ORC Epidemic is Rapidly Spreading
Retailers Caught Unaware By Smash-And-Grab Theft Have Few Tools To Combat It
San Francisco was an early epicenter of what officials describe as organized retail crime (ORC), but it is rapidly spreading to other cities as well. High-profile instances have been recorded in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Lakewood and Monterey, CA, Chicago, Minneapolis, Miami and New York City where thieves made off with over $80,000 of merchandise from a Givenchy store.

No particular type of retailer is safe either, with drug stores, home improvement stores, department stores, specialty retail chains and small businesses being victimized.

But luxury retailers have emerged as prime targets recently. As notorious gangster Willie Sutton explained his reason for robbing banks “because that’s where the money is,” retail thieves are after the most valuable merchandise they can swipe in a hurry. They find that in luxury stores.

Not just crimes against property

“As these crimes have become more organized and brazen, they have also led to more violence. These crimes are not just property crimes. They impact the safety of everyone in the store,” Ben Dugan, president of the Coalition of Law Enforcement and Retail, said in the RILA statement. The NRF and RILA also acknowledge the ease with which criminals can off-load stolen merchandise through various e-commerce platforms.

Congress called to act, but it may not be enough

With pressure mounting to make it harder for criminals to sell stolen products through online marketplaces, the RILA and Buy Safe Coalition have called on Congress to pass the INFORM Consumers Act, introduced in the Senate by Senator Dick Durbin and in the House by Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky and Congressman Gus Bilirakis.

The bill aims to make it “difficult for retail theft rings to peddle stolen goods on leading e-commerce platforms.” Some twenty leaders from major retailers call for passage of the legislation, including Best Buy, Kroger, Target, CVS, Dollar General, Home Depot, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Ulta, Walgreens, Petco and others.

But under pressure from Amazon and the Coalition to Protect America’s Small Sellers (PASS), which includes Ebay, Etsy, Poshmark, OfferUp and Mercari, much of the teeth in the bill has been removed. forbes.com

CA Retailers Install Anti-Theft Wire
How retailers are trying to stop organized retail theft
In an effort to combat a wave of retail thefts and smash-and-grab robberies, some retailers are setting up coiled wire — ­not unlike what can often be seen outside a prison — to act as a barrier between potential thieves and high-end merchandise.

The product is called concertina or tangle wire, and its Slinky-like design acts both as a deterrent and a means to slow down thieves. It’s also safer than the alternative razor or barbed wires, said Josh Nielsen, the vice president of Adamson Police Products. Although it’s not impenetrable, it does work as a visual deterrent and has the potential to slow down thieves in time for police to apprehend them, Nielsen said.

“If somebody’s running, trying to get through something quickly, they are going to have to navigate it and get tangled up,” Nielsen said. As the security measure is erected at shopping centers including The Grove in Los Angeles, suppliers have said they can’t keep it in stock.

A recent National Retail Federation report found that in response to organized crime and in-store attacks, 50 percent of retailers are dedicating money to specific loss prevention equipment. The other half are turning to technological resources that will help them report activities and track data.

Although incidents of organized retail crime were rising before 2020, a shift toward shopping online, where stolen goods often are sold, has exasperated the issue, according to the NRF. As some retailers wait for a more robust and collaborative response from law enforcement and legislators, security measures such as the concertina wire are additional tools for guarding against theft.

“(Police) are doing (the best) they can with the tools provided, and this is one of those tools that we’re trying to aid them in,” Nielsen said.

Ideally, the responsibility of retail workers and shoppers wouldn’t be placed on one entity alone, Rob Karr, president of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association said. Instead, law enforcement, legislators, retailers and court officials need to work collaboratively to come up with solutions that better protect everyone, he said. kron4.com

House Speaker Pelosi Weighs in on SF Theft Explosion
‘It has to be stopped’: Speaker Pelosi slams S.F. retail thefts as ‘outrageous’
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday joined San Francisco Mayor London Breed in condemning mass retail thefts, calling recent crime “outrageous” and calling for a response.

“It’s absolutely outrageous, obviously it cannot continue,” the San Francisco Democrat told reporters at her weekly news conference. “There is an attitude of lawlessness in our country that springs from I don’t know where ... and we cannot have that lawlessness become the norm.”

Pelosi was asked about Breed’s remarks on city crime from Tuesday, in which she said it was “time that the reign of criminals who are destroying our city ... come(s) to an end” and called for an increased police response and new policies to stop “bulls— that destroyed our city.”

Pelosi made a point of denying that the problem was isolated to San Francisco, saying retailers nationally have asked Congress to step up in response to increases in shoplifting and thefts, but the Bay Area has been rocked in recent weeks by particularly brazen and high-profile mass thefts. Breed had also been speaking about drug crimes and gun violence.

Where does stolen Bay Area merchandise go? The answer points to why retail crime is surging

The speaker did not address any law enforcement or prosecution-related responses, but did say the House had two bills in the works that she hoped could cut back on the thefts.

One would require online sellers to verify their products are legitimate, she said, and the other would hold platforms liable for the provenance of what they sell. Both will be included in a package of legislation intended to address a critical shortage of computer chips, she said.

She noted that the retail theft rings are highly organized and distinct from run-of-the-mill shoplifting, making bills that go after the profit motives so important.

“This isn’t like somebody stealing something to go home because they don’t have the money to buy it, this about stealing for profit,” Pelosi said. “Some of it is again high-level stores ... and some of it is your local Walgreens, but none of it is acceptable and again, it has to be stopped.” sfchronicle.com

Armed Security Guards to Patrol Chicago Neighborhood
Armed Private Security Officers Could Start Patrolling Bucktown This Week, But Organizers Won’t Say How Program Will Work
Armed private security guards are expected to begin patrolling a section of Bucktown on Wednesday, according to emails sent by leaders of the Bucktown Neighbors Association, which is organizing the program.

According to documents distributed by the group, the Bucktown Neighbors Association is working with P4, a private security firm with offices Downtown and in suburban Downers Grove, to provide nightly patrols of the neighborhood in response to carjackings and other crime.

Security guards will patrol the area between Armitage Avenue to the north, Damen Avenue to the west, North Avenue to the south and Paulina Street to the east, according to a P4-branded PowerPoint presentation dated Dec. 1 distributed to some neighbors earlier this month.

The nightly security patrols could begin in the evening and last past midnight, with hours changing depending on the season, according to the presentation. During the spring and summer, the patrols would begin later and last longer.

The board declined to comment on or answer specific questions about the plan. According to a document labeled “P4 FAQs” sent to the members of the group and reviewed by Block Club, the guards will be armed, but they don’t have the authority to arrest anyone.

Responding to a question about “what exactly” guards can do if they encounter a crime being committed, the unsigned document says it’s left up to the “off-duty police officer” and “their years of training.” blockclubchicago.org

Smash & Grab Theft Legislation
Illinois Legislation targets ‘smash and grab’ theft rings to create crime of Organized Retail Theft
A state lawmaker hopes to advance legislation to combat what’s described as “smash and grab” retail theft operations. The issue is a problem in the Chicago area where Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said something has to be done. “We've got to send a message that if you do this you’re going to be held accountable and when we do find them and we do charge them they’ve got to be held in custody, period, full stop,” Lightfoot said at a news conference earlier this week. She was asked about around $1 million in merchandise stolen from a luxury car dealer in Chicago’s Gold Coast.

House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, said it’s also happening in the suburbs. He filed House Bill 4275, which would create the crime of organized retail theft with a punishment of up to 15 years in prison if the value of stolen goods is more than $300. The Illinois Retail Merchants Association said they appreciate the proposal, but plan to introduce their own solutions. “While we appreciate Leader Durkin’s continued support of the retail community as well as his efforts to ensure retailers can continue to operate safely in Illinois, we are in need of policies that best addresses the many complexities of organized retail crime,” IRMA President and CEO Rob Karr said in a statement to The Center Square. “To that end, we will soon be unveiling a proposal that advocates for comprehensive solutions.”

Durkin said he’s glad they’re coming forward with something because Democrats aren't doing anything about it. “I’m floored that I have not received or heard any type of angst or at least aggravation from Democratic leaders of this state about this problem,” Durkin said. Democrats at the statehouse who say criminal justice should take a data-driven approach are silent, Durkin said. “Well here’s the data, $4 billion of retail merchandise ripped off in the most violent fashions organized by violent street gangs who know they can get away with it,” Durkin told The Center Square. Lightfoot said everyone in the ecosystem has to work collaboratively, from retailers, to police, to social media companies. thecentersquare.com

Another State ORC Task Force
Connecticut Task Force to Combat Organized Retail Crime

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and AG William Tong have announced the formation of a task force charged with combating the growing problem of organized robberies

Connecticut has formed a task force charged with combating the growing problem of organized robberies at brick-and-mortar retailers, Gov. Ned Lamont and Attorney General William Tong announced Wednesday.

The national issue involves smash-and-grab thefts in which large quantities of relatively inexpensive goods are stolen and then resold online. Tong said this is far more than run-of-the mill shoplifting and involves high-level criminal bosses sending crews out to rob the stores.

The task force will investigate robberies in an attempt to identify the organizations behind them and prevent similar thefts.

The Connecticut task force will include representatives from Tong's office, the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, local law enforcement, consumer protection officials and officials from large retailers such as CVS. usnews.com
 
Op-Ed: Retail Theft Coverage Hypes Familiar Pro-Criminalization Narrative

US: 51.2M Cases - 823.3K Dead - 40.3M Recovered
Worldwide: 272.6M Cases - 5.3M Dead - 245M Recovered

Former Senior Loss Prevention Executive
Know of any fallen LP exec? Let's remember & recognize.

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 328  
Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 552
*Red indicates change in total deaths

COVID Cases, Hospitalizations & Deaths on the Rise

Omicron is Spreading Rapidly
The real reason why the omicron variant is so alarming

The omicron variant is considered alarming even though it might cause less severe symptoms.

The omicron variant is spreading pretty fast, which may be a sign of why the variant is so alarming for the rest of the world. Per CNN, experts around the world have expressed concern about how quickly the omicron variant has been spreading worldwide.

“It is spreading faster than the Delta variant in South Africa where Delta circulation was low, but also appears to spread more quickly than the Delta variant in other countries where the incidence of Delta is high, such as in the United Kingdom,” the World Health Organization said in a technical briefing.

A virus that spreads faster means more people will be infected, which means there will be more deaths and hospitalizations for unvaccinated and anyone who suffers from a breakthrough case, according to CNN. “Even if it causes only mild disease — and that’s far from certain — that could still mean many people end up in the hospital and dying.” deseret.com

Businesses Revise Pandemic Policies Amid Omicron Surge
From mandates to masks, how some big companies are adjusting to Omicron
Now that the Omicron variant is spreading fast, companies are revising their pandemic policies, the DealBook newsletter notes.

Google set deadlines for complying with its vaccine mandate. The company circulated a memo that said workers who had not shown proof of vaccination or applied for an exemption by Jan. 18 would be placed on paid leave for 30 days, followed by unpaid leave for up to six months, and then they would lose their jobs.

JPMorgan Chase will bar unvaccinated employees from entering its New York headquarters, along with several other offices in the city. In a memo reviewed by DealBook, the bank said that those locations would relax their masking rules, because “it seems unfair to require our vaccinated employees to wear masks all day at their desks,” which would be mandated under a state rule for companies that do not require proof of vaccination.

Apple is reinstating mask mandates and crowd control at retail stores. “Amid rising cases in many communities, we now require that all customers join our team members in wearing masks while visiting our stores,” Apple told The Verge. The company is also limiting visitor numbers at some store locations.

The N.F.L. is mandating booster shots for staff members who work most closely with players. More than 94 percent of players are vaccinated, but more cases have been recorded this season than last. The players’ union argued for a return to daily testing for all, regardless of vaccination status.

Amtrak temporarily dropped its vaccine mandate for employees, and will allow workers to opt for weekly testing instead, citing a court decision that halted the enforcement of a national mandate for federal contractors. The policy means that Amtrak no longer plans to cut services next month, it said. nytimes.com

New York Retailers Grapple with Flurry of New Mandates
New York Businesses Weigh Mask, Vaccine Policies Under New State Rule

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s order requires employees, patrons to either be vaccinated or wear masks indoors as Covid-19 cases rise

New York businesses are grappling with how to comply with a new state requirement that all patrons either show proof of vaccination against Covid-19 or wear masks indoors.

Many retailers and grocers readopted mask mandates when the regulation took effect Monday, according to industry groups. Some office-based companies had already required vaccinations for staffers, but others have reimposed mask requirements and others told unvaccinated workers they could no longer come to the office. Occupancy rates in New York City office buildings remain below 40%.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, announced the requirements last Friday. She said Tuesday that the state’s Covid-19 infections have increased 58% and hospitalizations by 70% since Thanksgiving. She said that the new policy is preferable to the shutdowns ordered last winter.

While restaurants, fitness centers and venues in the five boroughs already required proof of vaccination under a city mandate, establishments in upstate areas have had to decide quickly how to proceed. Leaders in more than a dozen counties said they wouldn’t enforce the state regulations. wsj.com

NYC's Employee Vaccine Mandate
De Blasio tells employers to check website for rules on vaccine mandate
Mayor Bill de Blasio on Wednesday unveiled bare-bones guidance for his controversial private-sector COVID-19 vaccine mandate, directing employers to a city website that includes a form affirming that their workers have been inoculated against the virus.

On the city’s website, business owners are instructed to sign a form that affirms compliance with the vaccination rules to display in a “public-facing location” at the place of employment. The one-page form includes the name and address of the business, as well as a date and signature from the business owner attesting, “I affirm that I have read the December 13, 2021 Order of the New York City Commissioner of Health requiring vaccination of workers and that my workplace is in compliance with the Order.”

The guidance notes that businesses “may not allow any unvaccinated workers to come to their workplace” and includes links to the official city Department of Health order on the mandate, as well as a flyer on the decree and answers to frequently asked questions on it.

The FAQ page notes that businesses can be fined $1,000 for non-compliance, and “escalating” amounts for repeated offenses as well as that an unspecified amount of workers from “various city agencies” will enforce the mandate.

The guidance also advises businesses that they are not required to fire unvaccinated workers. “As long as you keep the worker out of the workplace, it is your decision whether to discipline or fire such worker, or if the worker can contribute to your business while working remotely,” the FAQ reads. nypost.com

NY's Vaccine Mandate Enforcement Struggles
Anti-vaxxers storm NY Cheesecake Factory in protest that ends in 6 arrests

Restaurant management asked the protestors for proof of vaccination or otherwise leave, in compliance with city mandate.

An anti-vaccination protest in a New York Cheesecake Factory ended with six arrests and threats of further action from the anti-vax group.

A group of people who oppose COVID-19 vaccinations and mandates entered the Cheesecake Factory in Queens on Tuesday night, declining to show proof of vaccination and refusing to leave when asked to the restaurant and police, an NYPD spokesperson told Insider.

New York City requires proof of vaccination for the coronavirus to enter and patronize dining establishments, gyms, and other indoor businesses. Vaccine and mask mandates have been a controversial issue in the US during the coronavirus pandemic, with opponents saying it infringes on their personal freedoms. Meantime, enforcement of mask and vaccine regulations are often left to retail and hospitality workers.

Six protestors were arrested for criminal trespassing, the NYPD spokesperson told Insider. It is unclear how they will plead. In a video, one of the anti-vaxxers compared the police to Nazis, with another threatening to sue the police. businessinsider.com

More Apple COVID Closures
Apple closes three more retail stores as COVID-19 infections rise
Apple has closed three of its retail stores following increased COVID-19 exposures and cases among employees, according to Bloomberg.

The stores, which are located in the Brickell City Centre in Miami; Annapolis, Maryland; and downtown Ottawa, Ontario, will be closed temporarily. Right now, Apple’s website says the Miami store is closed until Friday and the Annapolis and Ottawa stores are closed until Saturday. Apple reportedly closed a store in Southlake, Texas last week due to a COVID-19 outbreak, though the company’s website currently indicates that store is open.

The closures are happening as COVID-19 infections are on the rise. Though the omicron variant is beginning to spread, the delta variant “continues to be the main variant circulating in the United States,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On Tuesday, Apple once again began requiring customers to wear masks inside its US retail stores.

Apple has also reportedly pushed back its plans to return its corporate workers to the office. Its latest plan was to have employees come back on February 1st under a hybrid work model, but that plan has been delayed to a “yet to be determined” date, according to NBC News’ Zoe Schiffer. An email from Tim Cook announced that employees would get $1,000 to spend on their home office, Schiffer reported. According to Bloomberg, retail employees will also receive this bonus. theverge.com

Unvaccinated people allowed into Victorian retail stores but mask mandate to remain

California medics refuse to enter care center to help man in cardiac arrest due to 'some COVID-19 law'