How Data-Driven LP Can Fight Retail Crime
Retailers Turn to Data to Strengthen Loss Prevention and Combat Crime

By the D&D Daily

As retail crime continues to rise, businesses are increasingly relying on data to enhance loss prevention strategies and reduce financial losses. Organized retail crime (ORC) and theft cost the industry billions each year, driving companies to explore more advanced and data-driven approaches to protect their bottom lines.

Data-Driven Loss Prevention Strategies

Retailers are integrating sophisticated data analytics into their loss prevention efforts to better identify, prevent, and respond to theft. By analyzing transaction data, security footage, and in-store movement, companies can pinpoint high-risk locations and times for theft. This proactive approach helps businesses identify patterns and adjust their security measures accordingly.

For example, many retailers now use point-of-sale (POS) data to flag suspicious transactions, such as high-dollar returns without receipts or multiple gift card purchases. These insights can then be cross-referenced with known theft indicators, like repeat offenders or unusual purchasing behavior, to prevent fraudulent activity before it escalates.

Predictive Analytics and AI in Retail Security

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are also playing a critical role in modern loss prevention. These technologies can analyze vast amounts of data from security cameras, inventory systems, and sales records in real time, detecting anomalies that might indicate theft. Some systems can even use facial recognition to identify known shoplifters as they enter a store, alerting staff to potential threats.

Predictive analytics further enhances these efforts by forecasting when and where theft is most likely to occur based on historical data. This allows retailers to allocate security resources more effectively, reducing shrinkage and improving overall profitability.

Collaboration and Data Sharing

In addition to in-store measures, data sharing between retailers, law enforcement, and industry groups is becoming increasingly important. National databases and local crime networks enable businesses to track ORC rings and share critical information about known offenders, making it harder for criminals to target multiple locations undetected.

The Future of Data-Driven Loss Prevention

As technology advances, retailers are expected to rely even more on data to combat retail crime. From AI-driven analytics to real-time threat detection, these tools offer a powerful defense against theft and fraud, helping businesses protect their assets and maintain profitability in an increasingly challenging retail landscape.


Fighting Stolen & Abandoned Shopping Carts
San Jose approves stricter rules to combat epidemic of abandoned shopping carts
Fed up with the thousands of abandoned shopping carts dumped on city streets and in its waterways, San Jose is moving ahead with new regulations and a cart retrieval pilot program to solve the longstanding problem.

Earlier this year, the City Council voted to explore changes to the municipal code and advocate for less burdensome state rules, citing the ineffectiveness of both sets of regulations and the inability of the city to recover costs.

While a state bill addressing the issue slowly moves forward, the new local amendments will force larger retailers with at least 76 carts to either install theft prevention mechanisms or security deposit devices or enter into a cart retrieval contract that obligates the company to make weekly, proactive efforts to pick up their carts.

“I don’t think any of us ran for office or signed up for our day jobs here thinking we would be so focused on shopping cart loss prevention, but the reality is we estimate that our teams end up going out and having to pick up over 2,000 abandoned shopping carts per year across the city,” San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said. “They are quite often on sidewalks, in the right of way, in parks and down in the creeks. I have personally fished dozens of shopping carts out of our waterways.”

San Jose is one of about 150 local jurisdictions in the state that have established rules on abandoned shopping carts.

Its original ordinance required retailers with at least 26 carts to submit a yearly plan for how they would retrieve and retain their carts, including what loss prevention measures they intended to deploy. Retailers also are required to have signage on carts that identifies the owner. Under the changes approved Tuesday, stores with 26 to 75 carts would still be required to submit plans, but they are not subject to the enhanced regulation. union-bulletin.com


'Project SHIELD' to Fight Retail Theft & Violence in Canada
Increased police presence to crack down on spiraling retail theft and violence in stores
The Saskatoon Police Service is cracking down on retail crime saying there has been a steady increase in businesses in the city experiencing a rise in prolific and violent offenders entering into stores.

Project SHIELD is intended to address situations where shoplifting is observed, weapons are present, and the threat of violence is evident towards staff, Loss Prevention Officers, security personnel and shoppers.

Wednesday and Thursday Saskatoon Police officers have a visible presence in the 200, 300, and 400 blocks of Confederation Drive. They are working alongside Loss Prevention Officers and security personnel to identify and arrest offenders for a range of crimes such as theft, robbery, weapons possession, breach charges and executing outstanding warrants.

The goal of Project SHIELD is to successfully apprehend violent and repeat offenders to reduce the risk of harm as well as mitigate financial damage incurred by businesses.

Project SHIELD coincides with the Retail Council of Canada’s “Retail Blitz” which targets retail crime across the country. The police also ask the public to help by reporting crimes and suspicious activity that you come across. cjwwradio.com


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Boosting Workplace Safety Without Slowing Down Ops
Technology is Pushing the Envelope for Safety Training

New technologies provide hands-on ways to safely train employees without slowing down operations.

Debates about the close integration between technology and workers are ongoing. However, in the training sector of the safety industry, the two are getting along just fine.

The key to this happy relationship is based on the increased processing power of emerging technologies, which enable more lifelike simulations. These simulations of job tasks help workers master the skills necessary to properly perform the job before the actual work begins, thus preventing injuries.

Pushing the envelope further, machines are being outfitted with technology that is able to determine if proper training methods are being implemented and then being able to act upon that data.

Let’s start with virtual reality, which is catching on quickly as hardware has improved and prices have decreased. Virtual reality (VR) creates a simulated three-dimensional environment that allows users to interact with it, using a headset, which makes the situation feel real. New methods of training are being adopted as both the jobs and makeup of the workforce are shifting.

Moving technology to machinery is the next step in safety training. The machinery is equipped with technology that can reinforce training by alerting operators to safety protocols. And even more importantly, the machine can take an active role if proper operating steps are not present. ehstoday.com


The Retail War Over Tariffs
Retailers are turning the trade war into a sales event

Brands beg shoppers to spend before Trump’s tariffs hit their prices

The add-to-cart callouts are widespread, and lately they’re coming with a trade war twist: buy now to beat the tariffs. Retailers and e-commerce brands have been flooding social media in recent weeks with appeals to shoppers’ well-founded fears that President Donald Trump’s import taxes will raise prices, urging them to act now before that happens.

The marketing blitz comes amid souring consumer attitudes that have already fueled a buying spree among businesses and ordinary shoppers alike. The U.S. economy shrank in the first quarter as consumers scooped up foreign goods and companies raced to stockpile materials and inventories before steeper levies hit their supply chains.

While Trump’s tariff policies have rolled out erratically for weeks, many foreign goods are already pricier than they were just months ago. Despite a series of partial walk-backs and temporary reprieves on a range of imports, key parts of the president’s trade agenda are just now kicking in.

With the costs of many foreign-made auto parts set to jump by 25% this weekend, automakers have seen vehicle sales spike by double-digits amid tariff fear-buying that they expect to peter out soon. Some dealerships are trying to keep that momentum going as long as they can. nbcnews.com


Americans Are Still Spending
Retail Sales Surge in April Amid Tariff Concerns
Retail sales grew in April as consumers moved up buying to avoid higher prices expected to come after tariffs, according to the National Retail Federation’s CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor.

Seasonally adjusted building lawn and garden sales increased in April by 2.8% over the previous month. Despite the April increase, year-over-year (non-adjusted) sales in the category were down 2.1% through April, mostly dragged down by a very soft February.

“Spending rose again in April, driven largely by consumers continuing to pull purchases forward to stay ahead of tariffs that will inevitably lead to higher prices,” says NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay. “Despite declines in confidence caused by the economic uncertainty that has come with tariffs, consumer fundamentals remain intact, supported by low unemployment, slower-but-steady income growth and solid household finances. Consumers maintain their ability to spend and have strong reasons to spend now before tariffs can drive up prices or cause shortages on store shelves.”   hardwareretailing.com


'Truckers Against Trafficking'
ISCPO Announces Partnership with TAT (Truckers Against Trafficking)
Dallas, TX (May 8, 2025) – The International Supply Chain Protection Organization (ISCPO) is excited to announce its partnership with TAT (Truckers Against Trafficking). We unite with them and stand committed to engage in the fight against human trafficking. TAT is working with more than 1,390 trucking companies and organizations to train their professional drivers, including over the-road, local/final mile and in-home delivery, to recognize and report human trafficking.

Human trafficking and indentured servitude are the same as modern slavery. The ISCPO has decided to champion the effort to attack this issue, not just in the trucking side of the business, but across all aspects of the supply chain. TAT is an incredible group of talented professionals who we are honored to work with in this endeavor. iscpo.org


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