Greg Adams named Director Loss Prevention for AC Moore
Greg was previously the Field Director, Loss Prevention for Petco. Greg has held a variety of loss prevention positions for Petco, such as Regional Director - LP for Eastern United States and Regional Loss Prevention Manager and other retailers such as Toys R Us as a Regional LP Manager and Macy's East as LP Manager. Greg earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from Moravian College. Congratulations Greg!



Carolyn Korchik, CFI named Global Security & Retail Loss Prevention Ops Manager for Levi Strauss
Carolyn previously held the position of Corporate Investigations Manager for Restoration Hardware since last August before transitioning to this new role. She was also a Loss Prevention Analyst for the retailer in 2013. Carolyn has held a variety of positions for retailers including Team Lead at Dick's Sporting Goods and Vendor Performance and Compliance Specialist for Target. Congratulations Carolyn!

Penney to close 130 to 140 stores- 13% of store base
Reducing workforce - Offering 6,000 early Retirement
The retailer will release the list of planned store closings in mid-March, with most of the locations expected to close over the next few months.

In addition, the retailer will close a distribution center located in Lakeland, Fla. and a supply chain facility in Buena Park, Calif. The chain is also launching a voluntary early retirement program to 6,000 eligible employees across the company. 

"At a stroke it will improve JCP's same-store sales numbers as these outlets are the ones dragging down the company's performance." chainstoreage.com

See the Q4 2016 Earnings Conference Call Presentation here jcpenney.com

Hudson's Bay Company Finalize Expense Reduction Efforts Initiative
Saving $75M & Incurring $30M in Severance Charges
Late in 2016, the Company launched a comprehensive review of its business operations to identify efficiencies, streamline processes and improve back of store productivity, while also enhancing customer service.

As part of this ongoing operational review, the Company has finalized an initiative to reduce expenses by rationalizing its corporate functions and overhead across North America. This is expected to result in a more efficient, agile organizational structure across HBC's banners and centers of excellence. Annualized savings from this initiative are expected to be approximately $75 million, the majority of which are expected to be realized in 2017. In conjunction with this initiative, the Company anticipates incurring one-time severance charges approaching $30 million.

Management continues to review and evaluate additional opportunities to identify efficiencies. Through this process, the Company expects to reinvest in customer-facing activities while reducing costs in back office and support areas. These cost reduction opportunities are currently expected to leverage 'best practices' to include more efficient inventory management, a reduction in total supply chain costs, and the optimization of scheduling practices to ensure associates are placed where they can most improve the customers' experiences. Over the coming months, the Company expects to provide additional details on these initiatives as work progresses.

Editor's Note: Obviously they made job cuts and which stayed out of the news. yahoo.com

Gap CEO: Apparel bankruptcies an opportunity to seize market share
The recent bankruptcies and store closures of rival apparel retailers like The Limited, American Apparel and Wet Seal present Gap with market share opportunity, CEO Art Peck told analysts on a conference call Thursday afternoon. "[W]e can all pick our favorite company that's no longer in business and when the lights go off and the windows get boarded over, that is market share that is made available to the rest of the industry," Peck said, according to a Seeking Alpha transcript. "[The customer's] not stopping shopping. She's shopping someplace else." retaildive.com

Bloomin Brands to close 43 restaurants
Bloomin' Brands is suffering from an industrywide slowdown that many analysts fear could be the beginning of a restaurant recession. While Bloomin' Brands didn't specify which of its 1,500 restaurants would be shuttered.

Ruby Tuesday closed 95 locations last year. Buffalo Wild Wings and Applebee's are also struggling. businessinsider.com

Discount Gift Cards Popular With Money Launderers
Retailers Implementing Countermeasures at the Register
Secondhand gift cards, which sell by the billions online, are growing in popularity. Families are discovering that they can save anywhere from 5 to 30 percent on everyday purchases such as gasoline, groceries, and restaurants. But criminals are exploiting this fast-moving market.

"A gift card sounds so innocent to all of us, but if you have this criminal mindset, you're going to find a way to use it to your advantage," said Bob Moraca, Vice President of Loss Prevention for the National Retail Federation.

Moraca tracks crime trends and says thieves are using everyday gift cards to convert stolen credit cards into cash. "That's what the criminal wants at the end of the day, they want the cash," he said.

Here's how it works: A criminal steals a credit card. Next, they go to stores and rapidly buy stacks of gift cards. Then they immediately re-sell them online. That's it. It only takes minutes. But, when a bank later catches onto the scam and cancels the gift cards, buyers can wind up with a worthless code.

You will see new countermeasures at cash registers -- where this gift card fraud starts. Some stores, like Walmart, might ask for identification when you buy a gift card with a credit card. Other stores are limiting how many gift cards you can buy. A few require cash. nbcbayarea.com

I Spy: Researchers Use Eye-Tracking Technology to Detect Deception
Job interviews might just become a whole lot more interesting and informative if researchers at Iowa State University have anything to say about it.

Iowa State University researchers are using eye-tracking technology to improve the normal 50-50 odds of knowing when someone is lying, specifically for interviews conducted online.

Researchers say they hope to confirm known cues and find new ones that predict when someone is lying. "It's really important in business to determine if someone is honest or dishonest, because down the line, the business will pay for that," said George.

Iowa State's College of Business is one of about a dozen in the world to have access to a neuroscience lab equipped with eye-tracking technology and an EEG machine for research. Watch the video to see how researchers are using the equipment to help businesses weed out potential employees who are dishonest during interviews. ehstoday.com
 
Politics Impacting the Workplace
How to Keep Employees Focused When Stress Levels Are High
With our 24-hour news cycle, it's no surprise that Americans stress levels are high
In October 2016, the American Psychological Association released its annual Stress in America report, which found about half of Americans were stressed over the presidential election. In a follow-up survey released this month, APA found that two-thirds of Americans-both Democrat and Republican-are stressed about the country's future, with 57 percent citing the political climate as a source and 49 percent identifying the election outcome.

Between August 2016 and January 2017, the average American's reported stress level jumped from 4.8 to 5.1 out of 10-due to concerns over politics, terrorism, personal safety, and police violence. This is the first significant increase in stress levels APA has reported in the 10-year-history of its Stress in America survey.

"The stress we're seeing around political issues is deeply concerning, because it's hard for Americans to get away from it," APA Executive Director for Professional Practice Dr. Katherine Nordal said in a press release. "We're surrounded by conversations, news, and social media that constantly remind us of the issues that are stressing us the most."

And no doubt people are carrying this stress into their workplaces, potentially causing conflict and low productivity. Barbara Mitchell, human resources and management consultant, recommends ways employers can help their employees fight stress and stay focused.

Leaders shouldn't ban all political talk from the office, she said. Instead, corporate leaders should acknowledge how stress over politics may be hindering productivity while reminding staff of the organizational mission during department meetings.

Employees may also be distracted by the constant influx of news, whether that be politics, sports, or entertainment. Mitchell said the best solution is again to remind staff of their purpose, rather than limit phone or internet usage.

But if political conversations or watching the news causes an employee to underperform, managers need to handle the situation as they would any other performance issue, she said. And if conflict arises in the workplace that the individuals cannot work out, supervisors should then bring in a mediator.

Beyond fighting the sources of stress, managers should also help employees reduce stress and break their routines, for instance, by moving meetings outside, hosting small surprise events or competitions, or bringing in a masseuse.

Ultimately, it's a process of creating a comfortable and inclusive work environment while maintaining a focus on mission. associationsnow.com
 
Ross Stores partners with Boys & Girls Club of America to "Help Local Kids Learn"
VP of LP explains charity program
Ross Stores, Inc. has announced it is partnering with Boys & Girls Clubs of America with a four-week program called "Help Local Kids Learn." This month, customers can make a monetary contribution at their local Ross Dress for Less location during checkout to be donated to the five local Boys & Girls Clubs this February. All of the proceeds raised at each store will benefit local Boys & Girls Clubs. Every $3 donation helps provide one hour of homework help for a Club youth. Every $15 helps keep a kid safe after school.

"In Februry, we invite our customers to join us in donating to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America," said Gary Cribb, Executive Vice President, Stores and Loss Prevention for Ross Stores, Inc. "Our company believes in giving back to our community, and we are proud to support the Power Hour program to help youth develop the skills they need to excel in school and beyond." turnto23.com

Retail sector has best boardroom diversity: Report
The retail industry is leading the way when it comes to diversity and refreshment rate at the boardroom level, finds the PwC's new report "A Look At Board Composition", published today. The report analyses the boardroom structures of S&P 500 companies.

The report found the retail sector had the youngest directors on average (age 60, compared to the S&P 500's average of 63) and had more female directors on average (23 percent of all directors, compared to 21 percent of the S&P 500).

Also, 91 percent of retail firms had mandatory retirement ages, and 18 percent had term limits for directors. This compared to S&P averages of 73 percent and 4 percent. Companies in some sectors, including banking, communications and insurance, had no term limits. cnbc.com

Director of Loss Prevention posted for Belk in Charlotte, NC
The Corporate Loss Prevention Director is responsible for Loss Prevention support, administrative, investigative functions for the corporation. The Corporate Loss Prevention Director will Develop and Administer programs Related to Emergency Preparedness and Response; Active Shooter; Centralized Investigations; Exception Reporting System; Data Analytics; Remote Monitoring Program; Loss Prevention Technology.

The nation's largest privately held department store founded by William Henry Belk. With over 290 stores doing approx. $4+ billion in sales. in the Southeastern states. belkcareers.com
 
Family Christian Stores closing 240 stores in 36 states after 85 years

Hhgregg plans to file for bankruptcy as soon as next month

250 police turn up for suspected bomb in French mall, turns out to be empty pressure cooker

Malls to become ghost towns, Jim Cramer says

Spain: Former Int'l. Monetary Fund Leader sentenced for credit card fraud

'24: Legacy' Producers apologize for use of Kenya Mall terror attack video


Quarterly Same Store Sales Reports
Gap Inc. Q4 comp's up 2%, sales up 1%, full yr comp's down 2%, sales down 1.8%
   Old Navy full yr comp's up 1%
   Gap Global full yr comp's down 3%
   Banana Republic Global full yr comp's down 7%
J.C. Penney Q4 comp's down 0.7%, sales down 0.9%, full yr. comp's 0.0%, sales down 0.6%
Nordstrom Q4 comp's down 0.9%, revenue up 2.4%
  Nordstrom U.S. & Canada full line stores & .com down 2.7%
  Nordstrom Rack comp's down 4.3%, net sales up 10.7%
 
Hudson's Bay Company Q4 comp's down 1.2%,
   DSG - Hudson's Bay, Lord & Taylor and Home Centers Q4 comp's up 0.6%
   Saks Fifth Ave. Q4 comp's up 0.1%
   HBC Off Price (Saks Off 5th & Gilt) comp's down 5.9%
   HBC Europe comp's down 2%

Has fraud met its match?
New & dynamic authentication factors help prevent ID theft
However, there are new ideas for counteracting identity theft that would take into account a person's physical attributes to add another layer of security. The idea of using a fingerprint reader to log on to a smartphone isn't new, but the latest wrinkle is to incorporate the pressure with which that finger types on the phone.

 A solution to the problems with PII is the use of dynamic data, either on its own, or in combination with static factors," Keir Breitenfeld, senior business consultant at Experian.

Breitenfeld said many companies use a form of authentication called identity element verification and validation. This traditional approach to authenticating individuals uses identity elements has already been stolen, making this form of authentication unreliable," he said.

An example of continuous authentication is the amount of pressure applied when typing, scrolling and swiping, which could be matched against the user's typical behavior. Another authentication pattern could be the time spent on a session or transaction. Or the cadence of typing can be used as a behavioral authentication tool that collects timing information describing exactly when each key was pressed and released as a person is typing at a computer keyboard. This cadence can be captured continuously, not just when a user first logs into a system or service.

By layering in additional dynamic data that has little to no monetary value for cyber criminals, as opposed to relying solely on static information, companies have the potential to stop fraud, Breitenfeld added. Some of the new dynamic factors include:

Biometrics - Authentication factors such as fingerprints and retina scans can be used to securely verify consumer identities, as these factors are more difficult for fraudsters to steal or replicate.

IP address - Detecting if an account is being accessed from a new/unrecognized IP address can help stop fraud by challenging the user with additional authentication factors

Location - Location is another way to verify users, and several companies already use this as an authentication factor for purchases

Selfies - Facial recognition software can be used to authenticate someone making transactions on his or her mobile device

Velocity checks - Checking the historical shopping patterns of an individual and matching that record against his or her current purchases for irregularities

Social media profiles - Analyzing a person's social media and online accounts help identify whether they are real.

Authorized user activity - Monitoring identities that are being added as "authorized users" to accounts is often predictive of fraud, specifically account takeover and the creation of synthetic identities.

Zlockie added another factor to examine is hack attack pattern matching, which can show an account takeover attempt by monitoring to see if a user is rushing through the process and matching the speed of the attempted hack with similar attacks.

The physical aspect a bit further in citing the use of an electrocardiogram (ECG), heartbeat or BioStamp that can turn a user's heartbeat into a unique differentiator that authenticates his or her digital identity.

Zlockie said cognitive authentication is still in the research stages, but it collects multiple parameters to create a unique user profile. When a person is presented with a novel stimuli, like a familiar photograph or song, it measures his or her response using a variety of techniques like EEG, ECG, blood pressure volume, electrodermal response, eye trackers and pupillometry. Cognitive authentication would then validate the user by matching the response to pre-recorded metrics.

Looking further into the future, to truly devalue data the industry needs to consider a more comprehensive approach to identity authentication - a hub of identities. This centralization of information would combine dynamic factors with PII to create a centralized "consumer identity."

Device risk assessments, a combination of specific device attributes, habits and associated identity elements, to verify the identity of the person making a purchase or logging into an account.

Another example of information that could be part of an identity hub is the attributes of operating systems.

Multi-factor authentication is a common method of verification that uses step-up authentication treatments is not as secure as some might think and can be improved by adding more dynamic data, such as a selfie, to the process for example.

Experian also uses consortium files that are shared records with verified and updated fraud lists.  csoonline.com
 
Cyber First Strategy - "Top-of-Mind" For Everyone
What to expect from the Trump administration on cybersecurity
Look for U.S. President Donald Trump's administration to push for increased cybersecurity spending in government, but also for increased digital surveillance and encryption workarounds.

That's the view of some cybersecurity policy experts, who said they expect Trump to focus on improving U.S. agencies' cybersecurity while shying away from new cybersecurity regulations for businesses. 

Trump is likely to look for ways for the National Security Agency and other agencies to assist the government and companies defend against cyberattacks, said Jeffrey Eisenach, a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and a tech adviser during Trump's presidential transition.

"Cyber has to be top of mind for any view of the United States' global strategy," Eisenach said Wednesday during a discussion about Trump's cybersecurity priorities. "If you're not thinking of cyber first, I don't know what you should be thinking about."

Given Trump's focus on fighting terrorism during his presidential campaign, he's likely to push for greater surveillance powers.

Trump and new Attorney General Jeff Sessions have both criticized tech companies' resistance to encryption backdoors.

The Department of Homeland Security has already talked about demanding social media passwords during border searches, Klein said. While he said he doubts the searches will happen, the discussion "suggests we're in a new era here," he added. csoonline.com

Laptop Stolen Every 53 Seconds
Cost $50k to $1M For Corporations
6 Tips for Preventing Laptop Data Theft
Experts point to stronger passwords, full-disk encryption, and multi-factor authentication as ways to stop data theft in the event a laptop is lost or stolen.

An Intel study from several years ago found that the average laptop theft costs companies roughly $50,000 - and up to $1 million in some cases. The average worker takes more than 24 hours to report a lost or stolen device. That's plenty of time for criminals to steal data or access the company's corporate network.

What we suggest is that companies look to a single sign-on solution to change the social contract. Basically, it's the IT department telling the users to come up with one strong password in exchange for better security." SSO with a strong password only goes so far, however.

There are other forms of authentication, such as push notification to a cell phone and a YubiKey that companies can use. SSO needs to be paired with strong authentication to add that extra level of protection."

Companies need to spend some time training employees on these issues, especially the ones who travel for business.

"While technical defenses remain critical, appropriate training, planning, preparedness and vigilance can make a real difference.

Deploy a single, very strong password - Employ strong authentication - Rotate passwords - Do research on your travel site - Don't broadcast your trip

Think in terms of BYOD - Companies may decide that it just makes more sense to get out of the business of managing technology. Many companies are just giving people an allowance for a laptop and smartphone and making each person responsible for the device's maintenance. From a security perspective, this can be scary, so if your company goes this route, know what kind of encryption the devices have. darkreading.com

'Live in NYC 2017'
at the NRF Big Show

Educating the LP Leaders
of Tomorrow

Gus Downing, Publisher and Editor of the D&D Daily and LPNN, introduces LP's Live Digital Fast-Break Conference, where we'll be speaking with a host of LP Leaders and Solution Providers about the hot topics, the ongoing issues, the programs and the solutions impacting the retail loss prevention industry.

Attending formal LP Conferences is critical to your long-term career development - but in today's digital age you don't have to wait! Watch the episodes that interest you most once they premiere on the Daily and lpnn.net - when it's convenient for you - on whatever device you are using.

These sessions are all about bringing the industry leaders to you live on-demand, so you can increase your knowledge, broaden your vision, and deliver better results.

Solution Providers: Have a video or commercial you want to publish? Contact us

Would killing Bitcoin end ransomware?
Ransomware is running rampant. The SonicWall GRID Threat Network detected an increase from 3.8 million ransomware attacks in 2015 to 638 million in 2016. According to a Radware report, 49 percent of businesses were hit by a ransomware attack in 2016. Quite often the attacker asks for some amount of cybercurrency - usually Bitcoin - in exchange for providing a decryption key.

One question this raises is whether ransomware attacks would decrease if Bitcoin ceased to exist? Security experts answer that question with a resounding "no", indicating that cybercriminals would just move on to another anonymous payment method to continue their extortion.

"Getting rid of Bitcoin to stop ransomware would be like the U.S. Government getting rid of $100 bills to try to stop drug dealers from laundering their dirty money. It's not the right solution. Would it momentarily create a bump in the road for cyber attackers who are making millions off of ransomware? Absolutely, but only for a fleeting moment," said Richard Henderson, global security strategist at Absolute.

He added that attackers will just switch to any of the dozens of other popular virtual currencies, or switch to other easily launder-able instruments like prepaid credit cards. "Remember, the GreenDot MoneyPak was a favorite among cybercriminals not too long ago. Attackers will just find another way to get paid." csoonline.com

Online Merchant, Snapdeal, To Lay Off Around 600 Employees
Softbank-backed online merchant Snapdeal will lay off 500-600 employees across verticals as co-founder Kunal Bahl admitted to making mistake in growing much before it could figure out right economic model.

Struggling to raise fresh capital, Snapdeal will stop all non-core activities, reduce costs drastically and handover pink slips to employees to turn profitable.

In a bid to soften the blow of the drastic decision, Bahl and co-founder Rohit Bansal will take "100 per cent salary cut". timesnow.tv

Online Retail is Constantly Growing and Offers Opportunities: 12.5% Revenue Growth

Hudson's Bay Company Q4 digital up 13.3%

UPDATE: Glendale, CA: Police continue to investigate $14,000 Apple store theft; Reward now Offered
The two men walked into the store around at 8:40 p.m. on Jan. 30 and proceeded to rip out 14 iPhones from their display stands before fleeing from the store. Now, a reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the two men. latimes.com


Daytona Beach, FL: Police arrest 2 suspects in multiple Burglaries; $6,500 in damages at JC Penney
Police say two of the teens have 11 warrants between. One teen is a gang member. On Wednesday at 4am the Burglars hit the JC Penney store in the Volusia County Mall. Police said the group of teenage boys, who are 17, 16, and 15 years old, are known for using pipes to smash glass doors of businesses and make off with the cash register. Police said they broke into nine cash registers and stole 11 pairs of Nikes. The teens caused about 6,500 in damage. wftv.com



Clarkston, WA: Female Shoplifter attempts a $622 theft; kicks LP in the groin to escape
Mithra Jacobs, 35, was arrested Tuesday on a warrant for Robbery, Retail Theft and Assault. Jacobs also had a previous warrant outstanding. Jacobs allegedly went to the garden center, loaded both bags containing $622 of merchandise over her shoulder, and walked toward the back wall to the emergency exit. During a struggle to apprehend Jacobs, she turned and kicked the LP Agent and fled through the parking lot. dailyfly.com

Athens-Clarke, GA: Dollar General employee busted; cart load of merchandise for $2.00; everything else was voided
Police reported a store employee discovered that a clerk was working with another person to steal merchandise from the store. Surveillance video shows a customer unloading a cart load of merchandise at a counter and after it was checked out by the cashier, the man left. However, the store receipt shows where the customer paid only $2 for two items as the other items were voided by the cashier. An investigation by the store showed the cashier had been making numerous voids of merchandise over an undetermined amount of time. onlineathens.com



Oklahoma City, OK: 4 Michael Kors bags stolen from Von Maur; man punches a female LP Agent
Authorities hope to identify a shoplifting suspect who struck a female employee that attempted to stop him. Police report that on Feb. 17 a man entered the Von Maur at Quail Springs Mall grabbing 4 handbags valued at over $800. okcfox.com



Fredericksburg, VA: Judge shows no mercy for Toys R Us thief; sentenced to 23 years
An attempted theft in 2014 from the Toys "R" Us in Fredericksburg's Central Park came back to bite a Philadelphia woman with a history of stealing from stores. Naiesha Janet-Mar Reddy, 29, already had numerous theft and assault convictions from Pennsylvania on her record before pleading guilty in December to three charges in the local Toys "R" Us case. Judge Gordon Willis on Thursday ordered Reddy to serve 5 years for the attempted Toys "R" Us theft, twice as much prison time as she got for the PA convictions. Reddy's total sentence amounted to 23 years, with the judge suspending 18 years. fredericksburg.com

Utica, NY: Shop 'n Save employee arrested for $1,200 cigarette theft

Secaucus, NJ: Kohl's nabs shoplifting trio with $568 worth of jewelry

Shootings

Collierville, TN: Suspects on the run after shooting at Walmart employee in parking lot
Collierville Police Department is investigating a shooting in the Walmart parking lot. With the shooting coming in the same week as an armed robbery of the Collierville Verizon Wireless store, many are asking if crime has increased in Collierville. A Walmart employee said he was leaving work when two men in a red car came up to him. One of the men fired one shot at him, and then the car drove off. The employee was not injured. wmcactionnews5.com

Orlando, FL: Gunman shot near Wal-Mart where officer died last month
Authorities say an Orlando Police officer shot and wounded a man armed with a BB gun near the same Wal-Mart store where a police lieutenant was fatally shot last month. Orlando Police Chief John Mina said that officers responded to the store Thursday after getting reports that a man was randomly firing a BB gun at customers in the parking lot. An officer confronted the man down the street, and Mina says the man fired a shot at the officer, who returned fire and hit him. The man's condition wasn't immediately known. nypost.com

Porter, TX: Four Juveniles arrested for Armed Robbery at Kroger; shot fired at Service Desk employee
An employee narrowly escaped severe injury during a robbery at a Kroger in Porter Thursday, and the juvenile suspects in the case could be responsible for more robberies in Harris County. Three 16-year-olds entered Kroger around 10:45 a.m., demanding money from a woman at the customer service desk. One of the teens allegedly fired a gun at the woman, the bullet whizzing past her head and lodging in the wall behind her. With the assistants of an Undercover Police officer and a Houston PD K9, all 4 suspects were arrested within 2 hours of the incident. chron.com

North Charleston, SC: Police investigating a Shooting at Northwoods Mall
A man and his girlfriend were approached by a man in the parking lot and asked if they could give him a ride. The couple initially let the suspect into their car, the girlfriend reported that the suspect smelled like marijuana and asked him to get out. A fight ensued and a handgun was discharged, striking the suspect in the arm. The suspect then fled on foot, but was later arrested. counton2.com

Robberies & Thefts

Police link 2 men to at least 14 armed robberies in the Winston-Salem area; still on the loose
Two men are responsible for at least 14 armed robberies in convenience stores since late December, police said, including two earlier this week. The men, who threaten clerks with black handguns, were linked to a robbery of a Speedway on Sunday night and Adams Market on Tuesday night. They were previously linked to 11 robberies in the span of a month between Dec. 20 and Jan. 23. (See map on left) Thirteen of the robberies have been inside Winston-Salem city limits, and one was in Archdale. Other robberies could have been committed by the same two men but not yet confirmed. journalnow.com



Horry County, SC: Locked and Looted: Carolinas lead country in thefts from gun dealers, pawn shops
More guns are stolen in the Carolinas than anywhere else in the country. In 2016, more than 930 firearms were stolen from gun dealers and pawn shops that hold federal firearm licenses in North Carolina and South Carolina. Over 200 of those guns were taken from a Grand Strand area gun shop. According to Horry County police, of the more than 200 guns stolen, only 10 have so far been recovered.
This spike in firearm thefts led the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) to send a letter to all gun dealers in North Carolina and South Carolina in November 2016, which stated the agency is aggressively addressing an increase in burglaries and armed robberies in the region. wfmbnews.com

Pascagoula, MS: Dollar General robbery suspect writes a note demanding $40 in cash, other side of the paper was his address
A man accused of robbing a Dollar General on Monday left a note demanding cash with his address on the back of the card, Pascagoula Police Lt. Doug Adams said, "He'd be a good candidate for dumbest crook of the week". Victor Nash, 45, was arrested shortly after he walked into the Dollar General and produced the note demanding $40. When police officers got to the store, they found the address and went there to investigate. "When they knocked on the door, he answered," Adams said. "When the investigators finally talked to him, he admitted what he had done." As for the demand for just $40 from the clerk, Adams said police still haven't figured out why Nash specified the amount he wanted. sunherald.com

St Croix: Federal Jury Convicts a Woman of Hobbs Act Robbery
Against a Jewelry Store
A federal jury on Thursday found Aracelis N. Ayala guilty of a Hobbs Act robbery, conspiracy, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and robbery in the first degree, U.S. Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe announced. Ayala faces up to 20 years and a consecutive mandatory minimum sentence of 7 years for brandishing of a firearm. viconsortium.com

Fayetteville, NC: Walmart, Home Depot Loss Prevention Associates threatened by man with possibly contaminated needle

Albuquerque, NM: Shop owner shames alleged thieves by posting security footage on Facebook

Kay Jewelers in the McCain Mall, N Little Rock, AR reported a Grab & Run on 2/23, item valued at $3,399

Kay Jewelers in the Ross Park Mall, Pittsburgh, PA reported a Distraction Theft on 2/22,, item valued at $3,680

Kay Jewelers in the Parkway Place Mall, Huntsville, AL reported a Diamond Switch on 2/23, no loss

Peoples Jewellers in the Hillcrest Mall, Thorn Hill, ON, CN reported a Credit Card Fraud/ Arrest on 2/22, no merchandise lost

Piercing Pagoda in the Galleria Mall, Middletown, NY reported a Grab & Run on 2/22, item valued at $149

Piercing Pagoda in the Charleston Town Center, Charleston, WV reported a Grab & Run on 2/20, item valued at $199

Zales in the Concord Mills, Concord, NC reported a Distraction Theft on 2/15, item valued at $2,430 / recovered and suspect arrested

Skimming Thefts

Romanian Citizen Gets 5 Years In $5M ATM Skimming Scheme
One of Largest Ever Uncovered by Law Enforcement
A New Jersey federal judge sentenced a Romanian man to nearly five years in prison for his role in a scheme to steal bank account information from thousands of customers and withdraw at least $5 million by installing secret card-reading devices and pinhole cameras on ATMs.

Vintila and Bogdan Radu designed and built card-reader devices and pinhole camera panels that were capable of reading and storing customers' bank account information and personal identification numbers. The devices read identity and account information contained on the magnetic strip of customer ATM cards, and the pinhole cameras recorded customer keystrokes as they entered their personal identification numbers.

The conspirators used the stolen data to create thousands of fraudulent ATM cards to withdraw millions of dollars from customers' bank accounts. The U.S. Attorney's Office said the ATM skimming operation is one of the largest ever uncovered by law enforcement. law360.com

Montgomery, AL: Two Charged for Multi-State Gas Station Skimming Operation
Two individuals were involved in a multi-state scheme to defraud individuals and steal bank and credit union account information from unsuspecting individuals by installing a skimming device at gas stations.

Many of the victims had used their cards at the same gas station in Ozark, Alabama. At this station they found a skimming device installed on a gas pump that had Bluetooth capability. The Bluetooth technology allowed the defendants to collect a gas customer's credit/debit information while sitting up to thirty-feet away from the gas pump.

Upon arrest, the two were found to be in possession of a total of thirty-nine credit/debit cards that had been re-encoded with stolen credit/debit card numbers, along with an additional 315 various types of gift cards. Law enforcement also found a homemade device with connectors that matched the connections on the skimming device found in the gas pump. justice.gov

Longview, TX: Three arrested after installing a skimming device on C-Store gas pump

Nassau Conty, NY: Police checking all 7-Eleven ATMs for skimming devices

To apply to any of today's Featured Jobs, Click Here

To apply to today's Internet Jobs, Click Here