AI is Waging War on Self-Checkout Thieves
Self-checkout thieves be warned as AI anti-theft technology cracks down

More retailers are turning AI to catch self-checkout thieves - and it can catch you long after you've left the store

AI tools are being used around the world to track down self-checkout thieves. While it might be tempting to make your shopping a little cheaper by skipping some items, you may find yourself on the wrong side of AI. It comes as Walmart self-checkouts could be forced to change under a new bill.

Many stores have cracked down on self-checkouts in stores entirely, due to the sheer amount of theft customers are carrying out at self-service stations.

Retailers all over the world are looking for ways to prevent this, with German tech company Diebold Nixdorf offering AI solutions for companies to combat theft. One retailer in the U.K. has revealed its new anti-theft software - using AI - to target self-checkout bandits.

British store Home Bargains has announced the introduction of new anti-theft software, incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into its CCTV surveillance across stores. The technology will monitor and record whether an item leaving self-checkouts has been scanned by customers.

The store has vowed that the evidence the AI captures can be used to prosecute people, even after they have left the store. themirror.com


New Organized Retail Theft Law in Maryland
Maryland cracks down on retail theft with new bill

Lawmakers pass tougher penalties for shoplifting, turning multi-county theft of more than $1,500 into a felony.

This year, the state of Maryland is cracking down on retail theft. Since COVID, retail industry experts have reported a rise in flash mob and smash & grab retail thefts across the country. The D.C. region does not appear to be an exception.

This trend led the state of Maryland to look at harsher penalties to deter would-be thieves. For the last decade, retail and shoplifting laws in Maryland have seen less severe penalties than other nearby states.

Retail experts believe that loophole, combined with several other factors, led to a rise in crime. This year, Maryland’s lawmakers listened, passing Prince George’s County Democrat Sen. Ron Watson’s organized retail theft law.

This year, Maryland’s lawmakers listened, passing Prince George’s County Democrat Sen. Ron Watson’s organized retail theft law.

“This bill says that if a group of folks steal from multiple stores in several counties, and the aggregate amount of everything stolen is more than $1,500, then everyone gets charged with a felony,” Sen. Watson said. “That charge also includes the cost to repair or replace anything damaged in the robbery attempt.“  wusa9.com


Nevada's "Safe Streets and Neighborhoods Act"
Repeat offenders, retail theft: What to know about Nevada governor’s crime bill

Gov. Joe Lombardo said the “Safe Streets and Neighborhoods Act” has provisions that increase penalties for cyberstalking, retail theft, DUIs and fentanyl trafficking

Gov. Joe Lombardo vowed to “put teeth back into Nevada’s penal code” through a proposed crime and public safety bill he introduced this week.

The Republican governor said Senate Bill 457 — which he calls the “Safe Streets and Neighborhoods Act” — has provisions that increase criminal penalties in a variety of areas including cyberstalking, retail theft, DUIs and fentanyl trafficking. A hearing on the bill has not been scheduled.

The bill would revamp Nevada’s retail theft laws — a top concern of the state’s business community — by lowering the felony retail theft threshold from $1,200 to $750 and creating enhanced sentencing guidelines for a third felony offense.

Hicks blamed the 2019 Legislature for increasing the felony theft threshold to $1,200, or $250 higher than neighboring California . He said, for example, an outlet mall in Sparks has seen a 248 percent rise in theft calls for service to law enforcement agencies between 2022 and 2024.  police1.com


Federal Crime Data Hasn't Noticeably Changed...Yet

Davidson County, TN: Police unit cracking down on retail crime
 

Retail is a Top Target of Data Breaches
Sector by sector: How data breaches are wrecking bottom lines
A recent report conducted by the Ponemon Institute found that third-party data breaches have severe consequences across critical sectors, with data theft and loss posing the greatest risk.

In retail, breaches directly impact sales and brand image. The theft of customer data leads to financial losses and diminished trust. For example, a breach at a major retailer exposed millions of records, causing a sharp decline in sales and long-term brand damage. This loss of trust can drive customers to competitors.

A Vercara study found 70% of people would stop shopping with a brand after a breach. 58% simply stop trusting them. Gen Z shrugs off breaches more than older generations. Baby Boomers are quickest to take their business elsewhere. helpnetsecurity.com


AI Data Risk Grows
The quiet data breach hiding in AI workflows
As AI becomes embedded in daily business workflows, the risk of data exposure increases. Prompt leaks are not rare exceptions. They are a natural outcome of how employees use large language models. CISOs cannot treat this as a secondary concern.

To reduce risk, security leaders should focus on policy, visibility, and culture. Set clear rules about what data can and cannot be entered into AI systems. Monitor usage to identify shadow AI before it becomes a problem. Make sure employees understand that convenience should not override confidentiality.

Understanding prompt leaks

Prompt leaks happen when sensitive data, such as proprietary information, personal records, or internal communications, is unintentionally exposed through interactions with LLMs. These leaks can occur through both user inputs and model outputs.

On the input side, the most common risk comes from employees. A developer might paste proprietary code into an AI tool to get debugging help. A salesperson might upload a contract to rewrite it in plain language. These prompts can contain names, internal systems info, financials, or even credentials. Once entered into a public LLM, that data is often logged, cached, or retained without the organization’s control.

Even when companies adopt enterprise-grade LLMs, the risk doesn’t go away. Researchers found that many inputs posed some level of data leakage risk, including personal identifiers, financial data, and business-sensitive information.

Output-based prompt leaks are even harder to detect. If an LLM is fine-tuned on confidential documents such as HR records or customer service transcripts, it might reproduce specific phrases, names, or private information when queried. This is known as data cross-contamination, and it can occur even in well-designed systems if access controls are loose or the training data was not properly scrubbed.  helpnetsecurity.com

 
America's Air Traffic Control System Facing Cyber Threats
Aviation sector faces heightened cyber risks due to vulnerable software, aging tech

A report calls on federal authorities to conduct comprehensive risk assessments and take steps to modernize the air traffic control system.

The aviation industry is facing significant threats to its ability to maintain cyber resilience and must address key issues ranging from aging technology, outdated software and growing risks from sophisticated threat actors, according to a report released Thursday from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

The report calls on the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct a comprehensive modernization of the nation’s air traffic control system with a strong focus on cyber resilience.

The Transportation Security Administration, working with the FAA and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, should conduct comprehensive cyber vulnerability and risk assessments on major hub airports used for civilian and military purposes. cybersecuritydive.com


Organizations can’t afford to be non-compliant

Over 14K Fortinet devices compromised via new attack method

Denham Springs, LA: Retail theft suspect found across state lines with hundreds of anti-theft tags, stolen tennis shoes
A man accused of stealing brand-name clothing and shoes from retail outlets in Juban Crossing was arrested in Mississippi. According to the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office (LPSO), Samuel E. Johnson is facing two counts of organized retail theft and two counts of tampering with surveillance equipment. Both charges are felonies. “Through our investigation, we learned a male would enter a business, target the high-end merchandise—with anti-theft devices—and, conceal them either in large suitcases he selected from the luggage display or large duffle bags sold in the store,” said Sheriff Jason Ard. “The male would then leave the store without any attempt to pay for the merchandise.” The sheriff says detectives learned during their investigation that the same suspect was tied to two thefts in Livingston and other similar recent crimes in two separate jurisdictions. He added that the same suspect also had prior theft arrests in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.  wafb.com


South Windsor, CT: Jewelry store in South Windsor burglarized; possibly tied to other incidents in recent months
A jewelry store in South Windsor was broken into early Monday, and a number of items were stolen. Police said the crime may be connected to other burglaries in the area. Police said they received an alarm from Hannoush Jewelers, located on Buckland Road, around 4:20 Monday morning. Officers arrived within minutes and confirmed that entry was made into the building through a window on the side of the building and jewelry cases were smashed. The suspect vehicle, according to police, appeared to be an older model Hyundai Santa Fe with a paper registration. Police said the same vehicle was used in previous jewelry store burglaries in other jurisdictions in recent months. Police said the store owner will be providing a complete inventory of what was taken.  fox61.com


Rio Linda, CA: Local Suspect Among Three Arrested in $40,000 Retail Theft Ring Recovery
A multi-county investigation led by the California Highway Patrol has resulted in the recovery of over $40,000 in stolen retail merchandise and the arrest of three suspects, including one from Rio Linda. In February 2025, the Valley Division Organized Retail Crime Task Force (ORCTF) initiated an investigation into a suspected retail crime “fence operation.” Through their investigation, authorities identified three suspects—one each in San Jose, Dixon, and Rio Linda—alleged to be in possession of stolen merchandise that was later being sold online. In March, ORCTF investigators executed three residential search warrants and two additional warrants for storage lockers across three counties. This extensive operation successfully recovered $40,533.25 in suspected stolen goods.  fox40.com


Springfield, VA: Fairfax County gun store burglary leaves glass shattered, door blown off hinges
Two teenagers were arrested after a burglary left a gun store in Fairfax County, Virginia, with the front doors blown off its hinges and glass on the ground early Monday morning, according to police. At 1:30 a.m. on Monday, three teens broke into Dominion Defense in Springfield, Virginia, according to police. The suspects used a car stolen in the Springfield area to break down the front doors of the store and take 21 guns, police said. Video shows the front doors strewn on the ground after being busted down by the car with small pieces of glass shattered around them. Display cases were also broken into.  nbcwashington.com


Hillsborough County, FL: Retail Theft arrest leads to recovery of over $15K in Stolen Goods

Coal Township, PA: Man Jailed for Allegedly Stealing $2,500 in merchandise from Walmart

Beavercreek, OH: Police looking for man accused of leaving Walmart with $1300 in stolen items