Accused Retail Theft Leaders Charged in Statewide $200K Equipment Scheme
Two men in New Jersey have been charged with leading a retail theft ring that stole more than $200,000 worth of construction equipment from home improvement stores. Authorities say the scheme involved using multiple false identities to rent high-value equipment and then failing to return it. The stolen equipment was resold online through marketplaces, making recovery and tracking more difficult. Prosecutors have charged the suspects with organized retail theft, fencing stolen property, and theft by deception.
New footage shows moment gunfire erupts during deadly shooting inside Wolfchase Galleria
Newly released surveillance footage shows key moments just before a fatal shooting occurred at the Wolfchase Galleria mall in Memphis. The video captures the interaction leading up to the incident, offering insight into how the situation escalated. Investigators are using the footage to piece together motive, suspect movement, and security responses. The case highlights ongoing safety concerns at high-traffic retail malls and the need for improved preventative measures.
Man charged with defrauding Chicago area T.J. Maxx stores out of more than $17,000
A 46-year-old man has been indicted for orchestrating a fraud scheme targeting Chicago-area T.J. Maxx stores, involving wire fraud, forgery, money laundering, and fraudulent use of payment cards. According to prosecutors, he manipulated returns and transactions to defraud the retailer out of thousands of dollars. The charges reflect a trend of sophisticated retail return-fraud schemes affecting major chain stores. The case underscores the growing need for tighter controls and fraud detection mechanisms in retail operations.
Kroger, Target, Walgreens support new retail theft, shoplifting rules
Major retailers like Kroger, Target and Walgreens are lobbying for stronger legislation to combat organized retail crime (ORC), citing significant losses and store closures due to theft rings. They support bills that would bolster penalties and coordination between law enforcement and retailers. The retail executives argue that current laws and enforcement mechanisms are insufficient for the scale and sophistication of recent theft schemes. The push demonstrates the increasing pressure on lawmakers to treat retail theft not as isolated incidents but as systemic, organized criminal activity.
Burglary crew that targeted Ulta Beauty stores arrested in Irvine
A burglary crew that repeatedly targeted Ulta Beauty stores in Irvine and surrounding areas has been dismantled, with arrests following identified traffic stops and investigations. Law enforcement seized stolen merchandise, cash and evidence linking the suspects to multiple retail burglaries over time. The case illustrates how beauty and cosmetics stores remain high-value targets for organized theft rings. Retailers are calling for stronger preventive measures and partnerships with local police to counter the trend.
Be Grateful for What You Didn't Want
Amber Bradley
Editor-in-Chief | TalkLPnews
[email protected]
One of my favorite rom coms is “You’ve Got Mail” with the dynamic duo Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a holiday classic. My favorite part is when Meg Ryan mistakenly ventures in the 10-item, cash-only line in the mad rush that is pre-Thanksgiving shopping. With no cash and more than 10 items, the hurried New Yorkers behind Ryan are angry and getting mouthy. Tom Hanks, her enemy but budding love interest, tries to help her by charming the cashier into taking her credit card and finally saying, “Happy Thanksgiving, back.”
Meg Ryan's character loses her beloved bookshop to Tom Hanks' big box store. It's devastating. Her whole identity was wrapped up in that store, and now it's gone. But by the end of the movie, she realizes that losing the bookshop actually freed her to discover a life she never knew she wanted. The thing that destroyed her plans ended up being the best thing that could have happened. Sounds familiar to me actually…
I think about that a lot in this industry, especially around Thanksgiving when everyone's talking about gratitude. Because let's be honest, some of the best things that have happened in our careers came from situations we absolutely did not want.
Getting laid off during a restructure that forced you to finally take that leap into consulting. The major incident that went sideways and made you completely rebuild your crisis management approach, which then became your competitive advantage. The budget cuts that killed your favorite program but forced you to innovate with less and actually get better results. The demotion that felt like a slap in the face but pushed you into a different part of the organization where you actually found your calling. Can you relate?
These moments are brutal when they're happening. You're angry, frustrated, maybe even questioning whether you're in the right industry, in the organization or in the right relationship. But here's what I've learned: sometimes the things we fight against the hardest are exactly what we need to grow. Sometimes getting what we don't want is the universe's way of redirecting us toward something better.
So, this Thanksgiving, maybe be grateful for the uncomfortable stuff? The changes you didn't ask for. The disruptions that forced you out of your comfort zone. The losses that made room for something new. Because resisting change doesn't stop it from happening. It just keeps you stuck in a plan that might not have been the right one anyway.
The thing you didn't want might turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to you. You just won't know it until you stop fighting it.
With that, Happy Thanksgiving, back.
Man charged with threatening to shoot Amazon warehouse
A man is facing charges after allegedly threatening to open fire at an Amazon warehouse, prompting law enforcement response and investigation into the incident.
The threat triggered security protocols at the facility, and officials curtailed operations temporarily as they assessed risk.
Authorities have taken the suspect into custody and are evaluating motive, criminal history, and potential weapons involved. The case underscores escalating workplace-security concerns for large fulfillment operations and highlights the growing importance of threat-prevention and response planning in logistics environments.
The Changing Threat Landscape for Retailers: Why is data security working harder than last year?
The 2025 holiday season is here, and retailers everywhere are geared up for the rush of online customers. From late November to January, which includes Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas shopping, and end-of-season sales, is a crucial time for retailers, given the heightened customer engagement and increased volume of financial transactions.
Expectations are high, especially during peak periods that drive a significant portion of annual revenues.
At the same time, high-priority strategic business requirements such as data-driven customer experience, omnichannel operations, staffing agility, and robust security measures must be in optimal working order.
Retail store heist in Boynton Beach leads to 2 arrests; Employee injured in getaway
A retail theft at a local shop escalated into violence when an employee was struck by a getaway car.
The Boynton Beach Police Department (BBPD) said two suspects — a man and a woman — now face felony charges in connection with the November 17 robbery.
Police say Justin Malik Simmons, 29, and Anne Elizabeth Izatt, 25, were involved in a theft at Force-E Scuba Center at 270 N. Congress Avenue.
The pair allegedly stole buoyancy compensators valued at more than $5,000 and injured the employee during their escape.
Empowering C-Stores: How Direct-to-Cloud Video Surveillance Fuels Success in a Competitive Retail Landscape
Convenience stores (C-Stores) are navigating uncharted waters in today’s ever-evolving retail world. With rising operational costs, persistent labor shortages, and fierce competition from larger chains, independent store owners need every advantage to stay afloat.
Enter advanced direct-to-cloud video surveillance – March Networks CloudSight – a game-changing technology that’s helping smaller chains not only survive but truly thrive in a competitive landscape.
Streamlining Operations for Maximum Impact
Time is money in the retail world—and CloudSight’s automated alerts and reports help C-Store operators stay on top of critical data without getting bogged down in manual tracking. With tools that measure sales conversion rates and customer wait times, stores can quickly pinpoint areas for improvement and make smarter decisions on the fly. Whether it’s monitoring inventory or analyzing sales patterns, these features free up valuable time so operators can focus on what truly matters—growing their business.
NC Sen. Britt recognized as a Legislative Champion by loss prevention association
Matt Scott, Danny Brit & Andy Ellen
The Carolinas Organized Retail Crime Alliance (CORCA) recognized N.C. Sen. Danny Britt as a 2025 CORCA Legislative Champion during its annual conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. CORCA, managed by the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association, is a collaborative effort between retailers and law enforcement to reduce organized retail crime.
CORCA acknowledged Britt’s leadership as the primary sponsor of SB 311. From drafting and introducing legislation to shepherding its passage through committee and floor votes, CORCA appreciates this bipartisan effort of Senator Britt and these legislators to combat organized retail crime in North Carolina.
OSHA Reopens After Government Shutdown: What Employers Should Expect
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is officially back to full operations, now that the government shutdown has ended. With staff fully restored, employers need to recognize that agency activity previously paused is now resuming — and, in many cases, accelerating. As OSHA re-engages inspections, rulemaking, and policy initiatives, organizations that assumed a “wait-and-see” stance during the shutdown may find themselves playing catch-up.
During the funding lapse, OSHA’s enforcement was largely limited to imminent danger situations, workplace fatalities and catastrophes, and high-gravity serious violations that could not wait. Programmed inspections, outreach, cooperative-program activity, and some informal conferences were suspended.
Same Old Security Problems: Cyber Training Still Fails Miserably
It's a story we've all heard before, yet somehow, we keep living it. Despite years of cybersecurity awareness campaigns, training sessions, and technological advances, the same fundamental security challenges continue to plague organizations worldwide.
This past October, during Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2025, three seasoned cybersecurity journalists, from Dark Reading, Tech Target Search Security, and Cybersecurity Dive, came together to examine a frustrating reality: We're still fighting the same battles we were fighting decades ago.
Their candid discussion in this month's "Reporters Notebook" reveals why password hygiene remains poor and phishing attacks keep working, even as we pour resources into awareness programs that seem to miss the mark.
Criminals are primed to take advantage of holiday shoppers. Watch for these 5 scams.
The holiday shopping season is creating fresh openings for scammers looking to snag consumers' payment data, according to Visa's 2025 Holiday Threats Report.
Artificial intelligence is also helping criminals move faster and reach more victims, according to Visa's scam disruption team. AI tools can generate authentic-sounding text for fake websites that look legitimate but are designed to steal your information.
"Just as regular consumers are excited for shopping season, scammers are also excited, because it gives them opportunities to capitalize on these feelings, and illicitly gather payment data, or other personal information from unsuspecting victims," Michael Jabbara, global head of fraud services at Visa, told CBS News.
Ransomware Groups Target Retailers Ahead of the Holiday Season With Malicious Payload Campaigns
As global Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping intensifies, cybercriminal activity is also ramping up against retailers during the 2025 holiday season.
Attackers are exploiting the seasonal chaos, overstretched IT teams, record-breaking e-commerce volumes, and complex digital supply chains to deploy ransomware and launch waves of phishing and automation-driven attacks.
This year, the median ransom demand in the retail sector has soared to $2 million per incident, nearly double last year’s figure, underscoring the aggressive tactics and massive leverage threat actors now wield.
LPRC Study Reveals Dramatic Efficiency Gains with FaceFirst® Technology
Investigators using FaceFirst® solved cases faster, uncovered more value, and built stronger cases against organized retail crime.
A LPRC case study has demonstrated the substantial impact of FaceFirst®’s facial recognition technology on organized retail crime investigations, revealing dramatic improvements over traditional CCTV methods.
The study compared two investigators with similar backgrounds working the same case: one using FaceFirst® and the other relying on traditional CCTV reviews. The results were striking.
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.
