Brought to you by ALTO Alliance -  Keep California Safe Campaign  A Call to Action

California Grocers Association -
CGA is hosting Los Angeles City Hall Lobby Day on June 13
This is your opportunity to make grocery a priority for decision-makers in California's largest city and allow elected officials and regulators to understand the challenges of food retailing from those who live it.

Visiting Los Angeles City Hall for meetings with council members and high-level city staff to discuss our most pressing issues. Discussion topics include employer mandates on scheduling, retail theft, and food packaging restrictions. CGA is aware that the L.A. City Council could soon regulate on these topics.

STATE ISSUES: Criminal Justice Initiative - Increasing Penalties for Shoplifting

Signature petitions are now being turned in to counties around the state in order to qualify the Keep California Safe Campaign ballot initiative for the ballot. The campaign has collected over 560,000 signatures for the purpose of qualifying the initiative that would, among other things, increase penalties for shoplifting. Although the campaign has collected more than the 365,880 signatures required by law, it is general practice to collect significantly more to account for invalid signatures. County officials must report to the State Secretary of State by June 28 for the purposes of certification.

For additional information or questions, email Tim James, Sr. Manager, Local Government Relations, or call (916) 448-3545.

Tyco Retail Solutions congratulates customers American Eagle Outfitters and TJX Companies on Retail Risk North American Fraud Awards
At the Retail Risk North American Fraud Awards Gala in Dallas, Texas, Tyco Retail Solutions received top honors as "The Most Innovative In-Store Solution" for its next generation Sensormatic Synergy Storefront Series. Two retail leaders from its customer portfolio, American Eagle Outfitters and TJX Companies, were also recognized for outstanding leadership, cutting-edge technologies and winning strategies in retail fraud, risk and loss prevention.

American Eagle Outfitters and TJX Companies were selected by an international panel of judges and honored at the recent for effectively driving change through innovation. To stay ahead and be profitable in today's ever-evolving environment, retailers must focus on new loss prevention strategies and inventive solutions to drive better customer engagement and an overall shopping experience. Tyco's smart, connected and modular detection systems help retailers better manage shrink and maximize their Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) investments.

● Most Innovative In-Store Solution: The Sensormatic Synergy Storefront Series from Tyco Retail Solutions - Designed with more than five decades of experience, the Sensormatic Synergy Series is a next-generation portfolio of intelligent, interconnected, modular and network-enabled Acousto-Magnetic (AM)/Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) detection systems.

● Asset Protection Director of the Year: Scott McBride, American Eagle Outfitters - McBride has been a dedicated and innovative loss prevention professional for decades. A consummate leader, McBride quickly rose through the leadership ranks at American Eagle Outfitters and named global vice president of loss prevention and safety.

● Hall of Fame: Bob MacLea, TJX Companies - One of the retail industry's most revered and longest-tenured loss prevention executives, MacLea was inducted posthumously into the Hall of Fame for his contributions and unwavering commitment to the entire loss prevention community. Read more here.

Man accused of Edmonton jewelry store heist to fund ISIS fighters
An Alberta man facing extradition to the U.S. is accused of robbing a jewelry store in Edmonton to finance the terrorist activities of relatives and a friend who fought overseas with ISIS. Abdullahi Ahmed Abdullahi, 33, is charged with providing material support to terrorists, according to a U.S. indictment.

Between August 2013 and November 2014, Abdullahi, who was living in Alberta at the time, allegedly conspired with Douglas and others to provide personnel and money for terrorist activities.

On Jan. 9, 2014, Abdullahi and two accomplices robbed a jewelry store in Edmonton, but struggled to pawn the loot, the indictment says. Abdullahi is scheduled to appear in Edmonton provincial court Aug. 9 on a charge of armed robbery. cbc.ca

Biggest Internal Sales Team Fraud in Retail History - The Story Continues
Former Pilot Flying J president wants last-minute change at defense table in fraud case
The Old Hiring a Local Good Old Boy Trick
With the clock ticking on his fate in a scheme to rip off trucking companies, former Pilot Flying J President Mark Hazelwood wants to ditch a Texas law firm with a roster of celebrity clients and tap a Knoxville attorney instead, court records show. Attorney Brad Henry on Monday filed a motion in U.S. District Court on behalf of Hazelwood, seeking permission to take over the ex-president's defense.

Hazelwood faces sentencing before U.S. District Judge Curtis Collier in August for both heading up a band of thieving sales executives at the nation's largest diesel fuel retailer and pushing them to think bigger in their defrauding of Pilot Flying J's trucking customers.

A jury in Collier's Chattanooga courtroom convicted Hazelwood in February of conspiring to commit wire fraud and related charges in a scheme to lure trucking companies to do business with Pilot Flying J with promises of discounts on diesel fuel and then shortchanging them to the tune of at least $56.5 million in five years.

Pilot Flying J has been paying Hazelwood's legal bills. He used that money to tap the law firm of Texas attorney Rusty Hardin, revered as a legal powerhouse, for his defense.

A section in Pilot Flying J's contract with Hazelwood that states the board will only stop paying his defense once he "is ultimately found guilty, including the conclusion of any appeals."

Seventeen former Pilot Flying J staffers struck plea deals in the fraud plot after the truck stop giant's Knoxville headquarters were raided in April 2013. Pilot Flying J's board struck its own plea deal, agreeing to pay $92 million in restitution and penalties as part of a criminal enforcement agreement. The board also paid $85 million to settle lawsuits. knoxnews.com

Is excess space behind retail's shrink and customer experience problems?
Large, under-staffed stores create an environment that is rife for retail theft. The National Retail Federation (NRF) reports that shoplifting causes more shrink losses than any other factor, accounting for 36.5 percent of retail's total in 2017. However, NRF reports that when it comes to staffing loss prevention officials, "There is a sizeable gap between what is expected and what is needed."

It's not just a lack of LP officials that are cutting into retailers' profits. Understaffing is another big problem that is particularly evident in big box and department stores. RetailDive reports that, "A third of customers who experienced a problem at apparel stores were not able to locate sales help, and six percent of all possible sales are lost because of lack of service."

Yet, when retailers make budget cuts to increase margins, they often fail to look for ways to shed unnecessary rent costs. Instead, they look for budgetary wiggle room by cutting billable hours for loss prevention officials and hourly employees.

Smaller stores would mean less space to staff and less space for LP officials to watch over. Would reducing unnecessary floor space make it easier for customers to locate employees, as well as enabling LP officials to better identify and deter potential shoplifters? retailwire.com

Starbucks racial bias training will include rapper Common, lots of dialogue
A big-name rapper, messages from corporate bigwigs and a chance for Starbucks employees to relate their own stories will all be part of the racial-bias training that the coffee giant plans for workers Tuesday.

Besides the video messages from executives and from hip-hop artist Common, employees will hear what they can do to make the stores more welcoming, Starbucks just revealed to reporters in its first preview of the session next week.

Starbucks is shutting down all its U.S. stores for the session, the result of the outcry over a manager who called police to complain about two African-American men who came to a Philadelphia store and didn't buy anything. They arrested, but charges were later dropped. usatoday.com

Bloomingdale's Ties Training To $3 Million In Savings
Bloomingdale's has been using the Axonify Microlearning Platform for associate training since 2013, but the retailer could not quantify the financial impact of the program until the recent addition of a new product, called Axonify Impact. With this functionality, Bloomingdale's was able to tie its safety and asset protection training program directly to $3 million in savings in one year. The savings were attributed to a reduction in safety claims among store associates.

The business objective for Bloomingdale's was to reduce General Liability and Worker's Compensation claims. Employees could access the training via POS terminals within the stores as well as tablets and desktop computers, and 90% of eligible associates opted into the voluntary program. retailtouchpoints.com

Owners of Mugshots.com accused of extortion:
They attempted 'to profit off of someone else's humiliation'
Mugshots.com is one of several websites nationwide that make money by publicizing arrest information and demanding fees through intermediary sites to swipe records clean.

Mugshots.com and similar websites say they are simply republishing arrest information that is already publicly available through government records. Mugshots.com shows a disclaimer in capitalized letters at the top of its Web page saying the information on its website is in no way an indication of guilt or evidence that an actual crime has been committed.

But to many people whose photos have cropped up on the site, such disclaimers are not enough to make up for the damage to their reputation. Mugshots.com refuses to take down criminal record information unless that person pays a fee, usually $399, through the secondary website, Unpublisharrest.com. They make no exceptions - even if the person's charges were dismissed or if the arrest was due to a mistaken identity or law enforcement error, according to a law enforcement affidavit, which included interviews with 18 people.

Websites like Mugshots.com have been operating for years, particularly in Florida. In 2012, the Miami Herald called mug shot websites the "hot new internet business." One of the first such websites appears to have been Arrrests.org, operated by Rob Wiggen, a 33-year-old Floridian skilled in computer programming. He would post hundreds of new mug shots on a daily basis, mining law enforcement websites in Florida and four other states, the Herald reported.

An intermediary website would, in turn, charge people hundreds of dollars to remove mug shots. chicagotribune.com

Promote your team: 4 steps to raise the profile and visibility of your group
You know that your team does great work. You're invested in what they do, day in and day out, and you know the value they bring. You know the benefit their successes have delivered to the organization.

The question is, does everyone else know?

If you haven't made the effort to promote your team's work, it may well be that they don't. Even if they benefit from the work you do, if they don't know about the part you play, it will be hard for you or your group to get ahead at work. It can also make it hard to ensure you're consulted on key decisions or get the resources you need to function well. While it may seem like quietly doing your job should lead to appreciation, it's not always the case.

Want to make sure everyone knows the critical role your team or group plays?

Step 1: What does your team do?

Imagine that you are presenting to everyone you talk to. Can you distill what your team does in one or two short sentences? Practice articulating what your team does in terms of these critical soundbites and leave the smaller details out.

Step 2: What do you deliver?

Once you're able to deliver what you do, practice sharing the message about your objectives and outcomes. Try to think big picture and the business value.

Step 3: What is your team's value?

Now add to your message with the key statement -- your value. Once you have clearly articulated your activities and output, you need to be able to share their value.

Step 4: Share your victories and achievements

For some of us, it can be uncomfortable to "toot our own horn" and talk about our achievements. For the sake of your team, put that aside and plan to market your successes.

By following these four steps, you can create a mental template to help you raise your visibility and share your team's value and success. smartbrief.com




Loss Prevention Officer Injured In Home Depot Shooting Meets Kenny Chesney
Country music radio station KSCS-FM surprised Painter and his wife with backstage passes to meet country music star Kenny Chesney. cbslocal.com




Call for Sponsors
Be a CLEAR Conference 2018 Sponsor or Exhibitor
Join the Coalition of Law Enforcement and Retail as they host their ninth annual training conference in Myrtle Beach, SC. The event will take place from Oct. 8 through Oct 11 and cover a range of topics, including: ORC Case Building: Trends - Resources - Tools; Opioids and Retail Crime; Leadership in ORC- Leading private sector and LE Teams; Advancements in Credit Card Fraud/Identity Theft Investigations and many more!

Come join us for the training, the networking, and the fun. View flyers for both Sponsorship/Exhibition opportunities and Registration for Sponsors/Exhibitors.

More States Seek to Close Wage Gap with Salary Question Bans

Westfield Shareholders Approves Takeover by Europe's Unibail-Rodamco - Global Mall Operator

Eddie Bauer, Pacific Sunwear explore merger amid retail downturn: sources

Chipotle HQ Moving From Denver to Newport Beach, CA - Home of its new CEO

Cargo theft firm warns against increased Memorial Day weekend activity


Quarterly Reports
Best Buy Q1 comp's up 7.1%, online sales up 12%, sales up 6.8%
Williams Sonoma Q1 comp's up 5.5%, e-commerce up double digits - represents 53.7% of total sales, net sales up 8.2%
L Brands Q1 comp's up 3% (stores & direct), net sales up 8%
    Victoria's Secret comp's down 5%
    Bath & Body Works comp's up 5%
    L Brands comp's down 2%
Citi Trends Q1 comp's up 2.1%, sales up 5.5%