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RETAIL CRIME FIGHTERS GATHER AGAIN IN WORCESTER, MA TO LEARN WHILE CELEBRATING
SUCCESS AND CHANGE
By Kevin Plante, Director Loss Prevention, Reporting and Analytics, CVS
Health
Worcester, MA - On Thursday, September 17, 2015 loss prevention and law
enforcement personnel from across New England gathered at the DCU Center in
Worcester, MA to attend the New England Organized Retail Crime Symposium and
Tradeshow. Sponsored by the state retail associations of the six New England
states, the event aims to raise awareness to the growing problem of ORC through
information sharing and networking opportunities, educational presentations by
industry leaders and exposure to cutting edge theft prevention technologies.
The morning speaking session began with a discussion about technology in loss
prevention led by Joe LaRocca of RetaiLPartners. LaRocca has kicked off this
conference every year since it began 9 years
 ago!
LaRocca was followed by a conversation with Ken Mortensen of
PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC) and Vinny Crossman, Special Agent with the United
State Secret Service. They discussed data breaches and gave some wonderful
insight into what the issues are being seen today as well as things to do to
combat the issue.
The event's keynote speaker was Superintendent in Chief William Gross of the
Boston Police Department. The Chief provided a recap of the events leading up to
and following the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Chief Gross provided some best
practices surrounding planning for large events as well as some insight into
some of the challenges that came about during the investigation.
The conference also featured a discussion led by Charlie Cichon, the National
Director of the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI)
about the current state of the prescription drug problem in today's society and
four breakout sessions on topics including phone investigations, led by Matt
Christman of Dick's Sporting Goods), partnerships in retail with Emergency
Management Agencies, led by Chuck Moore of Walgreens), LP 101, led by Kevin
Plante, Chairman of the Retailers Association of MA LP Committee, and safety in
retail, led by Rick Rabin from MASSCOSH.
 The
event's vendor hall included representatives from nearly thirty solutions
providers who actively participated in the day's activities - talking with the
attendees about current technology and solutions that are up coming and getting
ideas to help the next generation of LP / LE professionals do their jobs more
effectively.
The event also serves as the venue for the annual NEORC awards which recognize
individuals that go above and beyond in their efforts to combat ORC activity.
Awards are presented to winners in the following three categories:
Loss
Prevention Person of the Year: Alan Cote of the Associated Grocers of New
England (AGNE) headquartered in Pembroke, NH.
Law Enforcement Officer of the Year: Glenn Browning, Deputy Director of
the New England State Police Information Network (NESPIN.
Loss Prevention Case of the Year: Palmyra, ME Walmart investigation (Alex
Jones and James Bryant from Walmart; Lt. Mark Brooks, Detective Chris Tupper and
Trooper Chris Crawford from Maine State Police).
 Heading into its tenth year, organizers announced an expansion of the events
focus beyond ORC to the broader issue of general loss prevention. The shift is
intended to provide current attendees with a wider variety of topics and
speakers, attract new attendees from the associations' small business, while at
the same time continuing their efforts on ORC. Starting next year the event will
be rebranded as the New England Loss Prevention Expo to better reflect this new
focus.
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Jefferson, OH: FJDiscountStore Website owners indicted for fencing
$1.6M of stolen goods
Two people accused of reselling more than $1.6 million in stolen retail goods
through a "discount" website have been indicted by a county grand jury. A
federal investigation revealed Zdenek Sembera and his wife, Jana Dubsik
deposited some of the money into foreign accounts, and received some of their
stolen property from outside the country, said county Prosecutor Nick Iarocci.
In early July, the federal Department of Homeland Security assisted in a county
Sheriff's Department-led raid on the couple's home. It was the culmination of a
months-long investigation into Sembera's activity, with the cooperation of
retailers Target and Wal-Mart and consumer goods producer Procter and Gamble.
"The Sheriff's Department (assisted by other law enforcement agencies) conducted
controlled buys of some of the materials," Iarocci said. According to the
indictment, the materials were over-the-counter medications and self-care goods,
such as thousands of dollars worth of Gillette razors and Crest Whitestrips.
Other items included in the indictment were tires from Wal-Mart and external
hard drives from Target. All the goods were stolen from the various retailers by
an established "network" of people and later fenced on FJDiscountStore.com at a
low price. Iarocci said he believed most of the goods were not stolen from area
retailers.
starbeacon.com
Former Nike employee steals over $9,000 in shoes by stuffing the merchandise
down his pants
A local Memphian was arrested for stealing thousands from the Nike store on
Winchester by stuffing the merchandise down his pants. According to the
affidavit, 20-year-old Markell Fossett was taken into custody after the Nike
Asset Protection Investigator contacted law enforcement saying the former
employee had stolen more than $9,225 worth in shoes. Fossett reportedly told the
Nike investigator ever since February 2015 he would take shoes from the store,
put them down his pants one at a time, and then walk them out to his car in the
parking lot. He reportedly did this three times a day until he was let go in
June 2015. In all, Nike said they lost 205 pairs of shoes.
wreg.com
Pueblo, AZ: Police bust suspects in $5,615 gun theft; surveillance footage of
burglars led to quick capture
Police arrested a trio of suspects and recovered several stolen guns following a
burglary at a Pueblo gun store that happened Sunday morning. Police said that
based on RJC Firearms inventory, it was learned that 11 firearms including
handguns, pistols and revolvers were stolen. The value of those firearms is
estimated to be about $5,615, according to police.
chieftain.com
 Blount Co, TN: Second alleged burglar arrested by BCSO;
tied to Sears $844 theft
Blount County Sheriff's Office recovered a roomful of stolen goods Monday and
charged the second of two men allegedly responsible for the thefts. Josh
Teffeteller was picked up after police identified him on video surveillance
footage from Sears in Foothills Mall. Loss prevention employees there reported
Sept. 16 that there had been a series of tool thefts from the department store,
including a Sept. 15 incident in which two men allegedly came in and took a
number of tools and an air conditioning unit, worth about $844 retail.
thedailytimes.com
Sylvester, GA: Police seeking 2 suspects in $1,500 Walmart TV theft
Sylvester Police Department was summoned by an employee around 3:40 p.m. to the
loss prevention department of the store. Officer Davis stated Rakesa Smith told
him the televisions, valued at nearly $1,500, had been removed from one of the
side doors in the building.
albanyherald.com
Athens, GA: Habitual shoplifter sought in Athens Lowe's theft
Athens-Clarke police identified an Athens man as the suspect in the Monday theft
of a chain saw from Lowe's on Lexington Road. Police said the man took the saw,
valued at $300, and left the area in a blue Buick. The suspect, who is already
on probation for shoplifting at Lowe's in Oconee County, is well known among
police and loss prevention officers for his habitual shoplifting, the officer
said. Police spoke to the suspect by phone on Monday and he offered to turn
himself in, but by Tuesday had not done so.
onlineathens.com
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