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9/26/23

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NRF's 2023 National Retail Security Survey: ORC Remains Top Threat

Retail Crime Accounted for Over $112 Billion in Industry Losses in 2022, According to NRF Report

Sep 26, 2023 -- WASHINGTON – As incidents of retail crime continue to escalate throughout the country, retailers have seen a dramatic jump in financial losses associated with theft. When taken as a percentage of total retail sales in 2022, shrink accounted for $112.1 billion in losses, up from $93.9 billion* in 2021, according to the 2023 National Retail Security Survey released today by the National Retail Federation.

“Retailers are seeing unprecedented levels of theft coupled with rampant crime in their stores, and the situation is only becoming more dire," said NRF Vice President for Asset Protection and Retail Operations David Johnston. "Far beyond the financial impact of these crimes, the violence and concerns over safety continue to be the priority for all retailers, regardless of size or category.”

According to the survey, the average shrink rate in FY 2022 increased to 1.6%, up from 1.4% the previous year. Shrink percentages can vary significantly by retail sector. On par with previous years, internal and external theft accounted for nearly two-thirds (65%) of retailers’ shrink.

Retailers reported that organized retail crime (ORC) remains a significant concern due to heightened levels of violence. More than two-thirds (67%) of respondents said they were seeing even more violence and aggression from ORC perpetrators compared with a year ago.

Even though retailers continue to enhance their loss prevention and asset protection measures, sometimes more drastic action must be taken. Retailers reported being forced to close a specific store location (28%), reduce operating hours (45%) or reduce or alter in-store product selection (30%) as a direct result of retail crime.

As violence has increased, more retailers have opted to enforce a “hands off” approach in the apprehension of shoplifters. More survey respondents said that no employees are authorized to stop or apprehend shoplifters (41%), compared with 38% last year.

The top five cities/metropolitan areas affected by ORC in the past year were Los Angeles, San Francisco/Oakland, Houston, New York and Seattle.

As retail crime continues to evolve in scope and sophistication, so are retailers’ prevention efforts. When asked about resource allocation to address today’s risks, 34% have increased internal payroll to support their risks, while 46% have increased the use of third-party security personnel. Over half (53%) have increased their technology and software solution budgets in the past year. With violence being one of the most concerning risks, 54% have increased or are increasing employee workplace violence training. nrf.com

Read the full press release here |
Download the report here

The 2023 Optimistically Risky Retail Holiday Season Forecasts

By Tony D'Onofrio, President, Sensormatic

According to forecasts from eMarketer, overall USA retail spending this holiday season will increase 4.5% to over $1.3 trillion, with ecommerce accounting for almost 20% and contributing to 48.5% of incremental spending gains.

Last year, a survey by Google found that by mid-October, holiday shoppers globally had on average 21% of their holiday shopping complete. Retailers should expect the same early start to the shopping stampede this year.

According to Salesforce, 2023 online holiday sales will be flat to last year, reaching $1.19 trillion globally. Some interesting new trends are emerging this year that foreshadow more disruption ahead.

According to Salesforce, for 2023:

• Both generative and predictive artificial intelligence (AI) will influence $194 billion in global holiday shopping spend.

• 81% of shoppers report they have stopped purchasing from a brand or retailer after one bad return experience. For this holiday season, poor return experiences, policies and processes will mean that 21% of online orders are at risk of being lost.

• Those new services that expanded during pandemic are here to stay. In the 2022 shopping season Buy-On-Line-Pick-Up-In-Store (BOPIS) drove one in five online orders and that surged to over one in three orders after the shipping cutoff dates. For 2023, BOPIS will drive $28 billion in incremental global stores sales.

• Social media advertising will drive 10 times more online holiday shopping visits than traditional marketing.

• Resale products are growing faster that ever for the 2023 holiday season, 17% will be resold items, saving 32 billion pounds of waste from going into landfills.

Many of these trends will apply to instore sales as the retail industry continue to be disrupted by new innovative technologies.

Read the full article here

The U.S. Crime Surge
The Retail Impact

200+ Businesses Go On Strike After Oakland Missed ORC Funding Deadline
Oakland business "strike" against rampant crime set for Tuesday

Over 200 Oakland businesses are preparing to go on strike Tuesday in a call for better public safety.

Some will be closed all day and some from 10 a.m. to noon, according to Carl Chan, longtime local business advocate and former president of the Chinatown Business Association.

They are planning to gather for a public press conference outside of Le Cheval restaurant at 10 a.m. The 38-year-old family business announced last week it will be closing at the end of September because of a drop in business due to increased crime. Le Cheval will be joining the strike as well, owner Son Tran said.

"We need to get additional resources from the county sheriff, the California Highway Patrol, and the FBI," said Chan. He also called for the involvement of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms.

"Crimes have gotten out of hand. All these repeat offenders keep targeting many businesses, but also people," said Chan.

The strike comes on the heels of criticism directed at city leaders for missing a grant deadline that would have provided millions in state funding to help combat organized retail theft, a problem contributing to the challenges faced by local businesses.

Businesses are calling for financial resources from the city, county and governor to offset their losses.

"Small businesses are the biggest employers of the city," said Chan. "We're creating jobs, paying business tax, sales tax, property tax, income tax. We're all paying for it. There should be resources supporting the business community." cbsnews.com

RELATED: Sharpening focus on crime, Oakland reverses cuts to violence prevention

AE Broke Leases & Closed 5 Stores Due to Rampant Violence at Northlake Mall
American Eagle calls Northlake Mall ‘reminiscent of warzone’ in counterclaim over lease
In the battle over a broken lease, clothing retailer American Eagle says Northlake Mall was “reminiscent of a warzone.”

After Northlake Mall filed lawsuits against five stores for breaking their leases, American Eagle is fighting back with a bold counterclaim against the mall’s operators.

Spinoso Real Estate Group, which operates the mall in north Charlotte, sued American Eagle and others in late July, alleging that the store vacated and abandoned the premises on April 29. The original lawsuit said American Eagle had a lease through Jan. 31, 2024.

American Eagle’s parent company, AE Outfitters Retail Co., responded with the counterclaim on Tuesday, saying that the lease permits the company to leave the store unattended “due to emergency events beyond tenant’s anticipation and control.”

American Eagle claims that “rampant violence at Northlake Mall” and a new chaperone policy for teen shoppers “constitute such emergency events.”

AE says in the lawsuit that Spinoso promised to lease them space in a shopping center “in accordance with the standards of first-class shopping centers.”

“Instead, Spinoso allowed the shopping center - Northlake Mall - to deteriorate into an atmosphere reminiscent of a warzone, replete with violent criminals, multiple shootings, terrorized tenants and customers, and diminished business.”

The lawsuit claims the Apple store moved out of the mall after three shootings at Northlake Mall. yahoo.com

Car Theft Rates Skyrocketing - Further Slowing Retail Crime Responses
U.S. Cities Have Staggering Problem of Kia & Hyundai Thefts. This Data Shows It.
Thefts of easy-to-steal Kias and Hyundais are a scourge on American cities. Detailed data from ten cities obtained by Motherboard tells part of the story.

Chicago used to have about 850 cars stolen per month. Now, it consistently has more than 2,000, an average of 86 cars stolen every single day. Denver rarely had more than 800 stolen cars in a month before 2021. Now it usually has more than 1,000. Atlanta usually had less than 250 per month before 2022. This year, it has doubled.

The thefts are centered around two car brands: Kia and Hyundai. The companies sold more than nine million cars over the course of a decade without basic anti-theft technology that makes them trivially simple to steal.

Stolen car rates are not up by 10 percent, or 20 percent, or even 50 percent. In many cities, they are up hundreds of percentage points, Motherboard has found. Rates of stolen Kias and Hyundais in particular are up thousands of percentage points.

Equipped with only a screwdriver and a USB cord and watching one or two tutorials, pretty much anyone can steal a Kia or Hyundai without an immobilizer. vice.com

Theft 'Epidemic' Across the Pond
Shoplifting 'epidemic' hits major European city as stores offer to equip staff with bodycams

One local storeowner called the situation 'out of control'

Major retail chains in the United Kingdom have grown so concerned about increased shoplifting they have provided employees with body cameras to deter crime.

"Recently, we’ve had a massive increase in the cases of shoplifting," Benedict Selvaratnam, owner of the Fresh Market in Court in London's Croydon, told Fox News Digital. "Where it used to be three to five incidents in the week, now we’re suffering from anywhere to three to 10 a day. It’s very much out of control."

Fashion chain Primark joined supermarket chains Tesco and Sainsbury’s in supplying employees with body cameras and adding security guards and CCTV cameras and systems.

The increased measures occur as businesses like Target, Foot Locker and Dick’s Sporting Goods all warned that their profits have been under pressure from loss of inventory due to thefts. Department store chain John Lewis said earlier this month shoplifting had reached "epidemic" levels in Britain. foxnews.com

'Dangerous' & Illegal NYC Vendors
Brooklyn Bridge has become ‘disgusting flea market’ for illegal NYC vendors
The tourist-jammed Brooklyn Bridge has become a “disgusting, mile-long souvenir shop and flea market” due to illegal vendors who clog up the famous walkway, residents rage.

There is a city proposal to ban all vendors to “enhance pedestrian safety” and “ease overcrowding on the elevated pedestrian walkways.” Area residents are fed up.

“It is totally disgusting. The bridge used to be a great place to walk over. Not anymore because of all the vendors,” wrote John Fratta on Nextdoor. “Only the City of New York can screw up a nice feature for us residents. I no longer go there.”

Manhattan resident Katie Raffa griped that the bridge is “INSANE. So dangerous. The walkway is already wayyyy too narrow for how many people are on the bridge. Moving the bike lane was a positive, now it’s just a flea market.” nypost.com

'Connect with Congress': Lawmaker Discusses ORC
NRF Connect with Congress Program
Join us on Wednesday, Sept. 27, at 4 p.m. ET for NRF’s RetailPAC Direct new virtual program, “Connect with Congress.” This virtual conversation will convene retail professionals with Representative Susie Lee, D-Nev., for an engaging discussion on the threat of organized retail crime.

Rep. Lee will also discuss prominent topics such as swipe fee reform, retail tax credits, the 2024 election and how she is addressing the ongoing epidemic of ORC through her support of the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act.

Sign up today through NRF’s RetailPAC Direct program by contributing $30 to Rep. Lee's Campaign!

One Month Away!
Fight Retail Crime Day 2023
We are only one month away from Fight Retail Crime Day! The surge in organized retail crime is significantly impacting consumers, retailers, workers and the communities they serve. In response to this crucial issue, NRF has designated Oct. 26 as Fight Retail Crime Day — an annual event that mobilizes the entire retail business community to advocate for effective solutions in combating this problem.

Learn more about 'Fight Retail Crime Day' here

Editorial: AI could help with retail theft. But at what cost?

S.F. to ramp up clearing homeless encampments after new court guidance

Gap Abruptly Closes Embarcadero Center Banana Republic store in downtown San Francisco

Robots Replacing Human Security Guards Amid Worker Shortage
As ADT’s Ed Bacco told the Financial Times (FT) in a report Sunday (Sept. 24), androids can help the security industry deal with its ongoing problem of high turnover.

“We wanted to have more consistency in our guards, and so when I came over to ADT I saw an opportunity to introduce something to the market,” said Bacco, who has also worked at Amazon and for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The report said that the Security Industry Association, the international trade group, believes a labor shortage is a longtime factor hampering growth within the industry. In Great Britain, that country’s security trade association projects there will be a shortfall of more than 60,000 security officers this year.

According to the FT, ADT Commercial has invested in robotics firm 1X, and is testing 10 of its humanoid robots at its monitoring center and some customer locations. For example, one robot is based at ADT’s monitoring center in Dallas, where it searches for signs of disturbance or intrusion and alerts a human guard equipped with a VR headset if it detects trouble. Continue Reading

Learn more about ADT's EvoGuard in the Vendor Spotlight column below

Refinements in Body-Worn Cameras
There’s been continued uptick in the use of body-worn cameras, by law enforcement and in new emerging markets that leverage the technology for safety, accountability and operational management and control.

In law enforcement, body-worn cameras provide a record of encounters and evidence and may curb violence simply by their presence. Increased use in law enforcement has created research and piqued interest in the product category by other vertical markets, including retail, healthcare, education, airports, parking enforcement and utilities.

As camera technology has improved, refinements have migrated to body-worn cameras. The most significant advancements in body-worn cameras are open platform solutions, automatic activation and live streaming.

A significant advancement has been remote activation of live-streaming capabilities from a real time crime center (RTCC).

“With the addition of high-resolution sensors for capturing quality images, GPS data to get coordinates (location) of the wearer, privacy mode, infrared for low light images and quick charging, body-worn cameras provide extensions of video technology to multiple use cases.

Body-worn cameras can also be sold as a service, adds Axis’ Jussaume. “If the end user asks for cloud storage, there is the potential for recurring monthly revenue (RMR) there. But the most needed service is maintaining body-worn camera hardware. These systems are not like typical security cameras, which are mounted to the ceiling and not touched for years. They are used and handled every day and utilize battery technology. Developing and maintaining a solid hardware maintenance program with your end user will ensure they have the best user experience. sdmmag.com

The Ongoing Expansion of Facial-Recognition Tech to Boost Customer Safety
Soccer-Palmeiras' facial recognition on match tickets helps police arrest criminals
(Reuters) - Facial recognition technology used on match tickets by top flight soccer club Palmeiras has helped the Sao Paulo Public Security Secretariat (SSP) arrest 28 criminals in four games at the Allianz Parque stadium, the government body said on Friday.

The facial biometrics system, implemented this year by the Brazilian club through the 'Muralha Paulista' programme, aims to ensure that the person who has purchased a ticket from Palmeiras is the same as the fan entering the stadium.

However, its use has also helped the SSP apprehend criminals before they enter the stadium to watch the team play. It has also identified 253 missing persons.

"We invested in the implementation of facial recognition to protect our greatest asset, which is the Palmeiras fans," club president Leila Pereira said in a statement. "We want our home to be increasingly safe for all the families that visit it and we are pleased to contribute to the public security authorities."

The facial recognition technology at matches allows real-time analysis to detect fans who have bought tickets from touts, the use of false or third-party documents, outstanding arrest warrants, non-compliance with court orders and sanctions. saltwire.com

Holiday spending to increase 3.7%: Mastercard
Spending is expected to increase 6.7% year-over-year for e-commerce purchases and 2.9% from the previous year for in-store sales, according to the report.

Electronics sales are projected to grow 6% from last year, with the next biggest increase being for restaurant spending (5.4%) and groceries (3.9%). Apparel purchases, however, are only expected to rise by 1%, and jewelry spending could dip by 0.3%. paymentsdive.com

J.C. Penney Q2 sales, profits slide
Still, margins expanded, inventory is down, store traffic is up and the department store remains in the black.

J.C. Penney’s Q2 net sales fell 10% year over year to $1.6 billion. Including credit card revenue, (down 11% to $71 million), total revenue in the period fell 10% to $1.68 billion. Digital sales as a percentage of total sales rose an unspecified amount.

J.C. Penney is embarking on a billion-dollar turnaround at a tough time for retail, especially department stores.

A dramatic turnaround is needed, in part because J.C. Penney’s woes aren’t entirely the result of outside forces, according to Global Data Managing Director Neil Saunders. “Market conditions are certainly tough, but JCPenney’s performance is way worse than peers and shows it is falling behind.” retaildive.com

Apple Is Giving Out Smaller Raises to Retail Employees in Post-Pandemic Slowdown

• Company’s latest retail pay increases average about 4% - last year was 8% to 10%

In the US, most Apple salespeople are now getting paid minimum $22 to $30 an hour, while AppleCare roles can bring in slightly more. The Cupertino, California-based company also issues restricted stock units annually to both categories of employee. In most cases, those packages topped out at around $2,000 this year. The iPhone maker issued bonuses for some workers as well. bloomberg.com

5 takeaways from Groceryshop 2023
The annual event focused on practical solutions designed to address key priorities for retailers, including reducing shrink, improving checkout technology and cutting through the digital clut

NRF Foundation Announces The List of People Shaping Retail’s Future 2024

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ADT Commercial's EvoGuard™

Discover the Future of Security Guarding

ADT Commercial's EvoGuard™ is a suite of intelligent, autonomous guarding solutions and services currently in development that could signal the next generation in guarding for commercial facilities, aiming to cost-effectively enhance corporate security programs through leading-edge technology.

EvoGuard may be able to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) in combination with humanoid robots for comprehensive security surveillance of various commercial areas.

The portfolio of intuitive, interactive EvoGuard solutions has the potential to allow users to surveil their surroundings dynamically-providing monitoring, video surveillance, two-way communication using robots and more at your facility.

20th Anniversary of Cybersecurity Awareness Month

October starts next week— and NIST is proud to be a part of Cybersecurity Awareness Month. We have a month-long celebration planned, and we are looking forward to sharing our resources, updates, blogs, events, and news with you.

This year we are focusing our messaging on four core behaviors:

• Enabling multi-factor authentication
• Using strong passwords and a password manager
• Updating software
• Recognizing and reporting phishing

As a repeat Cybersecurity Awareness Month Champion, NIST is dedicated to promoting a more secure online environment and helping others understand the complex world of cybersecurity.

How is NIST celebrating?

• We’ll be using our NIST Cybersecurity Awareness Month website to share information about our events, resources, blogs, and how to stay involved.

• We plan to post a series of four blogs throughout October that will feature our NIST experts and focus on each of the above four core behaviors.

• We will be using our NISTcyber X account as a vehicle to spread the word about our various cybersecurity and privacy resources—such as NIST’s 50th Anniversary of Cybersecurity History Timeline, which highlights our different milestones and accomplishments over the last five decades. We will also be hosting an X chat and participating in X chats throughout the month (follow us on X and use the hashtag #CybersecurityAwarenessMonth).

• We will host several events throughout the month. Check our Cybersecurity Awareness Month events page for details.

• We will be hosting Cybersecurity Career Week during the week of October 16-21, 2023, to inspire and promote the awareness and exploration of cybersecurity careers.

Learn more

88% of Boards Have No Cybersecurity Expert as Director
Boards Still Lack Cybersecurity Expertise

Just 12% of S&P 500 companies have board directors with relevant cyber credentials, new study says

Few board directors at the most prominent U.S.-listed companies have direct experience with cybersecurity, presenting a challenge for how executives handle cyberattacks.

An analysis of board composition in companies in the S&P 500 index found that 88% have no cybersecurity expert as a director. Only seven companies had a current or former chief information security officer on their board, the research found, and in two cases, that was the same person.

“This lack of momentum in the boardroom continues to startle me,” said Dave DeWalt, founder and chief executive at venture-capital firm NightDragon, who also sits on the boards of Delta Air Lines and software company Five9. NightDragon and the Diligent Institute, the research and think-tank arm of executive software developer Diligent, conducted the study, published Thursday.

Cyber expertise was broadly defined as people who currently work or formerly worked in CISO roles; those who held senior technology positions, but not necessarily cyber roles; and those who had technology experience without having held senior positions.

About 52% of companies had a board director with some technology experience adjacent to cybersecurity. This includes people who sit on the boards of cyber companies or have an affiliation with a cybersecurity-related professional organization.

Cyber credentials on the board are now crucial for good governance, said Emily Heath, a general partner at VC firm Cyberstarts. Heath, a former security chief at United Airlines and tech provider DocuSign, sits on the boards of cyber companies Wiz and Gen Digital.

Directors, in their oversight role, are responsible for ensuring risks are properly managed, including cyber risk, Heath said. “You have to have that cyber knowledge and expertise to know what questions to ask,” she said. wsj.com

Cybersecurity Planning Already Underway for 2024 Super Bowl
NFL, CISA Look to Intercept Cyber Threats to Super Bowl LVIII

The league is working with more than 100 partners to workshop responses to a host of hypothetical cyberattacks on the upcoming Big Game in Las Vegas.

Looking to juice up its defense, the league worked with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and Super Bowl LVIII stakeholders during a tabletop exercise that CISA said was meant "to explore, assess, and enhance cybersecurity response capabilities, plans, and procedures" ahead of the big game on Feb. 11, 2024, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

The four-hour tabletop exercise brought together more than 100 partners from the NFL, stadium, and government at all levels, according to the announcement on Sept. 21. During the exercise, participants discussed a hypothetical scenario that included phishing, ransomware, a data breach, and a potential insider threat — all with cascading impacts on physical systems.

"This was a safe, low-stress setting to identify any gaps in those plans and ensure we all have a shared understanding of roles and responsibilities. In short, this exercise will help ensure we're ready for any challenges that come our way on game day," said Steve Harris, CISA's deputy executive assistant director for infrastructure security.

The Super Bowl, like the World Cup, is one of the most-watched sporting events globally, and a successful cyberattack disruption would be a major coup for any cybercrime group. In other words, these types of events are the white whales of the target sea.

George McGregor, vice president at Approov, noted that the cyber-threat surface for sports continues to expand as well, as smart stadiums and ever-more-digital infrastructure to support fan and team operations proliferate. darkreading.com

Hands-on threat simulations
Empower cybersecurity teams to confidently combat threats
Security processes are increasingly automated which has led some businesses to deprioritize developing their security teams’ defense skills. While antivirus and non-human generated threat detections efficiently identify vulnerabilities, they cannot detect every single threat.

With the rising number of cyber-attacks, organizations must make sure they are ready to defend themselves. That means equipping cybersecurity teams with sufficient skills to identify and effectively stop an attack in its tracks. Worryingly, only 17% of tech workers are completely confident in their cybersecurity skills, while 21% have no confidence at all. Given that 74% of data breaches are caused by human error, it is crucial that upskilling practices are in place.

One of the best ways to develop the necessary skills is through hands-on learning which allows employees to practice in a low-risk environment and better understand the methods used by cyber-attackers. This kind of experience is vital for security teams to be able to anticipate threats and capably protect the business. helpnetsecurity.com

Wawa’s $10.7M data breach lawsuit against Mastercard thrown out

How companies can take control of their cybersecurity

In this special Travel edition of Tom's Tek Tips, Tom Meehan, CFI will cover essential cybersecurity and tech tips to get the most out of your tech while staying secure amidst traveling and the upcoming fall trade show season.

Tip #4 - Secure Your Devices: Always protect your devices with passwords and consider enabling features like "Find My Device." These measures will help you locate or erase data if your device is lost or stolen. Utilizing a VPN on public Wi-Fi will also help keep your personal information secure.

Watch this space every Tuesday for more of
'Tom's Tek Tips - Travel Edition'

'Impossibly Cheap and Fake Products'
TikTok Shop Has a Snail Slime Problem

TikTok Shop, which launched in the US last week, is littered with impossibly cheap—and fake—products. Snail slime is just the beginning.

On TikTok Shop, which began rolling out to all the app’s US users this week, a lot of the prices look too good to be true. At the cosmetics store Ulta, the COSRX snail mucin costs $25. On Amazon, it’s marked down to about $16. But one seller on TikTok lowered the cost to $5 and sold 37,000 bottles, according to the listing on the shop. Another has sold more than 40,000 bottles for around $15 each. Counterfeit and fake products are banned from the shop.

Jamie Favazza, a TikTok spokesperson, says she could not confirm whether the COSRX products in a video flagged by WIRED were real or fake, as the person complaining about alleged fake products did not say which seller they came from. But the problem doesn’t stop with snail slime; there are allegedly fake brand-name perfumes and trendy to-go cups. TikTok Shop is also filled with cheap clothing and household items from third-party sellers. In searches, WIRED found several examples of products prohibited by TikTok’s terms being sold, including menstrual products and prenatal vitamins. Favazza says two products flagged by WIRED under this category have now been removed.

As TikTok’s retail ambitions grow, the catch-all shop is so far shaping up as an unwieldy and chaotic competitor to ecommerce giants like Amazon. TikTok has ambitions to bring in $20 billion in merchandise sales this year. But that success is threatened by uncertainty over these potentially fake or shoddy products.

The number of prohibited or questionable product offerings “shows that TikTok is irresponsibly rushing into this expansion, if consumers can’t trust the products online,” says Olivia Little, a senior investigative researcher at Media Matters for America, a media watchdog group. “It’s really dangerous when the platform is being irresponsible in terms of product approval.” wired.com

Amazon Going All In on Generative AI
Amazon to invest up to $4 billion in ChatGPT rival Anthropic as it plays catch-up in Generative AI
Amazon.com Inc. will invest as much as $4 billion in Anthropic, bagging a crucial partner in its effort to become a major player in generative artificial intelligence and offering a vote of confidence in the hot startup.

As part of the deal, Anthropic will move most of its software to Amazon Web Services data centers, and use the cloud computing company’s homegrown chips to train the models it uses to power chatbots and other applications. Besides getting access to Amazon’s computing power, Anthropic will gain a financial infusion that will help it pay the huge costs required to train and run massive AI models. Amazon will have a minority position in Anthropic, the companies said in a statement on Monday.

The e-commerce and cloud computing giant has long taken stakes in partners in areas it deems a priority, including cargo airlines, a grocery distributor and an electric truck manufacturer. But if the investment in Anthropic lands anywhere near $4 billion, it would represent the largest known piece of corporate dealmaking directly related to AWS. The unit has tended to build its own products rather than relying on technology or businesses purchased from others, making relatively modest acquisitions in a market of hype-fueled, billion-dollar valuations. Amazon says its engineers, including those who work outside of AWS, will have access to Anthropic’s models. fortune.com

'I quit my job at Amazon rather than return to the office 3 days a week'

Why You Should Always Use This App When Shopping Online

REVEALED: The 30 hottest innovations for reducing e-Commerce retail losses

Introducing the industry experts’ choices in the 2023 e-Commerce Innovation Challenge

In Case You Missed It

Mid-Year 2023 ORC Report - ORC Numbers Skyrocket

Click here to read the report

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San Francisco, CA: 3 arrested for $100K retail theft from businesses across Bay Area
Three suspects were arrested in connection to a series of organized retail thefts of businesses across the Bay Area, the San Francisco Police Department announced on social media Friday. Authorities neither specified when the arrests were made nor where the victim businesses were located. A suspect vehicle linked to the grand theft was discovered by police. A dark-colored Kia contained some of the stolen merchandise, according to SFPD. In a picture posted by SFPD (view below), the Kia was located at McAllister and Jones Street in the city’s Tenderloin neighborhood. In a separate incident, SFPD arrested an additional four suspects this week from an unrelated robbery. Three of those suspects are minors, and over $5,000 worth of stolen merchandise was recovered, SFPD said. The department was able to recover thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from both incidents. kron4.com

Florence, AL: Police charge 2 in $50,000 stolen credit card shopping spree
Two people face multiple charges after Florence Police say they used a stolen credit card to make more than $50,000 in purchases. Kathryn Crawford and Nicholas Lenz used the card at businesses in Florence, Muscle Shoals and Decatur, police said. The card was taken from a business in the 100 block of Heathrow Drive. Crawford was charged with 17 counts of fraudulent use of a credit card and one count of theft of property. She’s being held in the Lauderdale County Jail on a $47,000 bond, police said Monday. Lenz was charged with 28 counts of fraudulent use of a credit card and one count of theft of property. He’s being held in the Lauderdale County Jail on a $53,000 bond, police said. waaytv.com

Lancaster, PA: Woman charged in $12,000 worth of retail theft from Lancaster Ulta Beauty
A warrant for a Lancaster County woman stemming from over $12,000 worth of retail theft from an Ulta Beauty of Fruitville Pike was closed Monday, Sept. 25, after the suspect appeared in court for a hearing in the case. Authorities allege that Quetesha Laray Payne, age 34, was involved in several retail theft rings responsible for thousands of dollars worth of stolen merchandise across central Pennsylvania. On May 2nd, the victim reported that five suspects entered the store, concealed $7,732 worth of merchandise, and then left without paying—with the five reportedly fleeing the scene in the same vehicle. Only a week later, two of the suspects were seen returning to the very same Fruitville Pike Ulta before making off with another $5,388 in store inventory. Additionally, information obtained by authorities were able to identify Payne and several other co-conspirators as suspects in more organized retail thefts throughout Central Pennsylvania as well. local21news.com

Newark, NJ: Suspect Wanted for $11,000 Smash-and-Grab Theft at Newark Ironbound Jewelry Store

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Shootings & Deaths

Indianapolis, IN: IMPD shoots, kills suspect in south side dollar store robbery
Indianapolis police officers fatally shot a man and critically wounded a woman after one of the armed robbery suspects fired at officers pursuing their vehicle near Lucas Oil Stadium, police said Saturday. Officers investigating an armed robbery of a business Friday night on the city’s south side got a description of the suspects and their vehicle and passed that information along, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said. Officer William Young said members of a SWAT team later spotted the two suspects and their vehicle on a street adjacent to the downtown stadium and attempted a maneuver to prevent the vehicle from possibly fleeing. It was being driven by a woman with a man in the passenger seat. “While performing the technique, the front seat passenger began firing shots at officers,” Young told The Indianapolis Star. “Several officers engaged the suspect returning fire, striking the suspect and the driver.” The man and woman were taken to a nearby hospital where they were initially listed in critical condition before the man died Saturday, police said. No officers or other people were injured in the shooting. youtube.com

Update: Colorado Springs, CO: Jury selection underway in Colorado Springs Walgreens stabbing trial
Jury selection began Monday in the trial of a Colorado Springs man accused of fatally stabbing a co-worker in a Walgreens breakroom last year. Attorneys will pick a 12-person jury and two alternates from a pool of 75 potential jurors. Joshua Johnson faces one charge of first-degree murder in the stabbing death of 17-year-old Riley Whitelaw, who died June 11, 2022, at the Walgreens on Centennial Boulevard and Flying W Ranch Road. Whitelaw told her manager that Johnson made her feel uncomfortable and requested different hours so she would no longer have to work with him, according to police. But when Whitelaw asked for additional hours, her manager told her it would require her to work with Johnson. Johnson was arrested a day after Whitelaw’s death while walking along Interstate 25 outside Trinidad. gazette.com

Oklahoma City, OK: Mississippi man pleads guilty in Oklahoma City CVS robbery case
A Mississippi man has pleaded guilty in the case of a CVS Pharmacy robbery in December. In Oklahoma City federal court Friday, Charles Lamar Scott, 35, pleaded guilty to interference with commerce by robbery, using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a machine gun. Authorities said Scott tried to rob the CVS Pharmacy at 2412 N Classen Blvd. Shots were fired inside the store, including at least one from a firearm modified to operate as a machine gun, authorities said. During the robbery attempt, a store clerk was struck and suffered minor injuries, police said. oklahoman.com

Robberies, Incidents & Thefts

San Antonio, TX: Grocery worker charged over bomb threats, chilling death texts sent to co-workers
A grocery worker in Texas is behind chilling death texts and bomb threats toward her co-workers. Police responded to a H-E-B grocery store in San Antonio on Sept. 20 for reports of a terroristic threat, according to court records. The store manager shared with police that several H-E-B curbside employees received text messages saying that a bomb was in the store and would go off at 10 a.m. that day. Investigators spoke with curbside employee, Maria Martinez, 20, who shared that the text messages started Aug. 30. The messages sent said that the curbside employees would be killed or were dead. Police shared that Martinez said multiple messages were sent throughout the month with "explicitly graphic messages and photos of dead bodies referencing the names of multiple employees of H-E-B." In several of the messages, the sender would also say specific names of employees who were dead and then send photos of a dead body "causing the individuals named to fear their safety." The affidavit states that Martinez shared that the messages sent on Sept. 20 were from someone saying that a bomb would go off at 10 a.m. with photographs of the specific H-E-B. Police said that about two hours later, another phone number sent out a text message saying "I hope you all die!" The next day early that morning, a text message from another separate number said, "Get ready to be raped and killed today at work...show up to work today, the bomb is ready." Investigators shared that they were able to track down the IP Address leading back to Maria Martinez's mobile phone service and home address. wpde.com

San Luis Obispo, CA: SLO P.D. Investigating Burglary of Firearms and Ammo from Big 5 Sporting Goods
San Luis Obispo police are investigating an apparent burglary that happened early Saturday morning. Authorities say someone drove their Prius through the window of the Big 5 Sporting Goods Store at around 4:30 a.m… They stole several firearms and ammunition. Investigators say the firearms were recovered. The suspect got away before police arrived. The investigation is ongoing. 920kvec.com

Aspen, CO: Police secure arrest warrants in 2021 Louis Vuitton burglary case; Multi-Agency collaboration leads to charges against suspects involved in $439,000 merchandise heist
Aspen Police Department have secured arrest warrants for two men in connection with the 2021 burglary at Aspen’s Louis Vuitton store, located at 206 South Mill Street. Mauricio Andres Gandolfi Bahamondes, 37, and Diego Hernan Enrique Reyes Bahamondes, 33, have been charged with second-degree burglary, class 4 felony; theft, class 3 felony, conspiracy, class 6 felony; and criminal mischief, class 1 misdemeanor. According to a press release, both men are Chilean citizens, and are currently on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer at the Downtown Detention Center in Nashville, TN, where they were arrested for aggravated burglary. Both men have a $100,000 bond for those charges, as well as each carrying a $500,000 bond for the charges in Aspen. aspentimes.com

Miami, FL: Thieves Wheel Safe Out of Jewelry Store in Miami
Three burglars stole a safe from a jewelry store in downtown Miami. The thieves cut through the wall of the store from a closed-down business next door, according to a bulletin from the Jewelers’ Security Alliance. They tried to disable the store’s surveillance system and computers. At 5:20 a.m. on Sept. 18, the suspects wheeled the safe out the front door, hoisted the safe onto a truck and drove away, reported. WSVN-TV identified the store as Mitch the Jeweler. Nearly $3 million in jewelry was taken, according to the report. The owner, who was not identified in the news report, is offering a $50,000 reward for information in the case. instoremag.com

Aberdeen, WA: Police drone pilot spots burglary suspects on building’s roof
With the help of an Aberdeen Police drone pilot, two men were arrested Monday morning, accused of breaking into a building in the downtown area over the weekend. At about 1 a.m. on Saturday, an employee of the building in the 100 block of South I Street was off-site when he saw two men on the second floor through surveillance cameras. Officers from the Aberdeen and Cosmopolis police departments and a Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit went to the scene, along with an Aberdeen drone team officer, who deployed an aircraft to provide an overhead view of the area. kiro7.com

Huntington, WV: Man sentenced to 9 months in prison for federal gun crime

Los Angeles, CA: Smash-and-Grab Thieves Leave Businesses on Edge and Police on Alert

Kamron Horn named Regional Loss Prevention Manager for Ollie's Bargain Outlet, Inc.

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Asset Protection Specialist
Newburgh, NY - posted September 25

The Asset Protection Specialist role at Ocean State Job Lot is responsible for protecting company assets and monitoring store activities to reduce property or financial losses. This role partners closely with store leadership and the Human Resources team, when applicable, to investigate known or suspected internal theft, external theft, and vendor fraud...

Security Director
Chicago, IL - posted September 7

Reporting to the VP of Corporate Security, the Director of Corporate Security is a professional security practitioner that acts as an advisor/consultant to the assigned Property Management Group. Responsibilities include monitoring security vendors' performance, evaluating for contract compliance, and serving as a program quality control manager...

District Asset Protection Manager
Washington, DC - posted August 31

The MidAtlantic Division has an opening for a District Asset Protection Manager in Northern Virginia. This person will support Fairfax, Arlington, and Loudoun counties. This is a salary role with up to 70% travel within the assigned district. District Asset Protection Manager will provide positive/proactive leadership, and instruction in the area of Security/Asset Protection...

Regional Manager, Asset Protection - Southeast
Georgia or Louisiana - posted August 7

In this role, you will embody Do The Right Thing by protecting People, Assets, and Brands. You will work in an energized, fast paced environment focused on creating a safe environment for our employees, teams, and customers; this is critical to driving our Brand Power, Enduring Customer Relationships, and exuding our commitment to Team and Values...

Corporate & Supply Chain Asset Protection Leader
Quincy, MA - posted August 3

The primary purpose of this position is to manage the Corporate Asset Protection function for all US Support Offices and Supply Chain. Direct team in the design, implementation and management of physical security processes and equipment to ensure facilities are considered a safe and secure environment for all associates and external parties...

Occupational Health & Safety Manager
Mount Horeb, WI - posted July 27

This role is responsible for examining the workplace for environmental or physical factors that could affect employee or guest health, safety, comfort, and performance. This role is also responsible for reducing the frequency and severity of accidents. To be successful in the role, you will need to work closely with management, employees, and relevant regulatory bodies...

Loss Prevention Auditor and Fraud Detection Analyst
Boston, MA - posted July 7

As a LP Auditor and Fraud Detection Analyst for Staples, you will conduct LP operational field audits remote, virtual and in person, within a base of 60 retail stores to ensure compliance to operational standards to drive operational excellence and preserve profitability. You will also train store managers on Key-Holder responsibilities, Inventory Control standards, Cash Office procedures, Protection Standards, Safety and Fraud trends...

Manager, Physical Security
Jacksonville, FL - posted July 7

Responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company's physical security strategy for retail stores, warehouses, and store support center and field offices. This includes responsibility for the capital expense and repair budgets, developing written specifications, layout and design for all systems and to ensure all installations and repairs are made to SEG standards...

Regional AP Mgr - South FL Market - Bilingual required
Miami, FL - posted August 8

Responsible for managing asset protection programs designed to minimize shrink, associate and customer liability accidents, bad check and cash loss, and safety incidents for stores within assigned region. This position will develop the framework for the groups' response to critical incidents, investigative needs, safety concerns and regulatory agency visits...

Regional Director, LP & Safety (Midwest)
MN, MO, IL, KS, WI, MI, IN, or WA - posted June 27

We are looking for a Regional Director of Loss Prevention to join us in MN, MO, IL, KS, WI, MI, IN, or WA. You will develop, execute, and maintain shrink and shrink compliance initiatives. You will also conduct internal and external field investigations, loss control auditing, store safety programs, and compliance programs and audits...

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Handling the big question - Why did you leave? is the hardest of them all if, in fact, your departure was involuntary. Like Bum Phillips, the old Houston Oilers coach, once said at a luncheon I attended, "There's two types of coaches - those that have been fired and those who are waiting to be fired." And quite frankly he was almost dead-on as over 70% of executives will face involuntary departures from an employer during their career. The best position to take is one of absolute straightforwardness. Be open - be honest - and be reflective right from the beginning. But get it over quick and deal with it right at the beginning of the interview and don't make it a long-winded response. Certainly review it - rehearse it - make sure it answers the question. But get it out of the way and move on in your own mind. Look to the future and leave it behind you.

Just a Thought,
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