Retailers Applaud New ORC Bill
SC’s new “organized retail crime” bill raises penalties for “grab and go” thieves
A new SC bill recently signed into law aims to fight what’s known as “organized retail crime” — by raising the penalties associated with it.

Viral videos on social media have become all too common, showing incidents known as “grab and go” or “smash and grab” happening across the U.S.

“It is happening in SC already. We may not hear about it quite the same as we sometimes see on the news in bigger cities but it’s here,” says Krista Hinson, Executive Director for the SC Retail Association.

The passing of House Bill 3523 aims to thwart large scale theft activity by issuing felonies for “organized retail crime” — defined as just two or more people, groups, or gangs that conspire to steal large quantities of merchandise.

The bill is sponsored by Rep. Jeff Johnson of Horry County, and backed by Attorney General Alan Wilson.

“We’re not putting up with it, and we’re increasing the penalties and we’re gonna start prosecuting it,” says Johnson.

Representatives from major chain stores were also at the Statehouse to support the law including Publix, Walgreens, Walmart, Spinx, Home Depot, and Lowes.  abccolumbia.com

   RELATED: Organized Retail Crime Bill is headed to Gov. McMaster’s desk


UK Retailers Suffering from Record-Breaking Theft Levels
‘It’s very brazen’: retail workers and shoplifters on the UK’s record theft statistics

Staff tell of thieves costing stores thousands, while shoplifters say soaring living costs drove them to crime

Observations are backed up by the British Retail Consortium’s crime survey, which found retail theft increased 25% in 2023-24 on the year before to more than 20m incidents – the highest since records began in 2003. As well as the financial cost – companies lost about £2.2bn – the BRC spotlighted violence and abuse against retail workers, with incidents rising to more than 2,000 a day.

Thieves sweeping shelves of higher-priced goods, shoplifters verbally abusing staff, parents hiding items in prams, teenagers nonchalantly making off with sweets, people sweeping spirits into bags – these are just a handful of stories from dozens of people who responded to a Guardian callout about their experiences with shoplifting.

A Tesco spokesperson said the safety of customers and colleagues was its “absolute priority” and that the company had invested tens of millions of pounds in safety and security.

“Recent measures include installing protective screens, providing body-worn cameras and strengthening door entry systems,” they said. “We have also invested in developing our central security hub, which is an expert team dedicated to joining up evidence and supporting the police to tackle crime and shoplifting, helping to keep our colleagues and customers safe.”

The Guardian also spoke to small-scale shoplifters who said they had been forced to steal the odd item regularly to survive amid the cost of living crisis and spiralling prices in recent years. theguardian.com


More Retailers Deploy Body Cameras to Fight Theft
Retail chain has retail theft answer Walmart, Target could copy
GO Outdoors, a popular outdoor apparel and accessory retailer, has found one solution. The U.K.-based retailer is testing out a new body camera option for its employees, allowing its workers to wear camera equipment during their shifts to catch any potential misdeeds and to prevent further issues in stores.

And the results have been an initial success. “Body cameras have been a game-changer. They’ve not only deterred theft but also increased confidence amongst staff that they are safe when they come to work. The added layer of protection has been well received by our genuine customers," Claire Cowie, a store manager, said.

“It’s brought a new level of trust and transparency to our store. Crucially, the business has been proactive in equipping us with these tools, enabling us to react swiftly and effectively to the concerning increase in retail crime we’ve faced.”

The store will reportedly test the option and roll it out to other locations if needed. thestreet.com


Cities Adopt AI-Powered Tech to Fight Retail Crime
City of Fenton Fights Retail Crime With AI-powered Video Surveillance
To combat persistent retail crime and deliver peace of mind to workers in the North Leroy Street business district, the City of Fenton Police Department has deployed a new AI-powered video surveillance system with camera-sharing technology to accelerate response time during retail heists or other emergencies.

Located off Highway U.S.-23, Fenton is a popular shopping and restaurant district for commuters and people from neighboring cities. Unfortunately, retail criminals also come to the area. The new video surveillance system is designed to deter, detect, and apprehend retail criminals.

Housed in a weatherproof cabinet and mounted on a telephone pole with two cameras, the new system includes Eagle Eye 911 Camera Sharing technology that gives Fenton’s 911 dispatch professionals immediate access to view live security camera footage during a 911 emergency through a partnership with RapidSOS.

In addition, the security cameras have built-in AI-powered Eagle Eye Smart Video Search, which enables Fenton’s authorized law enforcement officials to quickly search security camera footage for vehicles, people, or objects of interest. newsbreak.com


AG Wilson, SC Retail Association discuss new retail crime law

Minneapolis begins year with ‘significant decrease’ in violent crime
 

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How to Avoid Becoming an Easy Target
Prioritizing data and identity security in 2025
The good news is that improving data and identity security isn’t that hard—but it does require a strong understanding of how attackers operate, where your most pressing vulnerabilities and exposures are, and what the modern threat landscape actually looks like. Attackers have become increasingly adept at exploiting low-hanging fruit like exposed identities, reused passwords, and devices that lack MFA protections, and many are gaining access to AI tools that make their jobs even easier. Fortunately, there are four key steps today’s organizations can take to avoid becoming an easy target.

1. Double down on fundamentals. First, it’s important to get the basics right. Yes, new security threats are emerging on an almost daily basis, along with solutions designed to combat them. Security and business leaders can get caught up in chasing the “shiny objects” making headlines, but the truth is that most organizations haven’t even addressed the known vulnerabilities in their existing environments. Major news headline-generating hacks were launched on the backs of knowable, solvable technological weaknesses. As tempting as it can be to focus on the latest threats, organizations need to get the basics squared away. Many organizations don’t even have multifactor authentication (MFA) enabled—and while MFA isn’t a silver bullet that will solve everything, it’s no coincidence that Microsoft says 99.9% of compromised accounts don’t have MFA implemented.

2. Understand how AI impacts security. It’s not just businesses racing to adopt AI—cybercriminals are already leveraging AI tools to make their tactics significantly more effective. For example, many are using AI to create persuasive, error-free phishing emails that are much more difficult to spot. One of the biggest concerns is the fact that AI is lowering the barrier to entry for attackers—even novice hackers can now use AI to code dangerous, triple-threat ransomware. On the other end of the spectrum, well-resourced nation-states are using AI to create manipulative deepfake videos that look just like the real thing. Fortunately, strong security fundamentals can help combat AI-enhanced attack tactics, but it’s important to be aware of how the technology is being used.

3. Account for the “human element.” Human beings are the most overlooked, underfunded, and vulnerable element of cybersecurity. Depending on their level of knowledge and experience, employees and executives can either be your first line of defense when it comes to protecting data and devices…or your weakest link. Businesses that understand this and implement engaging (and even entertaining) security awareness training have a distinct advantage over their competitors. Training alone can’t solve the problem, but it can make a big difference—and when it comes to stopping cyberattacks, you never want to be an easy target.

4. Improve your approach to cyber education. Speaking of security trainings, it’s important to understand how people learn most effectively. Traditional cybersecurity education methods involve a lot of canned, virtual content that employees (understandably) tune out. Leave those videos behind—instead, prioritize live, engaging programming. Grab viewers’ attention by starting with personal cybersecurity advice, rather than focusing on professional directives. It’s helpful to break awareness training down into bite-sized action items rather than overwhelming employees with an endless, “all you can eat” buffet of options and advice. The more employees can engage with and understand security trainings, the stronger your culture of security will be.  helpnetsecurity.com


Data Security & Backup Vendor Breached
Rubrik discloses server breach, compromise of ‘access information’

The data security and backup vendor said it found no evidence that the stolen data was used by cyber threat actors.

In a blog post on Feb. 22, Rubrik said its security team recently discovered “anomalous activity” on a server containing log files. A forensic investigation by a third-party partner revealed the server had been compromised by an unauthorized actor.

Rubrik co-founder & CTO Arvind Nithrakashyap and CISO Michael Mestrovich said in the post that the intrusion was limited to the single server and there was no evidence that the threat actor had accessed customer data or Rubrik’s internal code.

Nithrakashyap and Mestrovich said the threat actor obtained some “access information,” though the company did not specify what types of data were compromised in the incident.

While the unspecified access information was compromised in the breach, customer data appears unaffected. The Rubrik executives emphasized that a detailed analysis of the incident found no evidence that the threat actor obtained access to “any data we secure on behalf of our customers or our internal code.” cybersecuritydive.com

 
Iran-Linked Botnet Targeting U.S. Firms
More than 86K IoT devices compromised by fast-growing Eleven11 botnet

The Iran-linked botnet has a large presence in the U.S. and is targeting telecom and other firms with DDoS attacks.

Security researchers warn that a malicious botnet exploiting internet of things devices for DDoS attacks is rapidly spreading since it was discovered last week.

The Shadowserver Foundation said more than 86,000 IoT devices were compromised by Eleven11bot as of Sunday, which is more than double the total of about 30,000 devices reported as of Friday. Of 86,000 total, about 27,000 of the compromised devices were based in the U.S.

Most of the compromised devices include security cameras and network video recorders, while the targeted organizations include telecom firms and gaming platforms, according to GreyNoise, which is tracking much of the activity.

The botnet is considered one of the largest from a non-state actor since early 2022, when Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine. cybersecuritydive.com


Why a push for encryption backdoors is a global security risk

Desoto County, FL: 2 people arrested after $2 million worth of merchandise stolen from cargo containers
Two people were arrested after DeSoto County officials investigated $2 million worth of merchandise stolen from cargo containers, according to the DeSoto County Sheriff's Office (DCSO). Macon Herron of Southaven, MS was charged with two counts of felony receiving stolen property and prohibited possession of a machine gun conversion device. Herron had a previous arrest record for receiving stolen property. Manuel Donis of Southaven, MS was arrested on an active warrant from Crittenden County, Arkansas. On February 22, detectives from the DeSoto County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division, DeSoto County Sheriff's Office SWAT team, and other agencies assisted the Union Pacific Railroad Police in search warrants in two locations in Southaven, Mississippi, DCSO said. Authorities recovered the following items: -Over $30,000 worth of Milwaukee Tools, -A stolen Harley-Davidson motorcycle, -A stolen Can-Am Renegade ATV, -A Glock pistol equipped with a machine gun conversion device (commonly referred to as a Glock Switch) DCSO reported that additional charges or arrests may come in the future as the investigation continues.  fox13memphis.com


Montgomery County, MD: Suspect Arrested at Best Buy for Using Fake/Stolen IDs to Buy and Return Merchandise
The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) arrested an adult male at the Wheaton Best Buy for possessing fake IDs. A follow-up investigation revealed he had been using stolen IDs to fraudulently buy and return goods nationwide, leading to the recovery of multiple stolen items. According to MCPD District 4 Commander David Smith on Twitter/X, “On 2/26/2025, our @mcpnews patrol officers stopped an adult male at the Wheaton Best Buy for possessing fake ID cards. He was arrested at the scene, and our 4th District Patrol Investigations Unit took a deeper look into his activities. Their follow-up investigation revealed that he had been using stolen IDs to fraudulently buy and return stolen goods for profit both here and across the country. Here at the 4th District we do not recommend those activities as a strategy for long term success.  mocoshow.com


Walnut Creek, CA: Vallejo man charged with stealing nearly $25,000 in LEGO sets from East Bay Target stores
A Vallejo resident is facing a dozen counts of commercial burglary and grand theft after stealing almost $25,000 worth of LEGO sets from Target stores in Walnut Creek and San Ramon, according to authorities. The Contra Costa County District Attorney posted on X about the 12-count felony complaint filed in court last month against 32-year-old Vallejo resident Michael Ivory Fletcher. The press release issued by the DA said Fletcher faces "multiple counts of second-degree commercial burglary and grand theft for stealing nearly $25,000 worth of merchandise from Target" that happened between August 15, 2024, and February 15 of this year. For the thefts at the Walnut Creek and San Ramon Target stores, Fletcher allegedly entered alone, filled "a shopping cart of LEGO products, and exiting with the stolen merchandise in a matter of minutes" before loading the items into a vehicle parked outside in a disabled parking space. The press release said that in addition to the crimes committed in Contra Costa County, Fletcher is "suspected of thefts in Solano, Alameda, San Joaquin, Sonoma, and Santa Clara Counties."   cbsnews.com


Los Angeles, CA: UCPD makes 2 arrests for organized retail theft during routine traffic stop; recover over 300 items from Ralph’s and CVS

Colma, CA: Man with 5 warrants found with stolen merchandise in Colma

Douglas County, CO: Over $4,000 worth of vapes, alcohol stolen from local Circle K

Livonia, MI: Man Steals Thousands In Merchandise From Wayne Co. Sports Store