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More on the possible ORC ring operating in Milford, PA. from
the Daily's ORC column Tuesday this week.
Hitting stores in Pike and Monroe counties, PA., the two
women and two men were stealing large quantities of Prilosec,
Rogaine, and Mucinex. Police believe the suspects could be
part of a larger theft ring. Recovered were items stolen
from the Rite Aid on Harford Street in Milford, the CVS
Pharmacy in the Eagle Valley Mall in East Stroudsburg and
the nearby Weis grocery store in East Stroudsburg. Two women
were caught while trying to flee police in Milford; the men
got away. After obtaining a search warrant, police found
four large, black trash bags filled with stolen drug store
goods valued at $6,004 in the car's trunk. Inside the
passenger area police found a 2012 "At-A-Glance" personal
calendar. Inside was a dismissed warrant from Virginia that
belonged to Dalton. Also in the calendar was a three-page
list of Rite Aid stores in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
Three of the stores had asterisks next to them and one had
the name "Elizabeth" written under it. This ring was
obviously operating all over the Northeast.
(Source
poconorecord.com)
Colorado news show goes after retailers selling hot
merchandise. Here's the video- Great story
about it being a gateway crime and even mentions the new
book out on ORC and talks about how Colorado legislators may
be considering new tougher laws. More tomorrow!
(Source
9news.com)
Serial robber of 19 c-store robberies since Jan. 23 and
accomplice charged with ORC in Tucson
Tucson
police said Wednesday they have arrested a man and his
accomplice they believe were involved in at least 19
different burglary incidents at area convenience stores.
(Source
fox11az.com)
ORC Surveillance and Staff Development Training
by Hal Cunningham
Surveillance Consultants
Loss Prevention Mangers should insist on structured
Organized Retail Crime Surveillance Training to address
Corporate concerns of Risk Management Principles due to
Civil Liability and also add credibility to their testimony.
A properly structured training program for your staff will
be rewarded by professionalism, accountability, and the
ability to develop your personnel to their maximum
efficiency.
Careful consideration should be made as to the "in house"
training for your personnel in the field of surveillance.
Numerous organizations offer no formal training for their
new members and are subject to some difficult questions
during a hearing of civil liability, should a motor vehicle
accident occur during a project. Surveillance is a well
developed technique of definite do's and don'ts with strict
guidelines that should be followed. I have over 30 years of
police experience and over 20 years of corporate
investigative experience and can appreciate the manpower and
budget constraints imposed when you are involved in your
projects. It is therefore imperative that your staff
development program accommodate your full team surveillance
situations. I've always attempted to learn the most
proficient methods available and adapt to the situation. It
is much easier to lower your expertise for an easy target
well within your ability, rather than try to increase your
ability higher than your trained expertise. To meet the
objective of avoiding detection and obtaining either
photographic or video evidence, one must ensure that the
principals of proper surveillance are utilized. Anyone can
follow another person but only a trained operative can do it
without detection. The art of "shadowing" someone without
attracting attention to yourself is seldom obtained without
proper training. Too frequently the untrained or sloppy
operative attracts more attention to himself by his cloak
and dagger methods of following the target. The ability to
blend in with the surroundings is essential to the
operative. You must be able to enter and leave the target's
area without anyone knowing you were there. "Shadowing" is
exactly that. You are repeating a person's movements behind
them in a discrete manner.
As a police, private or corporate investigator, your mission
is to obtain the evidence you require and leave the scene
totally undetected. Unfortunately, anything less can be very
detrimental to your project. Due to the fact that
surveillance is extremely challenging, I am of the belief
that it requires a special type of person and that all
people may not be suitable. I believe that it demands the
best of the best to respond in a team atmosphere. Disastrous
results have occurred where average and below average
personnel have attempted surveillance under difficult
situations. The ideal operative must posses special
characteristics. The ability to be unobtrusive, patient,
alert and adaptable is extremely essential. He/She must also
be a TEAM player. You must be able to blend into your
surroundings in all areas at all times of the day. Your
appearance, demeanor, dress and actions will determine your
success. The ideal operative must appear as average as
possible to the man on the street. Your goal is to someone
that no one will notice. A good operative will always assess
their performance and look for a better way to perform.
There is always a better “eye” to get or a better “con” to
play, to get further away or closer, when the time is right.
Never get to complacent in your duties. There are a lot of
people involved in investigations that have learned
surveillance either on their own or by someone who “thinks”
he knows how it is done. Unless it has been a structured
program by a qualified Instructor, then unfortunately others
have learned bad habits by unqualified personnel.
I welcome your comments.
Hal Cunningham is the author of The Art of Shadowing
and Owner of Surveillance Consultants teaching ORC
Investigators from the United States and Canada his
surveillance techniques. He is a retired Staff Sergeant with
the Toronto Police Service and former member of their elite
Intelligence/Surveillance Unit. He can be reached at (416)
716-3107 and
surv.consultants@sympatico.ca. |
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