The Battle Against Retail Crime is 'Becoming Harder to Fight'
How to Manage the Retail Crime Crisis
No person should fear for their physical or psychological wellbeing at work. In the retail industry, however, this has become commonplace. Recent data shows that 88 percent of retailers have identified more aggressive and violent shoplifters compared to one year ago. In addition, in 2023, as many as 13 percent of small business owners in the U.S. said they experienced retail theft every single day, with around a quarter of these retailers losing between $1,500 and $2,000 a month as a result.

The long battle against retail crime is becoming harder to fight. Those working in retail are having to remain extra vigilant against the threat, with constant surveillance of the aisles required. When suspicious activity is spotted, knowing the correct action to take isn’t always clearly defined. Criminals are also adopting sophisticated techniques when attempting to steal products, such as distracting employees before making a move. For retail employees, crime prevention has had to become a part of their daily work.

Protecting Associates With Smart Technology

Smart technology is essential to building effective security measures on retail sales floors. With a number of devices connected in one ecosystem, teams have more confidence in approaching difficult situations. Crucially, they know they can contact another team member to assist them, as smart devices feature seamless, discreet communication across not just associates, but security personnel and emergency services as well. With this setup, a smart camera can send an alert straight to the security team when it spots suspicious activity.

Telephony integration means that everyone in the team can call the emergency services from anywhere in the store to alert them directly. They don’t have to face the difficulty in such scenarios of using a physical phone. The visibility of direct in-store communication channels can serve as a deterrent to criminals.

Making Connected Stores Safer

While it’s the role of the police to tackle organized retail crime, measures that ensure the safety of sales floor teams are paramount. A number of retailers have brought in technological solutions in their stores to protect their staff and prevent stock depletion, but now it’s a case of ensuring that they're integrated with each other to ensure they feel safe, supported and empowered.  mytotalretail.com


Prop 47 Becomes Top Issue in Presidential Campaign
The California Shoplifting Law That Trump Says Is Too Lenient

Donald J. Trump has said that California allows thieves to steal goods in the state’s stores and falsely blamed Vice President Kamala Harris for it.

As Donald J. Trump tests lines of attack against Vice President Kamala Harris, he has claimed that shoplifters in California are allowed to steal up to $950 from stores with no consequence — and that Ms. Harris is to blame.

Mr. Trump, the Republican former president, has increasingly focused on policies in California, Ms. Harris’s home state, as a way to portray her as too liberal for the national electorate and try to blunt her efforts to appeal to moderate voters. Ms. Harris, a Democrat, served as the San Francisco district attorney and the attorney general of California before she became a senator in 2017.

“You’re allowed to rob a store as long as it’s not more than $950,” Mr. Trump said at a news conference in New Jersey this month. “Has everyone heard of that? You can rob a store, and you have these thieves going into stores with calculators calculating how much it is. Because if it’s less than $950 they can rob it and not get charged. That was her that did that.”

Mr. Trump, who repeated the claim at a rally in North Carolina, was referring to Proposition 47, a landmark criminal justice measure that California voters passed overwhelmingly in 2014 to reduce penalties for some theft and drug possession crimes. The changes came as crime rates were falling in California compared with those of previous decades and as the state was being ordered by federal courts to reduce its prison population.

The measure established that shoplifters who steal $950 or less in goods can only be charged with a misdemeanor. Previously, prosecutors had the discretion to charge suspects with either a misdemeanor or a felony. nytimes.com


NYC's Crime Closures & Anti-Theft Measures
Locked Cabinets, Reduced Hours And Store Closures: Retail Theft In NYC

What do retailers have to say about the big changes at the brick-and-mortar stores in your neighborhood?

In September 2023, Target closed its East Harlem store, the result of ongoing theft and organized retail crime putting the safety of employees and customers at risk, the company said. Nearly a year later, the company posted earnings that beat Wall Street’s expectations, in part because Target has apparently “solved” retail theft, according to Yahoo Finance.

If more retailers follow Target’s lead, New Yorkers could have even fewer brick-and-mortar options to count on for essentials, in an environment already characterized by so-called zombie pharmacies, or empty drugstores that stay vacant for years.

To get a sense of how retailers are responding to theft, Patch caught up with David Johnson, Vice President of Asset Protection & Retail Operations at the National Retail Federation (NRF).

First of all, making the decision to close a store is never easy, according to Johnson. In considering how to handle a problem store, retailers weigh the security options they have, as well as the effectiveness of this security and the safety of the store’s environment.

But theft creates other problems that extend far beyond inventory protection. It disrupts the overall shopping experience, diminishes customer trust, and erodes the store's reputation. It also puts employees at risk, making them less likely to stay on the job.   patch.com
 
RELATED: Target CFO Says It's Made a Dent in Retail Crime


Small Retailers 'Turning Blind Eye' To Stolen Goods?
UK: Shops buying stolen goods from professional shoplifters, retail groups say
Shops across the UK are buying stolen goods from professional shoplifters who thieve to order for criminal gangs to feed their addiction problems, retail groups have said.

The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) said its members were reporting “high volume” and “very brazen and direct” incidents of shoplifting, with meat, cheese and alcohol items typically being targeted.

Businesses report seeing their items being sold locally or on Facebook or WhatsApp groups after they are stolen. James Lowman, ACS chief executive, told the PA news agency that he is aware that other businesses, usually smaller shops, are also purchasing stolen goods.

Mr Lowman said that thieves are stealing to order, speculating that buyers may be turning a “blind eye” because they cannot be sure if items are stolen.

Andrew Goodacre, chief executive of the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) said he is aware of criminal gangs getting involved in organising shoplifters, improving their ability to steal and dispose of the goods.

He also described hearing more cases in the past year of other stores buying the goods once they are stolen.

The ACS said 5.6 million incidents of shop theft were reported by its members over the past year, with half of the shoplifters being repeat offenders. In the last year, convenience stores spent £339 million on crime prevention, such as CCTV, alarms and tagging, the ACS told PA. uk.news.yahoo.com


C-Store Chain Cited by OSHA for Failing to Enact Workplace Violence Program
OSHA Cites Convenience Store Following Robbery and Shooting
The vast majority of citations issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration involve accidents or negligent behavior that result in injury or illness resulting from inanimate objects, hazardous materials, or acts of God. In some circumstances however, OSHA cites employers after a criminal act by a third party. Earlier this week, the agency cited a Florida convenience store chain for the maximum $16,131 amount following a shooting during a robbery, which seriously injured the clerk.

While OSHA regulations do not address workplace violence, over the years the agency has issued a number of guidelines and best practices for employers with high risks of exposure to workplace violence such as convenience store and health care workers. In this case, OSHA used these guidelines, among others, to cite the employer under the General Duty Clause, a catch-all provision that allows OSHA to issue penalties in the event of exposure to serious injury or death in the absence of a specific workplace safety standard.

OSHA said that the employer failed to implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention program, including elements such as training, and assessment of engineering and other controls to reduce the likelihood of employee injury in the event of a robbery. If this approach is considered an industry consensus, many affected employers lack the type of comprehensive workplace violence prevention programs noted by OSHA. Given recent Supreme Court decisions limiting the regulatory authority of federal agencies, employers may be more inclined to challenge citations based on non-regulatory safety guidance.  jdsupra.com


'Get-Out-of-Jail-Free' Cards for ORC Rings
Editorial: Why the low bail on major retail-theft incident?

If we’re going to be serious about stemming well-organized retail-theft rings, we’ve got to stop with get-out-of-jail-free cards

Here’s one from the police blotter of last week’s GazetteLeader: Fairfax County police recently arrested two members of an out-of-state retail-theft crew targeting high-end boutiques in Tysons and across multiple other states.

In the same report: The suspects in the incidents were held on $2,500 bonds. Just $2,500? That’s a typo, right? No? That was it?

Each suspect must have thought it was his lucky day and gone out to buy lottery tickets after release.

If we’re going to be serious about stemming well-organized retail-theft rings, we’ve got to stop with get-out-of-jail-free cards. If there is probable cause, set a high bond to send a message. gazetteleader.com


Governor signs DA-sponsored bill to combat organized retail theft

Washington Again Ranks No. 1 For Retail Theft

Most Commonly Stolen Items From Texas Wal-Mart Stores

S.F. to beef up Union Square patrols after shooting
 

 
What Is Fueling Workplace Accidents?
"Factors such as inexperience, workforce shortages and maintenance issues are all contributing to these unfortunate and often avoidable accidents"

Common Workplace Accidents Result in Costliest Claims

Travelers study finds slips, trips and falls at top of claims.

After examining 1.2 million workers compensation claims from 2017 to 2021, a new survey from Travelers found the most frequent causes of injury as follows:

• Overexertion (29% )
• Slips, trips and falls (23%)
• Being struck by an object (12%)
• Motor vehicle accidents (5%)
• Caught-in or caught-between hazards (5%)

Looking at severe claims ($250,000 or more), the top drivers were:

• Slips, trips and falls
• Overexertion
• Being struck by an object
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Caught-in or caught-between hazards

As has been the case in the past few years, 35% of workplace injuries occurred during an employee’s first year on the job. For 2023, this resulted in six million missed days.

“Factors such as inexperience, workforce shortages and maintenance issues are all contributing to these unfortunate and often avoidable accidents,” said Rich Ives, senior vice president of Business Insurance Claim at Travelers. in a statement. “While the number of injuries overall has been trending downward in recent years, our analysis shows that there’s never been a better time for businesses to invest in workplace safety and injury prevention. ehstoday.com


20% of Workers Considered Leaving Job Over Mental Health Issues
Mental Health Affects Workers' Abilities

87% of workers had a mental health experience that interfered with their ability to work.

One in five workers considered leaving their job in 2023 due to their mental health and its impact on their ability to work. This finding is from the State of Workforce Mental Health Report, from LyraHealth.

“In 2023, the vast majority of workers across industries (87%) experienced at least one mental health issue, and most employees in the United States (65%) tell us their mental health interfered with their ability to work,” said Alethea Varra, senior vice president of clinical care at Lyra Health, in the report.

“The most common mental health conditions—depression and anxiety—continue to affect huge swaths of the workforce. And while fewer employees this year cited issues like stress and burnout among their top mental health challenges, more workers are experiencing severe, complex issues such as eating-related problems, substance use disorders, and suicidal ideation.”

While the survey found that the percentage of U.S. workers cite stress as top mental health challenge was 40% in 2023, compared to 51% in 2022, serious mental health issues on the rise. “Employers have made great progress in curbing stigma around depression, anxiety, and stress. Severe conditions, however, are still heavily stigmatized and can be hiding in plain sight.” Dr. Joe Grasso, vice president, Workforce Transformation Lyra Health, in a statement.  ehstoday.com


Dollar General sees ‘cash-strapped consumer,’ cuts guidance
Dollar General’s core customers — lower income consumers — continue to struggle in the current economic climate, Vasos said during a Thursday earnings call. Despite that, the retailer is still seeing growing market share in dollars and unit sales in its consumables segment. retaildive.com


Tesco faces strike ballot as warehouse workers reject pay offer
The eight sites affected are Hinckley, Magor, Southampton, Daventry Clothing, Goole, Lichfield, Livingston and Peterborough

Is Victoria’s Secret finally on the upswing? 

Sainsbury’s acquires 10 Homebase stores

Last week's #1 article --

Inside Look at Undercover Anti-Theft Ops in California
Ride-along: Watch Sacramento County sheriff's deputies conduct Operation Hot August Nights
The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office is doubling down on retail theft. The organized retail theft unit conducted a second undercover operation over the weekend, made possible by a $9 million state grant.

The five-day operation called Hot August Nights resulted in 360 citations, 216 trespass notices, 240 misdemeanors, 20 felonies, 9 towed vehicles and deputies recovering $22,000 in stolen merchandise. KCRA 3 News rode along for one night of the operation.

The deputies were broken up into four teams of about 40 deputies. They all met at the department first to gear up for another shift of shaking down shoplifters. Deputies are trying to put a dent in the nearly $8 billion California businesses lose every year to thieves.

"We are out here enforcing theft crimes, and that the days of being able to just run rampant and do whatever you want are coming to an end," said Detective Andy Cater. Cater led one of four teams watching four different retail stores. kcra.com