Garret King promoted to Regional IS Sales Manager for Cam Connections, a division of ADT/Protection 1
Garret was previously the Business Development Manager for Cam Connections, and has been a part of their team since 2008. He's held various positions including Sales Representative, Lead Designer, Permit Specialist, and Installation Technician. Congratulations Garret! Watch Garret's recent Quick Take interview from our 'Live in DC' at NRF Protect 2017 here."

Submit Your New Corporate Hires/Promotions or New Position

7-Eleven AP Wins 'Store Operations Superstar Award'
7-Eleven Enhances Security And Store Operations 24/7 With Digital Video
In this sixth annual Store Operations Superstar Awards, Retail TouchPoints recognizes companies that have implemented the most innovative, successful store operations strategies in six categories.

Convenience store asset protection differs from other retail, especially at a 24/7 operation like 7-Eleven. With a small footprint and easy access, 7-Eleven faces issues like armed robbery, shoplifting and "grab and go." Operations issues include food safety/freshness, tobacco regulations and environmental challenges with selling gasoline.

The retailer's Asset Protection (AP) team had to uniquely assess its stores to provide on-the-go customers with a convenient, safe and welcoming shopping experience. 7-Eleven also needed an exception-based reporting system to mine data to support the business and help drive decisions. In North America, 1,000 customers visit an average store per day. To fit its business, AP built a four-pillar strategy based on revenue assurance, inventory variation control, incidents & investigations, safety & AP awareness, to improve store performance while investing in innovative solutions, including:

● Integrated exception-based reporting & case management system to track incidents;
● Real-time digital video solution to keep customers & employees safe;
● Remote access systems to measure traffic, shopper dwell time & customer analytics;
● Interactive video services to count shopper traffic & secure stores;
● Fire & intrusion systems with video & remote monitoring for building security; and
● ClickIt Inc. Virtual Lineup technology to help identify theft offenders through electronics they might be
wearing during a crime.

7-Eleven engaged the Tyco Retail Solutions team who completed the North America rollout of 5,000 stores in a 9-12 month period while all stores remained open for business 24/7.

The digital video system helped drive an uptick in sales and decrease in shrink. The cameras and people counting analytics provided a new level of store and shopper intelligence. 7-Eleven is deriving valuable data from a total integrated approach to protect stores and improve operations. By using the new digital video technology platform, AP has helped make 7-Eleven safer and more profitable. retailtouchpoints.com

Watch our LPNN video with 7-Eleven's AP Team on Critical Incident Management
With a significant increase in robberies across America, retail violence has been escalating for some time now, and it's impacting the retail industry to the point where virtually every LP executive across the U.S. is dealing with it on an almost weekly basis. Joining us from 7-Eleven, Mark Stinde, VP of Asset Protection, Art Lazo, Director of Asset Protection - Western US, Canada, SSC Operations and Investigations, and Jim Passarella, Director of Asset Protection, talk about the programs and safeguards their teams are implementing to provide a safe working and shopping environment. Watch here!

TOP Job Eliminations Mounting Up 12+
Ascena Retail Group Eliminates Top VP, AP & Safety Position
The trend continues regretfully. Two years in and we've now seen close if not more than a dozen top LP/AP jobs eliminated across the country.

What an alarming trend that doesn't show any signs of letting up. It's almost a fact now that the big consulting firms are looking at the top jobs and packages and recommending decentralizing the responsibilities as a means of cutting costs.

Buffalo, NY: Dollar General Job Applicant Comes Back Spraying Gun Fire
Authorities say the man accused of spraying the entrance of a suburban Buffalo retail store with gunfire had requested a job application before he began shooting. Erie County prosecutors say 29-year-old Travis Green walked into a Dollar General store Tuesday afternoon and requested a job application. Officials say he became irate, left the store and got a pump-action AR-15-style rifle from his car. He then fired more than 20 rounds at the store from the outside, shattering the entrance's glass door and windows. A 53-year-old man outside the store at the time was wounded in the shoulder. washingtonpost.com

Johnson Controls introduces newest version of victor / Video Edge VMS from American Dynamics
Johnson Controls introduces the latest version of its victor Video Management System and VideoEdge Network Video Recorders (NVRs) from American Dynamics, taking functionality, performance and system security to the next level. The new victor Incident Locker provides a secure centralized repository to prevent the tampering of sensitive video evidence and maintain chain of custody. tycosecurityproducts.com

Cargo Thefts Drop Despite Storm-Driven Rise in Building Material Larceny
Public-Private Partnerships & 'Significant' Arrests Making an Impact
Cargo thefts in the United States and Canada declined in the third quarter, with total incidents falling 8% and total loss value dropping nearly 17% compared with the same period a year ago, according to CargoNet.

There were 197 reported cargo thefts with a loss value of $21.4 million in the quarter ending Sept. 30, a drop from 214 thefts with a value of $25.7 million in the same period a year ago.

Thefts in the third quarter fell even more from the same period in 2015, when 223 thefts valued at $32 million were reported. The freight industry has seen a 12% decline in thefts and an 11% drop in their value from third quarter 2015 to 2017.

The decline is occurring for several reasons, said Scott Cornell, transportation business lead and crime and theft specialist at Travelers. In part it's because police and businesses have joined to fight the problem. "We're seeing law enforcement and the private sector working together," he said.

Secondly, "there have been significant arrests in California, Georgia and Illinois since 2016. We're seeing an impact from that work," said Cornell, noting those states have active cargo theft task forces.

Technology has helped to foil the thieves as well, according to a CargoNet analysis. ttnews.com

Walmart Records Accrual of $283 Million in FCPA Matter in Q3
Walmart to Spend $50M to $60M on Third Party FCPA and Compliance Related Expenses in 2018
Year to date they've paid $68 million on ongoing inquiries and investigations and $14 million on their global compliance program and organizational enhancements. For a total of $82 million.

Additionally, discussions with the government agencies in the FCPA matter have progressed to the point that the company recorded an accrual of $283 million, or $0.09 per share. walmart.com 

Owner of Defunct Food Distribution Business Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison
Defrauding Restaurant Groups of $5.3M
MARK BERLIN, 64, of Boca Raton, Florida, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for defrauding three restaurant groups of millions of dollars.

BERLIN owned and operated Fairfield Food Services, LLC, a Bridgeport, Conn. - based food distribution business that bought meat, fish and other foods from wholesale vendors and then sold the items to restaurants and retail food distributors ("retail victims"). On a routine basis, BERLIN met with representatives for the retail victims to pitch them specific sales opportunities. Between April 2012 and April 2015, BERLIN made various misrepresentations to secure the sales, including claiming that he had arrangements with wholesale suppliers to obtain "futures contracts" from the wholesalers, and that the retail victims could "lock in" low prices if they paid for products in advance with delivery at a later date. Berlin did not have any futures contracts and ended up taking $5.3 million from the retail victims. justice.gov

Fla Inmate Cons High-End Retailers Out of $10M In Merchandise
For Use In Music Videos - While in Prison Himself - Gets 20 More Years
A Florida man who confessed to posing as an entertainment industry elite from prison to con luxury stores and brands out of millions of dollars' worth of retail items for use in music videos that never happened has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday.

James Sabatino, 41, was also ordered in his Monday sentencing to pay $10 million in restitution for the jewelry and other high-end items he admitted convincing retailers to send to his alleged co-conspirators in exchange for the items' purported inclusion in music video shoots around Miami, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida. He organized the operation in violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act while serving a sentence in Miami's federal prison from 2015 to 2017, the announcement said. law360.com

12 major retailers that could go bankrupt
The retailers on this list might need a Chapter 11 restructuring to shed debt and unprofitable stores over the next 12 to 18 months or so. Or they might not need a trip to court at all. Bankruptcy, of course, is not the death of a company necessarily. Payless, Gymboree, rue21 and True Religion have all successfully exited Chapter 11 this year with healthier-looking structures. That said, liquidation has historically been the most typical outcome of retail bankruptcies. And we've seen those this year, too.

1. Sears - 2. Neiman Marcus - 3. J. Crew - 4. Vince - 5. David's Bridal - 6. Nine West - 7. Claire's Stores - 8. Lands' End - 9. Charming Charlie - 10. Bon-Ton - 11. 99 Cents Only - 12. Charlotte Russe retaildive.com

Amazon is a 'Death Star' moving in 'striking range of every industry on the planet', says billionaire media mogul
The internet "makes scale even more important in the media business, where scale always was important. It's all about scale," Billionaire media titan John Malone said. Netflix was "the first wave. And I think Jeff [Bezos] is gonna be the most disruptive. As [his] Death Star moves into striking range of every industry on the planet."

He explained that Amazon's business dominance is growing stronger. Malone said any company that sells products to consumers is at risk of being crushed by the e-commerce giant. cnbc.com

Report: Key indicators point to 3-4% increase in holiday retail sales
With unemployment at its lowest rate in 17 years, consumer sentiment up four points over 2016 levels, and one extra shopping day between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, global think tank FGRT (Fung Global Retail & Technology) remains optimistic that U.S. holiday sales will increase by 3% to 4% over 2016 results. That is well above the average 2.6% increase over the past 10 years, according to FGRT's new report "Deep Dive: Holiday 2017-All Signs Point to 'Shop!'"

E-commerce will take an ever-growing share of those sales, continuing its year-long acceleration. Online sales accounted for nearly 9% of overall sales in the third quarter of 2017, FGRT reported. chainstoreage.com

Captis Intelligence Debuts I-4 Crime-Solving Platform
Captis Intelligence, a worldwide leader in crime prevention/suspect identification solutions, announced its launch of the I-4 platform. The I-4 unifies Intelligence, Information, Investigations, and Identification into a central platform with powerful industry-first technology and solutions.

Capping off a three-year development period, the groundbreaking technology was unveiled at a recent retail organized crime event in San Diego and will be showcased at multiple conferences in North America, Europe, and Asia. Interest in the launch of the I-4 grew rapidly over the summer after Captis signed dozens of large clients with its solveacrime.com site and situational awareness products in 2017. sci-tech-today.com

Payless Layoffs: Footwear Retailer May Cut More Jobs as Stores Struggles
Fears Could be up to 40% of workforce
Under Chapter 11 protection, Payless shuttered almost 700 stores and laid off thousands of employees. Having recently emerged from bankruptcy, Payless continues to evaluate its operations and it will, as the company says, take "additional steps." Employees take this to mean another round of mass layoffs.

Employees fear that Payless could lay off as much as 40% of its workforce. When asked if Payless would be announcing mass layoffs this week, Spreer responded cryptically, saying, Payless is evaluating its structure "as part of the ordinary course of business." americaclosed.com

Sears to close 45 Kmart's & 18 Sears in late January 2018

Belk to Close Three Stores in 2018

Bon-Ton plans to close at least 40 stores next year

Canada's Loblaws to close 22 unprofitable stores and launch home delivery

Hoverboards recalled for fire and explosion risks - again

Ross Dress for Less pulls swastika shirt


Quarterly Results
Ace Hardware Q3 comp's up 7.1%, total sales up 9.1%
Best Buy Q3 comp's up 4.5%, online sales up 22.3%, total sales up 3.6%
Walmart Stores Q3 net sales up 4.2%, eCommerce up 50%, Int'l net sales up 4.1%, total revenue up 4.2%
   Walmart Q3 U.S. comp's up 2.7%, net sales up 4.3%,
   Walmex Q3 - comp's up 7%, net sales up 6.6%
   Canada Q3 - comp's up 1%, net sales up 1.9%
   United Kingdom Q3 comp's up 1.1%, net sales up 3.6%
   China Q3 comp's up 2.5%, net sales up 4%
   Sam's Club Q3 comp's up 4% with fuel, net sales up 4.4%
L Brands Q3 comp's down 1%, net sales up 1%
Stein Mart Q3 comp's down 6.9%, total sales down 4.7%
Cato Q3 comp's down 9%, total sales down 9%

Canada's Largest Retailer
Loblaw Companies Q3 Retail Segment food store comp's up 1.4%, drug store (Shoppers Drug) comp's up 3.3%, consolidated revenue up 0.3%

Agilence Announces 20/20 Grocery to Accelerate Data-Driven Strategies for Supermarkets and Grocers

MOUNT LAUREL, NJ - November 15, 2017 - Agilence, Inc., the leader in cloud-based data analytics for store performance and loss prevention, today announced software designed to support the specific needs of supermarkets and grocers with the release of 20/20 Grocery.

Built on the foundation of Agilence's industry leading 20/20 Data Analytics platform, 20/20 Grocery was designed with input from grocers who are part of the Agilence Customer Community. Along with a need to meet the specific challenges faced by grocers, there was also a need for a broader operational reporting solution that can help stores improve their performance and efficiencies. With 20/20 Grocery, every user from C-level executives to store managers is given the freedom to be a power user, gaining insights into business information, operational improvements, and loss events.

"Grocery stores have challenges unlike those in any other space," said Derek M. Rodner, VP of Product Strategy, Agilence, Inc. "Grocery chains have very high transaction volumes and larger baskets than any other retail segment. The business challenges associated with weekly promotions, couponing and the adherence to strict government regulations help open the door to the infinite number of ways where analytics can assist in the streamlining of operations and ultimately improve profitability."

20/20 Grocery is part of the 20/20 Data Analytics platform, which currently includes 20/20 Retail for chain retailers, 20/20 F&B for restaurant operators, and 20/20 Rx for pharmacies. Each represents a comprehensive solution that includes advanced analytics, multi-dimensional reporting, predictive modeling, and prescriptive alerts.

Key 20/20 Grocery Modules include:

● Direct Store Delivery: Keep a closer eye on your vendors, identify and eliminate vendor fraud, optimize product allocation, and improve service levels

● Inventory Shrink: Improve inventory turns, predict emerging shrink pockets, and isolate and correct the root causes of unknown shrink

● Financial Performance: Monitor and improve store performance directly related to store controllables, identify financial fraud patterns, and improve cash flow and profitability

● Security: Visual verification of suspected fraud, easy monitoring of employee access, and efficient collection of evidential support for civil recovery and prosecution

Read more here.

Retailers Beware: Next Week is War
50 Million Fraud Attacks Expected Next Week
Experts are predicting an astonishing 50 million global fraud attempts next week as scammers look to capitalize on a busy shopping period to slip past fraud filters.

The week beginning November 20 features Thanksgiving in the US, followed by Black Friday and then Cyber Monday - a weekend of sales which in the UK will help to generate a £7bn bonanza for retailers.

However, the fraudsters are more than ready, having harvested identity data that has flooded the dark web over recent months from major high-profile breaches, according to ThreatMetrix.

Typically they use automated bots to test credentials first before the breaches are publicly disclosed, according to the fraud prevention vendor's VP, Vanita Pandey.

Over the next week there'll be an estimated 5-8 million daily identity testing attacks, she added.

The ones that still work will then be utilized to launch large scale fraud attempts, with new account registrations twice as likely to be fraudulent than payments. infosecurity-magazine.com
 
Token Joins Forces with Marqeta to Offer Consumers Safer Way to Shop
Token, the mobile app that enables individuals to shop securely by disguising their payment details, is partnering with Marqeta to provide security to consumers via the Mastercard global network. Through the partnership, Token users will be able to make safe purchases at every store and merchant that accepts Mastercard online or over the phone worldwide. prnewswire.com

Death of the Tier 1 SOC Analyst
The job of the so-called Tier 1 or Level 1 security operations center (SOC) analyst is on track for extinction. A combination of emerging technologies, alert overload, and fallout from the cybersecurity talent shortage is starting to gradually squeeze out the entry-level SOC position.

Technology breakthroughs like security automation, analytics, and orchestration, and a wave of SOC outsourcing service options, will ultimately morph the traditionally manual front-line role into a more automated and streamlined process.

That doesn't mean the Tier 1 SOC analyst, who makes anywhere from $40,0000- to $70,000 a year and whose job responsibilities can in some cases include running vulnerability scans and configuring security monitoring tools, will become obsolete. Rather, the job description as we know it today will. darkreading.com

Report shows increased fraud attempts in 2017 for 2/3 of businesses
A new report has revealed that more than half of companies reported an increase in mobile-based fraud, led by device cloning; top challenges to fraud prevention are shifting tactics used by criminals, along with the complexity of identity verification and addressing rising synthetic identity fraud and improving the customer experience by reducing friction are key areas of strategic interest.

67% of organizations reported an increase in fraud attempts, compared to just 42% in 2016. Major breaches have provided criminals with more identity data to utilize as they constantly shift strategies to evade detection. Criminals also are using synthetic identity fraud (SIF), a combination of real and fabricated identity information used to create a new identity. Thirty-one percent of businesses say SIF has increased and 58% were "extremely" or "very" worried about it. thepaypers.com

Cybersecurity Staffing Shortage Tied to Cyberattacks, Data Breaches
Security Investigators in Top Needs
Short-staffed cybersecurity teams contribute to data breaches and cyberattacks levied against their organizations, a survey finds.

Organizations with understaffed IT security teams face a double-whammy - not enough employees to bear the workload and a greater potential they will be hit with a cyberattack or data breach, a new survey found.

"The shortage is creating massive problems for businesses," says Jon Oltsik, senior principal analyst with the Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG), which conducted the survey on behalf of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA).

Indeed. A total of 70% of survey respondents say the cybersecurity skills shortage, which is expected to create a deficit of 1.8 million infosec jobs by 2022, has an impact on organization.

One-third of organizations say security analysis and investigations as well as application security both topped the list of IT security skills in acute shortage, followed by cloud security.

Security analysis investigation requires a special skillset, making it even more difficult to find such professionals in an already tight IT security market, she says. darkreading.com

Deception Technology: Prevention Reimagined
While it may not be possible to prevent infiltration, it is possible to prevent the business impact using an approach that looks at the challenge through the attacker's lens and turns his own weapons against him. State-of-the-art deception technologies now make it more practical and cost-effective to put greater emphasis on identifying attacks in progress by identifying and engaging attackers in the early lateral movement stages in order to prevent attackers from ever reaching critical systems and data.

Who should make these investments? Every security leader should be giving these products serious consideration. Deception technology is no longer an "advanced" toolset reserved for the highly skilled. Reaping the benefits does not require an exceptionally mature cybersecurity infrastructure. In fact, in some cases, the organizations that benefit the most are those with serious gaps that need to quickly bolster protection. darkreading.com

Q3 Sees a Whopping 400M Malware Infections

'Fake News' is Spreading Phishing and Malware Attacks

Bossa Nova raises $17.5 million for retail robots

The Loss Prevention Research Council's
Impact Conference Oct. 2-4 2017, A Six Episode Series

LP/AP Supports Total Enterprise Success

Episode 3

Read Hayes, PhD, CPP, Director, Loss Prevention Research Council
Tom Arigi, Senior Director of Asset Protection, Walmart

In this 16-minute episode, Dr. Hayes talks about three areas LP/AP teams can focus on to support total enterprise success in a brick-and-mortar retail environment - from ensuring on-shelf availability to providing a low-friction environment to making shoppers feel safe and secure.

Learn how retailers like Walmart are implementing this concept, what the early success has been like, and how you can get your organization involved.

Sponsored By:

Nearly 28% of consumers have been a victim of e-commerce-related fraud
U.S. e-commerce is projected to grow nearly 16% in the third quarter, but consumers still have hesitations regarding the safety of shopping online, according to an exclusive Internet Retailer survey of 2,000 U.S. consumers conducted by Bizrate Insights.

For example, 40% of consumers said they did not complete a purchase on the web because of fears of fraud or concerns about the safety of their personal information. Additionally, 70% are concerned about fraud or their personal information when shopping online.

Nearly 28% of consumers have been a victim of e-commerce-related fraud, the survey finds, and 68% of consumers said fear of fraud or the safety of their personal information has influenced their decision to make a purchase online. digitalcommerce360.com

1 in 25 Black Friday Apps Fake, Finds RiskIQ
Threatening $10.8B in Projected Black Friday Online Sales
RiskIQ, the leader in digital threat management, today released its 2017 Black Friday E-commerce Blacklist. This cyber research report leverages RiskIQ's extensive internet reconnaissance and analytics to identify digital threats against the top five e-commerce brands during the Black Friday shopping season. To fool consumers into giving up their login credentials and credit card information, threat actors use the keywords, brand names, and branding of popular e-tailers alongside "Black Friday" in fake apps and landing pages promoting deals and coupons.

Some $10.8 billion in 2017 holiday shopping revenues could be at risk of diversion and theft. Similarly, $1.6 billion in mobile retail sales could be compromised by year-end if 2016's 33% year-over-year growth rate continues. globenewswire.com

Consumers Blasé about Equifax Risks Heading into Holidays: Report
The recent Equifax breach has flooded the Dark Web with stolen personal information and, according to a new report from former hacker and fraudster Brett Johnson and antifraud technology provider Next Caller, consumers are exacerbating the situation.

Not only was the Equifax breach massive, it also put up for grabs the kind of data that co-author Johnson said would make the scope and type of fraud attacks "limitless." Despite the danger, more than half of consumers polled (56 percent) said they are not any more concerned about becoming a fraud victim now than they were before the Equifax breach.

For businesses, the report makes several recommendations they can leverage to minimize their exposure to fraud in the online channel including locking down shipping and being aware of the dates with the highest likelihood of fraud: the weekend days between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and Christmas Eve. cardnotpresent.com

Fake Amazon gift cards, phony Walmart sites, ther cyber scams tempt holiday shoppers

Walmart is charging different prices online and in-store

Amazon could be worth $1 trillion in 2018

Home Depot says online sales grew 19% in Q3-and hints at new delivery options

Walmart online sales surge 50% in Q3

Target says stores will fulfill more than 80% of its online orders over the holidays

Amazon Nabs 1/5th of U.S. Grocery Ecommerce

Two Cincinnati Men Charged with Theft of More than 70 Firearms from Gun Stores in Ohio & Kentucky
A federal grand jury has charged Ronquieze Head, 35, and Seronte Newby, 29, both of Cincinnati, with crimes related to theft from gun stores in Ohio and Kentucky.

The indictment alleges that Head and Newby stole approximately 20 firearms from a gun store in Sharonville, Ohio on July 2. On July 8, it is further alleged that the defendants stole approximately 22 firearms from a gun store in Florence, Ky. Finally, according to the indictment, the pair stole approximately 32 weapons from a third gun store in Springboro, Ohio on July 16.

Anyone having information about these burglaries or the stolen firearms should contact ATF at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (800-283-4867). Individuals may also email ATFTips@atf.gov, or contact ATF through its website at www.atf.gov/contact/atf-tips. justice.gov

2 Mexican Residents Attempt To Steal Nearly $20K In Merchandise
From Saks Fifth Ave. in Somerset Mall
Two Mexican citizens are facing multiple charges after police say they tried, and failed, to steal nearly $20,000 in merchandise from Saks Fifth Ave. department store in Troy.

Police say one of the suspects used a pair of wire cutters to remove a cable that secured some designer handbags to a display rack, and the pair - a man and a woman - then concealed the merchandise, worth $19,990, and began to walk toward the exit doors. At one point, police said, the would-be thieves realized they were being watched and they dropped the handbags.

The suspects exited the business and began to run, police said, jumping into a Chevy SUV with the male suspect behind the while. Although police told the driver to stop, he kept going, striking an officer's leg.

At that point the driver - identified as a 47-year-old man from Guadalajara, Mexico - did stop, got out of the vehicle and was arrested. Police said the female suspect - identified as a 25-year-old resident of Caroliona, Mexico - refused to obey officers' commands and was removed from the vehicle and arrested without further incident.

The male suspect was charged with Organized Retail Fraud, Organized Retail Fraud - Remove Anti-Theft Device, Malicious Destruction of Property, Possession of Burglary Tools, and Hinder and Obstruction of a Police Officer. The female suspect was charged with Organized Retail Fraud, Organized Retail Fraud - Remove Anti-Theft Device, and Possession of Burglary Tools. cbslocal.com

ORC Crew Member - Toledo Woman Sentenced To Jail For ORC
Extradited for Outstanding Felony Conviction Warrant in Indiana
21-year-old Malaja Sharde Isom of Toledo, Ohio, was recently sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Michael P. Hatty to 80 days in jail, 56 of which she has already served. Despite being charged in Livingston County, Isom was extradited to Indiana to serve her sentence due to an outstanding warrant she has there on a felony conviction.

Isom previously admitted to charges of organized retail crime and malicious destruction of property, pleading guilty as a second time offender. The charges stem from the September 13th incident that occurred at the Victoria's Secret store at the Green Oak Village Place mall.

Store employees contacted police when they became suspicious of four women loading clothing, lingerie, and beauty items into shopping totes. Authorities say Isom was seen removing security tags from some of the clothing items, which led to her arrest. The other women allegedly involved in the theft were not seen removing tags and therefore were not immediately charged, pending further investigation. whmi.com

Knox County, TN: Sheriff's Office arrests owner of Mexican restaurant on food-stamp fraud charges
The Knox County Sheriff's Office raided yet another local business on Wednesday and arrested its owner on charges of maximizing profits by working with thieving drug addicts who sought to fuel their dependencies. Jorge "George" Lua, the 57-year-old owner of Taco De Mexico at 818 Beaumont Ave., is accused of buying food stamp cards for 50 cents on the dollar, then using those cards to purchase food for his restaurant. Lua also sold drinks at construction sites through a truck. He made a list of drinks he wanted to buy, "and that list was given to an undercover agent to steal for him," said KCSO Assistant Chief Lee Tramel. Lua faces a slew of charges including theft, identity theft, EBT card fraud and computer crimes associated with EBT cards. Detectives executed a search warrant at the restaurant Wednesday after a month-long investigation by the KCSO's Organized Retail Crime Unit, Kroger, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Tennessee Department of Human Services. knoxnews.com


Nashville, TN: 'Boosters' turn shoplifting into lucrative business
Boosting is organized retail crime, and it's shoplifting on steroids. The $30 billion industry affects every retailer in the country, and you're paying for it. Until three years ago, a booster, identified as Bobby made a nice living stealing from like Kroger, Walmart, Lowes and others. "I was very successful at it," Bobby said. "I did it for 25-plus years. In a year's time, probably several hundred thousand [dollars]. I should be in prison, I mean at some point I really should have been." fox17.com


Indianapolis, IN: Traffic stop leads to 3 arrests, recovery of $1,500 worth of stolen merchandise
According to the Indiana State Police, a vehicle was pulled over just after 10 p.m. for a nonworking headlight. While talking with the three occupants, the officer on scene detected the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Police say a further investigation led to the discovery of stolen merchandise totaling more than $1,500. A majority of the items still had security tags attached to them. wishtv.com


New York City, NY: Suspects wanted in engagement ring thefts in New York City
Police are on the hunt for 3 people who stole some Engagement Rings with a convincing routine. The first incident happened earlier this month at a Zales in the Bay Plaza Mall in the Bronx. Investigators say a woman and a man walked up to the counter, asked to see a ring, and then ran off with it. Just hours later, the same thing happened at a Helzberg in the Queens Center Mall. Both times a third person, a man, was acting as a lookout. abc7ny.com



San Antonio, TX: Woman accused of stealing 'armful' of jeans from Gap store
Investigators say Matilda Sandoval and an unknown man walked into a Gap store in September, headed straight to a clothing display and each grabbed an armful of jeans before running out. The entire incident was captured on surveillance video. Police say the stolen jeans are worth more than $4,700. foxsanantonio.com



Update: Seaside, CA: Woman sentenced to 3 years in multiple Home Depot Frauds
Linda Zabala, 32, has been sentenced to 3 years behind bars after she pleaded guilty to stealing from one Home Depot store and trying to defraud two stores. Zabala had gone to the Seaside Home Depot at about 6:20 p.m. May 17 to return stolen merchandise using a receipt from another store when store security noticed.

The security officer confronted her and she made off with some of that store's merchandise after threatening him with pepper spray. Then, the pair went to the Salinas Home Depot, where they again tried and failed to return stolen goods for cash. While Zabala was arrested, her accomplice Oscar Caston remains on the run, prosecutors said. thecalifornian.com

Lebanon, NH: Man Shoplifted $1,700 in Merchandise from NH Kohl's Store

Shootings & Deaths

Colorado Springs, CO: Employee believed teen making threats at Walmart 'was going to shoot'
A Walmart employee witnessed Jody Romero point what the worker believed to be a .22 caliber rifle toward at least three people during a shooting scare Monday night, newly released arrest records show. Eric Douglas, who works loss prevention at the Walmart at 8250 Razorback Road, "believed that Mr. Romero was going to shoot the customers he was pointing the firearm at," the affadavit says. The weapon turned out to be a pellet gun. Romero, 19, faces three charges related to the incident - felony menacing, misdemeanor disorderly conduct and theft. He was detained Monday and posted bail for $2,000 Tuesday. gazette.com




San Antonio, TX: Delivery truck driver shot outside 7-Eleven
Police are searching for the gunman who shot delivery truck driver early Thursday morning on the Northwest Side. The victim told police he was shot after he making a delivery to a 7-Eleven convenience store just before 2:30 a.m. news4sanantonio.com



Gadsden County, FL: Store Owner shoots at Burglar;
wanted on 14 Burglary and Armed Robbery charges
Around 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 12, a man crawled under the bottom of the front door of the Kelly's Jr. Store #5 in Quincy. The store was closed, but not empty. The store owner opened fire on the suspect. The suspect fired back but the owner was not hurt. The man then jumped the counter and ran out of the store. Investigators say the beanie cap was shot off the suspect's head and landed in a nearby trash can. Investigators believe the suspect is 32-year-old Andre Kelly. He's wanted in connection to 14 store burglaries in Gadsden County. Around 4 a.m. Wednesday, a masked suspect walked into the Pilot Travel Center in Midway. wctv.tv
 

Robberies & Thefts

Arnold, MO: Couple arrested for several Armed Robberies across St. Louis region
Police said Johnson robbed a Subway sandwich store on the evening of November 7. On November 13, Kurtzeborn and Johnson walked into a TitleMax loan business and stole the day's receipts. Det. Lt. Jones said Johnson and Kurtzeborn were also connected to other robberies in Webster Groves, Rolla, and St. Louis County. fox2now.com


Salt Lake City, UT: 15-year-old charged as adult with multiple Armed Robberies
Mario Segura, 15, was charged Tuesday with participating in a series of Armed C- Store robberies over the summer with a group of other teens., was charged as an adult with four counts of aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony. The string of robberies began July 16 and included three 7-Eleven stores and an additional C-Store. In each case, the store clerk was threatened with a gun while money and cigarettes were stolen. Segura was arrested following the fourth robbery when the clerk managed to knock the gun away from one of the boys, grabbed Segura, and held on to him until officers arrived. ksl.com

Gila Bend, AZ: McDonald's employee and boyfriend arrested in $22,000
Fake Robbery
Maricopa County Sheriff's officials say 24-year-old Ashley Stewart was booked into jail on suspicion of theft of controlled property and false reporting to law enforcement. Alexander Reyna, 35, is facing a theft of controlled property charge. Sheriff's officials say Stewart called 911 Monday and claimed she was robbed of about $22,000 while trying to deposit the money at a bank for the restaurant. She allegedly told authorities a man held her at gunpoint, stole the cash and ran off into the desert. Authorities say Stewart later admitted to the scam and said she and Rayna planned to split the money. 12news.com


Mt. Pleasant, SC: Man charged with Armed Robbery at Walmart
over pack of cigarettes
A man was arrested and charged with armed robbery, resisting arrest and narcotics violations in Mount Pleasant Wednesday. 30-year-old Cheyenne Jordan allegedly brandished a knife and took just one pack of cigarettes valued at $5.83. live5news.com

Manteca, CA: Music Store Owner Says City Billed Him After Burglary Attempt
After his "Janis Music" store was broken into several times in a week, Janis got a bill from the city of Manteca for $700 for false alarms. Only Janis says there were no false alarms. He has a photo he says proves it. cbslocal.com

UCLA basketball players admit to shoplifting in China and thank President Trump; suspended indefinitely

Smyrna, TN: Gun store hit again by burglars; semi-automatic rifles, shotguns, ammunition taken

Seville, OH: Gun store Burglars flee with 20 weapons; connection to other gun shop break ins

Albuquerque, NM: Pawn Shop Ordinance to be re-addressed next year; waiting period and no cash transactions

Daniel's Jewelers in Phoenix, AZ reported a Grab & Run on 11/15, items valued at $13,950
 

Sentencings & Arrests

Cincinnati Men Charged with 9 Robberies at Area UDF Stores, Gas Stations
A federal grand jury has charged Lorenzo Bratcher, 23, and Isaiah Buck, 21, both of Cincinnati, with conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery and use of a firearm during a crime of violence in an indictment returned in Cincinnati.

The indictment alleges that between August 30 and September 6 the defendants committed nine robberies in Cincinnati. They include robberies at the United Dairy Farmers stores on Glenmore, Clifton, Hamilton and Woodford avenues and on Montgomery Road, as well as the Thornton's Gas Station stores on West Galbraith and West North Bend roads.

Facing 20 years in prison, seven years to life and in one case 25 years to life. justice.gov

Fort Walton Beach, FL: C-Store Armed Robber sentenced to 30 years; habitual felony offender

Roxbury, MA: Roxbury man indicted for string of armed robberies
 

Arson & Fire

Bentley, Australia: Arson suspected in $2 Million blaze at Grocery Store






UK: Detectives release dramatic CCTV footage of arson at Burnley DIY store

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Leadership: Can You Talk the Talk?
 

Learn the 5 Key Elements of Powerful Leadership Language  Words have immense power, especially if you're a leader. There are changes in language when you cross the threshold into leadership that will make a huge difference in your organization and for your team. Here's how to use a relationship based way of communicating to be a good leader. Listen first, talk last

Huddle Up, Team -- The Coach Has Something To Say  Inspiration can rally teams together to strive for success and it can push them onward when the going gets tough. There's one group of people who take inspiring others to a whole new level: football coaches. If you want to inspire your team like the coach in Rudy, you must do this. Build personal connections

To Sound Like a Leader, Think About What You Say, and How and When You Say It  As a leader, the words you use, the way in which you use them, and your context all are powerful tools. You can reach your full leadership potential just by delivering your message in a clear, concise manner. Here are some tips to help you sound like a leader. Find your executive voice

The 10 Commandments of Effective Communication  Communication is the blood in every relationship: lack of healthy or effective communication can ruin an organization's culture, and hinders your chances of reaching success. To be better, follow these 10 commandments and improve not only your communication skills, but also your relationship with your team. Take a pause

Sometimes it's not what you say that's important as much as it's what they feel six months after the conversation. Being a good wordsmith is a skill, but ensuring that what you say leaves the right impression long term is a true art and one that is only reached by reflection and intention.

Just a Thought,
Gus

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