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Case Study: How ALTO Helped Prosecutors Secure Felony Pleas in LEGO Theft Case

In a major Northern California retail crime case, ALTO partnered with the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office and a national retail chain to secure accountability against a serial shoplifter responsible for stealing nearly $25,000 in high-demand merchandise, including LEGO products. Known in the media as the “LEGO Thief,” the defendant targeted multiple Bay Area retail locations, exploiting quick grab-and-go thefts that placed stores, employees, and communities at risk.

Results

• Defendant held to answer on all charges at the preliminary hearing

• Guilty plea entered to four felony counts one week before trial

• Sentenced to four years of supervision: two years in custody and two years under mandatory supervision

• Ordered to pay $9,387.95 in restitution to the retailer.

• Criminal protective order issued, banning the offender from multiple retail locations: Walnut Creek, Fremont, and San Ramon.

Read full case study here
 

Retailers Fear Crime Surge as SNAP Benefits End
Dollar General removes boards as city officials ratchet up criticism of store

A downtown Columbus Dollar General store boarded up its windows and doors, citing fears of looting if SNAP benefits end.

Not long after boards went up around Downtown's Dollar General store out of concern for "looting" if SNAP benefits go away this weekend, those boards have been removed.

The store, located at 166 S. High St., had plywood boards covering its doors and windows Oct. 27. Store manager Bear Fultz told The Dispatch it was a preventative measure called for by Dollar General to prevent potential theft come Nov. 1 — the day Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are set to end for roughly 180,000 Franklin Country residents and millions more across the nation if the federal government shutdown continues.

By midday on Oct. 28, those boards were gone. Despite a Dollar General official saying a Columbus group that deals with "the security of that area" had advised the store to take on these safety precautions, the company's actions were met with criticism from many city officials. Several rejected the idea that a Columbus organization played a role.

Dollar General is not the only storefront in its area that was apparently advised to prepare for theft. KC Sports, a local shoe shop across the street from Dollar General, heard from some city employees working on High Street that it may not be a bad idea to cover the store's doors and windows in light of the impending Nov. 1 SNAP deadline, said store manager Shannon Sowers.

Though not an official suggestion from any particular Columbus organization, Sowers said KC Sports had heard via casual "word of mouth" by some Columbus workers on Oct. 27 that SNAP-related crime could take place. She added that many neighboring businesses along South High Street had been "hit hard" by looting in 2020, which could be contributing to those stores' concerns over similar crime now.

That said, Sowers said KC Sports won't be boarding its doors and windows in anticipation of this weekend, adding that its entryways are made of secure plexiglass. dispatch.com


Retail Body Cams Drive 25% Reduction in Incidents
UK: 'Shoplifting is frightening and a constant battle'

Businesses in Lincolnshire are facing a "constant battle" against shoplifting, a workers' union has claimed.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics show Lincolnshire has seen a 12% increase in thefts in the past 12 months and the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW) said its members were facing increasing incidents of abuse.

Martin Simmons, a supermarket worker, said: "For some of the younger people they have in stores, it's frightening. They shouldn't be in this position." Lincolnshire Police said it was working with businesses to reduce the number of offences.

In November 2024, the Lincolnshire Co-op spent £200,000 on body camera technology for staff at its 99 food shops and 44 pharmacies.

The company said it had seen a 25% reduction in the number of incidents involving staff being abused and theft.

Jock Watt, the lead for security at the company, said: "The retail industry faces theft every day and we want to make our stores safe for our staff and customers.

"We see repeated offenders coming into our stores and we've had organised gangs coming in to hit several stores at a time. It's not necessarily down to the cost of living."

Lincolnshire Police said it acknowledged there was "always more work to do" to stop shop theft.

"Those who work in retail should be able to attend work without fear, or being subject to abuse or violence by those who steal from shops and businesses," a spokesperson added. bbc.com


NRF Retail Crime Report Makes More Headlines
NRF: Worsening Retail Crime Exposes Law Enforcement Limitations

Theft and threats of violence plague the retail industry, and the disruption has worsened according to a new study released by the National Retail Federation and the Loss Prevention Research Council.

Retailers reported an 18% increase in the average number of shoplifting incidents per year in 2024 versus 2023, and threats or acts of violence during shoplifting or theft events increased 17%, the NRF Impact of Theft & Violence 2025 study indicated.

The report demonstrates guest-related violence and violence during a crime were the kinds of conflicts retailers say are increasing more, cited as up by 46% in each case, followed by homeless people involved in a business dispute at 43% and homeless people involved in theft and violence at 39%.

The scope of ORC operations is global, with 66% of retailers reporting the involvement of a transnational criminal group in thefts against their company during the past year. Limited law enforcement and retail asset protection resources, as well as a lack of prosecutor willingness to pursue ORC cases, are the top reasons more hasn’t been accomplished in curtailing organized retail crime, the NRF report indicated.

As they deal with lack of law enforcement response, 64% of retailers say they reported less than half of their store-related theft incidents to authorities.

Tony D’Onofrio, president of Sensormatic Solutions, which sponsored the study, said, “This year’s report is a reminder of the complexities we must navigate when it comes to the growing and evolving issue of retail theft and violence. Our retail partners are making substantial investments in loss prevention, and technology is the crucial link in enabling asset protection teams to thwart these pervasive crimes.”  homepagenews.com


Bay Area's Crime Crackdown Yielding Results
CHP hits the Bay Area streets, enforces public safety through its crime suppression teams

Governor Newsom’s expansion of California Highway Patrol’s presence in the Bay Area has helped reduce crime and increase public safety by seizing illicit drugs and taking firearms off the streets.

As California continues to experience record-dropping crime rates and increased public safety statewide, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced additional progress by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) in the Bay Area.

The CHP has helped Bay Area law enforcement make more than 275 arrests, recover over 520 stolen vehicles, and seize 34 illicit firearms so far this year.

Earlier this summer, the Governor announced the next phase of his crime-fighting efforts — deploying new CHP crime suppression teams to work directly with local law enforcement in major cities and regions across the state — San Diego, Inland Empire, Los Angeles, Central Valley, Sacramento, and the San Francisco Bay Area. CHP officers have worked with local law enforcement statewide to make 1,200 arrests, recover more than 600 stolen vehicles, and seize 73 illegal firearms across the various regions so far this year. gov.ca.gov


We met a professional shoplifter to understand this crime’s popularity
Retailers are contending with a new type of player in their industry – professional shoplifters.

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