HD Responsible for Murder & Rape?
Home Depot Must Face Suit Over Employee's Murder: 7th Circ.
The Seventh Circuit on Friday revived a case seeking to hold Home Depot responsible for the murder and rape of a pregnant employee at an offsite event, saying that the home improvement chain allowed the murderer to have supervision over the employee even after it knew he had a history of harassing female subordinates.

A three-judge panel overturned a ruling by U.S. District Judge Jorge Alonso dismissing the case because Home Depot couldn't have known that Brian Cooper's verbal abuse and intimidation of Alisha Bromfield would have led to her murder in 2012.

The Seventh Circuit said it was "skeptical" of Judge Alonso's analysis of the issue, saying foreseeability is a question of fact best left to a jury that "could find that 'some harm' was foreseeable."

"Every life lost to brutality is unique, each family's hell a private one. We do not diminish that truth when we repeat that Alisha's story is an old story that has been told too many times," U.S. Circuit Judge David Hamilton wrote on behalf of the panel. "Its ending is both shocking and predictable. Alisha's family is entitled to try to prove its truth."

Cooper is currently serving two life terms after being convicted of the murder of Bromfield and her unborn daughter while on a trip to his sister's wedding in Wisconsin, according to the Seventh Circuit's opinion.

He apparently threatened that he would cut Bromfield's work hours or fire her if she didn't attend the wedding with him, according to the complaint filed in 2014 by Bromfield's mother, Sherry Anicich. After the ceremony, Cooper allegedly took Bromfield to a hotel and proposed that they enter into a relationship, but she rebuffed him.

Cooper then strangled her to death and undressed and raped her dead body, according to the complaint. Bromfield, 21, was seven months pregnant with another man's child at the time of her death.

Home Depot had said the murder of Bromfield and her unborn daughter occurred off premises and that Cooper didn't commit the crime using store property, meaning the company couldn't be held liable for negligence under Illinois law.

But the Seventh Circuit said the employer did give Cooper something with which to harm Bromfield - his power to fire her or reduce her hours.

Store managers knew about the behavior, the court said, and even ordered Cooper to take anger management classes but didn't follow up to see if he attended. One manager observed Bromfield crying after Cooper refused to give her a break, according to the complaint. law360.com

Wal-Mart Program Aims to Deter Shoplifting
Restorative Justice Reducing Police Calls by 35% Nationwide
More Press on the 9,000 "More at the Door" AP Associates
In 2016, the Gainesville Police Department received 768 shoplifting-related calls from the three Wal-Mart stores in town.

Police in 2016 responded to hundreds more shoplifting reports at each of Gainesville's three Wal-Marts than they did Target and Kohl's - two similar big box department stores.

Both the Gainesville Police Department and the company say the volume is not necessarily because Wal-Mart draws more people inclined to shoplift. Instead it is likely due to the company's expansive loss prevention program and its aggressiveness in charging and prosecuting thieves.

"Wal-Mart's loss prevention folks are some of the most pro-active in the business," said officer Ben Tobias, GPD's spokesman. "They have a lot of people on the lookout, behind the scenes and inside the store, and they are very willing to make the call to us."

But if a relatively new Wal-Mart program works out, fewer calls will be made to law enforcement because fewer shoplifters caught in the act will try it again.

The company has begun a restorative justice program in 1,500 stores. First-time, low-risk offenders will have the option of participating in an anti-shoplifting educational course instead of facing prosecution.

The rate of repeat theft is low among those who have gone through the program, and the number of calls to law enforcement has been substantially reduced.

"No retailer is immune to the challenge of crime. We recognize the importance of this issue at the highest levels of the company, and we are investing in people and technology to support our stores," said Wal-Mart spokesman Ragan Dickens in an email.

"We're encouraged by a 35 percent reduction in calls to law enforcement agencies nationwide, on average, since we began implementing Restorative Justice and other crime deterrence programs," Dickens wrote. "We'll continue our outreach to law enforcement across the country as part of our ongoing commitment to meet our customers' and associates' expectations of a safe and enjoyable shopping experience."

GPD in 2016 received 399 shoplifting-related calls from the three stores. Just 53 shoplifting calls were made to GPD by Kohl's and 64 by Target.

Wal-Mart also has other initiatives to reduce shoplifting and catch culprits.

About 9,000 "customer hosts" have been added at supercenters as part of the "More at the Door" program. They greet customers, check receipts, assist with returns and keep entrances clean. And they have been trained to help deter shoplifting.

Wal-Mart also has increased training for its "asset protection" employees. Some of it takes place at Wal-Mart training academies, created as part of a recent $2.7 billion investment in increased training, education and higher pay.

Target did not respond to a request for an interview by The Sun. Kohl's sent a brief statement: "Thank you for contacting Kohl's. We consider Loss Prevention information proprietary." gainesville.com

Home Depot accused of unsafe practices; EPA Criminal investigation launched
Unsafe Lead Removal From Homes Across The Country
District Attorney's From Around the Country Investigating
Atlanta-based Home Depot is under fire over allegations that contractors skipped safety precautions, putting workers and customers at risk for lead poisoning.

The company admits the EPA launched a criminal investigation into alleged unsafe practices for removing lead from homes across the country. EPA's criminal division are looking at several cases where workers with Home Depot may not have followed procedure to remove dangerous lead paint.

Home Depot released information on the case Thursday, saying in January, the company became aware of the investigation by the EPA's criminal investigation division into the company's compliance with lead-safe work practices.

Home Depot. They said they couldn't go on camera because of the investigation. But they said in a statement: "Lead-based paint work make up only about 4 percent of our total business and these rules only apply to segment of that total. We're taking it very seriously, we'll continue to cooperate with the investigation."

Home Depot is currently cooperating with the EPA, having previously responded to civil document requests from several EPA regions. The District Attorneys are seeking monetary penalties and changes to Home Depot's operations in this vein.

Though SEC regulations require companies to disclose information about proceedings if there's reasonable belief that the proceedings may result in monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more, Home Depot said it "does not expect the outcome to have a material adverse effect on its consolidated financial condition, results of operations or cash flows." chainstoreage.com wsbtv.com 

Robberies Up Across the World - Melbourne, AU
Gas Station Robberies up 20%, C-Stores 21%, Jewelry Stores Up 1,200%
Robberies at service stations are up 20 per cent, convenience stores 21 per cent, and jewellery stores 1200 per cent in a year across Melbourne.

"We are seeing the same sorts of offenders involved in one sort of offending, as we are in terms of service station and the other retail outlets" Deputy Commissioner of Regional Operations, Andrew Crisp, said. "We're actually locking up a lot of people...we're working really hard with the various parts of the retail sector...we are always thinking about what target may be next and how best we address that". Is this the new soft target?  3aw.com.au

Amazon Delays Convenience Store Opening to Work Out Kinks
Tracking more than 20 at a time? Keeping tabs when something is moved
Retailer must fix glitches in it's object recognition and inventory management systems technology that automatically charges customers. Amazon Go was due to launch to the public by the end of the month, after launching in beta mode to employees in December. It's unclear when it will now open, as the company works out kinks in the technology to automatically charge customers when they leave, instead of needing to have cash registers, checkouts and lines.

The store in Amazon's hometown of Seattle uses cameras, sensors and algorithms to watch customers and track what they pick up. But Amazon has run into problems tracking more than about 20 people in the store at one time, as well as the difficulty of keeping tabs on an item if it has been moved from it's specific spot on the shelf.

Amazon Go envisions a system where customers can walk in off the street, pick up anything they want, and "just walk out." Their purchases would be tracked using high-tech object recognition and inventory management systems, matched up with the customers' mobile app and automatically charged to their Amazon account. wsj.com

Internal Audit Departments "aren't keeping up with the pace of change"
Internal Audit Losing Prestige, Survey Finds
Most internal auditors are slow to help employers prepare for major corporate "disruptions" like big regulatory changes and cyber attacks.

In the eyes of CFOs and many other senior executives and board members, the internal audit function is fast losing prestige, a new study suggests.

The reason? Most internal auditors are slow to help their employers prepare for and respond to major corporate "disruptions" like big regulatory changes and cyber attacks, according to PwC's 2017 State of the Internal Audit Profession Study.

The portion of "stakeholders" - internal auditors, senior executives, and board members - reporting that "internal audit adds significant value" plummeted from 54% in 2016 to 44% in 2017, reaching the study's lowest level in the five years PwC has been tracking the metric.

Such IA departments "aren't keeping up with the pace of change," he said. They only become involved "after the disruption has already happened and affected the organization."

The PwC study's authors define "disruptions" as "significant, quickly developing, and potentially unplanned or unanticipated events that create risk and potential opportunity, demanding the attention and resources of the business." cfo.com

Justices Won't Hear Appeal Over $7.25B Visa, MasterCard Fee Deal
Merchants Applaud
The U.S. Supreme Court has turned down a bid by big banks and retailers to revive a $7.25 billion class action antitrust settlement with Visa and MasterCard over interchange fees, leaving in place a Second Circuit ruling that the deal did not adequately represent the interests of some merchants.

The Second Circuit in June overturned the settlement, concluding that the class counsel and representatives didn't adequately stand for merchants who would accept Visa and MasterCard credit cards in the future. Visa, MasterCard and several big banks joined with retailers who supported the agreement in asking the Supreme Court to review the Second Circuit's decision. law360.com

Amazon's Ambitions Unboxed: Stores for Furniture, Appliances and More
While most of the attention has been focused on Amazon's grocery store dreams, the company has a more ambitious collection of experiments underway.

The company is exploring the idea of creating stores to sell furniture and home appliances, like refrigerators - the kinds of products that shoppers are reluctant to buy over the internet sight unseen, said one of several people with knowledge of the discussions who, in conversations with The New York Times, spoke on condition of anonymity because the plans were confidential. The stores would serve as showcases where people could view the items in person, with orders being delivered to their homes.

These would not be your average Home Depots: Amazon has considered using forms of augmented or virtual reality to allow people to see how couches, stoves and credenzas will look in their homes, the person briefed on the discussions said.

Amazon is also kicking around an electronics-store concept similar to Apple's retail emporiums. nytimes.com

One reason why retailers are struggling: Americans are tapped out
If you are wondering why US retailers are feeling a strain, look no further than the latest report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York that stated 33 percent of Americans said they could not come up with $2,000 over the next 30 days if the need arose.

No matter how you look at it, average Americans are tapped out. nypost.com

Coach Takeover of Kate Spade Imminent

Finish Line to Close 15 to 20 stores

Meijer to open 7 supercenters this year

G-III to close 115 stores

NRF: Retailers Disappointed in Missed Opportunity to Pass 'Real Reform' Health Care Legislation

Walmart Opens 'Different' Kind Of Neighborhood Market In Myrtle Beach, SC


Quarterly Same Store Sales Results
Finish Line Q4 comp's down 4.5%, net sales down 0.4%, full yr comp's up 0.3%, net sales up 2.5%

Last week's #1 article --

The End May Be Near
Sears issues dire warning about its ability to survive
Sears says there's 'substantial doubt' it can stay in business
Sears revealed "substantial doubt" about its ability to stay in business in an annual report filed late Tuesday.

"Our historical operating results indicate substantial doubt exists related to the company's ability to continue as a going concern," the company said in the report.

"Going concern" refers to a company's ability to stay in business. 

Sears said its efforts to generate cash by selling or licensing brands like Kenmore and Diehard, as well as selling valuable real estate, should mitigate that doubt and satisfy its estimated cash needs for the next 12 months.

But the company said it can't make any guarantees.

"However, we cannot predict, with certainty, the outcome of our actions to generate liquidity, including the availability of additional debt financing, or whether such actions would generate the expected liquidity as currently planned," the report said.

"Additionally, a failure to generate additional liquidity could negatively impact our access to inventory or services that are important to the operation of our business." businessinsider.com

Webinar: Active Shooter Preparedness & Response Thursday, March 30, 2017 @ 2 pm EDT "It will never happen here" must not be the mindset in today's environment. It is important for businesses to prepare and ensure employees are properly trained in the event of an active shooter incident. This webinar is designed for businesses to gain insights from the FBI on how to prepare for and react to an active shooter event. You'll learn: The importance of organizational planning; Situational awareness tactics; What to do when police arrive Instructor: Special Agent Robert DePriest, Crisis Management Coordinator, FBI, Active Shooter Unit Register Here

1,000 Sites Attacked - 1.7M Gift Cards Per Hour
Major Retailers Facing GiftGhostBot Attacks Attempting to Defraud Consumers
Distil Networks Uncovers Sophisticated Gift Card Fraud Bot
Distil Networks, the global leader in bot detection and mitigation, today announced that its analyst team has uncovered an Advanced Persistent Bot (APB) that targets gift card payments processes on websites. The bot, named GiftGhostBot, is attempting to defraud consumers from the money loaded on gift cards from a variety of retailers around the globe. Any website, from luxury retailers, to supermarkets, to major coffee distributors, with gift card processing capabilities could be a target. Distil has seen this attack on almost 1,000 customer websites.

Beginning on Feb 26, 2017, the Distil Networks Security Analyst team noticed increased bot activity on customer websites with gift card processing capabilities. Fraudsters are using malicious automation to test a rolling list of potential account numbers and requesting each balance. If successful in obtaining the balance, fraudsters can resell the account number on the dark web or use them to purchase goods.

GiftGhostBots are being distributed across worldwide hosting providers, mobile ISPs, and data centers, executing JavaScript to avoid detection.

On one customer website, the analyst team recorded 4 million bad bot requests per hour -- nearly 10 times their normal level of traffic. On average, the operators of GiftGhostBot can test as many as 1.7 million gift card account numbers per hour. marketwired.com infosecurity-magazine.com

Prioritizing Threats: Why Most Companies Get It Wrong
To stay safer, focus on multiple-threat attack chains rather than on individual threats.

The "single versus multivariable risk assessment problem." We have single rows with risk assigned and work them as if they are singular risks. Attackers, on the other hand, chain risks together. They leverage a low risk on a Web server and a low risk on a database server to get access to high-risk data. Two lows can equal a high? Yes, but your prioritization process doesn't think that way.

What can you do to get a more accurate prioritization list? Focus on multiple-threat attack chains rather than threats alone. Grab a conference room, some coffee, and the leaders of each of your IT areas (network, infrastructure, application) and draw a simple diagram of your network from a 30,000-foot view. darkreading.com

Amazon first U.S. drone delivery - Will this be the future?
In its first public demonstration in the United States this week, Amazon successfully delivered a package via drone, the company's delivery system Amazon Prime Air announced on Thursday. "One day, seeing Prime Air vehicles will be as normal as seeing mail trucks on the road."

And the skies might not be so empty soon - with plenty of companies, including UPS, Google, and Walmart testing and developing drone technology, hoping to make transport and delivery cheaper and faster to customers. UPS launched its drone testings earlier this month, successfully delivering a package to a residence. 

But across the Pacific Ocean, drone delivery has become a reality in parts of China. China's second largest online retailer, JD.com, has already put the technology daily practice, rolling out a program in November, that uses unmanned aircraft to to make deliveries in four provinces, particulate the rural areas.  csmonitor.com
 
Long Haulers Maybe the First to Go
Robots will claim 38% of US jobs within 15 years: report
More than a third of U.S. jobs could be at "high risk" of automation by the early 2030s, a percentage that's greater than in Britain, Germany and Japan, according to a new report.

The analysis, by accounting and consulting firm PwC, emphasized Friday that its estimates are based on the anticipated capabilities of robotics and artificial intelligence, and that the pace and direction of technological progress are "uncertain."

Other industries that could be at high risk include hospitality and food service and transportation and storage.

Analysts have said truck driving probably will be the first form of driving in the U.S. to be fully automated, as long-range big rigs travel primarily on highways -- the easiest roads to navigate without human intervention.

But robots won't necessarily replace so many human workers. The report highlights several economic, legal and regulatory hurdles that could prevent automation, even in jobs where it would be technologically feasible.

For one, the cost of robots -- including maintenance and repairs -- could still be too expensive compared with human workers. And in the case of self-driving vehicles, questions remain about who is liable in an accident.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Friday that he wasn't worried about artificial intelligence taking over American jobs.

I think we're so far away from that that it's not even on my radar screen," he told Axios Media. "I think it's 50 or 100 more years."

Mnuchin also said automation would enable human workers to do more productive jobs at higher wages. "It's taken jobs that are low-paying," he said. "We need to make sure we are investing in education and training for the American worker."

Editor's Note: Two factors to look at here. First: Given that everything moves by truck this may not go easily, as the industry itself will fight the loss of jobs. We merely need to look at the strikes in the 70's to see that impact and the retailers will be one of the first sectors impacted.

Second: Just this weekend Telsa pulled their cars off the road today after an accident this weekend and a death earlier this year, saying they have more work to do on the human factor - both accidents being mistakes the other drivers made. oregonlive.com

What's hot in retail technology investments for 2017
When it comes to technology budgets for the next year, retailers are focusing on getting the basics right, and not on "shiny objects" like augmented reality and virtual reality that are unproven, according to a new report from Forrester Research Inc., "Hot or Hype-The most important retail technologies for 2017."

"Despite many vendors pushing next-generation digital solutions, retailers are cautious about getting too far ahead of customer expectations," the report notes. Omnichannel, personalization, analytics and digital store technology will be at the core of this year's retail investments as digital leaders keep an eye out for case studies and ROI with the newer tech offerings, Forrester says. digitalcommerce360.com

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

How to prevent fraud from brute force online coupon and gift card attacks
A recent study from Tripwire suggests, criminals aim to crack coupon and voucher codes, as well as gift card numbers, on a large scale. Hackers can acquire coupon and giftcard numbers from the issuers, merchant, reward redemption program, etc through various methods, including phishing, SQL injection, social engineering and accidental disclosure. When they succeed, they either use the codes or resell them on the black market.

If the coupon or voucher is discovered by hackers and someone else uses it, two things happen:

1. The hackers use the voucher and claim the product or the discount, or sell them on the black market.
2. The real customer discovers that their voucher is not working. To keep a loyal customer, the retailer has to either reissue the voucher, or compensate the customer, at an even bigger cost.

Online retailers should to take a number of precautions, or they are simply inviting the fox into the henhouse. Here are straightforward safeguards for every company putting coupons and gift cards online. Retailers who implement them have a fighting chance to protect their customers and themselves.

• Don't trust the browser
• Create generic and personalized coupons
• Create coupon codes that are complex and hard to guess
• Attach a validity period to each coupon
• Validation and enforcement
• Restrict online balance checks
• Use a web behavior-based approach to protect from online fraud digitalcommerce360.com

A CVV Filter Can Combat Online Payment Fraud
Providing your CVV number to an online merchant proves that you actually have the physical credit or debit card and helps to keep you safe while reducing fraud.

The role of a CVV filter is to make it mandatory for customers to enter this piece of information and then decline a transaction if the CVV entered doesn't match what a bank has on file. While this single line of defense isn't going to deter every fraudulent transaction, it's definitely a useful feature that will help strengthen your site's anti-fraud capabilities.

CVV is a powerful tool. However, CVV offers limited protection when used as a standalone security option. The truth is there are several fraud management filters like 3-D Secure (3Ds) that have greater flexibility and control. Combining these tools together is the best way to reduce unethical activity from harming your business. valuewalk.com

Amazon to collect U.S. sales tax nationwide starting next month

Finish Line grows its online sales by more than 58%

Burlington, WA: Former Fred Meyer employee busted with over $10,000 in stolen merchandise; selling online
Burlington police are trying to figure out if a Sedro-Woolley man acted alone when he stole hundreds of items from a Fred Meyer store then tried to sell some of them online. Police believe the total value of the products he stole from the store, which includes kitchen appliances, electronics, and clothing, is more than $10,000. Officers were investigating another matter at the store on March 20, 2017, when an employee alerted them about some of the store's surveillance footage, investigators said. Officers later served search warrants on the suspect's apartment, car, and storage unit and found hundreds of items that were believed to have been stolen. Police also looked at websites including OfferUp.com and letgo.com, documents state. The Skagit County Prosecutor filed several charges against the suspect on Friday. He'll likely make his first court appearance sometime next week. komonews.com

Westport, CT: Gap Employee charged with running a scheme; nearly $600 in merchandise
A Westport Gap employee was that allowed some customers to get their merchandise for free, police said. Claudia Elliston, 52 was charged Tuesday with fifth-degree larceny. Police said they were called to The in November to meet with the company's regional loss prevention manager about ongoing employee theft. Elliston was seen on video surveillance multiple times scanning the tags of purchased clothing for customers, then deleting the scans and removing the item from the customer's bill, police said. The total amount of the items that were not paid for came to $594.29, police said. She turned herself in on an arrest warrant. dailyvoice.com

Waynesboro, VA: Two 7-Eleven employees busted in $700 Lottery thicket theft Waynesboro police say 25-year-old Shelia Greene was working as a cashier at the 7-Eleven when she gave about $700 of scratcher tickets to 34-year-old Quentin Johnson. Investigators say the two are acquaintances. Greene is charged with embezzlement. Johnson faces a charge of knowingly receiving stolen property. nbc29.com

Sonora, CA: Two arrested with stolen vehicle, store merchandise
Two men have been arrested on suspicion of stealing nearly $300 worth of tools and equipment from a Wal-Mart store after they reportedly tried to get away in a stolen vehicle. The men were arrested on charges of criminal conspiracy, vehicle theft and shoplifting. modbee.com

Next LPOC Meeting Scheduled for April 6
The next meeting for the Loss Prevention Organization of the Caribbean will be held on Thursday, April 6 at the Auto Zone Caguas facilities located in Plaza del Carmen Mall at 10:00am. Thanks to the LPOC's efforts, the Police Superintendent has committed to meet with the group in May. After that meeting, she made the commitment to attend the next meeting.

Please bring your concerns, opportunities and suggestions in regards to LPOC's relationship with the Puerto Rico Police, not just negative feedback. LPOC also likes to present ideas and solutions to work as a team with the Police.

Shootings, Abduction and Deaths

Osceola County, FL: Deputies arrest man accused of trying to abduct child at Walmart
Osceola County Sheriff's Office deputies made an arrest Thursday in an attempted abduction of a child in a Walmart parking lot. The incident was reported Sunday at the Walmart in Poinciana. The girl said no and ran toward the Walmart entrance. Deputies arrested Luis Davila-Quinones. They said between the courage of the victim, tips from the community and investigative efforts, they were able to identify Davila-Quinones as a suspect. wftv.com


Columbia, SC: Suspect Arrested After Shots Fired at Columbia Place Mall
James Parrish Jr., 36, was arrested by Richland County deputies and taken to Richland Memorial Hospital for a minor cut on his head. Deputies say Parrish barricaded himself inside the building after several shots were fired into the direction of the Sears building, and at a car there. Deputies were called to the business around 8 p.m. Sunday night. Officers say a little later, they located a suspect inside the mall. Hostage negotiators were called to the scene to deal with the man. Deputies were able to successfully capture the suspect around 2am Monday. Parrish faces numerous charges including six counts of pointing and presenting a firearm and burglary. wltx.com

Chofield, WI: BB Gun Shot at Target; store was placed on temporary lock down
A BB gun was shot in the Target parking lot located on Schofield Avenue Sunday night. Wausau Police said a group of teenagers were planning to fight in the parking lot when someone pulled the BB gun firing a few rounds. The store did go on lock down for about 15 minutes and one person did sustain minor injuries from the shooting. Police say they do not currently have anyone in custody for the shooting. wsau.com

Lafayette, LA: Man douses himself in gas, lights self on fire in Walmart parking lot
A man was airlifted to a hospital after he doused himself and his car in gasoline outside of a Lafayette Walmart on Sunday. Lafayette Police said just before 5:30 p.m., the man drove around the Walmart parking lot on US 287 and yelled at bystanders to watch him. He then doused himself and the car with gasoline, igniting both himself and the car. He then got out of the car while on fire and began walking around. Bystanders told him he was on fire and tried to help, but said the man was making comments about not wanting to be put out. Those bystanders were eventually able to put the man out, but not the vehicle. 9news.com

St Thomas, V.I.: Suspect Shot Dead By Police Following Hostage And Robbery Incident At McDonald's

Gulf in Houston, TX: Shooting / Drive by, man was shot and killed in parking lot

Los Angeles, CA at Liquor store: Shooting - 2 wounded

Paterson, NJ at Montclair Deli: Shooting - 2 men shot inside Deli

Robberies & Thefts

Fort Worth, TX: One Robbery Suspect In Custody After Police Evacuate Hulen Mall
Hulen Mall in south Fort Worth was evacuated after police followed a robbery suspect into the mall Saturday morning. Police say they have the lone suspect in custody, but still conducted sweeps through the mall for evidence. The mall has been re-opened after it was locked down. According to police, the suspect robbed a store near the mall at gunpoint and stole a vehicle. cbslocal.com


Albuquerque, NM: Kohl's Shoplifter facing Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon
A man accused of trying to steal some shoes from the Kohl's caused some scary moments for a LP officer. Loss Prevention saw Richard Gallant trying to walk out with shoes under his shirt. Police say the officer confronted Gallant and that's when Gallant pulled out a knife. Mall security says they eventually got Gallant to drop the knife and the shoes after spraying him with mace. Gallant is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. krqe.com




Opelousas, LA: Man accused of trying to sell fake gold bars
A Florida man has been accused of fraud by deception. Police Chief Donald Thompson says on Friday Richard Carr approached a man on a car lot in Opelousas and asked him if he wanted to purchase a gold bar for $2,000 or two for $4,200. Carr, police say, then showed the man a website that portrayed the bars to be worth $13,000. After realizing that the bars were fake, police say, the victim contacted authorities. klfy.com


Monte Carlo, Monaco: Four Arrested after Cartier Jewellery Store Raid
French police have arrested four men after an armed robbery on a Cartier jewellery store in Monaco and most of the stolen items have been recovered, sources close to the probe said on Sunday. The raid on the store near the casino building in the centre of the principality was carried out in broad daylight on Saturday. Police sealed off all roads leading out of Monaco immediately after the raid and ordered people to remain inside the casino and nearby shops while they searched for the suspects.

One man was arrested shortly after the raid and a gun was recovered and another two men were picked up in Monaco later Saturday, the source said. A fourth man was arrested in France. Armed robberies are rare in Monaco, one of Europe's playgrounds for the rich, although in 2012 four Lithuanian men stole a collection of around 50 watches worth around €200,000 from a jewellery store. thelocal.fr

Brunswick, GA: Man charged in 7 burglaries committed in a week

Berkeley, CA: In 30 days, police have arrested 12 tied to robbery cases, including bank heist

Zales in the Valley View Mall, Roanoke, VA reported a Grab & Run on 3/24, item valued at $67,999

Kay Jewelers in the Willow Grove Mall, Abington, PA reported a Grab & Run on 3/23, item valued at $5,899

Gordons Jewelers in the Deerbrook Mall, Humble, TX reported a Distraction Team Theft on 3/24, item valued at $4099

Kay Jewelers in the South Town Mall, Sandy, UT reported a Grab & Run on 3/24, item valued at $1,399

Peoples Jewellers in the Lloyd Mall, Lloydminster, AB, CN, reported a Grab & Run on 3/24, item valued at $1,400

Counterfeit

U.S. Agents Seize 40,000 Counterfeit Condoms In Puerto Rico

Over 3 million pieces of fake goods seized in Dubai

Skimming

Indiana criminals increasingly using gas pump skimmers to steal credit card information

Ripon, CA: Skimming device found on ATM

Fire

Duluth, GA: Fire at shoe repair shop forces Gwinnett Place Mall evacuation

Bangor, ME: Truck Fire Spreads to Airport Mall Building

Bomb threats

Memphis, TN: Ikea evacuated because of bomb threat

Newington, CT: Target evacuated due to bomb threat

Long Beach, CA: 2 Wal-Marts evacuated after bomb threats

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

To apply to today's Internet Jobs, Click Here