Police use tracker to bust retail theft ring in Albuquerque
Albuquerque police used a creative undercover tactic by placing a GPS tracker inside a stolen vacuum that had been taken from a Target store, which eventually led them to a suspect’s location. Investigators say the theft ring was responsible for stealing more than $25,000 worth of merchandise, including vacuums, backpacks, and kitchen items, and then moving the goods through online resale channels. Police tracked the stolen item after a suspect sold it online at a discounted price, a common ploy among organized theft groups. Months of investigation allowed authorities to build a felony case under a 2023 retail crime law to seek maximum penalties against the suspects.
Pawn shop owner going to prison for his role in $1M ORC Ring
A pawn shop owner in Greece, New York, has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a wide-reaching retail theft and fencing ring that involved hundreds of stolen items. Prosecutors say the defendant knowingly accepted stolen merchandise from organized theft crews, converting it into cash or goods sold through his business. The conspiracy stretched across multiple jurisdictions, harming retailers and undermining lawful commerce. Federal officials emphasized that the sentence reflects the seriousness of coordinating and profiting from organized retail theft.
VIDEO released: Kay Jewelers smash-and-grab robbery
Clovis Police have released surveillance footage showing four masked suspects brazenly entering a Kay Jewelers store and using a sledgehammer to break display cases in just a couple of minutes. The video captures two individuals smashing the glass while the others quickly grab jewelry and flee the scene in a silver car. Investigators recovered the suspects’ abandoned vehicle nearby and are processing it for evidence as part of an ongoing investigation. Police are also reviewing footage from shopping center cameras to determine whether this crime is connected to similar robberies across California.
Man charged with setting merchandise on fire inside Walmart
Authorities in Chattanooga, Tennessee, have charged a 31-year-old man with aggravated arson and other offenses after he allegedly set merchandise ablaze inside a Walmart store. Surveillance video reportedly shows the man placing fire to a clothing rack in the men’s apparel section while customers and employees were nearby. Fire and police crews responded quickly, and employees used a fire extinguisher to keep the blaze from spreading further. The suspect, who also faces burglary, reckless endangerment, and probation violation charges, was taken into custody as the investigation continues.
Police asking for tips after 19-year-old shot and killed at Amazon facility
Police in Bessemer, Alabama, are actively seeking information after a 19-year-old Amazon employee, Tyler Alexander, was shot and killed outside the company’s fulfillment center on January 18. Authorities have not made any arrests and are urging the public to come forward with tips, even offering a reward for information leading to the shooter’s identification. The tragic incident has highlighted concerns about crime near the facility and the need for community cooperation with law enforcement. Alexander’s family and Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama are both pushing for justice as the investigation continues.
The Most Romantic Thing You Can Do This Weekend
Amber Bradley
Editor-in-Chief | TalkLPnews
[email protected]
I’m not a huge Valentine’s Day person, but I do love a good rom-com. Got me thinking…
You ever watch a movie that changes your life? There have been a few for me (Meet Joe Black, My Octopus Teacher, you get it) but one that stands out above the rest: About Time.
If you haven't seen it (no spoilers here), it's about a guy who can travel back in time and relive any moment of his life. Sounds like something we’ve all wished for….
Relive or redo moments in life. There are many points to this exceptionally moving movie – but the one that belongs in this column is about living fully present in each moment.
Too gushy for a Friday? Stay with me.
In loss prevention, you spend your days investigating the worst of humanity. Thieves, liars, people who'll steal baby formula to flip it, employees who'll pocket cash while denying it straight to your face. You review footage of violence, deal with the aftermath of organized retail crime rings, write detailed reports about some pretty tough stuff. That's the job. And somewhere along the way, it's easy to let that become your worldview. To walk through life like you're still reviewing grainy CCTV footage—scanning for threats, waiting for the other shoe to drop, convinced that people are generally terrible and the world is getting worse.
About Time reminds you that time is all you have in this world, truly. And your perspective about that time is critical to enjoying your life or simply drudging yourself to the next task. One moment when your kid is getting out of the car for school, one shot at your partner being vulnerable about a mistake they made, one chance to put your phone down and pay attention to your kid’s tough day. This is it. The only version of this moment where you're sitting here, reading this, still breathing.
And if you're spending all of it braced for impact, waiting for the next crisis, letting the ugliness of your work bleed into every corner of your life—you're missing it. All of it.
I'm not saying ignore reality or pretend the job isn't hard. It is hard. Retail crime is real. Shrink is real. The pressure to perform is real. But so is the fact that your perspective is what dominates your brain. I recently read that your brain believes what you tell it – not actual facts – only what you tell it. What are you telling it? Pay attention be present or wow, this sucks.
The main character in About Time sums it up this way, "We're all traveling through time together, every day of our lives. All we can do is do our best to relish this remarkable ride."
You can't do that if you're constantly in investigator mode. If every conversation is a chance to spot deception. If every person you meet gets sized up for trustworthiness. If you're so focused on protecting the business that you forget to actually live your own life.
So, what if you just stopped for a second? Right now. Took a breath. Noticed that you're here. That you made it through another week. That despite everything you've seen and dealt with, you're still standing. Still fighting. Still capable of feeling something other than exhausted.
What if you decided that this version of today—the only one you get—is worth actually experiencing instead of just surviving?
I know it sounds simple. Maybe too simple. But the movie's whole point is that it is simple. You don't need a time machine. You just need to show up and be present. To stop running through your days on autopilot, waiting for things to get better or easier or less chaotic. They won't. This is the chaos. This is the life. And it's the only one you get.
The action: This weekend, just once, stop and take an actual breath. Not a stressed breath. Not a "I'm so overwhelmed" breath. A real one. Look around. Notice something small. And remember that you're alive. That's it. That's the whole thing. You don't need to fix anything or solve anything or prove anything. Just be present for it.
Woman arrested after six different stores hit in theft spree, says police
Six different retail stores in Gravenhurst were targeted in a string of reported thefts over the past several weeks, leading to the arrest of one local woman.
Police report that the incidents took place between Dec. 22 and Feb. 10, costing businesses thousands of dollars in allegedly stolen merchandise.
On Wednesday, officers arrested a 41-year-old woman of Gravenhurst in connection with the thefts.
Panhandler fatally shot inside NYC 7-Eleven after asking gunman for money
A 40-year-old panhandler was shot dead inside a Midtown 7-Eleven after he held the door open for the gunman and asked him for money Thursday morning, cops and sources said.
The victim was blasted in the neck around 10:30 a.m. inside the convenience store on Eighth Avenue near West 39th Street, cops said.
He was pronounced dead minutes later by EMS workers at the scene.
Amazon no longer working with police tech company after backlash over Ring doorbell Super Bowl ad
Amazon has dropped plans to partner its Ring doorbell cameras with the police surveillance tech company Flock Safety, the companies said Thursday, days after Amazon aired a controversial ad for Ring that some viewed as depicting the technology as a threat to privacy.
Amazon has dropped plans to partner its Ring doorbell cameras with the police surveillance tech company Flock Safety, the companies said Thursday, days after Amazon aired a controversial ad for Ring that some viewed as depicting the technology as a threat to privacy.
Herd of crime-fighting llamas 'make citizen's arrest' of man fleeing police
A herd of crime-fighting llamas are being hailed as heroes after they helped capture a suspected thief as he tried to evade police officers.
The man made his way on to Heidi Price and Graham Oliver's property after reports tobacco products had been stolen nearby.
But he was greeted with eight llamas when he climbed over a gate into the field.
Heidi said: "Anyone who knows anything about llamas knows you don't approach them during dusk. Dusk is the time where they're most aggressive.
"He ran into the field and the llamas were curious - they're known to be guard animals. They went racing towards him, they circled him and once they realized that he was something which shouldn't be in the field they started releasing this warning cry, which is hilarious, it sounds like old men laughing. That's the only way you can describe it.
"This poor guy was petrified, literally to the point of tears."
The llamas surrounded the man, blocking any escape route from the field. [ITV]
'I'm so mad': Aussie shoppers express concern over controversial Kmart security gates at stores
Aussie shoppers have expressed their concern about the rollout of electric security gates at Kmart.
The major retailer started to introduce the system in some stores last year, aiming to crack down on retail crime.
The electronic gates are installed with various technology, including sensors, to check whether a customer has paid for their items upon leaving the store.
Gatekeeper Systems: A Smarter, Safer Approach To Retail Loss Prevention
Retail theft is evolving, and so must the technologies designed to stop it. Across Europe, retailers are contending with organized retail crime, repeat offenders, and rising safety concerns, all while striving to maintain the frictionless shopping experiences customers expect.
Gatekeeper Systems addresses this challenge with a broad, integrated portfolio of retail loss prevention, asset protection, safety, and security solutions.
Fed raises retail crime and trading concerns with MSP
The Fed spoke with Conservative MSP Maurice Golden on 12 February to discuss concerns over slow Christmas trade, rising bills and higher taxes.
The call included Scottish district president and Paisley retailer Hussan Lal, his predecessor Ferhan Ashiq, who runs businesses in Musselburgh and Prestonpans in East Lothian, and the Fed’s political engagement coordinator Douglas Oliver.
Only 8% of LP teams say they're NOT involved in new initiatives beyond traditional security. That means 92% of your peers are expanding their influence across operations, compliance, analytics, and more. If you're still fighting to prove ROI with shrink numbers alone, you're already behind.
Join us 2/19 at 12:30pm EST as Frank Patercity (Director, Crisis & Security Consulting, Control Risks), Steve Lindsey (Co-Founder and Chief Strategist, LVT), and I break down what 75% of LP leaders already know: this profession is evolving fast, and the teams that adapt are the ones getting budget, headcount, and C-suite attention. Register HERE
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Is AI really affordable to implement?
AI adoption isn’t just a technology decision, it’s a financial one, and the affordability question is often misunderstood. The real cost isn’t simply the software license or hardware investment, but how organizations plan, phase, and integrate AI into existing workflows.
Many companies overspend chasing large, all-at-once deployments when smaller pilot programs can deliver measurable value faster and with less risk. Affordability improves when AI is treated as an operational tool tied to outcomes like efficiency, shrink reduction, and labor optimization rather than a flashy innovation project.
When approached strategically, AI shifts from a perceived expense into a scalable investment that compounds value over time.
Assaults at the Workplace – The Defenses May Not Be What You Think
For some odd reason, we have had several workplace assault claims come to us recently. As a result, we have had to dust off and update our research into the compensability of the claims and the injuries sustained. The defenses available in these type of claims are quite limited and, to many, surprisingly so.
The best way to understand the facts that have to be obtained in order to defend a case for injuries due to a workplace assault is to review the cases themselves.
In one case, a sanitation worker was injured when he was punched in the face by a coworker.
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