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LP, AP & Cybersecurity's #1 News Source

12/1/23 D-Ddaily.net
 

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The U.S. Crime Surge
The Retail Impact

NPR: It's peak shopping — and shoplifting — season. Cops are stepping up antitheft tactics

BELLEVUE, Wash. — There's been a lot of anger and frustration about retail theft in recent years, especially as viral videos of smash-and-grab crimes proliferate online. But lately, when you talk to people who work in the retail "loss prevention" world, they're surprisingly upbeat.

"There's definitely been some progress made," says Tony Sheppard, vice president of retail risk solutions for ThinkLP. He's worked in the industry for decades, starting out as a store detective at Montgomery Ward. He sees new energy in law enforcement efforts to combat this type of theft.

"The INFORM act passed," he says, referring to a new federal law requiring platforms such as Facebook Marketplace and OfferUp to collect more information about high-volume sellers — and help identify those who are fencing stolen merchandise.

Sheppard is also cheered by states that have started interagency task forces to track organized retail crime rings. California, especially, has ramped up its spending on such investigations, supported by the California Highway Patrol.

"I'd like to think that we can hopefully start getting back to normal," says CHP Capt. Jeff Loftin, with the organized retail crime task force in the Los Angeles area. His group has doubled in size in the past couple of years.

Many in law enforcement believe retail theft has been driven partly by a sense of impunity, fed by videos of people walking out of stores with piles of merchandise while staff look on. They also blame the pandemic, when many jurisdictions were less likely to jail suspects for property crimes.  npr.org

 

San Francisco Mayor London Breed Email to the Public
Mayor's Declaring Victory a Little Early But Elections are Next Year

Holiday Shopping & Retail Theft

Our officers are out there every day doing their jobs, and we are seeing results in recent strategies targeting organized retail theft and auto-theft break ins. This includes 40 organized retail theft operations since last year that have resulted in 300 arrests.  

For example, this week SFPD led an enforcement operation targeting organized retail theft and successfully arrested 17 adults in a single day at just one store.  

This work is paying off:

·    A Council on Criminal Justice study showed that retail theft incidents in SF decreased 35% by the first six months of this year.  

·    On Thanksgiving weekend – the kickoff for the holiday shopping season -- reported citywide larceny theft incidents were down 75% from last year, and 80% from 2021.  

As we head into this year’s holiday season, it is important we sustain these efforts to ensure we keep it safe for our shoppers, workers, and visitors. 

 

LAPD: Plain Clothes Shoplifting Operations by Joint Organized Retail Crime Taskforce NR23764ti

Los Angeles: On August 21, 2023, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Commercial Crimes Division commenced the Organized Retail Crime Task Force (ORCT) in an attempt to resolve the issue of “Flash-Rob” method retail crime incidents conducted by multiple suspects targeting various retail establishments throughout the Los Angeles region. The ORCT consists of LAPD Detectives and Officers, and Detectives from Torrance, Beverly Hills, Burbank, and Santa Monica Police Departments.

One of the ORCT strategies in resolving organized retail crime is the utilization of plain clothes operations where officers work with the retail stores in identifying, arresting, and disrupting retail theft. On November 22nd through November 25th, Thanksgiving week, ORCT conducted three plain clothes operations on the following dates and locations:

• November 22nd, near the 5500 block of Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood Division
• November 24th, near the 9800 block of South Alameda Street, Southeast Division
• November 25th, near the 14000 block of Riverside Drive, Van Nuys Division

Personnel from ORCT and the division of occurrence were involved in the operations. 

See the results here Continue Reading

 

WSJ: Violent Crime Is Down. Here’s Why More People Feel Victimized.

 

Authorities beef up security in San Francisco shopping districts during holiday season

 

OAHU, Hawaii -Businesses band together to fight crime during holiday shoplifting season

 

Small PD's Across the Country Are Dangerously Understaffed & Therein Lies the Misconception Where all these journalists are questioning the validity of the entire retail industry screaming for 'Help'
No Police - No Arrest - No Prosecutions - No Statistic

'It's Getting Kind of Scary': Calif. Sheriff Rings Alarm on Agency's Staffing

Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke warns that the state of the agency "is dire," with staffing challenges affecting patrols and dispatch to investigations and corrections.

The sheriff's office is experiencing staffing challenges affecting areas of the agency from patrol and dispatch to investigations and corrections, the sheriff said.

"The state of the sheriff's office," Warnke said, "is dire."

Warnke said the sheriff's office is also short 30 correctional positions out of 108 total, half of the detective staff, 4 dispatchers, eliminated the SET team, may have to eliminate the School Resource Officers positions, they have no active gang enforcement, and only six patrol deputies, leaving only three sheriff's office patrol vehicles with two deputies to a vehicle, to cover roughly 2,000 square miles of Merced County.

This could also result in detectives not working reported property crimes unless those crimes are agriculture related, according to Warnke.

""I need twice as many detectives as I've got," said Warnke. "They're getting their asses handed to them regarding the amount of calls that they're on and homicides and just the violence — "and they don't even have time to go after the property crimes."

"I think there's a potential for danger," Warnke said. "I think there's a chance for our criminal element to grasp what's going on."  officer.com

Editors Note: Like Mark Twain said:  There's small lies and there's big lies - And then you have statistics   Gus Downing

Pa. Borough Moves Ahead to Disband Police Department

Vacancies, Funding Force Wash. Sheriff to Declare Staffing Emergency






 


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Identity Theft Resource Center

ITRC Biometrics Discussion Paper – Facial Verification Needed to Reduce ID Crimes 

The Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) recently released a biometrics discussion paper that looks at the need to improve how we verify identities to reduce the number of identity crime victims. In 2020, trillions of dollars were pumped into the U.S. economy through enhanced government cash benefits, leading to an array of identity crimes that exposed issues in current identity verification processes. Recognizing that data could no longer be trusted as the sole source of truth about a person's identity in most processes, the ITRC turned to a group of recognized policy, academic, technical and business experts, as well as victim advocates, to explore the use of biometrics.  

The ITRC's Biometric Working Group (BWG) was tasked to explore practical solutions that will help prevent identity crimes while respecting privacy and ensuring data protection. Some of the key recommendations from the BWG discussion paper include: 

  • There is a clear distinction between facial verification, which is a consent-based process for proving a person is who they claim to be, and the controversial facial recognition tools used for surveillance and investigation without a person's knowledge by government agencies.  

  • The use of a facial biometric as part of a comprehensive identity verification process could help ensure the authenticity of a person while lowering the overall value of stolen personal information to bad actors. As a result, individuals will be at less risk of certain identity-related crimes.  

  • Organizations seeking to use facial verification tools should follow best practices, including storing data for a limited time, encrypting the data and not using the data for non-identity verification purposes.   

About the ITRC Biometric Working Group

The ITRC Biometric Working Group was convened to discuss the practical, privacy and policy implications of the use of biometric identifiers in identity verification processes used by the public and private sectors. Subject matter experts who participated included:

John Breyault, National Consumers League/ITRC Board
Blair Cohen, AuthenticID/ITRC Board
Jamie Danker, Venable LLP 
Jeremy Grant, Venable LLP & Better Identity Coalition 
Dr. David Maimon, Georgia State University 
Zach Martin, Venable LLP 
Linda Miller, Founder & CEO Audient Group, LLC 
Drew Nicholson, Intellectual Technology Incorporated 
Dr. Stephanie Schuckers, Clarkson University
Stephen Smith, Intellectual Technology Incorporated
Eva Velasquez, ITRC 
Michael DiTurno,ITRC

 

Genetec's Larry Legere on AutoVu's ALPR Unified Solution
High-performance ALPR that gives you real-time insights

Keeping an Eye on Traffic with Automatic License Plate Readers

OFFICER Magazine recently spoke with Nathan Maloney from Leonardo ELSAG and Larry Legere, Commercial Director for AutoVu at Genetec, about how Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPR) have evolved.

Legere added that while law enforcement often focuses on the criminal aspect of ALPR, what a lot of people don’t realize is that from a mobile parking perspective, there is a big safety component. “The National Safety Council always talks about how there are 50,000 accidents in parking lots from vehicles, but not a lot of people realize that a lot of this issue actually goes to the roadways,” he says, noting that once parking space occupancy is in the high 90s, crashes involving vehicles and pedestrians increase. “That parking space becomes so valuable that people are willing to make a U-turn in the middle of the street and erratic movements just to be able to get that spot.”

Legere says that ALPR systems have gone beyond the license plate and have become more vehicle centric. The unit acts as more of a sensor that can recognize the vehicle color, height and classification. “It knows the difference between a car, a truck, a bus, and this helps from a standpoint of traffic where we are looking at ways to utilize the software,”

As a unified solution, ALPR can be used alongside video and other analytics to provide insight to understand predictively what is going to happen or what may happen at certain times of the day in certain situations. “That all comes from the data,”

Legere believes ALPR will trend towards collecting more vehicle characteristics in the future. “The more information we can determine from the vehicle—size, shape, the color, the classification—will allow us to do better investigations from a larger standpoint, but also traffic control from a safety perspective to make sure certain vehicles are staying in certain lanes so that the bus lane stays open, which allows for better flow of traffic and people. I think that the insights coming from deep learning will allow us to continue improving the analytics, which gives better quality data.”   officer.com

 

 

Learn More & See the IACP Study on License Plate Readers
used by LE departments in the U.S.

 

LPR Use Doubles in U.S. - 40% Of LE Agencies Using LPR - Up From 23% in 2009

The current survey was completed by 1,237 law enforcement agencies in 39 states. Local/municipal agencies were slightly over-represented in this survey, as were mid-sized agencies. Small agencies of less than 50 officers – which make up most police agencies in the United States – were slightly under-represented.

LPR Use

Of the responding agencies, 40% reported that they currently use an LPR system, while 52% reported that they had never used an LPR system (the remaining 8% reported that they had used an LPR system in the past but were no longer using it). This is a large increase compared to results from a survey IACP conducted in 2009 that reported only 23% of agencies surveyed were using LPR. Consistent with the 2009 survey, the current survey indicated that larger agencies were more likely to use an LPR system than were smaller agencies, although the disparity has decreased, shown in Figure 1.6 The current survey also identified that state agencies were more likely to report using an LPR system than were other types of agencies.    

Continue Reading

 

LPR ID'ed Murder Suspect & Armed Robbers

How One Property’s License Plate Recognition Cameras Help Local Authorities Fight Crime

North American Properties has enhanced security at The Forum Peachtree Corners with almost 50 license plate recognition cameras.  As part of its transformation from a retail-focused lifestyle center into a mixed-use complex, NAP has installed the cameras around the perimeter of the 500,000-square-foot property over the past two years. They monitor traffic and connect to software that aggregates live video, data and sensor feeds from public and private sources and relays that data to the city of Peachtree Corners.

The Forum’s security cameras helped law enforcement capture suspects in a nearby murder last year. More recently, the camera system helped identify and track suspects accused of armed robbery at a jewelry store at the property, according to NAP director of innovation and digital assets Jay Richard-Yu.

“We are proud to partner with local municipalities and law enforcement agencies on curating secure communities for our guests, tenants and employees,” Richard-Yu said. “Technology has the power to automate workflows, and binding these assets will provide management with an advanced, interconnected approach toward combating ORC at The Forum.”  icsc.com

 

 

Recently Approved Law Enforcement Legislation in the U.S.

Find curated information on newly passed bills that influence training, early warning systems, use-of-force measures, and operations of police agencies in this new legislation tool. Click on your state to see the most recently passed legislation.  vectorsolutions.com

 

Non-Competes - Employment Agreements - Severance Agreements May All End Up Being Reviewed
or Impacted by SCOTUS


McDonald's Taking No-Poach Case All the Way to the Top
State AG's Were Investigating Franchisee's & DOJ had Filed Criminal Charges Against a Pair

McDonald’s asks SCOTUS to hear no-poach case
Just filed Nov. 21, 2023

A group of former employees sued in 2018, alleging that hiring restrictions between the fast food chain and its franchises constituted a “per se” violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act.

McDonald’s has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to decide whether hiring restrictions between franchise operators under the same brand should be presumed subject to federal antitrust laws, as well as whether courts should ignore the “procompetitive impact” of such restrictions on other markets, according to a petition for writ of certiorari filed Nov. 21.

The fast food chain’s appeal arises from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, which held in August that a lawsuit challenging a no-poach clause included in franchise agreements could proceed.

Under the no-poach clause, McDonald’s franchise operators agreed not to hire other franchisor’s employees, or those employed directly by McDonald’s, for six months after employees’ last date of employment with either entity. A separate clause prohibited franchises from soliciting other franchises’ employees, per the 7th Circuit.

The company filed with SCOTUS just days after the U.S. Department of Justice moved to drop a case in which the agency obtained its first-ever criminal indictments against a pair of employers that allegedly violated the Sherman Act by maintaining a no-poach agreement.

Within the last five years, multiple fast food chains have removed no-poach clauses from their franchise agreements. The trend picked up especially in 2019 after a multistate coalition of attorneys general launched an investigation of the agreements.  hrdive,com

Editors Note: This has been bouncing around the nation for years now.  With it being expanded in various states to include non-competes, employment agreements and severance agreements.  This case may have a much broader impact.  Because it's only logical to include them once this whole process begins.  After all, theoretically, they're all under the same umbrella.  Just my thoughts.  Gus Downing

 

WSJ: Retailers Are Turning to AI to Get Smarter About Inventory

New tools are aimed at repairing supply chains that were knocked sideways by volatile consumer buying patterns during the pandemic

Merchants including Walmart, retail-pharmacy giant Walgreens and online fashion seller ASOS are rolling out the increasingly sophisticated technology that takes in everything from weather patterns to social-media trends to evaluate huge sets of data and guide decisions on where to place inventory.

The efforts are aimed at refining retailers’ longtime practice of using internal historical sales information to predict consumer demand and stock their shelves with the right items at the right time.

Retailers are trying to better match supply and demand after years of steep and costly inventory imbalances.
 wsj.com

 

Retailers Adopt ‘Returnless’ Policies to Cut Costs and Boost Satisfaction

Retailers are increasingly adopting “keep it” or “returnless” policies for unwanted products.

The adoption of these policies is a response to the rising costs associated with returns and the need to streamline operations and retain customers, Reuters reported Thursday (Nov. 30). By allowing shoppers to keep unwanted items that would be costly to return, retailers can save on transportation and reselling expenses.

Fifty-nine percent of retailers now offer these policies, compared to 26% last year, according to the report, which cited data from returns services firm goTRG.

The increase can also be attributed to retailers adopting technology to reduce excess costs associated with returns, the report said.

Returns can be a drain on retailers’ profits, as they require additional resources to process and often result in items being sold at a discount or disposed of at a loss, per the report.

Returnless policies are one of many strategies retailers are adopting to manage returns more effectively, according to the report. Retailers are also offering store credit, charging for returns and encouraging shoppers to bring online purchases back to physical stores. pymnts.com

 

Kroger states in Q3 results that the FIFO gross margin rate was 'partially offset' by 'High Shrink' and .....

VF Corp. Lays Off 500 Employees Amid Investor Pressure for Cost Cuts

Neiman Marcus Rejects $3 Billion Takeover Bid by Saks

Saks to lay off 90 at Pennsylvania fulfillment center


Quarterly Results

Ikea full year e-commerce +3.3%, revenue +6.6%

Ulta Beauty Q3 comp's +4.5%, net sales +6.4%

Kroger Q3 comp's (0.6%), without fuel +1%, digital +11%, total sales excluding fuel (0.5%)

Cracker Barrel Q3 comp's (0.5%), retail shops (8.1%), sales (2%)

Victoria's Secret Q3 comp's (7%), net sales (4%)

Express Q3 Retail store comp's (16%), comp's for Express & e-commerce (4%), net sales +5%

Big Lots Q3 comp's (13.2%), net sales (14.7%)




 



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Staples hit by cyberattack during critical Cyber Week sales push

The office supply retailer expects to fully catch up on back orders after online processing and deliveries were briefly disrupted.

Dive Brief:

  • Staples said a cyber incident starting Monday disrupted its ability to process and deliver online orders via Staples.com. The attack also impacted communications and customer service, the company said in a statement posted on its website
  • After extensive testing, the company was able to get numerous systems back online by Wednesday and restored other systems by Thursday, a spokesperson said via email, adding that the company’s fulfillment supply chain is operating normally. 
  • Staples expects to get caught up on all November orders by Friday evening, the spokesperson added. Staples retail stores continue to operate normally.

The Staples spokesperson cautioned that it is still too early to make any definitive conclusions about the impact on data, but said the company’s quick actions “helped avert more serious consequences.” 

“If we discover that customer data was impacted, we will notify customers consistent with our legal and contractual obligations,” the spokesperson said via email. 

The spokesperson emphasized that no encryption of data took place during the incident.  cybersecuritydive.com

The disclosure comes after multiple Reddit reports posted online since Monday reported various Staples internal operation problems, including an inability to access Zendesk, VPN employee portals, print email, use phone lines, and more.

BleepingComputer reached out to Staples asking about the validity of these reports, and the company confirmed that it was forced to take protective action to mitigate what it described as a "cybersecurity risk."

The response measures disrupted Staples' business operations, specifically the backend processing and product delivery.

"On November 27, Staples Inc.'s cybersecurity team identified a cybersecurity risk. We took proactive steps in an effort to mitigate the impact and protect customer data," a Staples spokesperson told BleepingComputer.  bleepingcomputer.com

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Protecting brands from cyber threats this holiday season

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday shopping season, it is an important time for businesses to not only consider their seasonal sales, but if their cybersecurity standards are up to snuff.

From online transactions to point of sales systems, delivery services, bank transfers and more, there are endless opportunities for cybercriminals to gain access and breach an organization just in time to devastate the busiest time of year. In fact, reports have found that pages impersonating delivery services had the highest percentage of clicks on phishing links (27%) in 2022 with online stores (16%), payment systems (10%) and banks (10%) also affected. 

Educate employees and customers

The first thing businesses of all sizes should do is educate their employees and customers on how to recognize a phishing email. Low cybersecurity awareness among staff could lead to the shutdown of important business processes and data leakage. Customers are at the same risk and should be aware of possible threats to be able to recognize them. To reach this goal, businesses can curate specialized content around popular spam and phishing schemes and share via internal and external newsletters, their social media platforms and more to help staff and customers better identify this type of malicious activity. 

See something, say something

Another way to defend your organization against cyber threats is to encourage employees and customers to report all suspicious activities carried out on behalf of your brand.

Increase security settings

Pay attention to the security settings of social media accounts. Many companies post information and communicate with their audience not only on their own resources, but also on external platforms. Be careful about the privacy settings on such platforms.

Install trusted cyber security software

Deploy threat intelligence tools that are able to notify IT security teams of brand impersonation attacks in real time. 

Cybercriminals are opportunistic in nature, so shifting the mindset to be proactive and preventive instead of reactive is always a sound choice. securitymagazine.com

 

Eventually They All End Up As a Guest of the U.S. Prison System

Russian Ransomware Gang Now Residing in U.S. Federal Prisons with No Parole

DOJ: Russian National Pleads Guilty to Trickbot Malware Conspiracy

A Russian national pleaded guilty today to his role in developing and deploying the malicious software known as Trickbot, which was used to launch cyber-attacks against American hospitals and other businesses.

Vladimir Dunaev, 40, of Amur Blast, provided specialized services and technical abilities in furtherance of the Trickbot scheme. Trickbot, which was taken down in 2022, was a suite of malware tools designed to steal money and facilitate the installation of ransomware. Hospitals, schools, and businesses were among the millions of Trickbot victims who suffered tens of millions of dollars in losses. While active, Trickbot malware, which acted as an initial intrusion vector into victim computer systems, was used to support various ransomware variants.

Dunaev developed browser modifications and malicious tools that aided in credential harvesting and datamining from infected computers, facilitated and enhanced the remote access used by Trickbot actors, and created a program code to prevent the Trickbot malware from being detected by legitimate security software. During Dunaev’s participation in the scheme, 10 victims in the Northern District of Ohio, who were defrauded of more than $3.4 million via ransomware deployed by Trickbot.

In 2021, Dunaev was extradited from the Republic of Korea to the Northern District of Ohio.

Dunaev pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit computer fraud and identity theft and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 20, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 35 years in prison on both counts. 

The original indictment returned in the Northern District of Ohio charged Dunaev and eight other defendants for their alleged roles in developing, deploying, managing, and profiting from Trickbot.

In June, one of Dunaev’s co-conspirators, Alla Witte, who was a Trickbot malware developer and Latvian national, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit computer fraud and was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.  justice.gov


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Peeking Inside Amazon's Cybersecurity Philosophy

Amazon CSO likens security to psychological chess matches

Technology like generative AI can address some key security challenges confronting organizations, but professionals that overemphasize those capabilities miss the fundamental need to put people and their unique talents first.

“Security is a people issue,” Amazon CSO Stephen Schmidt said Monday during a presentation at AWS re:Invent in Las Vegas. “Computers don’t attack each other. People are behind every single adversarial action that happens out there.”

For Schmidt, winning in security is akin to playing chess — focusing on the board, how the pieces move and interact — while practicing psychology. Security professionals need to understand the human elements at play, including their own tendencies and opponents’ motivations.

“You’re not playing just one chess match,” Schmidt said. “You are playing dozens or hundreds of games at the same time, because you have a variety of adversaries with different motivations who are going after you.”

This cybersecurity scrum can feel overwhelming, but many defenders view generative AI as an ally that can automate repetitive tasks. Cybersecurity vendors across the landscape have released security tools infused with the technology and more are in the pipeline.

Generative AI could also ease a persistent and critical skills shortage in cybersecurity.

Tools like generative AI that can automate and scale the work that takes tension away from complex decisions and nuanced focus are critical, according to Schmidt. “My goal, by the way, is to have people focused on the most ambiguous, dynamic problems, which can’t be solved by software.”

How Amazon weighs AI benefits, risks

AI is “already radically changing our business,” but like any tool, it has its limits, Schmidt said.

Amazon has grappled with the benefits and risks that AI can deliver as organizations apply it to bolster security controls. When the company identifies an area where AI can help it achieve a particular goal, it ponders three questions which help shape security needs with business operations.

Where is the data? 

Understanding how data is handled for LLM training is critical to data security, particularly as it relates to how generative AI models access and potentially expose corporate information. 

Organizations should encrypt that data in transit and at rest, and validate the permissions used to access that data are scoped to the least permissive possible, Schmidt said.

What happens with generative AI queries and any associated data? 

Files or information submitted as part of a generative AI query can lead to better predictions and results, but organizations need assurances that services handling that corporated data will keep it protected, Schmidt said.

The iterative back and forth in AI chatbot queries should be viewed as a potential risk that could jeopardize the organization’s ability to meet regulatory and compliance requirements.

Is the output of the generative AI models accurate enough?

The quality of results from generative AI models are steadily improving, but an overreliance on these outputs without human oversight can expose organizations to challenges that might negate the benefits.

Organizations that are using LLMs to generate custom code, for example, need to validate it’s well written and follows best practices before deploying the code to production, Schmidt said.

These questions guide how Amazon’s security teams think about generative AI and LLM services for internal Amazon use, Schmidt said.

“You the customer should have control of your data and be able to use the model of your choice in a safe and secure manner,” Schmidt said. “When it comes to AI, our guiding tenant is simple: Your data is just that, yours.”  cybersecuritydive.com

 

Retailers Using AI to Drive E-Commerce Growth
Brooks Brothers applies artificial intelligence to shopper behavior
Brooks Brothers is
leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to drive e-commerce growth. The apparel retailer is implementing AI and ML technology from Metrical in an effort to convert more e-commerce customers by predicting online shopper behavior with its new intelligent solutions.

Metrical's AI/ML models operate anonymously and use no personally identifiable information (PII), which Brooks Brothers
intends to help ensure that customer experiences remain private.

"For over 200 years, Brooks Brothers has appealed to consumers that expects impeccable service and a
hassle-free experience to go along with our style, quality and craftsmanship of our merchandise," said Katherine Yoo, senior director of e-commerce at Brooks Brothers. "Metrical's AI solution understands this mindset and is able to provide the type of personalized experience our customers expect without them having to sacrifice privacy. This enhances our brand and contributes to the loyalty our customers show."

"At just a pure monetary level,
abandonment is no different than revenue leakage,” said Zabe Agha, founder and CEO of Metrical. “It's money you had in hand and lost. On top of that, retailers continuously spend several times over, attempting to lure bounced shoppers back with discounts that further raise costs and reduce margins. It's like being stuck in Groundhog Day - nothing changes or improves until you take a more intelligent approach."

Other retailers employing Metrical AI technology
include Dick’s Sporting Goods, which dynamically targets individual online shopper needs in real time; and JCPenney, which determines and creates targeted value-adds for e-commerce customers.

Founded in 1818, Brooks Brothers is available in 500 freestanding stores, shop-in-shops and outlets in
45 countries worldwide. chainstoreage.com


More Black Friday Shoppers Bought Online Than In-Store
28% of US Consumers Shopped Exclusively Online on Black Friday

eCommerce continues to gain ground among Black Friday shoppers.

According to PYMNTS Intelligence in the study “Black Friday 2023: Consumers Widen Their Search for Holiday Bargains,”
48% of consumers in the United States made Black Friday purchases online. Of those, 28% shopped online exclusively.

A total of
37% of U.S. consumers shopped in physical stores on Black Friday. Of those, 16% shopped exclusively at brick-and-mortar locations. Thirty-five percent of U.S. consumers did not shop at all on Black Friday.

The study found that
modern Black Friday shoppers are more inclined to search for bargains, turning to online sources rather than physical stores to do so. eCommerce allows them to better compare prices and hunt for the best deals, as well as find exclusive offers.

Before Black Friday, brands activated advertising campaigns, especially on the web and social networks, which seemed to impact sales. PYMNTS Intelligence found that one-third of consumers said they were influenced by website advertising, and
17% identified it as the primary catalyst that shaped their Black Friday purchases. pymnts.com


Online shopping increases, fewer people hit stores after Thanksgiving

7 ways to keep your Amazon gift purchases a secret


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Vallejo, CA: Police Publish Photos of Unmasked, 'Smiling' Assailants Sought In Theft of $12K In Levi's Jeans
A case of organized retail theft in Vallejo over the holiday weekend left investigators with some pretty clear photographic evidence, but they still need the public's help in identifying the assailants. Vallejo police are on the hunt for four suspects who were seen on surveillance video stealing piles of Levi's jeans from a store on the 1100 block of Admiral Callaghan Lane in Vallejo — possibly that would be the Kohl's department store in a shopping center on that block. The incident happened on Saturday, November 25, around 8 p.m. The four males were unmasked, and all of them were seen grabbing jeans from a wall display, police say. The total haul was estimated at $12,000. "As they exited through the store's emergency door, one of the thieves was seen smiling while the group quickly fled the property," police said, posting still images of the four suspects on Facebook.  sfist.com facebook.com



Las Vegas, NV: Thieves hit Las Vegas Valley Lego store three times since opening
Kids love Legos—and apparently so do thieves. “Our friends here around the plaza, we’re all small business owners. It’s just easier, we’re easier targets and it sucks,” said Edgar Garcia, owner of Bricks and Minifigs in the southwest Las Vegas Valley. The business off South Fort Apache near the 215 buys and sells Legos at its store. Garcia says the shop has only been open less than a year and it’s been hit by thieves three times. The latest incident was Sunday morning. The thief used a small hand device to break the store’s glass front door. Garcia says the thief was after cash in the register but didn’t find any there. They then tried to break through a door to a back room and couldn’t get in. The thief left without taking any Legos. Garcia alleges that the thief knew the layout of the shop. Garcia says the store suffered a theft in July. He says a man is seen on surveillance footage looking at some Lego sets when he walks out of the store without paying for the Legos. Employees and customers were inside at the time. A third incident happened in March when Garcia says a thief also broke out glass in the store’s front door. The thief made off with more Legos. Garcia says thieves are stealing Legos that cost $500 a set. Along with the two broken windows, he is out several thousand dollars. 
fox5vegas.com


Teterboro, NJ: Moonachie PD Investigating $7K+ Merchandise Theft at Teterboro Clothing Store
Moonachie Police are investigating the theft of over $7,000 in merchandise from a clothing store in Teterboro Landing. Moonachie Police received a call just after 9 pm on Monday, November 27 from Snipes that a theft had occurred, and that the suspects were already fleeing from the store, according to Moonachie Police Lt. Jeff Napolitano. Store employees stated that three black males, one wearing a mask, entered the store, and within just two minutes removed numerous items of clothing from shelves and racks, before fleeing in a dark-colored sedan. No threats of violence or weapons were involved. The incident happened so quickly that employees could not provide a complete description of the suspects or the vehicle they fled the scene in. 
tapinto.net


Ardmore, PA: Video captures thieves with arms full of stolen clothes from lululemon on Main Line
Police on the Main Line are searching for a group of thieves who broke into a LuluLemon store. Cell phone video captured the recent robbery at Suburban Square in Ardmore. At least four brazen thieves could be seen with arms full of merchandise from the business. Lower Merion police say they have found some of the stolen items for sale on third-party sites. With the holiday shopping season well underway, Lower Merion police say they're hoping to curb retail theft with a bigger police presence. "We're putting more officers in Suburban Square and our shopping district. Suburban Square has security personnel who is working as well keeping an eye out for any suspicious circumstances," said Lower Merion Police Lt. James Baitinger. 
6abc.com


Holly County, SC: Over $2,000 worth of Coach purses stolen at Tanger Outlets in Myrtle Beach area
Horry County police are searching for two women who they said swiped thousands of dollars in purses at the Tanger Outlets. Surveillance video captured the women back in October going into the Coach store at the outlets of Highway 501 and grabbing multiple purses before leaving the store. Police said the purses are valued at more than $2,000. 
wmbfnews.com


Yulee, FL: Accused theft suspects stole nearly $2K from Kohl’s before attempting to hit deputy with car
According to the report, four theft suspects are accused of stealing almost $1,800 of Nike hoodies, joggers and shirts from a Kohl’s department store on SR-A1A. After the suspects were spotted by a Nassau County Sheriff’s Office deputy loading a car with the alleged stolen merchandise, the deputy pulled up behind them and turned on the emergency lights. The report said Brishea Glover was the driver and “intentionally” reversed the vehicle to hit the deputy’s patrol car. The deputy then, according to the report, got out of his vehicle, drew his firearm and commanded the suspects to exit the vehicle. Glover began to get out, the report said, but Antonio Williams grabbed the wheel and veered the car toward the deputy before Glover took off, leading the deputy on a chase on SR-A1A.
The deputy was uninjured. As the car sped away, it crossed the median onto oncoming traffic near the entrance to the Lofton Oaks neighborhood, went airborne and collided with another driver’s vehicle. The driver suffered serious injuries and is in stable condition news4jax.com


Coweta County, GA: Pair walks out of Walgreens with more than $1.7K in stolen goods

Oklahoma City, OK: Village Police seek public's help in identifying suspects in $800 local business theft
 



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Shootings & Deaths


Crawford County, GA: C-Store clerk fatally shot during robbery, suspect apprehended
A store clerk was shot and killed during an apparent armed robbery in Crawford County Tuesday. According to the Crawford County Sheriff's Office, 40-year-old Prishanda Gemisha Colbert was found unresponsive with a gunshot wound outside the Pleezing Food Store on Highway 80 West around 5:48 p.m. Tuesday. Deputy Coroner Randall Pate pronounced Colbert dead at the scene. A description of a person of interest at the scene was provided and passed along to the Upson County Sheriff's Office. The suspect, 22-year-old Ryan Lee Teal of Thomaston, Georgia, was later apprehended by Upson County deputies on Highway 80 West. Teal will be charged with murder and armed robbery.  wgxa.tv



Jacksonville, FL: Man charged with attempted murder in gas station fight that led to shooting
A man was arrested on an attempted murder charge after an argument with a coworker at a Jacksonville gas station led to gunfire on Monday. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said 34-year-old Frederick Edwards Jr. received a phone call from his coworker, Josh Smith-Coley, regarding a work-related problem.  news4jax.com


Indianapolis, IN: Former employee arrested after shooting at Beech Grove KFC
A 24-year-old man was arrested after a shooting that seriously injured another man at a fast food restaurant in Beech Grove Tuesday night. In an update Wednesday, police said the suspect had been fired from the restaurant earlier in the day. The shooting happened just before 8 p.m. in the parking lot of a KFC restaurant in the 4000 block of South Emerson Avenue.  wthr.com
 



Robberies, Incidents & Thefts


Suffolk County, NY: Man sentenced to Prison for Home Depot burglary and Crime Spree across Suffolk County
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Blaise Marckesano, 38, of Shirley, was sentenced to 1 ½ to 4 ½ years in prison for Robbery in the Third Degree and other charges, after committing a string of catalytic converter thefts, commercial burglaries, and a robbery, throughout Suffolk County. According to the investigation and the defendant’s admissions during his guilty plea allocution, between December 11 and December 13, 2021, Marckesano
stole six catalytic converters from recreational vehicles that were parked at W.E.S. Trailer Services in Wading River. Marckesano was also involved in a robbery and a string of commercial burglaries in April 2023. On April 1, 2023, Marckesano pushed a store clerk and forcibly stole beer at a Deli in Shirley. Then, between April 13 and April 25, 2023, Marckesano broke into an American Legion Post in Mastic Beach on two separate occasions and stole approximately $6,000. On April 21, 2023, Marckesano broke into a Home Depot store in Shirley and stole assorted lawn supplies valued at approximately $2,800. On October 23, 2023, Marckesano pleaded guilty before Supreme Court Justice, the Honorable Richard I. Horowitz, to the following charges: One count of Robbery in the Third Degree; a Class D felony; Three counts of Burglary in the Third Degree, a Class D felony; and One count of Auto Stripping in the First Degree, a Class D felony. On November 27, 2023, Justice Horowitz sentenced Marckesano to 1 ½ to 4 ½ years in prison. Marckesano was represented by the Suffolk County Legal Aid Society.  suffolkcountyny.gov


Grand Rapids, MI: Man Sentenced For Series Of Firearm Thefts From Grand Haven Pawn Shop
U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Casey Johnson, 29, of Muskegon, was sentenced to seven and a half years in federal prison after being convicted of three counts of Theft of Firearms from a Federal Firearms Licensee and three counts of Felon in Possession of Firearms. “My office is committed to being part of the solution to keep illegal guns off our streets and out of the hands of felons,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Today’s sentence reflects the joint commitment of law enforcement to hold Mr. Johnson accountable for the theft of guns from Michigan Pawn Brokers and to keep our communities safe from gun violence.” Police were investigating a series of thefts from multiple businesses, including three break-ins at Michigan Pawn Brokers, when their investigation led them to Casey Johnson. Investigators executed a search warrant at a motel room at which Johnson was staying and recovered two of the 11 firearms that Johnson stole.  shorenewsnetwork.com


Sioux Center, IA: Walmart Associate Charged With $6,000 Felony Theft

Toronto, Canada: 12 arrested, 81 charges laid in connection with GTA auto theft and insurance fraud ring; $1.2 M in vehicles recovered

Philadelphia, PA: Proposed ban on wearing Ski Masks, balaclavas in public places may soon become law in Philadelphia; fine set at $250

Tokyo, Japan: 'Sasumata' in high demand after thwarted jewelry store robbery in Tokyo
 



Counterfeit


Charlotte, NC: Summerville Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Counterfeit Goods
Raynard Smith, 42, and Lanard Smith, 42, of Summerville, were each sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison after pleading guilty to crimes involving the selling of counterfeit goods. Evidence presented to the Court showed both men operated storefronts and sold merchandise, including sports jerseys, imported from countries such as China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Germany, Italy, and Taiwan. Both men knew the goods they purchased and imported from these countries were counterfeit. Both men had a prior felony conviction from 2008, which also stemmed from the trafficking of counterfeit goods. United States District Judge David C.
Norton sentenced both Raynard Smith and Lanard Smith to one year and one day imprisonment, followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Lanard Smith was ordered to pay $130,341.99 in restitution, and Raynard Smith was ordered to pay $14,992.17 postandcourier.com


Fort Lauderdale, FL: Federal Court: Golf companies sue over counterfeit goods
Several golf companies are suing individuals and businesses that are selling counterfeit goods. Taylor Made Golf Company, Acushnet Company, Karsten Manufacturing Corporation (Ping) and Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp filed the lawsuit against several individuals, business entities of unknown makeup or unincorporated associates alleging they are promoting, selling and distributing goods through internet-based e-commerce stores using counterfeits and confusingly similar imitations of the plaintiffs' trademarks, according to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida at Fort Lauderdale. The plaintiffs claim the counterfeits are of a substantially different quality than genuine products and the defendants allegedly employ unauthorized trademarks to enhance the visibility and attractiveness of their e-commerce stores, contributing to an unlawful marketplace parallel to the legitimate one. flarecord.com

 

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Auto – Sioux Falls, SD – Robbery
Auto – Forest Park, IL – Burglary
C-Store – Crawford County, GA – Armed Robbery / Clerk killed
C-Store – Long Island, NY – Armed Robbery
C-Store – Springfield, IL – Armed Robbery
C-Store – San Jacinto, CA – Robbery
Clothing - Ardmore, PA – Robbery
Clothing – Teterboro, NJ – Robbery
Dollar – Iredell County, NC - Burglary
Handbags – Holly County, SC – Robbery
Kohl’s - Yulee, FL – Robbery
Kohl’s – Evansville, IN – Robbery
Jewelry - Columbia, SC – Robbery
Jewelry - Coon Rapids, MN - Robbery
Toys – Las Vegas, NV – Burglary
Ulta – Wheat Ridge, IL – Robbery
Walgreens - Coweta County, GA - Robbery
Walmart – Oklahoma City, OK - Robbery                           
                          

Daily Totals:
• 15 robberies
• 3 burglaries
• 1 shooting
• 1 killed




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Sometimes you have to lose in order to win long term. Picking your battles is an art that many never acquire, but those that do are usually two steps ahead of you. So while the loss may seem to set you back, regroup and focus two steps ahead because that's where the winner of the last battle is. And remember always lose with dignity and win with humility.


Just a Thought,
Gus




 

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