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10/19/18

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CLEAR Announces Award Winners at 2018 Conference

The 2018 Coalition of Law Enforcement and Retail Conference wrapped up on Thursday October 11, with 180 attendees enjoying the 14 sessions, vendor interactions, and networking opportunities over a span of three days in Myrtle Beach. Even after dodging Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael, the 180 conference attendees were the recipients of a wide variety of training opportunities, from the impact of opioids on retail crime, to an eye opening presentation on the tragic active shooter incident at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando.

A highlight of the conference was presenting awards for the law enforcement and loss prevention investigations of the year. Those awards went to the following recipients:

LP ORC Investigation of the Year
Ruben Banuelos, Sr. ORC Investigator, & Ben Schwartz, CIT Sr. External Investigator, Home Depot
This award is presented for your diligence and tenacity in identifying, tracking, and partnering with local law enforcement to locate and arrest two suspects in a major nationwide ticket switch/refund fraud case, with a known loss of $300,000. This case exemplifies the value of loss prevention and law enforcement partnerships.

Law Enforcement ORC Investigation of the Year #1
Detective Charlene Tombaugh, Huntersville NC Police
This award is for an investigation involving at least 10 different departments over a period of 10 years, investigating larcenies and armed robberies of jewelry stores within a 200 mile radius with a final total loss of $4,436,794.59.

Law Enforcement ORC Investigation of the Year #2
Dept of Homeland Security, Trade Enforcement Group – Houston, TX
Special Agent Robert Skidmore, Special Agent Eric Lehman and Research Specialist Robert Garcia
For dismantling of a major Organized Retail Crime Criminal Enterprise, which caused over 30 million dollars in losses to retailers in nearly every state. Far beyond the financial losses caused to our businesses, the case expanded into critical areas of public and consumer safety, by identifying suspects involved in counterfeiting prescription drugs, human trafficking and large scale fraud.

Plans are already underway for our 2019 Conference, to be held in San Diego, Oct. 28-31, 2019!

Violence is Up - Here's the Proof - DOJ Press Release Oct 17th, 2018
Justice Department Smashes Records for Violent Crime, Gun Crime,
Illegal Immigration Prosecutions, Increases Drug & White Collar Prosecutions
Under the leadership of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the Department of Justice charged the largest number of violent crime and firearm defendants in its history in Fiscal Year (FY) 2018.

President Donald Trump is a law-and-order President—and this is a law-and-order administration,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “The Department of Justice is breaking law enforcement records and doing so by significant margins. When I took office as Attorney General, I ordered federal prosecutors and agents to take illegal guns off of our streets, to prosecute crimes aggressively, to protect our nation’s borders, and to target white collar fraud.

And we are seeing results. Violent crime and homicides, which jumped in 2015 and 2016, both dropped in 2017 and will drop again in 2018. There can be no doubt that good law enforcement policies can make our communities safer.”

According to data from the Executive Office of United States Attorneys (EOUSA), the number of defendants charged with criminal felony offenses increased by nearly 15 percent from more than 71,200 defendants in FY 2017 to more than 81,800 in FY 2018.

In FY 2018, the Justice Department charged the largest number of violent crime defendants since EOUSA started to track this category more than 25 years ago (more than 16,800)—surpassing by nearly 15 percent the previous record set just last year.

In FY 2018, the Justice Department charged more than 15,300 defendants with federal firearms offenses, which is 17 percent more than the previous record. justice.gov

Gift Card Fraud Up 270% Since 2015
Scammers Increasingly Demand Payment by Gift Card
FTC examines gift card use as a payment vehicle for scams
We found that from January through September of this year, gift cards and reload cards (like MoneyPak) were reported as a payment method in 26% of the fraud reports in which people told us how they paid, up from just 7% in 2015 – a 270% increase. Con artists favor these cards because they can get quick cash, the transaction is largely irreversible, and they can remain anonymous.

People report that con artists direct them to buy gift or reload cards at well-known stores like Walmart, Target, Walgreens, and CVS. According to these reports, they demand some specific card brands. While these change over time, iTunes cards have been the top card brand by a wide margin since 2016. By contrast, Google Play cards were not reported in significant numbers until this year.

Stepping back to look at all fraud reports available to the FTC from all sources, we found that losses where people reported using gift or reload cards reached $40 million in 2017, up from $20 million in 2015 and $27 million in 2016 (Source: FTC Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, 2016 and 2017). Through September of this year, that number is already $53 million. And while individual fraud losses using these cards have held steady at a $500 median loss per incident, people report losing a lot more to some types of scams. Tech support scams are a notable example. When people report paying for fraudulent tech support services with a gift or reload card, the median dollar loss is now $959, up nearly 60% from $600 in 2017. ftc.gov

Retailers looking to clamp down on ‘serial returners’
61% Plan to Ban Serial Returners
In a survey published today, Brightpearl, the world’s largest purpose-built retail ERP platform, revealed that Almost two-thirds (61%) of US retailers are planning to ban shoppers who deliberately and regularly buy multiple items with the intent to return some (so-called “serial returners”), according to a survey by Brightpearl, a cloud-based ERP for retailers and wholesalers. The report, conducted in association with OnePoll, revealed that 42% of U.S. retailers have seen an uplift in serial returners over the last 12 months.

Following a move pioneered by retail giant Amazon – which in May started closing accounts of customers who “request too many refunds” – many brands are now considering banning customers that return too many items, the report said. One-quarter of retailers admit that introducing lifetime bans for problem shoppers is a necessary move to protect their slim margins.

In addition, nearly half of U.S. retailers would impose bans to save time and administration resources – an indication that chronic returns are eroding retailers’ margins.

Of the brands Brightpearl spoke with, almost two-thirds (64%) of all clothing and fashion retailers are set to implement similar measures to Amazon, while 67% of consumer electronic firms plan to do the same. Perhaps more surprisingly, baby and toddler retailers are the most ruthless market segment, with 80% expected to ban serial returners in the near future.

● The worst offenders are shoppers aged 18-34, where 22% of respondents confess to having intentionally bought more items than they intended to keep.

● Most shoppers support bans for serial returners, with 58% agreeing it’s a fair policy. However, there are clear differences in attitudes depending on age group, with 18-24s the least likely to agree with the policy. chanstoreage.com

Get the Report: Banned? A Returning Problem

What the CFOs Are Reading
Financial Executives Have to "Rethink Every Aspect of Their Functions" As Well
So LP/AP Isn't Alone In This Age of Convergence
"The CFO Balancing Act"
"Facing the Future while Navigating the Now"
For finance executives, the digital transformation isn’t at hand. It’s already arrived.

Or so they need to act, anyway. At a time when business is embarking on an immersive digital future, powered by a convergence of new technologies—the cloud, mobile, robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI), among others—that will require finance executives to rethink every aspect of their functions.

CFOs need to make sure that the organization’s future shape can accommodate—and maximize—emerging technologies such as Blockchain and the Internet of Things. In their evolving role as strategists, they must visualize a reconfigured finance function, one that brings into line advances in technology with the acquisition of new and critical skills. Companies that cannot successfully integrate technology, embedding it throughout their business, risk extinction. In its relatively short history, the disruption phenomenon, as CFOs have well-observed, has repeatedly rumbled through established industries and architectures, handily hollowing out legacy business models.

Yet the urgency with which finance executives need to rethink the function, while confronting fast-moving waves of high-impact technological changes, shouldn’t compel them to abandon their methodological ways. They can’t start the reconstruction process without first laying the supporting groundwork.

This Digital Transformation is The Black Whole For Spending cfo.com

Security Industry Association Forecasts 2019 Security Megatrends
These trends —the top factors influencing both short-and long-term change in the global security industry— are expected to have sweeping impact on almost all businesses within the industry.

Cybersecurity was identified in the 2019 report as the standout trend shaping the security industry. By nearly 30 percentage points, industry leaders said cybersecurity’s impact on physical security solutions was the most impactful trend they were expecting to face in 2019.

A resounding number of respondents also called for artificial intelligence (AI) to be recognized as a megatrend, noting that AI is becoming vital to supporting the heightened volume of data produced by modern security solutions.

Other new Security Megatrends emerging for 2019 include workforce development, the emphasis on data privacy, advancements in digital identity and the integration of security into smart environments like smart buildings and smart cities.

The 2019 Security Megatrends are:

1. Cybersecurity Impact on Physical Security
2. Internet of Things (IoT) and the Big Data Effect
3. Cloud Computing
4. Workforce Development
5. AI
6. Emphasis on Data Privacy
7. Move to Service Models
8. Security Integrated in Smart Environments
9. Advanced Digital Identities
10. Impact of Consumer Electronics Companies

“Today, modern physical security solutions are comprised of IoT devices and sensors that generate high volumes of security data. Applying analytics and artificial intelligence systems makes this data more actionable and increases responsiveness for security systems users,” said SIA Chairman of the Board Scott Schafer.

“Cybersecurity continues to be at the top of the list of the most important trends identified by security industry manufacturers, systems integrators, security practitioners, architects and engineers." security.world

Amazon Revisits Some Cities as HQ2 Decision Looms
Company appears to be favoring an urban site; New York City, Newark, N.J., and Chicago received visits

The visits over the past couple of months include New York City, Newark, N.J., and Chicago, according to people familiar with the matter. In addition, Amazon has been following up with other locations, including Miami and the Washington, D.C.-area, according to some of the people. Some cities, like Raleigh, N.C., haven’t heard from the retail giant in months, according to people familiar with the matter. wsj.com

NCR To Integrate Facial Recognition App Yoti For Age Verification at Self Checkouts at UK Supermarkets
Retail self checkout -NCR announced integration of facial recognition technology from Yoti with its “FastLane” tills, to be piloted for age verification of people buying alcohol and cigarettes at UK supermarkets by the end of the year.

Shoppers do not need to register their identity in advance, and the system does not retain user images after the purchase is made. The process can also be performed more quickly for registered customers through the Yoti app. “NCR delivers a frictionless and innovative way for customers to prove their age in seconds. It’s a simple process that helps retailers meet the requirements of regulators worldwide.”

NCR provides point-of-sale systems to Asda, Tesco, and other supermarkets in the UK, two of the big four supermarkets, which also include Sainsbury’s and Morrisons, are planning to pilot the technology. biometricupdate.com

Mastercard Declares Signatures Optional
Mastercard becomes the first credit card network to make signatures optional on the card and in the store.

As advancements in technology and security change how people pay and verify their identity, Mastercard announced it is making cardholder signatures optional, both on the card and on receipts.

For cardholders, not needing to sign creates a faster and more streamlined point of sale experience. Today, consumers experience this when they tap to pay—contactless card payments are quick, secure and don’t often require a signature.

In a consumer survey, more than half of respondents believed they were just as secure without signing the back of their cards, and two-thirds wanted biometrics to replace signatures, passwords and PIN codes when paying with their card.

Starting in April 2019, Mastercard issuers globally will no longer be required to include a signature panel on the back of Mastercard products. This change follows the move to allow merchants the option to collect cardholder signatures for in-store purchases. Mastercard led the industry with this announcement in the U.S. and Canada last fall, and now extends this option to merchants around the globe. cstoredecisions.com

Conventions are getting smaller
But there's a lot more of them then ever before
The same can be said for LP/AP
A new report, based on historic data from the International Congress and Convention Association, finds that meetings are generally getting smaller, but there are a lot more of them.

The U.S., however, remains the most popular nation by sheer number of meetings, as it was when ICCA first started tracking data. In the U.S., an estimated 2 million people took part in more than 5,000 meetings between 2013 and 2017. Speaking of things that are smaller—compared to the 1960s, the average meeting is more than two days shorter than it was back then, with current meetings averaging 3.65 days. associationsnow.com

TSA Unveils Plan for Biometrics and Facial Recognition to Replace Manual Checks

Famous Footwear Parent Buys Vionic Group - On "Oprah's Favorite Things" List

C-Store Chain Parker's to Roll Out Self-Checkout at its 45 Stores in GA

Qurate to cut 2K jobs, shut QVC Lancaster warehouse, hire 1,200 in Bethlehem

Quarterly Results
VF Corp Q2 Active segment sales up 19% (Vans up 26%), International up 13%, direct-to-consumer up 19%, sales up 15%
Sketchers Q3 company-owned global retail comp's up 1.9%, company-owned global retail sales up 10.6%, international wholesale sales up 11.8%, domestic wholesale down 3%,sales up 7.5%

In Case You Missed It
The D&D Daily's 'Data Week' Reports

Q3 'Retail Violent Deaths' Report
Q3 Robbery Report
Q3 ORC Report
Q3 LP/AP Internet Jobs Report

All the News - One Place - One Source - One Time
The D&D Daily respects your time
and doesn't filter retail's reality

eBay Global Asset Protection
Partnerning with Retailers Offensively Against Crime and Theft (PROACT), since 2007

Postal Service employee accused of $630k theft of postal stamps, sold on eBay

Ryan S. Cortez, the manager of customer service operations at the North Kenner Post Office, was arrested Wednesday after a federal investigation and charged with misappropriation of Postal Service funds or property.

According to a criminal complaint affidavit, Cortez allegedly stole approximately $630,000 in U.S. stamps and sold them on eBay. The Attorney General's Office said it was the largest internal theft by an employee in the history of the U.S. Postal Service. Read more

For further information on PROACT, email inquiries to PROACT@eBay.com.

Spotlight on Stanley Security

STANLEY Security Named Winner of Innovative Product Award for STANLEY IntelAssure, Powered by Viakoo

INDIANAPOLIS – STANLEY Security, a leading global manufacturer and integrator of comprehensive security solutions for a wide range of industries, was named a winner of the Innovative Product Awards at the 2018 Global Security Exchange (GSX) in Las Vegas for STANLEY IntelAssure, the first and only service-assurance for physical security systems that utilizes automation to continuously detect and diagnose problems and recommend solutions. The automation includes real time status reporting to help security employees stay in control of safety while saving time and money to solve the problem of missing video.

The Innovative Product Awards, formally known as Accolades, annually recognizes the security industry's newest, most innovative products, services and technology solutions. For an innovation to be named a winner, the technology had to have been introduced within the last year. Additionally, all winning entries were based on being a new product or service, not a redesign or modification. A group of judges comprised of end users and experts in security technology selected the top ten winners based on level of innovation, unique attributes and the benefit the product or service brings to the security industry. STANLEY was presented with the award at GSX located at the Las Vegas Convention Center at the end of September.

“We’re extremely pleased to have received this prestigious innovation award for our solution that detects issues and vulnerabilities through an IP security infrastructure in near real-time, allowing organizations to quickly and cost-effectively ensure maximum service uptime,” said Brad McMullen, Vice President of Marketing and Product Solutions, STANLEY Security. “We know this service assurance software solution will be at the forefront of benefitting the security industry at a time when vulnerabilities and system downtown can greatly deter the safety of a business.”

For more information about STANLEY IntelAssure, visit www.stanleysecurity.com/intelassure.

To learn more about STANLEY Security’s broad range of products and solutions, please visit www.stanleysecurity.com.

Many Consumers Still Don't Trust Retailers with Their Data
11% Won't Shop At Your Store if You Had a Breach
And - "They Want To Be Told Within An Hour of Discovery"
First Data found that although the majority of respondents realize cybercrime is a threat in every industry, more trust is placed in records-driven companies, like financial services (46%) and healthcare (39%), when it comes to protecting private information.

Retailers, on the other hand, aren’t trusted to provide the same degree of data security. Just 8% of respondents trust retailers with their data, and about an equal amount (11%) feel confident in a retailer’s preparedness should a data breach occur.

The retail industry is particularly susceptible to data breaches, and when they happen, nearly half of respondents (45%) said they want to be told within an hour of discovery. Given the lack of trust in retail’s ability to safeguard data, this transparency is important because without it, consumers may think twice about shopping.

In fact, some 11% would no longer buy from a retailer that experienced a data breach, but it’s more likely they’ll rethink payment methods. More than four in 10 respondents (43%) said they would continue to shop at the compromised retailer but would instead pay with cash.

According to a study from the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) conducted by The Harris Poll, due to safety concerns 43% of US consumers reported using cash or checks more often, and another 5% said they used cryptocurrencies instead of paying by card.

Although consumers take precautions, many believe it’s the retailer’s responsibility to protect their financial data. emarketer.com

50% of Consumers Will Forgive a Data Breach - If You're Transparent About the Event & Response

Inside the Dark Web's 'Help Wanted' Ads
Same Business Rules Apply
Corporate Insiders Selling Secrets Make the Most
How cybercriminals recruit everyone from car drivers to corporate insiders and pay them according to the risk they assume.

Lurking on the Dark Web are threat actors seeking help for a range of illegal activities, from malware attacks to insurance fraud to murder. When they need a new hire, they post virtual ads, vaguely describing the role while offering the most money for jobs with the greatest risk.

A new study digs into the intricacies of Dark Web recruitment to learn more about how cybercriminals do business. It's the second in a series of reports investigating the actors and unwritten rules that keep the underground running.

Researchers found this network is comprised of organizational structures resembling small to large businesses, all of which compete for talent in their illicit economy. As in our legal economy, two principles apply.

First is the idea that supply breeds demand. For example, if someone creates a dangerous piece of malware, another party will buy it and exploit targets. Both buyer and seller turn a profit.

Second, is a workforce hierarchy: operators who manage activity but do less actual work, skilled laborers who perform expert work and are paid more, and menial laborers who do less technical work for lower pay.

"The rules they follow, are a lot more structured and enforced than one may expect." In reality, they follow very strict rules of engagement, clear rules on how to determine the reputation of players so others don't scam them."

One of the key correlations is between assumed risk and reward. The more dangerous the position, the higher compensation becomes.

More Risk, More Money

Among the highest paid are corporate insiders recruited by cybercriminals who want to learn business secrets. Most commonly targeted are financial employees, who may be hired to get a loan or increase the cash withdrawal limit on a bank card. One Russian-language ad offered $3,150 USD – in an area where the common bank worker makes only $550 per month. Some actors try to recruit postal workers to intercept and reroute packages. Others attempts to recruit security experts and government or law enforcement employees for what they describe as "long-term collaboration."

Threat actors also seek cyber expertise, and forums are full of ads from people who sell malware or offer custom versions of malware. "It's all over the place."

Less Skill, Future Potential

The most popular job on the Dark Web is a "dropper," or someone who receives money or goods and redirects it to another dropper, as a means to widen the distance between the recipient of illicit merchandise and the original seller. darkreading.com

How SOC metrics improve security operation centers' performance
While some enterprises are still struggling with all of the metrics and the changing landscape of tools and processes used as data sources, one rapidly maturing area is security operations centers, where defining metrics has been a challenge.

As SOCs mature, analytics and decision support are being included to drive more value for enterprises and to provide insight into how effectively security resources are being used. As SOCs continue to mature, the need for metrics and their supporting definitions is becoming more important, as is using the metrics to make changes and monitor the environment. Even defining what constitutes an incident is important, as not all security incidents have the same impact or require the same response.

There are several resources enterprises can use to learn more about security metrics, starting with the seminal book Security Metrics: Replacing Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt by Andrew Jaquith. The Center for Internet Security, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote cybersecurity, also provides some guidance on security metrics. The SANS Institute offers several papers related to SOC metrics, and the NIST hosts the National Vulnerability Database, which provides metrics for tracked vulnerabilities.

As your enterprise determines your SOC metrics, you may also want to review the resources from the SANS Security Operations Summit from July 2018 and the SANS webcasts about their SOC survey.

When developing SOC metrics, identifying the highest value processes or areas that need the most resources can help identify where metrics and management attention may be needed the most. This can be part of continuous improvement and shouldn't be limited to how your SIEM or any particular tool is licensed or can be used.

With an outsourced SOC, it may be critical to set these metrics upfront and include them in a contract to ensure that the SOC can generate the data and support the required metrics. techtarget.com

e-commerce
Sponsored by The Zellman Group

A quarter of consumers unknowingly buy counterfeit goods: report
Research by MarkMonitor has revealed that 23% of consumers are unknowingly purchasing counterfeit goods.

The research found that as well as 45% of consumers being concerned about unknowingly buying a counterfeit product, nearly all of those surveyed—91%—said they would not knowingly purchase a product that was counterfeit.

The 23% of unwitting consumers is where counterfeiters can thrive; although nearly all consumers do not want to purchase a counterfeit product, that doesn’t mean they will not do so by mistake. Sellers of fake goods are extremely adept at using technology to push their products to the front of a consumer’s buying choices online.

Counterfeiters can reduce legitimate sales, lessen brand exclusivity and hurt companies’ goodwill.

And remember, there is a lot at stake in the online retail market—according to Statista, global e-retail sales equated to $2.3 trillion in 2017, with that figure forecast to reach $4.48 trillion by 2021. worldipreview.com

Is a CNP Fraud Chargeback Guarantee the Best Choice for Your Online Store?
Merchants who sell online have access to markets and channels that traditional brick-and-mortar stores can’t match. But those opportunities come with fraud risks that card-present transactions don’t have because of the EMV liability shift. One possible solution for online merchants is chargeback insurance, more commonly referred to as a chargeback guarantee, provided by some fraud-prevention services. Should merchants use a chargeback protection service? There’s not a standard answer to this question.

First, why do some online fraud prevention companies offer chargeback guarantees? Those that offer decisions approve or decline orders on behalf of their clients, while companies that offer scores rate each order for its likelihood of fraud but allow the merchant to approve or decline. Companies that offer decisions sometimes guarantee they will cover the cost of any fraudulent chargeback because the decision to approve the order was their responsibility. Such a guarantee typically covers all fraud-related chargeback losses, regardless of payment gateway or processor. Read more at cardnotpresent.com

Amazon plans to open another UK office, add 1,000 high-skilled 'Silicon Valley' jobs

Kohl's to open 8 Amazon 'smart home' shops in Milwaukee

Pinterest is turning more of its window shoppers into buyers with newest features

Why Amazon Is Making It Easier to Buy 'Shark Tank' Products

Google Shopping Actions Signs On Best Buy, Nike, Sephora

"Fraud is not a person - it is a dynamic grouping of statistics that deviate from the norm."
Stuart B. Levine, CFI, CFCI
CEO, The Zellman Group & Zelligent

ORC News
Sponsored by Auror

Carolinas Organized Retail Crime Alliance (CORCA) welcomes
150 retail & law enforcement to 3rd annual conference

Law enforcement officers and retail loss prevention professionals from across North and South Carolina came together at the Sheraton Imperial in Durham, NC on Thursday, October 4 for the 3nd Annual Conference of the Carolinas Organized Retail Crime Alliance (CORCA).

Nearly 150 participants were welcomed to the event by Sergeant Scott Womack of the Raleigh Police Department and the 2018-19 CORCA president. Retail attendees represented all types of stores from chains to one-store operations and included grocery, apparel, pharmacy, beauty, home improvement and general merchandise. Law enforcement officers from police and sheriff’s departments in both states were active participants as well.

The 2018 “CORCA Champion” award was presented to Representative Sarah Stevens (R-Surry) for her tireless efforts during the 2018 legislative session to ensure passage of legislation important to both the law enforcement and retail loss prevention communities. Read full recap here

The End of the "Felony Lane Gang" One of the best run gangs in US history
Fourteenth and Final Member of the “Felony Lane Gang” Pleads Guilty in $1 Million Bank Fraud Conspiracy
Traveled From Florida to Maryland to Break into Cars and Commit Bank Fraud and Identity Theft in Columbia, Millersville, and Edgewater

Baltimore, Maryland – The final defendant in the federal indictments charging 14 Florida residents with a bank fraud conspiracy involving over $1 million in losses pleaded guilty today. Kevin Williams, age 43, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, pleaded guilty to federal charges of bank fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. Williams was a member of the nationwide group of fraudsters known to law enforcement as the “Felony Lane Gang,” whose members traveled from Florida to Maryland and other states, broke into vehicles parked at recreation areas, sports fields, gyms, fitness centers, and other locations, and stole wallets, purses and other items left in the vehicles. Williams and his co-defendants used the victims’ stolen checks, credit cards and identifications to conduct fraudulent financial transactions.

From September 2012 through July 2015, Williams is part of an organized group out of Florida who travel around the United States committing check fraud. Traveling groups generally consisted of two to four managers and one to six “strikers” (sometimes called “faces”) or persons who passed the fraudulent and stolen checks. Williams and his co-conspirators recruited prostitutes, drug addicts and other vulnerable individuals as faces to travel with them to conduct financial transactions using the stolen checks, driver’s licenses and other materials, and paid them with drugs, food, and small amounts of cash amounting to a fraction of the total value of the checks they cashed. They traveled in rental cars and stayed in hotels, sometimes paying for the rental cars and hotel rooms using victims’ identities and credit cards.

The managers, including Williams, went to locations where individuals often leave their belongings in their car—such as gyms, parks, and athletic fields—and broke into vehicles and stole wallets and purses for the identifications, credit cards, and check books—collectively called “paper.” Other items were usually discarded. The “paper” was provided to the strikers, along with glasses and wigs to allow them to resemble the individuals pictured in the stolen forms of identification. These co-conspirators, generally in teams of a driver and a passenger posing as the victim, traveled to banks to cash the checks stolen from victims. The managers were either in another car parked nearby so they could watch the transaction and look out for police, or they were crouched down behind the front seat.

As detailed in his plea agreement, Williams managed a crew and often coordinated crews who were in the same area at the same time. He both obtained the “paper” that was later distributed to strikers so that fraudulent checks could be cashed, and traded “paper” between crews as they came and went in a particular area. Williams assisted co-conspirators in cashing checks using the names and identifying information of the victims at banks in Maryland, including in Columbia, Millersville, and Edgewater.

Williams faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison for bank fraud conspiracy and a mandatory two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for aggravated identity theft. justice.gov

Syracuse Man Sentenced to 140 Months for Multi-State Credit Card Fraud Schemes
Daquan Rice, age 23, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to 140 months in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, in connection with his prior guilty plea to charges involving a years-long credit card cloning operation.

Based on his role in a scheme that generated tens of thousands of dollars from the use of stolen and counterfeit credit cards. As part of his guilty plea to those charges, the defendant admitted to the purchase of stolen credit card numbers belonging to hundreds of different victims, frequently from computer hackers located overseas, and the fabrication of cloned credit cards. Rice further admitted that he used those cloned credit cards to purchase tens of thousands of dollars in merchandise and prepaid gift cards. The defendant then used those prepaid gift cards to purchase United States Postal money orders, which he converted to cash. Rice’s and his co-defendants’ criminal conduct spanned from 2014 through 2016 and took place in Syracuse, as well as Texas and Georgia.

Today’s sentence also covered a second federal criminal case to which the defendant pled guilty on May 25, 2018, relating to the defendant’s participation in a counterfeit credit card scheme while he was in jail awaiting sentencing on the initial federal charges and making deposits into inmate commissary accounts. justice.gov

Leader of Target Department Store Credit Card Fraud Scheme Sentenced to 6.5 Years in Prison
Frank Her was the leader of an organization numbering up to 50 people who created fraudulent credit cards, stole others’ mail, and compromised victims’ identities. Her specifically conspired with others to traffic in and use unauthorized Target REDcard account numbers to obtain things of value in excess of $1,000 in a one-year period. Her’s conduct involved at least 500 unauthorized and counterfeit cards, affected hundreds of victims, and led to an estimated actual loss of over $200,000 to those victims.

Frank Her, 39, of Sacramento operated a credit card and access device “lab” out of his garage in Sacramento, which included possessing and operating voluminous device-making equipment used to create fake credit, debit, gift, and other banking cards, falsifying government identification documents, and washing checks. In particular, Her would create fraudulent Target REDcards in his garage, give them to co-conspirators, and direct them to use those REDcards to buy merchandise and other items at Target stores in the Sacramento area. Her learned an algorithm revealing how to create working Target REDcard account numbers and encoded those account numbers onto blank cards without authorization from Target or the account holders. To avoid detection, Her often sent co‑conspirators to Target alone or, if he went himself, wore disguising clothing and accessories. Her also personally stole mail and directed others to do so. justice.gov

Wayne County, MI: Fencing Operation: Pawn shop owner caught fencing stolen merchandise heads to prison for 2 to 7 years
A Wyandotte man will spend at least two years in prison in a retail fraud scheme that prosecutors say involved selling merchandise stolen from big box stores. Antony P. Wojtala was sentenced this month by Wayne County Circuit Judge Deborah Thomas to between two and seven years in prison on a charge of using a computer to commit a crime. He was also given two sentences of one to five years each, for charges of organized retail crime, but those are to run concurrently with the longer sentence.
Wojtala had pleaded no contest to all three charges in September. In return, 19 other charges, including one count of conducting a criminal enterprise and multiple counts of receiving and conceal stolen property, were dismissed. He was also ordered to close his Tony's Pawn Shop and pay $6,550 in restitution. County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, said Wojtala has paid the restitution. hometownlife.com

North Manheim Township, PA: Woman Accused of Burglarizing Garden Center Six Times in Four Months; $15,000 of merchandise stolen
A woman is accused with burglarizing a garden center in Schuylkill County six times in just four months. Police say Danielle Breidigan from Schuylkill Haven stole nearly $15,000 worth of stuff from Trail Gardens near Pottsville. Troopers say they discovered more than 100 stolen items in her house. wnep.com

Natick, MA: Woman stole over 80 pairs of leggings from Victoria’s Secret
Police say a woman with a hankering for leggings stole more than 80 pairs on two separate shoplifting trips to Victoria’s Secret in the Natick Mall. Police arrested Cynthia Scott, 43, and Joshua Jordan McKinney, 28, on Tuesday at 4:26 p.m., police spokeswoman Lt. Cara Rossi said on Thursday. On Tuesday, Victoria’s Security watched as Scott and McKinney opened a bright orange Nike bag and stuff 24 different Pink-brand leggings, into a bag and leave the store. The two dozen leggings were valued at more than $1,060.

Store security stopped them and called police. When officers went to arrest them, McKinney struggled to try to get away, Rossi said. Store security told police they were watching Scott because they recognized her from a past incident. “They had her on security video from a theft on Sept. 18,” Rossi said. In that incident, Scott and two unknown accomplices were caught on security video stealing 60 pairs of leggings and 24 hooded sweatshirts. The value of the items stolen in that incident was just under $3,800, Rossi said. wickedlocal.com

Clearwater, FL: Shoplifting suspects stole $1,300 worth of items from Walmart
Clearwater police need help identifying two shoplifters seen stealing from a Walmart. Police said the male and female suspects are suspected of stealing more than $1,300 in clothing and electronics from the Walmart, located on U.S. Highway, Investigators said they loaded up a cart full of the items, and exited the store without paying. fox13news.com

Franklin, TN: Franklin Police seeking identity of a Stein Mart Shoplifter; $1,000 reward

Moline, IL: Von Maur reported a $400 theft at Southpark Mall; two suspects wanted

Columbia County, GA: Two suspects wanted for theft of $420 of merchandise from Walmart

Lexington, KY: Two arrested for Theft at University of Kentucky bookstore; neither are students at UK

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Retail Crime News

Florida Communities Grapple with
Post-Hurricane Looting

Bay County, FL: 10 looters arrested each night, official says
Hurricane Michael survivors struggle with looting concerns
Curfews are helping to ebb the amount of looting in hurricane-ravaged communities along the Panhandle, but law enforcement and exhausted families aren't letting down their guard. Bay County Sheriff's Deputy Maj. Jimmy Stanford said they've been arresting 10 looters a night since the storm hit and many of them have been armed. The looters have been targeting homes and businesses, he said.

Bay County has instituted a curfew that runs from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and other counties hit by Michael have similar curfews to prevent looting.

Gulf County announced the arrest of eight people Wednesday charged with violating the curfew. Besides welfare checks, the highest number of calls the Sheriff's Office received were for suspicious persons. They received 330 suspicious persons calls and 103 burglary calls. pnj.com

Florida cops struggle to stop armed looters as hurricane death toll reaches 33
Leaving a trail of devastation and a rising death toll across the southern coast of US, hurricane Michael has created a fertile ground for armed looters who, despite police efforts, continue to ransack homes and businesses. A week after the third-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record slammed the Gulf of Mexico coast, authorities are still unable to fully restore power to affected areas or to manage looters who have been pillaging destroyed buildings. The level of destruction was only matched by the criminal activity of armed looters. To defend themselves against unprovoked attacks locals reportedly began spray-painting signs in some parts of the county, reading “looters will be shot.” rt.com

Shootings & Deaths

San Diego, CA: Ex-convict arrested in connection to murder of East Village store owner
A man who allegedly murdered the proprietor of an East Village flooring-materials store at the victim’s downtown business while wearing a Halloween-style old-lady mask is in custody, facing charges of murder and robbery. San Diego police reported Thursday. Kevin Eugene Cartwright, 51, allegedly killed 49-year-old Ghedeer “Tony” Radda, a married father of two young children, last week at Bottom Price Flooring. Homicide detectives arrested Cartwright in El Cajon on Wednesday, Lt. Matt Dobbs said. It was unclear what led them to identify Cartwright as the suspected killer. kusi.com

Robberies, Incidents & Thefts

San Diego, CA: Brazen suspects rob Pacific Beach T-Mobile at gunpoint
A pair of bandits robbed a Pacific Beach cellphone store Thursday afternoon, with one of the men holding three employees at gunpoint while his accomplice ransacked a safe. sandiegouniontribune.com

Littleton, CO: $10K reward offered after Armed Robbers took 20 guns from pawnshop
The robbery happened at about 1 p.m. Wednesday at Pawn Bank, 1360 W. Littleton Blvd., police said. Police said Wednesday that 21 guns had been stolen. The robbers held two employees at gun point and smashed a glass display case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), an industry trade association, announced the reward Thursday. denverpost.com

Arlington, TX: Shoplifter goes on epic beer run; ‘Dilly Dilly’
A man in Texas was caught on surveillance video going on an epic beer run after swiping five cases of Bud Light from a convenience store. The sudsy suspect walked into a Murphy’s Express in Arlington, Texas and picked up the pile of beer before bolting for the door. “Here is a textbook definition of a beer run,” Arlington cops tweeted. “This beer baron swiped 5 cases from a convenience store.” nypost.com

Middelburg, South Africa: Robbers bomb jewelry store in Middelburg Mall; 2nd jewelry store robbery in 2 days
A second jewelry store in an Mpumalanga mall has been targeted in two days, this time at Middelburg Mall. The witness recalled how unmasked men used “shiny sharp types of hammers” to break the display windows at the shopfront. They then emptied the contents into black plastic bags. The Middelburg Police have sent out information saying that no gunshots were fired. A jewelry store in i’langa Mall in Mbombela was robbed on October 15. Social media users speculated that it might be the same gang. theworldnews.net

Las Vegas, NV: Police seeking thief who attacked 80-year-old man outside Summerlin Best Buy

Santa Clara, CA: 7 Arrested in Robbery Spree Affecting Santa Clara Co. Cities

New York, NY: NYPD seeking suspect in 4 Cell Phone store Robberies; stabbed an AT&T employee

Youngstown, OH: Family Dollar armed robbers hit the same store twice in a week

Calgary, AB, Canada: Circle K Clerk stabbed during Armed Robbery

Morwell, Australia: Burglary: Three men broke into Coles stealing a large amount of cash from the self-serve registers

Fraud/Identity Theft

FBI: Sotheby's defrauded out of $5 million in auction scheme
A fine art consultant in New York and an interior designer in Florida stole an elderly woman's identity and used it to bid millions of dollars on famous paintings and defraud the renowned Sotheby's. Joakim von Ditmar and Antonio DiMarco are accused of using the identity of a wealthy, 80-year-old retiree to place winning bids on two paintings at a Sotheby's contemporary art auction in the fall of 2017. The pair, though, were quickly found out and never took possession of the art, authorities said. Sotheby's initially took a $5M loss but said it recovered much of that money after reselling the Rothko. crainsnewyork.com

Arson & Fire

Anderson, SC: Walmart Shoplifter sets fire to cover his escape
A man is accused of setting a fire inside Walmart as a diversion for shoplifting. Police say Michael Travis Robinson set fire to a product inside the store causing extensive smoke and water damage to the store. Reports say the fire started in the back of the store in the photo and toy area. Customers and employees were evacuated from the store, which closed following the fire. Investigators say Robinson was trying to create a diversion so he could shoplift. He is charged with Shoplifting and Arson Second Degree, and his bond as set at $10,000. 1063word.radio.com

Sentencings & Charges

"Operation Sidestep" Busts VA to NYC Cigarette Trafficking Ring
21-count indictment charges 3 individuals for distributing more than 1.25 million untaxed cigarettes, evading nearly $430,000 in tax liability. Code-named “Operation Sidestep,” state, federal, and local law enforcement agents concluded a months-long investigation into a network that allegedly evaded New York State and New York City excise and sales taxes by trafficking more than 1,500 cartons of untaxed cigarettes per week from Virginia to be sold in retail shops in Brooklyn. It totaled approximately 1,255,000 cigarettes were smuggled into Brooklyn, $426,700 in tax liability. ice.gov

6 Chicago Latin King Street Gang Members Indicted For Racketeering & Drug Conspiracy Charges
1 For Double Homicide During Robbery of Hammond, Indiana Retailer
50 Gang Members Charged in Total As Part of This Case
This fifth superseding indictment alleges a conspiracy to commit racketeering activity by the Latin Kings street gang and a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, marijuana, and alprazolam (Xanax), with the conspiracies stretching back to 1999. Today’s superseding indictment charges for the first time that in 1999, in furtherance of the Latin Kings racketeering conspiracy, Farmer committed a double homicide during a robbery of a local Hammond, Indiana business. In total, 50 members or associates of the Latin Kings street gang have been charged in Northern District of Indiana as part of this case. justice.gov

Carol Stream, IL: 7-Eleven get-a-way driver acquitted in Armed Robbery
The man who walked into a Carol Stream 7-Eleven about 10:15 p.m. on Jan. 26, 2015, and put a gun in the face of two clerks, demanding their money and the store's money, is serving 23 years in an Illinois prison. The man prosecutors allege drove him to and from the store beat two counts of armed robbery Thursday in DuPage County. The jury deliberated for less than 2 hours Thursday before acquitting 24-year-old Quincy Skanes. Skanes did not testify and his attorneys called no witnesses in his defense. But Senior Assistant Public Defender Val Pacis maintained Skanes was merely an innocent pawn that snowy night when Johnny Holmes, texted him for a ride home from the 7-Eleven. dailyherald.com

Kingman, AZ: Two men allegedly involved in a string of Armed Robberies and Kidnappings throughout Mohave County were arraigned on numerous new charges; two Dollar Generals and a Gas Station

Tampa, FL: Man Convicted Of Armed Robbery Of 7–Eleven Store

New York: Gang Leader Convicted Of Racketeering And Related Offenses, Including Attempted Murder In Subway Station

Boulder, CO: King Soopers employee faces felony theft charges; $2,000 to $5,000 theft of cash

Colerain, OH: Jury deadlocks in trial of man accused in execution-style killing of store owner

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