Suspects charged after police find $200k in stolen merchandise from Home Depot, Lowe's and Meijer
Police in Indiana charged a man and woman after discovering roughly $200,000 in suspected stolen merchandise inside their home. Investigators say the items were tied to thefts from retailers including Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Meijer. The large recovery suggests an organized operation rather than isolated shoplifting incidents. The case highlights how repeat theft activity can quickly scale into six-figure losses.
Secret Service targets fraud technology at Fort Worth businesses
The U.S. Secret Service conducted a two-day operation in Tarrant County targeting skimming devices used to steal payment card and EBT information. Authorities say at least ten skimmers were recovered from local businesses, with each device capable of causing major financial losses if left in place. Officials also used the operation to educate retailers on how to spot tampered payment terminals. It’s another reminder that fraud prevention starts at the register.
Store operator saves customer from $22K scam
A store operator intervened after noticing suspicious behavior and helped stop a woman from losing $22,000 to an apparent scam. Reports indicate the victim was in the process of sending money when the owner recognized warning signs and stepped in. The quick action likely prevented a major financial loss. It also shows how frontline awareness can be one of the strongest defenses against fraud.
Target Is Losing Nearly $500 Million A Year To Theft: Top 15 Items
A new roundup highlights the products most frequently stolen from Target stores, with high-demand, easy-to-resell items leading the list. Categories like beauty products, electronics, baby formula, and household essentials remain common targets. The article also notes Target has cited theft as a major contributor to shrink and rising security measures. For retailers, it’s a familiar reminder that everyday products often create outsized loss exposure.
Luxury retail giants hit: Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, Canada Goose data allegedly exposed
Cybersecurity researchers report that threat actors are claiming access to data tied to major fashion brands including Lacoste and Ralph Lauren. The alleged breach appears connected to supply chain systems rather than a direct storefront hack, showing how third-party vulnerabilities can expose major retailers. Customer and employee data may be involved, though full details remain unconfirmed. The incident underscores why vendor risk has become a top cybersecurity concern.
I need a BrandAid
Phone maker sues 300 influencers over brand damage and digs in
Burger King admits the brand misses and flips the script
Anthropic takes a brand hit as trust gets dragged in
Big CPG brand power fades as private label closes in
Know What Leaves the Moment it Does
Internal theft often remains undetected until losses escalate, making proactive, technology driven prevention critical in modern retail environments. Advanced solutions like CONTROLTEK’s Enhanced Exit leverage RFID technology to deliver real-time visibility into merchandise movement, enabling instant alerts based on customizable criteria. This not only strengthens internal controls across stores and distribution centers but also helps retailers respond quickly to external threats, including organized retail crime (ORC).
By combining intelligent monitoring with dynamic alerting, such innovations empower loss prevention teams to identify risks earlier and take decisive action before losses compound.
Walmart employee found killed in parking lot after not returning from break, deputies say
A man in West Virginia is accused of shooting and killing a Walmart employee in her vehicle during her work break.
The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office said the shooting happened Monday morning in the parking lot of a Walmart.
Deputies said the victim, 40-year-old Misty Williams, was an employee at the store. She was found dead in her car by other employees who went out to check on her after she did not return from her break.
Kohl’s retail theft; suspect stole nearly $2K in jewelry
A woman is accused of stealing nearly $2,000 in jewelry from a Kohl’s store in Brookfield, Wisconsin.
Police say she concealed two gold chains valued at $1,825 in her bag before leaving the store without paying. Investigators believe she fled the area in a Buick Regal and are asking the public for help identifying her.
The case is another reminder that jewelry remains a frequent target due to its high value and easy resale potential.
AI Is Bringing a Rise in Retailer Chargebacks. It Can Reduce Them Too
AI has the capacity to delve into the complexities of the interactions – including financial dealings -- between retailers and suppliers like never before.
That could and should be a good thing, but it appears to be tipping the scale in favor of retailers when it comes to chargebacks to suppliers, according to one company that helps manage the process for suppliers to major retailers.
Join us for the Retail Crime Legal Briefing Q&A Southeast in partnership with ALTO, where we’ll get into the challenges retailers are facing and the legal strategies that matter most right now. Featuring insights from attorney Charles Bowling, Esq., and Ops Lead Counsel Simon Isham from ALTO, this session will explore the topic from multiple angles to give you a well rounded perspective.
Bring your questions and join this interactive discussion on May 7, 2026 at 2:00 pm to gain actionable insights on navigating retail crime in today’s landscape. Click the button below to register!
CCTV shows shocking in-store violence as Bunnings launches facial recognition
Bunnings has switched on facial recognition technology at two of its stores.
It marks the start of a phased nationwide rollout, with the hardware brand saying it will be used to protect staff and customers and to reduce theft by repeat offenders amid an increase in "threatening incidents".
The first two stores to use the technology were Bunnings Te Rapa and Hamilton South. The technology would eventually be rolled out nationwide.
Pokémon Cards Fuel a Global Crime Wave: Theft, Fraud, and Drug Money Laundering
Pokémon cards have triggered an international wave of armed robbery, retail fraud, and organized money laundering across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe throughout 2025 and into 2026, with more than US$500,000 in cards stolen from collectible stores in the first months of 2026 alone and a parallel criminal operation in Spain where authorities dismantled a Swedish drug network that used rare cards to launder narcotics proceeds through a Marbella-based investment portfolio.
Victoria Police dismantles alleged $10 million organized retail theft syndicate
Victoria Police has struck a major blow against organized retail theft, dismantling an alleged criminal network accused of looting major supermarkets of $10 million worth of goods.
The alleged ring, of which 31 people have now been arrested, stripped store shelves to fuel a lucrative black-market trade, police said.
The professional network allegedly then funneled stolen goods to "receivers" for profit.
Victoria Police Superintendent Matthew Baynes said the scale of theft was unprecedented.
Every year, we bring some of the best voices in retail to the stage. The content is sharp, relevant, and built for the challenges this industry is facing right now. But if you’ve been before, you already know that’s only part of the story.
What really makes APEX different happens between the sessions. It’s the side conversations that turn into real solutions, the introductions that lead to long-term partnerships, and the candid discussions you can’t have anywhere else. This is where retailers and solution providers sit down together, not to pitch, but to SOLVE.
You don’t just leave APEX with notes. You leave with new relationships, new perspectives, and a clearer path forward.
How technology is redefining retail safety and loss prevention
Retailers are adopting technology enabled security solutions to address evolving safety risks and operational challenges in stores. Enhanced surveillance, smarter access controls, and integrated data systems are improving how retail businesses protect people, inventory, and assets. With the growing importance of digital transformation, security strategies are shifting towards comprehensive, data-driven approaches within retail environments.
In today’s retail sector, security services extend beyond safeguarding goods or preventing isolated theft. Modern challenges such as organised retail crime, cyber incidents, and operational interruptions require more advanced and coordinated measures.
When Retail Risk Strikes
Retail risk incidents follow predictable operating rhythms, spiking 363 percent at store openings and peaking between 6 and 8pm., according to a new report from remote monitoring and intervention company Interface Systems.
The 2026 Retail Loss Prevention Benchmark Report includes data from 1.6M remote monitoring requests and ~54k high-priority security events across more than ~18k U.S. retail locations in 2025. Among those incidents, location theft was the top security incident type by volume (68.7%), followed by disturbances (11.2%) and loitering or panhandling (8.2%).
Retailers should match the response model to store format, the report said. “Do not assume the same intervention mix works across all retail environments. Build service coverage around actual employee-support patterns.”
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