Retail Rundown 10/21/25

October 21, 2025

 

A widespread outage of Amazon Web Services (AWS) disrupted major retailers and online businesses across the country. The issue caused payment processing delays, website crashes, and inventory management failures for several large brands. Many stores experienced temporary shutdowns of digital systems, highlighting the risks of over-reliance on a single cloud provider. Operations began returning to normal after several hours as AWS engineers worked to restore full service.

A man was fatally shot inside a Compton beauty store after allegedly groping a woman and threatening to kill people inside. Witnesses say he appeared to hold a knife while making violent threats toward customers. Another customer, who was armed, fired a warning shot and then a fatal shot when the suspect turned toward her. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage to determine whether the shooter acted in self-defense.

Police in Colorado Springs are searching for a group of teenagers accused of shoplifting and stabbing a store employee who tried to stop them. The incident happened when the suspects attempted to leave the store with unpaid items and were confronted by staff. One of the teens reportedly stabbed the worker while another punched them before fleeing the scene. Authorities are reviewing surveillance footage and asking the public for help identifying the suspects.

Deputies in Santa Barbara County fatally shot a man following a violent altercation at the Magnolia Shopping Center in Goleta. Authorities were responding to reports of an assault with a deadly weapon when they encountered the suspect attacking another person. During the confrontation, an officer-involved shooting occurred, killing the suspect. The area was locked down for several hours while investigators gathered evidence and interviewed witnesses.

Leaked internal documents reveal Amazon’s plan to automate much of its U.S. workforce, potentially replacing 600,000 human jobs by 2033. The initiative aims to cut operational costs by using advanced robotics and artificial intelligence across fulfillment centers. The company reportedly expects to save billions through automation while increasing efficiency and speed. Critics warn that the move could signal one of the largest shifts toward job displacement in the country’s retail sector.

Amber Bradley
Editor-in-Chief
TalkLPnews

CLEAR Conference Opens with Hard-Hitting Leadership Talk and Major Case Recognitions

The annual Coalition of Law Enforcement and Retail (CLEAR) conference got underway October 21 in Orlando, drawing a sold-out crowd of law enforcement officers, retail investigators, and solution providers from across the country.

What started 15 years ago as a small group of Florida detectives meeting with retailers has grown into one of the premier conferences addressing organized retail crime.

John Clark Named New CLEAR President

Ben Dugan, current CLEAR President, announced the incoming President as John Clark, Managing Principle of PCI Services. 

As one of the original co-founders, John will step into a leadership role for an organization that's expanded well beyond its Florida roots to become a national force in combating organized retail theft.

John “JC” Clark & Ben Dugan

Sheriff Wayne Ivey: "I Manage by Standing Around"

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey kicked off the conference with a keynote that was equal parts leadership lesson and no-holds-barred reality check. Ivey laid out his management philosophy in terms anyone could understand: he stands behind his people when they screw up and need a kick in the ass, beside them in the trenches doing the actual work, in front of them when someone takes a shot at them, and back to watch them do their jobs.

"I have 1,700 members of our agency spread across a county 78 miles long," Ivey explained. "I'm never at the office. If I need to sign something, my assistant brings it to me because I want to be out with our deputies and correction officers."

Sheriff Wayne Ivey

That hands-on approach seems to be working. Brevard County's crime rate has dropped 52% over the last 12 years while the population grew by 17%. Ivey credits his team but also his willingness to stand up for them publicly, even when dealing with the vocal critics on social media.

Speaking of social media, Ivey's office runs one of the most popular law enforcement Facebook pages in the country with over 500,000 followers. And yes, when people talk trash about his deputies in the comments, it's Ivey himself who fires back.

He shared a story about responding to someone who called him a "fat piece of sh*t" by commenting that the only reason he's fat is because their mom makes him a sandwich every night. His social media team told him he couldn't say that. His response? "I won't do it again."

The sheriff's office has become known for creative initiatives like "Wheel of Fugitives" (which a University of Central Florida study showed has an 88% success rate in getting suspects captured or turned in), "Fishing for Fugitives," and the "Drunk Olympics" that scores DUI suspects on their field sobriety tests like they're Olympic athletes. Critics might complain, but Ivey makes no apologies.

"I wasn't elected to protect people's feelings. I was elected to protect citizens," he said.

National Case of the Year: Decade-Long Investigation Ends with $7.5 Million Recovery

The conference recognized an exceptional investigation by the Ventura County Sheriff's Office and Home Depot that took down a major organized retail crime operation. The case centered on Jake Hall, who'd been operating under law enforcement's radar since 2017 while running two e-commerce accounts and a physical storefront that moved stolen electrical merchandise—mostly from Home Depot.

The investigation ramped up in 2024 when new information showed Hall was back in business. Surveillance caught multiple booster crews selling stolen goods at his locations. The case went multi-state when investigators tracked one crew that flew into Miami, drove up I-95, and hit stores in Georgia before making their way back.

Search warrants executed at nine locations in August resulted in 14 arrests on charges including organized retail crime, conspiracy, money laundering, and RICO violations. The haul was staggering: $3.6 million in recovered Home Depot merchandise filling 396 pallets, with an estimated retail value of $7.5 million. Investigators also seized bank accounts, cash, and jewelry.

Detective Kevin Allredge, Detective Shane Johnson, Sergeant Andrew Creighton from Cobb County, Georgia, Assistant District Attorney Brandon Ross, and the Home Depot ORC team including investigators Al Rios, Johnny Mai, Eric Trehern and Craig Patrick were all recognized for their work on the case.

The Home Depot Team

What's Ahead

The three-day conference agenda tackles the reality that organized retail crime is getting more sophisticated, especially with transnational criminal organizations getting involved. Sessions throughout the week will cover everything from mass casualty response and money laundering investigations to digital forensics and large-scale ORC operations.

Stay tuned for more highlights to come tomorrow for Day Two.

Exclusive Interview: Shopper tackles alleged shoplifter, detains him until police arrive

Andrew Clark, a shopper at O’Reilly Auto Parts, sprung to action and detained an alleged shoplifter until authorities arrived on Monday.

Clark says he was shopping at the store when he felt called into action after an employee yelled for help.

“I heard the clerk, the store clerk yell, ‘Help, he’s stealing’. And I asked her who? And then I turn around and the guy come running past me and took off out the door and I seen where he was running.

Clark said once he caught up to the man in the parking lot, a fight ensured.

‘Beat Everybody Up’: Man Convicted In Violent Retail Store Attack In Newburgh

A 55-year-old man has been found guilty of assault for a violent attack inside an Orange County retail store prompted by an employee denying a return, prosecutors announced.

Newburgh resident Ronnie Williams, 55, was convicted by a jury of third-degree assault in Orange County District Court.

Prosecutors said the attack happened in an unidentified retail business in Newburgh after a female shopper became angry with store employees who refused to process a return the way she wanted.

Two in U.S. Illegally Linked to Retail Theft Spree

Brockton – Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz announced that authorities have indicted two individuals in a brazen retail theft ring that targeted high-end cosmetics and skincare stores across eastern Massachusetts this summer, making off with over $30,000 in merchandise. Boston hotel deals

Morin Denisse Sanhueza Diaz, 31, and Kevin Andres Guzman Bernal, 22, each face one count of larceny exceeding $1,200 through a single scheme, stemming from a meticulously planned two-day operation that struck multiple Ulta Beauty outlet.

The overlooked driver of injuries, expenses, and frustration — and the innovation redefining cart retrieval

A retail parking lot with shopping carts tucked away neatly in cart corals night seem like no big deal. But each day, retail workers battle these wheeled herds with a forceful combination of awkward body movements. Manual cart retrieval requires a serious dose of pushing, pulling, and twisting. Many LP and safety leaders might dismiss shopping cart retrieval as routine, but it’s the cause of some of the most common, and dangerous, injuries in retail.

Consider these statistics. Musculoskeletal disorders, such as back and shoulder injuries, account for nearly 43% of all lost-time injuries in the workplace (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019). One in three workplace injuries are caused by overexertion (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020). And, over half a million injury cases flood reporting systems each year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020). Every sore back stretch, every shoulder strain is a story of a person who, like everyone, is just trying to get the job done. Yet these injuries don’t announce themselves, they creep in with little notice. Some stiffness here. A twinge there. Before you know it, they’ve turned from discomfort to full-blown incapacitation.

Across the Pond: Police carry out UK's largest-ever crackdown on shoplifting gangs as 32 arrested

More than 30 people have been arrested in the Metropolitan Police’s largest-ever crackdown on shoplifting gangs.

Officers carried out raids at 120 shops in the capital suspected of purchasing items stolen from major retailers and reselling them at discounted prices.

Hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of items were seized, including electronic devices and make-up.

Scotland Yard said its actions, which also led to nine stores being served closure notices, sends a “clear message to anyone profiting from stolen goods”.

Why old retail crisis playbooks are failing—and what’s actually working for grocers

It’s an increasingly familiar scenario for shoppers today: comparison shopping on phones while standing in the grocery store aisles, making lists that span three different stores, and tracking prices like day traders.

The feelings that drive these new behaviors are well documented: 88% of shoppers are frustrated with grocery prices, and 45% of customers say they’ll switch stores for better savings. Store loyalty is a thing of the past.

These changing behaviors couldn’t come at a more stressful time for retailers. In 2023, grocers saw their margins drop to 1.6%—down from 3.0% in 2020.

Tens of thousands in merchandise stolen in shoplifting spree

Several larcenies committed at Back Bay businesses resulted in tens of thousands of dollars worth of stolen merchandise, police said.

Boston police are investigating after several larcenies across the Back Bay resulted in tens of thousands of dollars in merchandise.

Advertisement One video showed several thieves run out with over $6,000 worth of clothes from activewear retailer Lululemon last week.

Police are also looking for five women, wanted for stealing clothing from an Alo store in the Prudential Center. Police say the women are repeat shoplifters.

The retail industry’s favorite rooftop is back! Join TalkLP in New York City during the NRF BIG Show for the can’t-miss TalkLP NYC Rooftop Reception, where serious networking meets skyline views. Expect powerful conversations, industry insights, and high-impact connections with retail’s top minds. Space is limited, so grab your spot and connect with the leaders shaping the future of loss prevention and asset protection.

Retailers & Solution Provider Sponsors ONLY

The Importance of Planning, Communication, and Dignity in Employee Terminations

When we think of disruptive behavior in the workplace, we usually imagine someone who is loud, argumentative, or interrupts the workday in obnoxious ways. However, disruptive behavior in the workplace extends far beyond noisy interruptions, it comprises any actions or patterns of conduct that interfere with normal operations, compromise workplace safety, or hinder the productivity and cohesiveness of the work environment.

In the age of AI, communicators have a new audience: Machines

The acceleration of AI continues to transform the retail industry, from consumers to associates, across the store and the corporate office.

Retail Communicators’ Network The Retail Communicators’ Network brings together communications, public relations and investor relations professionals within NRF retail member companies to discuss current and emerging issues facing the industry.

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