Fighting Retail Crime with Facial Recognition
Supermarket giant Asda launches facial recognition trial to combat retail crime

Grocer Asda has begun trialling live facial recognition at five stores in a bid to assess how the technology can help it battle spiking rates of retail crime.

The supermarket giant said it had begun the trial at five stores across the Greater Manchester area, which Asda is integrating into its existing CCTV networks by scanning images and comparing the results to “a known list of individuals who have previously committed criminal activity on an Asda site”.

The retailer said that, if a match is found by the system, “in a matter of seconds a member of the Asda head office security team will conduct a check and feedback to the store in real time.”

The five stores picked for the trial are in Ashton, Chadderton, Harpurhey, Eastlands and Trafford Park for an initial period of two months. Asda said “the results [will be] assessed before any decision is taken on whether to expand the trial or roll it out to further locations”.

Asda chief commercial officer – non-food and retail Liz Evans said: “The rise in shoplifting and threats and violence against shopworkers in recent years is unacceptable and as a responsible retailer we have to look at all options to reduce the number of offences committed in our stores and protect our colleagues.

“We consistently look for new ways to improve the security in our stores and this trial will help us understand if facial recognition technology can reduce the number of incidents and provide greater protection to everybody in our stores.”

The announcement comes after Asda recorded c.1,400 assaults on staff last year, an average of four per day.

Asda said that “with these figures highlighting the growing threat of retail crime” the trial is part of the business “exploring new ways to combat this problem”.   retail-week.com


C-Stores on the Front Line of Retail Crime
59,000 incidents of violence in the sector and more than 9,200 incidents of robbery

Store of the Future: Anti-crime technology
Retail crime is rarely out of the headlines and convenience is on the front line of this growing issue. From attacks on staff to prolific shop theft, crime in stores has unfortunately become an everyday occurrence and is severely damaging morale and businesses.

It might be easy to dismiss the growing threat of retail crime as hyperbole, but the numbers don’t lie. The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) Crime Report 2025 estimates 59,000 incidents of violence in the sector and more than 9,200 incidents of robbery. Even more troubling, it estimates there were 1.2 million incidents of verbal abuse and 6.2 million incidents of shop theft over the 12 months to 17 January 2025.

That’s not to say that retailers are just letting this happen to them – the ACS report found that £265m was invested in crime prevention over the past year, working out at £5,259 per store. CCTV, staff training, body worn cameras, cash handling and Perspex screens were the main areas of investment by retailers.

These priorities don’t look to change too much in the future - when asked by the ACS what they would like to invest in, the top five areas of crime prevention investment were: CCTV, intruder alarms, staff training, external shutters and cash handling storage.

While legislation is coming down the road that would make assaulting a retail worker a specific offence, just over one-third (36%) of all retail crime is reported to retailers by the police, which clearly shows that store owners feel that preventative action is better than reaction.

With so much being invested in crime prevention, and criminals using more sophisticated methods to steal – the stakes are high and retailers need to stay one step ahead of problem.

When looking at the future of anything technology-related, AI figures high on the agenda. Not just used for text-based admin tasks, it’s becoming a powerful tool in helping retailers protect their stores. conveniencestore.co.uk


Does Bail Reform Fuel ORC?
No Clear Link Between Bail Reform and Surging ORC

By the D&D Daily staff

​Recent discussions have centered on the potential impact of bail reform on organized retail crime. Bail reform initiatives aim to reduce pretrial incarceration by eliminating cash bail for many nonviolent offenses, allowing individuals to await trial without financial constraints. Some critics argue that these reforms may inadvertently lead to an uptick in organized retail theft by enabling repeat offenders to return to criminal activity more readily.​

However, empirical studies have not substantiated a direct correlation between bail reform and increased crime rates. A comprehensive study by the Brennan Center for Justice analyzed crime trends from 2015 to 2021 across 33 cities, comparing those that implemented bail reforms with those that did not. The findings indicated no statistically significant difference in crime rates between the two groups, suggesting that bail reform has not led to increased criminal activity. ​

Similarly, research from John Jay College examined New York City's bail reform law and its effect on recidivism. The study found that eliminating bail for most misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies resulted in reduced re-arrest rates, indicating that such reforms may contribute to lowering recidivism among individuals charged with less serious offenses. ​

While concerns about organized retail crime are valid, attributing increases solely to bail reform lacks robust evidence. Factors such as economic conditions, law enforcement practices, and broader societal issues also play significant roles in crime trends. Addressing organized retail theft effectively may require a multifaceted approach that includes targeted law enforcement strategies, community engagement, and social support systems, rather than solely focusing on bail policies.


Is a Violent Summer Coming?
Philly leaders react to violence, chaos over the weekend

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel and more city officials spoke out about the violence.

Philadelphia leaders are reacting after a violent weekend while folks gathered for peaceful Eid al-Fitr celebrations. The incidents left multiple teens injured and the community concerned.

Philadelphia police say they responded to seven shootings over the weekend involving 13 victims, including seven teenagers.  Police say a group of juveniles surged into the area, which has become a known gathering spot for young people. Police say they made more than a dozen other arrests, including two for carrying guns.

Police say they are on pace to see an under 50% reduction in the number of young people killed in the city this year, as homicides across the city continue to trend down.

"We are moving in the right direction," said Commissioner Bethel. "It is working, we have to just keep pressing."

Mayor Cherelle Parker, reinforcing the progress, also says she doesn't find comfort in statistics: "You can have stats and data, but it doesn’t mean a thing if you don’t feel safe walking to the supermarket." fox29.com


UK: Landmark summit agrees new measures against organised immigration crime
 

Organizations Increasing Cybersecurity Budgets
Cybersecurity spending set to jump 12.2% in 2025
Global cybersecurity spending is expected to grow by 12.2% in 2025, according to the latest forecast from the IDC Worldwide Security Spending Guide. The rise in cyber threats is pushing organizations to invest more in their defenses. AI tools are making these threats more sophisticated, which is adding to the urgency. IDC says this steady climb in spending will continue through 2028, hitting $377 billion by then.

The U.S. and Western Europe will still make up more than 70% of global security spending in 2025. But other regions are catching up. Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, and the Middle East and Africa are expected to see the fastest growth this year.

Security software will be the largest technology group in 2025, representing more than half of the worldwide security market this year, as well as the fastest growing one, with a 14.4% year-on-year growth rate. The security software market growth will be driven especially by cloud native application protection platform (CNAPP), identity and access management software, and security analytics software growth, reflecting the special focus that companies will put on integrated cyberthreats detection and response around their whole organizational perimeter.

Security services will be the second fastest-growing technology group in 2025, driven by the continuous expansion of managed security services, on which organizations of all sizes will continue to increase their focus as a flexible and efficient way to face new security challenges. Finally, security hardware will rank third, achieving single-digit but steady growth in 2025.

Banking, federal/central government, telecommunications, capital markets, and healthcare provider will be the industries spending the most at the global level on security in 2025, while the fastest-growing will be capital markets, media and entertainment, and life sciences with an expected year-on-year growth rate of 19.4%, 17.1%, and 16.9%, respectively in 2025.

While large and very large businesses account for the majority of security spending across all regions, small and medium-sized businesses will continue to increase their investments in security throughout the forecast period to address security gaps and protect their assets and processes as their digital transformation accelerates. helpnetsecurity.com


Business Leaders Beef Up AI Cybersecurity Plans
Enterprises beef up cybersecurity plans to mitigate AI risks

More than 2 in 5 leaders say they’ve strengthened practices to curb increased threats, misuse and other vulnerabilities tied to using the technology.

Enterprises are working to address AI’s risks as adoption increases, according to a report published this week by insurance and risk management services firm Gallagher. The analysis is based on a survey conducted by research firm Opinium of 900 business leaders.

More than 2 in 5 leaders say they’ve strengthened cybersecurity practices and reassessed privacy and data security measures to mitigate increased threats, misuse and other vulnerabilities tied to using AI. Business leaders most often cited inaccurate outputs, data breaches, privacy violations and legal liabilities as key concerns.

Despite adjusting strategies, business leaders were less likely to communicate AI’s risks to the workforce than they were a year ago, dipping from 84% to 78% year over year. cybersecuritydive.com


'Maximizing Efficiency & Mitigating Organizational Risk'
Two things you need in place to successfully adopt AI
Organizations should not shy away from taking advantage of AI tools, but they need to find the right balance between maximizing efficiency and mitigating organizational risk. They need to put in place:

1. A seamless AI security policy

A well-defined policy is essential for companies to deploy and leverage this technology securely. This technology will continue to move fast and innovate giving automation and machines more power in organizational decision-making, and the first line of defense for companies is a clear, accessible AI policy that the whole company is aware of and subscribes to.

2. Make sure developers have secure code knowledge

In addition to rolling out clear security policies around the use of AI, companies must also consider their developers’ desire to use new AI tools and agents to help them write code at a faster rate. In this case, companies must ensure that their security teams have tested the prospective AI tools and that their developers are trained in writing code securely, with extensive knowledge of common vulnerabilities, secure design principles, and the secure implementation of software features – continuously upskilling themselves. helpnetsecurity.com


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Beverly Hills, CA: Updated: Man sentenced for $2.6 million smash-and-grab heist at Beverly Hills jewelry store
Long Beach man who prosecutors say took part in a $2.6 million smash-and-grab robbery at a Beverly Hills jewelry store, then posted incriminating evidence to Instagram, received a 7-year federal prison term on Monday. Ladell Tharpe, 39, pleaded guilty in September to one charge of interference with commerce by robbery, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. He was also ordered to pay $2.67 million in restitution during the sentencing hearing in federal court in Los Angeles. He's the last of three defendants to be sentenced in connection with the robbery, which unfolded on March 22, 2022 at Luxury Jewels of Beverly Hills, prosecutors said.  news-journal.com


Los Angeles, CA: Update: Blanca Escobar Charged With Organized Retail Theft
On Thursday, March 27, the LADA’s Office announced that Blanca Escobar has been charged with receiving over $350,000 in stolen merchandise from retailers including Target, Macy’s, TJ Maxx, CVS, and Walgreens at her business near MacArthur Park. Escobar, 65, of Los Angeles is charged with eight felony counts of receiving stolen property over $950 in value and one misdemeanor count of conducting gaming. It is further alleged that the offenses indicate planning, sophistication and professionalism. The defendant appeared in court and arraignment was set for May 22 in Dept. 30 of the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center. Escobar remains out of custody and was ordered to return for the next court date. On March 5, officers with the Los Angeles Police Department executed a search warrant at Escobar’s business on 6th Street across from MacArthur Park in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles. Officers recovered an estimated $360,000 in stolen merchandise, primarily cosmetics, clothes, and toiletries, from retailers including CVS, Target, Walgreens, Kroger, Ross, TJ Maxx and Macy’s. Authorities also discovered illegal slot machines. If convicted as charged, Escobar faces 8 years and 6 months in prison. The case is being prosecuted by LADA’s Central Trials Division and was investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department.  canyon-news.com


Gainesville, FL: Man accused of thefts across North Georgia arrested after shoplifting from Gainesville Walmart; diabetic strips and Nicorette gum

Memphis, TN: Man accused of stealing over $1,000 worth of beer, energy drinks