Authorities in Santa Clara County dismantled a large retail theft and fraud network, arresting six individuals after locating over a million dollars’ worth of stolen merchandise. The investigation began in June and culminated in serving five search warrants across San Jose and Campbell, uncovering truckloads of items from major home improvement and retail stores. A key aspect of the ring involved gift-card fraud where elderly victims were duped into purchasing high-value cards that were used to buy merchandise. The suspects now face charges including organized retail theft, possession of stolen property, and conspiracy.
A jury awarded a woman over $11 million after she tripped on a seam where asphalt met concrete in the parking lot of a Target store, causing multiple fractures. The incident happened on December 23, 2019 in Orange County, Florida while she was carrying her daughter. Investigators found that the seam violated several building codes and determined the store’s operator bore 90% of the fault. The plaintiff had previously rejected a $250,000 settlement offer and opted to take the case to trial, securing the significant verdict.
The former CEO of the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce has been indicted for allegedly embezzling a substantial sum of money during his tenure. The indictment alleges misuse of funds and a breach of fiduciary duties tied to his leadership role. As the case proceeds, there are questions around governance, oversight, and the mechanisms that allowed the theft to occur. The charges serve as a cautionary tale for nonprofits and associations about internal controls and accountability.
A shoplifting suspect at a Walmart store in upstate New York escalated the incident by ramming his vehicle into employees when they confronted him during the theft. Authorities report the driver attempted to flee in the car and then collided with staff who were trying to stop him. No fatalities were reported, but the incident underscores rising aggression and violence in retail crime scenarios. Walmart and local police are investigating the event and reviewing surveillance footage to support charges.
Retail giant Target announced it will cut approximately 1,800 corporate positions—about 8% of its global headquarters workforce—in a bid to streamline operations and improve decision-making speed. The layoffs are part of a broader restructuring initiative under incoming CEO Michael Fiddelke, who emphasized the need to remove overlapping work and complexity. The company said store-floor and supply-chain employees will not be affected by this round of cuts. Observers note the move comes amid several quarters of sluggish sales and increased competitive pressure in the retail landscape.
We Need More Leaders that Stand Around
Amber Bradley
Editor-in-Chief | TalkLPnews
[email protected]
I had the honor of receiving CLEAR's 2025 ORC Advocacy Award this week, and it was incredibly humbling to be recognized by ORC leaders from across the country for nearly 20 years of work. I’d also like to thank CLEAR leadership including specifically Ben Dugan, John Clark, Rich Rossman, and Jason Davies.
In a conference full of fantastic ORC content, what really hit me was listening to Sheriff Wayne Ivey talk about his leadership philosophy. He calls it "standing around leadership," and once you hear what he means, you realize it's exactly what our industry needs more of. Sheriff Ivey is a pretty no-nonsense guy.
He explained his leadership style as standing behind his people when they need that swift kick in the butt for messing up. But he also leaves the light on at the end of the tunnel so they know one mistake isn't career ending. He stands beside them in the trenches, riding patrol, backing them up on calls, being in the fight with them even though they don't need him there.
He stands in front of them when anyone takes a shot at his team, whether that's a literal threat or someone talking trash on social media. And he stands back and watches them do amazing work, giving them the tools and support they need without micromanaging.
That in your face, no-nonsense approach isn't just necessary in law enforcement. It's what the loss prevention community desperately needs too.
When we started TalkLPnews, we wanted to build something that stands beside our industry professionals in the trenches, telling the real stories about what's actually happening. I wanted to stand in front of this community when it comes under attack or gets dismissed as "just shoplifting" or “just some security guards.” And I wanted to stand back and let the incredible work happening every day shine through without sanitizing it or wrapping it in corporate speak.
Amber Bradley & Ben Dugan
Being recognized for that approach means everything, not because I need validation, but because it confirms this community values real talk over polished PR. The investigators, retailers and law enforcement who've supported TalkLPnews over the years, they get it.
They understand that our industry deserves leadership and journalism that doesn't stand around waiting for permission (or sponsorship dollars) to address the hard stuff.
We need more leaders in loss prevention who stand beside their teams doing the work, stand in front of them when they're under fire, and stand back to let them do what they do best. That's the standard Sheriff Ivey sets every day, and it's the standard I've tried to hold TalkLPnews to every day.
I'm grateful and honestly humbled by this recognition. I’m also proud we've built something that stands beside our industry in the trenches, stands in front of them when they need a voice, and stands back to let their incredible work speak for itself. That's the leadership Sheriff Ivey embodies every day. And that's exactly what this community deserves from all of us. Trust me, you can count on TalkLPnews to be there standing around.
Did you enjoy this My Take or do you have your own take? Share it with me by emailing me here.
Pair Charged in Multi-County Lowe’s Customer Account Takeover Scheme that Netted $100K
Two men are charged with stealing nearly $100,000 from Lowe’s stores across eastern Pennsylvania through a customer account takeover scheme.
Jose Gomez and Ysaias Arajuo were charged with felony counts of corrupt organizations, organized retail theft, theft by unlawful taking, along with other related offenses. Gomez is in custody; a warrant was issued for Arajuo’s arrest.
The men were allegedly involved in at least 56 retail thefts at 18 Lowe’s stores in Bucks, Lehigh, Luzerne, Northampton, Monroe, Montgomery, Philadelphia and Pike counties. They used self checkout kiosks to pay for purchases — using information stolen from Lowe’s customer accounts.
Glen Ellyn woman accused of organizing $900k merchandise fraud scheme
Federal charges have been filed against a suburban woman accused of conducting a $900,000 merchandise fraud scheme in Chicagoland.
A recently unsealed federal indictment charges 40-year-old Iryna Boguslavska, a Glen Ellyn resident, with one count of wire fraud in connection with the alleged fraud scheme.
According to prosecutors, Boguslavska allegedly conducted the scheme over a three-year period, between October 2020 and October 2023, by purchasing high-end clothing online and later returning the items in person multiple times, sometimes even returning cheaper alternatives in place of the more costly merchandise.
Amazon reveals cause of AWS outage that took everything from banks to smart beds offline
Amazon has revealed the cause of this week’s hours-long AWS outage, which took everything from Signal to smart beds offline, was a bug in automation software that had widespread consequences.
In a lengthy outline of the cause of the outage published on Thursday, AWS revealed a cascading set of events brought down thousands of sites and applications that host their services with the company.
AWS said customers were unable to connect to DynamoDB, its database system where AWS customers store their data, due to “a latent defect within the service’s automated DNS [domain name system] management system”.
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.
Was Doug McMillon arrested? Walmart CEO arrest claim debunked
False social media rumors claim Walmart CEO Doug McMillon was arrested for money laundering and drug trafficking, but no credible evidence or official reports support these allegations.
There have been several rumors circulating on social media, particularly sites like Tiktok and Instagram, that state Doug McMillon, the CEO of Walmart, was arrested for major offenses like money laundering or drug dealing. However, these allegations are completely false.
There is no official proof, or credible source to prove these allegations. Mainstream media, the FBI and court documents do not mention this arrest or any other ones having to do with McMillon.
Retailers and banks in legal dispute over card charges
Merchants in Illinois asked a federal judge to leave in place the state’s ban on charging “swipe fees” on the portions of card payments that cover sales tax and workers’ tips, arguing the measure simply prevents fees on money never kept by retailers.
The plea came as US District Judge Virginia Kendall heard oral arguments in Chicago on a lawsuit filed by banking groups seeking to overturn the Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act.
Detroit's City Man Store Hit by Smash-and-Grab Robbery, Thieves Ram SUV Through Shopfront
A group of robbers employed a brazen tactic to rob a men's clothing store on Detroit's Avenue of Fashion, driving an SUV through the storefront before making off with goods.
FOX 2 Detroit reports that the City Man clothing store was victim to a "smash-and-grab" when thieves crashed a Jeep Cherokee into the store around 3:45 a.m., with six suspects rapidly grabbing merchandise that included high-end clothing items.
Video: Serial shoplifting suspect faces 40 charges, targets Ninja machines in Nashville
An accused serial shoplifter is facing 40 charges of theft of merchandise under $1,000 and burglary.
Metro Police said she mainly stole Ninja Machines from Targets across Nashville.
Sarah Elizabeth Steward was just arrested on Monday for the second time. According to the Davidson County Criminal Court clerk's office, her first arrest was in June.
The Director, Field External Investigations will be responsible for leading the strategic external theft investigative efforts for the company. This includes the recruitment, development, and management of in-store Loss Prevention Agents, and Community Investigative Managers. The Director will drive execution through training, reporting, prioritization, and strategic resource allocation. They will oversee external theft resolution efforts, coordinate Organized Retail Crime investigations, and foster partnerships with law enforcement at local, federal, and state levels, internal stakeholders, and key external partners to enhance case outcomes and develop tools for tracking and analysis.
Retailers feeling the pinch of the penny shortage, asking customers for exact cash
Retailers are beginning to feel the impact of a national penny shortage and are asking customers to consider paying with exact cash or electronic payment methods.
Earlier this year, the Treasury Department announced that the U.S. Mint will stop producing new pennies once it runs out of blank templates used to make the mostly copper and zinc coins, effectively beginning the elimination of the penny.
Local retailers like the Lambertville Kroger are putting customers on notice about the shortage.
If using cash for payment, we kindly ask customers to consider providing exact change.
3 of the Most Popular Retail Security Tags Used to Reduce Shoplifting During the Holidays
It goes without saying that shoplifting in retail settings increases during the holidays. Every year shops lose millions of dollars due to theft, and these heavy losses play significant roles in hitting one’s bottom line, and hampers retail teams from achieving their growth goals.
This is why CONTROLTEK has designed the best retail security tags to prevent shoplifting using more than a decade of research and data to produce the most effective EAS and RFID security tags in the industry.
Simply forward this email to your team or colleagues > they scan the QR code or click below to sign up and BOOM > everyone is smarter.
