Property Crime Drops by 8.5% in California
Crime rates are dropping in California, Gov. Newsom says
New data suggests violent crimes and property crimes are dropping in California. Governor Gavin Newsom released an analysis of Real Time Crime Index data from the Public Policy Institute of California comparing 2023 crime rates to 2024.

The PPIC’s analysis revealed that, compared to 2023, violent crime dropped by 4.6%, and property crime dropped by 8.5%, in 2024 statewide.

“Preliminary crime data for 29 of California’s law enforcement agencies—representing close to one quarter of the state’s population—points toward broad decreases in violent and property crime in 2024,” PPIC wrote in its report.

Homicides fell by nearly 6% last year, robberies decreased by 5.2%, aggravated assaults went down by 3.9%, and burglaries dipped 13.6%. There was a large decrease for vehicle thefts — an 11.9% drop — and property crimes — 8.5%.

“Like all crime data, it is important to keep in mind that it is limited to crimes that are reported to law enforcement agencies, and not all crimes get reported,” PPIC wrote.

The governor’s office attributed encouraging crimes trends to “stronger enforcement, serious penalties, (and) real consequences.”

Newsom wrote on X Tuesday, “Violent and property crime rates dropped throughout California last year — thanks in part to the $1.1B we’ve invested since 2019 into safety and security.”   kron4.com
 

Hollywood-Style Heist in Downtown LA
In cinema-style heist in LA, tunneling thieves steal millions in gold, jewels
The FBI is now working with Los Angeles police to investigate a jewelry heist that involved thieves tunneling through multiple walls to break into a downtown Los Angeles jewelry store over the weekend.

Millions of dollars in gold and jewels were stolen from a downtown jeweler’s two enormous safes after burglars tunneled into the Broadway shop through multiple reinforced walls, police said.

In security video of the weekend break-in, a massive drill can be heard carving through the main castlelike wall, making a hole big enough for a person to slip through to enter Love Jewels, Reina de Oro at Broadway and 5th Street.

Los Angeles Police say the thieves on Sunday night cut through a room next to the gold merchant in the 500 block of Broadway. LAPD officials said the owners informed the department that the thieves took about $10 million worth of merchandise.

The FBI’s major theft task force is assisting LAPD in the probe, according to FBI spokesperson Laura Eimiller. LAPD Capt. Raul Jovel, who oversees the department’s central division, said the thieves tunneled into the building through the Roxy, a small movie theater next door.

Jovel said initially it was thought only about $5 million in jewelry was stolen, but officials now believe north of $10 million was taken.

In recent years, burglars have entered jewelry stores through rooftops, Joven said. Tunneling, while rare, isn’t unheard of. A business in the Fashion District was burglarized through tunneling thieves, Joven said. In Northern California, thieves last summer stole dozens of guns by tunneling into a store. latimes.com


Crime is Down in Dallas
Violent crime down in Dallas, new data shows, but concerns remain over police response times

The new data comes as the department prepares to welcome a new police chief.

Most violent crime is down in Dallas, but police response times remain a concern, Dallas officials said this week.

Maj. Nathan Swyers of the Dallas Police Department’s Violent Crime Division said violent crime is down in Dallas by about 13%, driven by an 11.2% decrease in aggravated assaults (amounting to about 150 fewer victims) and a 44.23% drop in homicides (amounting to 23 fewer victims) over the last year, according to data as of March 31.

Dallas police also reported an 11.42% drop in robberies (amounting to 62 fewer victims), a nearly 8% drop in business robberies (about 10 fewer victims), and a 12.53% decrease in individual robberies (52 fewer victims), Swyers said. wfaa.com


Crime Data Remains a Problem Worldwide
New Zealand: Violent crime data raises more questions than answers - Labour
The Ministry of Justice has released the data confirming the government's claim it met its target to reduce the number of violent crime victims by 20,000 by 2029.

The government held a press conference on Wednesday afternoon without the data to back it up - until the Ministry released it later that night.

But there are concerns around the reporting of the data, and Labour says the government has decided it has a "narrative on law and order", and it's "looking for data to fit that narrative".

The latest data showed in the year to February, there were 34,000 fewer victims than in the year to October 2024. That's 28,000 fewer than the October 2023 baseline the government has used. rnz.co.nz


San Antonio sees decline in violent and property crimes during first quarter of 2025

Howard police to patrol The Mall in Columbia 24 hours a day, add unit to Downtown Columbia after shootings
 

Q1 2025 Top Ransomware Target? Retailers
Retail sector a prime target for ransomware in Q1 2025

The first quarter of 2025 has broken all ransomware records, with more victims to be found on data leak sites than ever before. The Clop group dominated February, mainly by exploiting a vulnerability in Cleo managed file transfer solutions.

Although production and professional services have traditionally been the main targets for ransomware, the rise of the retail sector as a victim was striking, according to ReliaQuest. The Clop campaign was responsible for 46 percent of all retail companies appearing on data leak sites, causing this sector to rise from sixth to fourth place compared to Q4 2024.

The reason for this is that many retail companies use Cleo for e-commerce transactions, order management and supplier coordination. The impact is serious: financial losses, recovery costs, fines, reputational damage and damaged trust from customers and partners. Once the Cleo dust has settled, experts expect attackers to return to their traditional targets. It is therefore a sign of opportunistic actions, in which the simplest targets suffer massively.

In addition to Clop, the quarter also saw a sharp increase in activity from the Medusa group (35 percent increase) and FunkSec. The latter group uses AI to develop malware and claimed 152 victims this quarter, compared to 82 in the previous quarter. In the coming years, we may see these parties take over from Clop, should the latter fall victim to police intervention or internal struggles. It wouldn’t be the first time. techzine.eu


The Cybersecurity Risks of Mergers
When companies merge, so do their cyber threats
For CISOs, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) bring both potential and risk. These deals can drive growth, but they also open the door to serious cybersecurity threats that may derail the transaction. Strong due diligence, smart risk planning, and a shared security mindset can help keep deals on track and protect the business.

Key cybersecurity risks in M&A

1. Inherited vulnerabilities: Acquiring a company means inheriting its existing cybersecurity weaknesses. If the target company has unresolved security issues, these become the acquirer’s responsibility. For instance, undisclosed data breaches or outdated systems can pose immediate threats post-acquisition.

2. Data integration challenges: Merging IT systems can lead to data silos and integration difficulties. Inconsistent data protection measures between the two entities can expose sensitive information during and after the integration process.

3. Regulatory compliance issues: Different jurisdictions have varying data protection regulations. An acquisition can inadvertently lead to non-compliance if the target company operates under different regulatory standards. This is particularly relevant in cross-border M&A activities.

4. Cultural misalignment: Divergent organizational cultures, especially regarding cybersecurity priorities, can hinder the implementation of unified security policies and procedures. This misalignment can create gaps that adversaries might exploit. helpnetsecurity.com


Drastic Downsizing of CISA
CISA launches new wave of job cuts

Critics warn that drastic downsizing of the DHS unit will threaten the nation’s ability to counter cyber adversaries.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is in the process of a major push to eliminate jobs, starting with a voluntary resignation program, part of a wider effort by the Trump administration to reduce the size of the federal workforce.

CISA is now participating in workforce transition programs from the Department of Homeland Security, according to an agency spokesperson. These include the Deferred Resignation Program, the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority and the Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment programs being offered to DHS employees.

The spokesperson at CISA did not specify how many workers have volunteered for these programs or provide details on the agency’s final cost-cutting goals, but Cybersecurity Dive previously reported the agency plans to eliminate up to 1,300 jobs.

Sources familiar with the agency say the 1,300 figure is still the goal, but it remains unclear how long it will take to reach that number.

Among the programs expected to be most affected by the cuts is the agency’s Stakeholder Engagement Division, which is involved in domestic and international information sharing and collaborative partnerships. cybersecuritydive.com


MITRE warns of potential cybersecurity disruptions as US government funding for CVE, CWE programs set to expire

Katy, TX: Katy Mills Theft Ring Found Linked to Mexican Cartel
A recent arrest and theft ring investigation is believed to have direct ties to Cartel Organizations in Mexico. Authorities found suitcases of close to $5,000 worth of stolen merchandise from the Tommy Hilfiger and Guess stores at Katy Mills Mall. The investigation began with Katy Police observing four individuals on Katy Mills Mall security cameras communicating through earpieces. The behavior is consistent with that of well-organized theft groups. Authorities followed the investigation to a short-term rental property on Wempe Way in Houston. They were able to track the car to the home, and on March 31, 2025 officers executed a search warrant. An arrest was made and several bags of stolen clothing items, Mexican identification documents, airline tickets, a Beverly Hills police release form, and more were recovered at the scene. Court records indicate that the individual shipped multiple boxes from Minnesota to Laredo that contained around $200,000 worth of stolen items. This investigation is ongoing, but authorities have linked 98 individuals to these thefts and other connected crimes. According to records, it is believed that these individuals are part of a South American cartel organization that is operating a theft ring across the U.S.  katymagazineonline.com


Taylorville, UT: Two wanted fugitives connected to a Romanian organized retail theft ring arrested in Utah
Two wanted fugitives connected to a Romanian organized retail theft ring were arrested in Park City. They are believed to have been involved in the theft of more than $500,000 in merchandise across the U.S. over the past year, the Taylorsville Police Department said. The suspects, who were also believed to be connected to numerous thefts occurring across Davis, Salt Lake, and Utah counties, reportedly came to the Taylorsville Police Department's attention after attempting to steal from a Taylorsville Ulta Beauty. During the arrest, police recovered approximately $15,000 worth of stolen property. The Orem Police Department and ICE Removal Operations also assisted.  facebook.com


Edmonton, AB, Canada: $118K in equipment stolen from Edmonton music store Long & McQuade
An Edmonton music store is asking for the public’s help after more than $100,000 worth of equipment was stolen from their southeast location. The incident is the latest in a series of frustrating break-ins for the business. Security video shared with Global News shows thieves precisely lining up their truck, smashing into the shipping door at the Long & McQuade store on 92 Street and 28 Avenue. Early Tuesday morning, four masked people broke into the store. The thieves grabbed dozens of items, putting them in the truck, all in the span of five minutes. The thieves made off with guitars, D.J. equipment, microphones and more. “$118,000 worth of gear, which is a significant amount of gear,” said Simpson.   globalnews.ca


Robbers steal jewelry from Costco in Brampton
Multiple videos have been posted online reportedly showing a smash-and-grab jewlery robbery and the aftermath at a Costco in Brampton earlier this week. Peel Regional Police said the smash-and-grab style robbery happened around 7 p.m. on Monday when multiple masked suspects stole merchandise from the wholesaler on Biscayne Cresent. A video which users on social media say captured the incident on camera is circulating on social media and shows two people taking items from a smashed-in jewelry display case. One of the individuals is seen carrying a large hammer as the duo quickly leave the area of the store.  insauga.com


Douglas County, NV: Four in custody in suspected retail theft ring

Ascension Parish, LA: One arrested, another at large in Retail Theft investigations at Lowes and Walmart