convicted of minor retail theft.

Ohio has already enacted a law requiring greater information from high-volume online sellers whose platforms may be used to sell items stolen in smash-and-grabs and other organized retail thefts.

Similar legislation has since been passed at the federal level. toledoblade.com


'Robbery & Break-In Epicenter'
It was the epicenter of Oakland’s surging crime. Is this corridor any better now?
After a yearlong swarm of police patrols, unarmed community ambassadors, new security cameras and community meetings, this gritty East Oakland stretch of shops may be slowly shedding its reputation as the city’s robbery and break-in epicenter.

The troubled sector made national news in January when statistics showed that the In-N-Out’s neighborhood had suffered 1,335 incidents of violence and theft since 2019, more than any other location in Oakland. And it’s not even that big of an area — the Hegenberger corridor consists of just six blocks from Interstate 880 to the airport, with several blocks radiating on either side, mostly to nearby 98th Avenue.

It’s always been fertile territory for thieves to pull off a quick heist and dash away on the freeway, and travelers coming to and from the airport are particularly vulnerable: They either leave luggage, phones and the like in their cars while they grab food at any of the many fast-food spots, or they get robbed while they’re pumping gas.

Worn down by the thievery, at least seven restaurants have closed in the past two years, including a Denny’s, a Black Bear Diner and two Starbucks outlets. In-N-Out’s shutdown in March was a particularly bad blow, since it was the only one in the city and a popular pit stop along I-880.

City crime statistics showing a drop of more than 30% citywide in recent months are likely overstated, according to data analysis by the Chronicle, but Johnson said day-to-day tallies by crews assigned to the Hegenberger project show a drop, at least for that area. The drop in robberies and break-ins from as many as 85 a day in June 2023 to around 30 a day settled in by the beginning of 2024, and it has stayed there since then.

“Thirty a day is still, in my opinion, too many, but it’s a big reduction,” he said. “What we are doing is working.”  sfchronicle.com
 

More DAs Secure Grants to Fight ORC
Sonoma County DA's Office awarded $2.05M in grant funding from the State of California’s Organized Retail Theft Grant Program
Recently Governor Newsom laid out his Real Public Safety Plan, which included funding for the Organized Retail Crime local law enforcement grants. The Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office has been awarded $2.05 million in grant funding from the State of California’s Organized Retail Theft Grant Program, administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC), to combat organized retail theft. The grant funds will be used by the office to establish a dedicated prosecutor and investigator focused on ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable by identifying gaps in the system and improving cooperation with retail operators and local law enforcement. da.sonomacounty.ca.gov


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Workplace Violence: 2nd Leading Cause of Fatal Workplace Injuries in U.S.
Will more states follow California's lead of passing workplace violence laws?

Preventing Workplace Violence Starts with a Plan

Workplace violence, like other industrial hazards, can be prevented with the proper culture and planning.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, violence at the workplace is actually the second leading cause of fatal workplace injuries in the United States. As of the beginning of July, the California State OSHA has begun requiring companies under its remit to establishing and implementing a written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan — comparable to the Injury and Illness Prevention Programs already required elsewhere.

California's State Bill 553, which was signed in 2023 and came into effect July 1, 2024. While Cal/OSHA’s requirements only apply to companies operating in California, workplace violence happens all over the country. According to the latest available data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 849 fatalities in the 2022 workforce caused intentionally by another person, up substantially from 718 in 2021.

According to Scott Bullock, an HR, recruiting, safety, and risk management consultant with Optima Office, Cal/OSHA’s latest requirement is unique in the country, but welcomes the spotlight it puts on a preventable problem for businesses. “As far as I know, no one [else] has created an enforceable standard strictly for workplace violence,” he said in an interview with IndustryWeek.

California’s State Bill 553 requires businesses to create a Workplace Violence Protection Plan, or WVPP, that includes assigning responsibilities and keeping a log of violent incidents and investigations.

Bullock, who has worked with several small- to medium-sized companies on workplace violence protection programs, emphasizes that, as with other workplace safety issues, a suitable culture of safety is a primary focus.

If other states follow Cal/OSHA’s lead, more state governments may require workplaces to establish and enforce WVPP. But even if a plan isn’t required, the potential for workplace violence should always be considered a relevant feature of any comprehensive safety policy.  industryweek.com
 
 
Are You Ignoring the Warning Signs?
Back to Basics: Recognizing the Warning Signs of Workplace Violence
Workplace violence has a been a major concern for businesses for years now, but it’s especially topical as some states begin passing legislation requiring workplaces to have violence prevention plans in place. While the settings and requirements vary, one thing that businesses everywhere should do is ensure that workers know how to recognize the warning signs of workplace violence.

Workplace violence among co-workers is one of the most common types, but violent incidents can also be committed by people from outside the workplace, according to the Department of Labor (DOL). This can include domestic violence, bomb threats, and violence by customers.

Often employees ignore warning signs because they think they’re not important, they’ve become desensitized to a co-worker’s behavior, or they feel it’s none of their business. While actual threats are more obvious and should be responded to immediately, employees need to trust their judgment and senses when there isn’t an obvious threat. If a worker gets a “gut feeling” that someone is dangerous, they should take the proper precautions. ehsdailyadvisor.blr.com


Will More Stores Adopt Amazon's 'Just Walk Out' Tech?
Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology just got even more accurate—here’s what’s new

New, advanced AI model increases accuracy, making the technology scalable to new locations, so you can skip the checkout line at more stores globally.

A new multi-modal foundation model further increases its accuracy by using the same transformer-based machine learning models underlying many generative AI applications, and applies them to physical stores. We accomplish this by analyzing data from cameras and sensors throughout the store simultaneously, instead of looking at which items shoppers pick up and put back in a linear sequence. For retailers, the new AI system makes Just Walk Out faster, easier to deploy, and more efficient. For shoppers, this means worry-free shopping at even more third-party checkout-free stores worldwide.

The new Just Walk Out multi-modal foundation model for physical stores is a significant advancement in the evolution of checkout-free shopping. It increases the accuracy of Just Walk Out technology even in complex shopping scenarios with variables such as camera obstructions, lighting conditions, and the behavior of other shoppers, while allowing us to simplify the system. aboutamazon.com


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