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10/1/24

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The U.S. Crime Surge
The Retail Impact

'I Have Never Seen Theft Like This'
The Escalating Challenge of Retail Theft in the USA
Retail theft in the United States has surged to unprecedented levels in 2024, posing a significant challenge for supermarkets and retailers alike. This alarming increase in incidents, often referred to as “shrink,” encompasses losses from shoplifting, employee theft, and administrative errors, and it is impacting the profitability of businesses across the nation. The numbers tell a troubling story: organized retail crime alone has seen incidents rise by approximately 26.5% compared to the previous year, leading to staggering financial implications for retailers. According to ISN Research, the situation is only expected to worsen if effective strategies are not implemented.

The Reality on the Ground

To gain insights into the day-to-day challenges that retailers face, I spoke with Geovani Ziri, a store manager at a prominent supermarket in New York. With over 12 years of experience in the industry, Ziri has witnessed a dramatic shift in the landscape of retail theft. “I’ve been a store manager for 12 years, but I have never seen theft like this,” he remarked. “Even with cameras and advanced technology, it is becoming increasingly hard to tackle.”

Ziri explained that the escalation of theft incidents often involves aggressive behaviour from shoplifters. Many employees have reported feeling unsafe due to the rising tension during theft attempts. “It’s not just about the stolen merchandise anymore; it’s about the safety of my staff and customers,” he added. This sentiment reflects a broader concern among retailers, where the emotional toll of theft incidents can be as impactful as the financial losses.

Impact on the Retail Sector

The overall financial impact of retail theft is staggering. Estimates suggest that these crimes lead to around $14.9 billion in lost tax revenue annually. The burden of shrink is felt acutely by smaller businesses, which often operate on razor-thin margins. For many retailers, theft is no longer just an operational issue; it has evolved into a crisis that requires immediate attention and a reevaluation of loss prevention strategies.

Strategies for Mitigation

In response to this growing crisis, retailers are resorting to a variety of strategies aimed at mitigating theft. Enhanced surveillance systems, increased security personnel, and even the use of security robots are becoming more commonplace. However, these measures often come with their own challenges. For instance, customers frequently express frustration when products are locked behind security cases, which can deter legitimate shoppers and impact overall sales.

Collaborative Efforts and Future Directions: internationalsupermarketnews.com

Another State Launches ORCA
New Illinois association brings together businesses, police to fight ORC
In a brand-new tactic to fight organized retail theft, a group is forming across the state of Illinois to bring together business owners and police. From smash-and-grabs to large-group thefts—visuals with which we've become all too familiar—organized retail crime has been a major hit to businesses big and across the area.

Criminal groups that commit the retail thefts seek to resell the items to fund activities such as illegal gun purchases, human trafficking, and even terrorism, experts say. High-profile retail districts such as the Magnificent Mile have been pummeled by thieves over recent years, but it is not just the main shopping corridors that are affected.

Illinois retailers are estimated to lose more than $2 billion in goods to retail thefts every year—impacting everything from the ability to hire new employees to expanding and maintaining business.

The new Illinois Organized Retail Crime Association is the latest measure to try to stop those hits from coming.

"In short, what it is, is an organization that brings together law enforcement, asset protection professionals, and others involved in combatting organized retail crime—including state and federal law enforcement agencies," said Rob Karr, president and chief executive officer of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association.

Karr said the new association will streamline coordination between everyone involved—acting as a connector for businesses big and small, loss prevention specialists, and law enforcement, with the idea that the more people are connected, the quicker the crooks will be caught.

Using a shared platform, the Illinois Organized Retail Crime Association will allow groups across jurisdictions to share information and warnings, build cases, and ultimately prevent crime. cbsnews.com

Fighting Theft & Loss By Denying Returns?
New Return Policy in Place at Minnesota-Based Target Stores
A few months ago, Minnesota-based Target made a huge change in how guests can make payments. Now, word is circulating that another change has happened for guests.

Did Minnesota-Based Target Just Change Their Return Policy?

About a year ago, a shocking statement was released by Target indicated that nine stores would be closing in four different states. The reason for the closings was due to organized retail crime and theft.

According to the New York Post, a change in the return policy for guests has happened at Target and based on their report, it happened somewhat under the radar.

Minnesota-Based Target Can Now Deny Returns at Stores

Shoplifting in major cities has increased 24% during the first part of this year compared to the same sequence of time in 2023. CNN threw that fact out a few weeks ago along with some of the struggles retail stores have been facing due to theft.

One plus that was shared by CNN was that the safety factors stores have put in place have helped with the theft issues at stores. Merchandise being locked up, changes in the self-checkout lanes, and changes in some packages are some of the measures that the end consumer can visually see.

One other change that has now appeared on the Target website is the fact that Target stores can now deny your returns and refunds. krforadio.com

Could Harsh Policing Be a Solution to Theft?
Donald Trump suggests ‘one rough hour’ of policing will end theft
Donald Trump has suggested that “one rough hour” of law enforcement action would tamp down retail theft, an echo of his longstanding support for more aggressive and potentially violent policing.

“One rough hour — and I mean real rough — the word will get out and it will end immediately, you know? It will end immediately,” Trump said Sunday in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Trump has ramped up his rhetoric with just over a month before Election Day, describing immigrants in the U.S. illegally as criminals intent on harming native-born Americans and suggesting crime has skyrocketed despite national statistics showing the opposite. The former president has a long history of encouraging rough treatment of people in police custody and saying law enforcement should be exempt from potential punishment.

In Pennsylvania on Sunday, the former president and current Republican presidential nominee had been speaking about a measure approved by California voters when his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, was state attorney general. Trump has claimed that the provision — which makes the theft of goods at or below that level a misdemeanor, rather than a felony — allows shoplifting up to $950 in merchandise without consequences.

Asked if his comments Sunday amounted to a policy proposal, Trump’s campaign said that he “has always been the law and order President and he continues to reiterate the importance of enforcing existing laws.” Spokesperson Steven Cheung went on to warn of “all-out anarchy” if Harris is elected, citing her time as California’s top prosecutor. apnews.com

Lawmakers Experience Theft Firsthand
NM governor says she sees retail crime while she's shopping
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham told those attending the second annual New Mexico Organized Retail Crime Association conference on Friday that she sees theft regularly. "In the last 24 months," she said, "I have not been at a single retailer where theft was not occurring while I was in line shopping."

The governor said her New Mexico State Police security detail has stopped crimes she witnessed in line. "We have to do more about preventing it," Lujan Grisham said in her address at the Santa Ana Star Casino Hotel.

She said House Bill 234, which was passed in 2023, is being put to use. The law gives prosecutors the ability to aggregate the retail market value of multiple shoplifting cases and charge a suspect with a more serious, second-degree felony if the total value of merchandise is more than $20,000.

"Retail crime and organized crime was a priority of mine only matched by this particular DA," Lujan Grisham said. yahoo.com

Bipartisan Support for California's Prop 36
California Clampdown on Retail Theft, Drug Crimes Wins Backing of 70+ Mayors

More local Democrats buck Newsom in supporting Proposition 36

A California ballot measure to crack down on store theft and drug crimes is heading to the polls with support from big retailers, law enforcement groups, a crypto billionaire — and now, more than 70 mayors.

Representing cities from Beverly Hills to Fresno, the mostly Democratic or non-partisan mayors bucked Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom by throwing their support behind Proposition 36, which will go before voters in November. The initiative would roll back a landmark criminal justice law from a decade ago, stiffen penalties and force drug users into treatment to avoid prison time. bloomberg.com

Delaware County, Chester County DAs, retailers, law enforcement discuss organized retail crime

Home Depot promises probe after shopper unable to buy garden tool thanks to policy despite ‘asking workers 3 times’

CVS Break-Up Coming?
Exclusive: CVS explores options including potential break-up, sources say
CVS Health, opens new tab is exploring options that could include a break-up of the company to separate its retail and insurance units, as the struggling healthcare services company looks to turn around its fortunes amid pressure from investors, people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The plan to potentially split the company's pharmacy chain and the insurance business has been discussed with the board of directors, which is yet to decide on the best course of action for CVS to pursue, the sources said, cautioning that the plans have not been finalized and CVS may opt for a different strategy.

CVS is also discussing whether its pharmacy benefits manager unit, which manages drug benefits for health plans, should be housed within the retail unit or under insurance, if it were to proceed with a separation that could result in two publicly traded companies, the sources said. reuters.com

5 of the biggest CEO moves to hit retail this year
From longtime company veteran departures to executives switching sectors, here’s a look at some of the retailers that have shuffled the top spot in 2024.

These shuttered stores turned into Spirt Halloween

Party City cuts prices on 2K items ahead of the holidays

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Blind Justice: How Technology Doesn't Discriminate and Why That's Important

The fight against retail theft is an age-old challenge that continues to evolve. As retailers grapple with the dual imperative of safeguarding assets and ensuring an inclusive, bias-free shopping environment, the advent of the Purchek® technology by Gatekeeper Systems represents a revolutionary stride forward. Unlike traditional theft-prevention methods, which often rely on human judgment and intervention, the Purchek® technology offers a fully automated, cart behavior-based system that embodies the principle of blind justice in the retail industry. Here is how this technology is setting a new standard for fairness, safety, and efficiency.

The Purchek® solution operates on a simple yet powerful premise: it prevents shopping carts from leaving a retail store location without proper authorization from the point of sale (POS). Should a cart attempt to exit without this authorization, it locks in place, simultaneously triggering a video event and an audible alarm. This often results in the offender abandoning the shopping cart without confrontation. The beauty of the Purchek® technology lies in its unbiased approach to preventing theft. It does not see age, gender, ethnicity, or any other demographic detail; it sees cart behavior. If the movement of the cart does not match that typical of a paid transaction, the Purchek® solution responds accordingly - no exceptions, no discrimination. This enables the system to prevent even the most discrete theft, incidents that would have otherwise gone completely undetected.

Read more here

The Impact of Privacy Laws on Retailers
What to know about privacy laws when collecting personal data on shoppers

Retailers have moved away from collecting identifiable information from consumers, but need to be aware of requirements for the personal data they do gather, an Albertsons privacy official said.

Privacy laws should be as much of a concern to grocers as ad partnerships as retailers expand their in-store and online retail media efforts, an Albertsons official said at a recent industry event.

The industry has been moving away from collecting personally identifiable information (PII) like first and last names, email addresses and phone numbers and toward personal data, which is broader than PII and incorporates “pseudonymized identifiers” like a mobile ID, platform ID or a cookie ID, Privacy Counsel for Albertsons Andrew Tobel said during a panel at the Interactive Advertising Bureau’s Connected Commerce Summit.

As a result, privacy law has pivoted to regulating the personal data retailers do collect, Tobel said on Sept. 18 during the session, which focused on how retailers can best navigate privacy laws and understand where they currently stand.

These days, privacy laws are more focused on the parameters of personal data, Tobel said.

“Even if the law doesn’t treat a specific data attribute as sensitive, you need to consider what your consumer expects,” he said.

Privacy laws today require retailers to have explicit terms around personal data and pseudonymized identifiers in their contracts with service providers, processors or third party companies outlining what those entities can do, Tobel said. retaildive.com

Massive Verizon Outage
Verizon confirms service is back online after a major outage
Verizon has confirmed that its cell service is back online following a massive outage affecting some of its mobile phone customers.

“Verizon engineers have fully restored today’s network disruption that impacted some customers. Service has returned to normal levels,” Verizon said in a statement on Monday. “If you are still having issues, we recommend restarting your device. We know how much people rely on Verizon and apologize for any inconvenience. We appreciate your patience.”

The outage appeared to start happening around 11 am ET, with roughly 100,000 reports from customers on DownDetector, a site that tracks complaints about service outages.

Complaints to Verizon’s verified account on X show that customers have been frustrated by a lack of cell service and an inability to connect to the network. Many Verizon iPhone customers complained that their phones had been stuck in “SOS” mode Monday morning, allowing only emergency calls via satellite.

Verizon has 114.2 million subscribers in the United States.

Although relatively infrequent, cell service disruptions have caused some widespread headaches this year. In February AT&T’s network went down for 11 hours, preventing many of its customers across the United States from placing calls, texting or accessing the internet. AT&T said an initial review of the outage found it may have been caused by a technical error introduced by an update to its network. The network went down again for a few hours in June and August. cnn.com

Is the Era of Passwords Over?
Customers are done with passwords. Do businesses have a solution?

Research shows customers are frustrated with the login experience, and the friction can cost businesses customers.

Oracle CTO Larry Ellison is done with passwords.

“Let me announce right here, we’re done with passwords,” Ellison said on a recent earnings call. “The idea is utterly ridiculous. They’re easily hacked. The more difficult they are to remember, the more likely you are to write them down, the more likely they are to be stolen. Everything done to make passwords better has made them worse.”

“I don’t want to remember passwords,” Ellison continued. “Don’t ask me to type in some stupid 17 letter password that someone can steal.”

Ellison is not alone in his hatred of passwords. Nearly 9 in 10 consumers complain about keeping track of their passwords, according to a Ping Identity survey of 8,000 consumers across the world released Wednesday. Three-quarters of consumers want to change how they login to apps and websites.

The login process is full of friction — and passwords are the largest pain point. The experience can lose customer trust, and customers themselves. cybersecuritydive.com

For Google to reduce memory-safety defects, it focused on new code

Dive Deep into the Forecast: Join Weather Blogs and Forums

Follow weather blogs and join forums where enthusiasts and experts discuss forecasts, models, and upcoming events. Here are a few to check out: Weather Underground Blog, Meteorological Musings, Stormtrack, Weather Watchers Forum, and WX Forum.

Watch this space on Tuesdays for more of
'Tom's Tek Tips - Weather Wise Edition'

Will Amazon See a Mass Exodus Over Return to Office Policy?
Amazon's workforce feels 'uniform dismay' at new in-office policy
In mid-September, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced that the tech giant’s corporate staff would, come January, be required to work from the office five days a week. Workers are irate.

The new return-to-office plan is forcing a reckoning among Amazon’s sprawling staff, which includes employees of the flagship site and Amazon Web Services plus Twitch, Zoox, Goodreads and Audible. Jassy’s decree, a 1,400-word message that pledged to operate Amazon “like the world’s largest startup” and reduce the number of managerial roles, shifted the company’s mandate from a typical three-day-a-week plan into the strictest of any American tech giant.

He gave workers until Jan. 2, 2025, to get on board. But the delay appears to have done little to assuage employees’ anger. An Amazon worker who lives and works in the Bay Area told SFGATE they received a barrage of texts after the five-day-a-week mandate post landed on the company’s internal website. (With the worker fearing retribution for speaking to the press, SFGATE granted them anonymity in accordance with Hearst’s ethics policy.)

The response to the news was unvarying, the worker said: “Everyone — there was just uniform dismay that ensued.”

They continued, “All of my close co-workers, everyone I know is looking for a new job,” adding that they can think of at least 10 co-workers fixing up their resumes and looking at job listings.

Tech’s difficult labor market, they said, is on people’s minds. But it’s not enough to tie them to Amazon. sfgate.com

How medium and large e-commerce businesses can ensure consistency and efficiency in shipping
Medium and Large e-commerce businesses shipping more than 3,000 packages each month face many challenges managing both their complex operations and their large teams of employees. With their inventory being shipped out of multiple warehouses, and their employees using a variety of technologies and systems in their workflows, the inefficiencies can quickly add up.

“It varies from business to business how many warehouses they have, how many employees they have using their shipping software, and how well that shipping software integrates with their existing workflows,” said Gitika Jain, vice president, shipping portfolio at ShipAccel powered by Pitney Bowes.

“But all of those factors can make staying on top of shipping very complicated for e-commerce businesses that have thousands of customers and orders to handle every day.” retaildive.com

Amazon India workers say they're overworked & mistreated during brutal heat wave

How Organized Retail Crime is Threatening the Retail Industry

Organized Retail Crime (ORC), the coordinated theft of merchandise for resale, has grown exponentially in the U.S., necessitating increased security measures and even causing store closures. The issue is projected to escalate, demanding modern, tactical security solutions that allow retailers and law enforcement to combat ORC while maintaining a pleasant shopping environment.

Cloud video security is a powerful tool in fighting ORC. OpenEye's comprehensive guide delves into the current methods for defining and measuring ORC's impact on businesses and the economy. It explores effective security strategies for mitigating inventory loss and enhancing the shopping experience. The guide also highlights the advantages of cloud video surveillance in tackling ORC, and how the integration of other security systems can provide a more robust solution for retailers.

Learn more

In Case You Missed It

NMORCA Unveiled Retail Crime Playbook at Annual Conference
NMORCA unveiled a playbook at the conference with a list of tools for both retailers and law enforcement to address retail crime.

Organized retail crime conference happening this week
The New Mexico Organized Retail Crime Association's second annual conference is on Friday.

The event, which will be held at the Santa Ana Star Casino Hotel from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., aims to promote collaboration between law enforcement and the business community.

"You can expect a full day of learning and networking and also practical takeaways for combating organized retail crime," said Alison Riley, director of public policy for the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce.

She said the event will have practical sessions for investigating organized retail crime, discussions on how it impacts public safety, presentations on common scams and crimes, and an award ceremony recognizing contributions to the fight against organized retail crime.

Riley said collaboration between law enforcement and businesses is at an all-time high and having an impact. She said there's actually been a reduction in retail crime in Albuquerque over the past year.

However, she said, organized retail crime has increased in places like Santa Fe and Los Lunas.

NMORCA will unveil a playbook at the conference with a list of tools for both retailers and law enforcement to address retail crime. Riley said it will have tips on how to successfully prosecute organized retail crime offenders.

"It's the first of its kind in the country, and we're hoping that it'll be a model for other states as well," she said. abqjournal.com

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Last Week's Top Stories

Boulder, CO: Update: Colorado jurors find Boulder grocery store shooting gunman guilty of 10 counts of first-degree murder
Jurors reached a verdict Monday afternoon in the Boulder grocery store shooting trial. The jury found Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa guilty of shooting and killing 10 people at the South Table Mesa King Soopers on March 22, 2021, in addition to guilty verdicts on dozens of other charges. Jurors had to determine whether Alissa, the gunman who admitted to the shooting, was legally sane at the time of the attack. In addition to the guilty verdict on 10 counts of first-degree murder, the jury also found the gunman guilty on 38 counts of attempted first-degree murder, guilty of one count of assault in the first degree and guilty on six counts of possession of a large-capacity magazine during the commission of a felony. cbsnews.com

Fort Lauderdale, FL: Jukebox song selection reportedly led to deadly shooting at Fort Lauderdale restaurant
A jukebox song selection reportedly led to a deadly shooting at a restaurant in a Fort Lauderdale strip mall. It happened overnight at the shopping plaza on Davie Road near State Road 7. Mauro Bonilla, who frequents Antojitos Mexicanos, said friends who were inside told him it began when a man started playing a song on the jukebox. He said that's when another customer came up to the man and said "you're not a real Mexican if you play that music." Bonilla said the argument then escalated. "The guy who got insulted pulled his weapon and started shooting, you know, to the other guy, didn't give him the chance," said Bonilla. cbsnews.com

Atlanta, GA: 1 dead, 1 injured after shooting at neighborhood grocery store
One man is dead and another wounded after police say the two got into a gun battle inside a popular neighborhood store. It happened inside the Grocery Brothers store on Metropolitan Parkway around noon. People who frequent the business saw police and crime scene tape and initially thought something had happened to the owners. It was a sense of relief when they learned the workers were safe. "Thank God they didn't get hit," resident Lonnie Walker told Channel 2′s Tom Jones. wsbtv.com

Mount Holly, NC: Update: No Charges Filed In Fatal Gaston County C-Store Shooting
After reviewing the robbery and shooting that took place at Will’s Food Store in Mount Holly, no charges have been filed after a customer fatally shot a man who was attempting to rob the grocery store, according to a news release. The release states that on September 10, Victor Almodovar Jr., armed with a handgun, attempted to rob Will’s Food Store before being shot by a customer in the store who was also armed with a handgun. wccbcharlotte.com

The D&D Daily's Robbery & Burglary Coverage Will Resume Tomorrow

None to report.

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Corporate Risk Manager
Houston, TX - Posted September 18

Summary of Role and Responsibilities: Proactive approach to preventing losses/injuries, whether they are to our employees, third parties, or customers' valuables. They include cash in transit, auto losses, or injuries; Report all incidents, claims, and losses that may expose the company to financial losses, whether they are covered by insurance or not...

District Asset Protection Manager
North Kingstown, RI - Posted September 16

The District Asset Protection Manager at OSJL plays a key role in safeguarding the organization's stores. Through training and program implementation, this role champions a safe working environment and minimizes loss from shrink, theft, and fraud. This role conducts regular store visits, leads investigations, and collaborates with store leadership on best practices for asset protection...

Corporate Risk Manager
Memphis, TN or New Orleans, LA - Posted June 27

Loss Prevention Specialist
Temple, TX - Posted June 18

The Loss Prevention Specialist identifies various types of losses and thefts, works cross-functionally in a fast-paced environment providing critical guidance to Operations on asset protection and profit improvement initiatives. At The Fikes Companies, our Mission is to build a highly successful company which our employees are proud of, our customers value, and the communities we serve can count on...

Multi-Store Detective (Pittsburgh Operating Market)
Pittsburgh, PA - Posted April 9

Job Summary: Store Detectives are key players in serving their assigned locations in the detection and apprehension of shoplifters. Job Responsibilities: Detect and apprehend shoplifters with the use of standard visual practice and CCTV in multi-store environment; Utilize CCTV to create video records of incidents requested by law enforcement and internal departments...

Multi-Store Detective (Cleveland Operating Market)
Cleveland, OH - Posted April 9

Multi-Store Detective (Akron/Canton Operating Market)
Akron/Canton, OH - Posted April 9

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Seems like the longer a process goes, the harder it is for everyone to stay focused on the initial purpose and maintain the enthusiasm as when it began. Time and difficulty have their impact, but maintaining the passion and enthusiasm is up to each person. With the last step seemingly the easiest, it is usually the most critical step of all and many tend to approach it as if it is a mere formality when, in reality, that last step can be the biggest and, if you do not watch out, it could be a step right off the cliff.

Just a Thought,
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