Costco employee shot, killed after confronting shopper carrying gun with drum magazine
A Costco employee was fatally shot after confronting a shopper reportedly carrying a firearm with a drum magazine. Authorities say the situation escalated quickly, resulting in gunfire and a major law enforcement response. Investigators are working to determine what led to the confrontation and whether policies were followed. The incident underscores the growing risk frontline retail employees face when dealing with potentially dangerous situations.
3 suspects face 1st-degree felony charges in multi-million-dollar gift card theft ring: Officials
Three suspects are facing first-degree felony charges in connection with a large-scale gift card theft ring. Investigators say the group used coordinated tactics to tamper with or steal gift cards, leading to significant financial losses. Authorities allege the operation spanned multiple locations and involved organized methods to access and drain funds. The case highlights the continued vulnerability of gift cards as a target for retail fraud.
CHP seizes over $600,000 in stolen Home Depot tools in Southern California
Law enforcement in Southern California recovered a large amount of stolen tools linked to thefts from Home Depot stores. Investigators say the merchandise was part of a broader retail theft operation targeting high-demand items. Several suspects were identified as part of the case, and authorities are continuing to trace where the stolen goods were being sold. The recovery effort shows the importance of tracking resale channels in organized retail crime investigations.
Kyle police arrest Houston men accused of retail fraud in TV serial number scheme
Two Houston men have been accused of carrying out a retail fraud scheme involving manipulated TV serial numbers. Authorities say the suspects altered or swapped identifiers to return or exchange items fraudulently. The scheme allegedly allowed them to obtain merchandise or refunds without legitimate purchases. The case reflects how increasingly technical methods are being used to exploit retail systems.
$250K in stolen goods recovered from organized retail theft ring in Union County
Authorities in North Carolina say they recovered approximately $250,000 in stolen merchandise tied to an organized retail theft ring. Investigators believe the group targeted multiple retailers and used coordinated efforts to move stolen goods through resale channels. Several individuals have been arrested as part of the investigation. The case highlights the scale and organization behind modern retail theft operations.
Full Transparency
Target forced to hand out $1,711 checks from $2.2M ‘transparency’ settlement
How transparent are digital price tags down your grocery aisle?
Restaurant Goes Viral for Its See-Through Pork Slices
How influencer-led retail marketing promotes authenticity and transparency
Your First 5 Prompts gives you a fast, practical way to start using AI in your Loss Prevention role. Let’s face it — AI is everywhere, and the sooner you learn how to use it, the more valuable and efficient you become. These simple, high-impact prompts will help you save time, work smarter, and get comfortable using AI for everyday LP tasks. Download the Cheat Sheet today and get ahead in your career.
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Choosing the right hardware is an essential part of building an RFID system that meets the unique challenges of your business. CONTROLTEK's versatile range of RFID tags, labels and readers includes many options for different applications, from logistics and supply chain management to asset tracking and retail inventory management.
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$55B in Losses: The High Cost of Disconnected Security
Retail theft isn't just a shoplifting problem anymore; it's an intelligence problem. With industry losses projected to hit $55 billion by 2028, the biggest threat to your bottom line might be the very tools meant to protect it. When video surveillance and access control live in separate silos, you aren't seeing the whole story—and professional ORC crews are counting on that.
Fragmented systems create blind spots that are easy to exploit and impossible to manage at scale. Without a unified view of your security posture across every door and every camera, you lack the context needed to uncover gaps, identify patterns, or stop repeat offenders. Find out how enterprise retail teams are addressing these challenges head-on with a centralized, cloud-native security platform.
Woman accused of faking her own death to avoid drunken driving, shoplifting charges
A Massachusetts woman is accused of faking her own death to avoid drunken driving and shoplifting charges, prosecutors said.
Shannon Wilson, 44, repeatedly failed to appear in court and, when she did, claimed she had cancer and only months to live, according to prosecutors.
“She lied directly to numerous judges. She lied to counsel. She lied to her ex-fiancé,” said Alexander Zane, assistant district attorney.
Prosecutors said Wilson went as far as producing a forged death certificate to have the charges dismissed.
“This is somebody that is clearly a flight risk, that will do just about — she’ll do anything to get out of a charge, including faking her own death,” Zane said.
Man charged after $2K shoplifting incident turns into police pursuit in Clinton Township
Jaelon Jones, 25, of Clinton Township, has been arraigned on multiple felony charges after officials say a shoplifting incident at a Meijer escalated into a police chase and crash.
Peter J. Lucido said 25-year-old Jaelon Jones was arraigned Wednesday in 41B District Court on charges including third-degree fleeing and eluding a police officer and first-degree retail fraud.
Prosecutors allege that on March 28, Jones entered a Meijer store and selected nearly $2,000 worth of merchandise before leaving without paying.
Authorities say he then fled in a vehicle when a marked patrol unit attempted a traffic stop with lights and sirens activated.
New Chicago legislation aims to protect domestic violence survivors in the workplace
A video released by FOX 32 Chicago shows a chaotic retail-related incident that has drawn attention from law enforcement.
The footage captures a tense situation unfolding inside or near a store, prompting a police response and ongoing investigation.
Authorities are reviewing the video to determine what led up to the incident and whether any charges will be filed. The case highlights how quickly retail environments can escalate and how video evidence is increasingly central to investigations.
Incidents like this continue to raise concerns about safety for both employees and customers in everyday retail settings.
APEX is filling up fast, and this is one you don’t want to miss. From September 27–30 in Nashville, asset protection leaders will come together for unmatched networking, candid conversations, and the original Xchange format built around one-on-one executive discussions. Seats are limited so once it’s full, it’s full. If you’ve been on the fence, now’s the time to lock it in and be part of the conversations shaping what’s next in AP.
Seth Hughes Joins Nordstrom
Seth Hughes has joined Nordstrom as Director of Internal Investigations, bringing deep expertise in retail security, risk, and asset protection strategy. In this role, he will lead internal investigations, threat assessment, and workplace violence prevention efforts for one of retail’s most recognized brands.
Hughes most recently served as Vice President of Retail Strategy & Innovation at Axon, where he helped shape next-generation retail protection solutions and industry partnerships.
Prior to that, he held senior leadership roles at REI and Walgreens, building a track record across enterprise asset protection, fraud, analytics, and risk management.
Known for his thoughtful leadership and industry influence, Hughes’ move to Nordstrom adds another seasoned voice to the retailer’s ongoing focus on safety, culture, and operational integrity.
How Many Loss Risks Are You Missing in Your Store?
Shrink doesn’t always look like theft. It happens in small, unnoticed moments — at self-checkout, in aisles, and at the till.This quick checklist reveals what you’re monitoring… and what’s slipping through.
Pull Loss Prevention Out of the Shadows, Offer a Seat at the Table
When bad actors take advantage of retailers, abusing a returns policy or conspiring with an associate to steal from the register, they might be tempted to look the other way. Culturally, the organization doesn’t want to think a consumer could be sneaky — someone capable of wearing a dress to prom with the intention of returning it later. They also don’t want to think their own associates would abuse a discount policy.
Retailers know these things happen. They have asset protection (AP) and loss prevention (LP) teams in place for a reason, but they’re often kept in the shadows. Out of sight, out of mind.
AI-Powered Fraud Now Hides Inside Legitimate Transactions
E-commerce is entering a new phase of fraud, where transactions that appear legitimate — valid accounts, correct details, even routine behavior — can mask coordinated attacks powered by synthetic identities and AI.
From account takeovers (ATOs) to loyalty abuse, fraud now targets identity rather than the point of sale, warned Dany Naigeboren, senior director of risk at fraud prevention company Forter.
Fraud is no longer breaking into systems — it’s operating inside them.
These attacks are becoming easier to execute, allowing smaller actors to operate with capabilities once limited to organized fraud rings.
Billions lost to scams: FTC data shows social media the biggest threat to your money
Americans lost billions of dollars to scammers last year, and investigators say the biggest danger isn’t coming from phone calls or emails anymore. The largest threats are on social media.
New data from the Federal Trade Commission shows nearly 30 percent of scam victims in 2025 said their experience started on social media. Total losses? $2.1 billion.
That’s an eightfold increase since 2020, highlighting just how quickly these scams are growing.
The FTC says reporting scams not only helps investigators track patterns, but could help prevent others from becoming victims.
Modern retail security is about more than cameras.
Top retailers are using their physical security solutions to:
Leverage video and cloud for insights
Reduce shrink across stores
Improve customer experience with data
Download the white paper and learn how you can too.
Merchants losing revenue as fraud systems misclassify AI shopping agents as malicious bots
Card disputes vendor Chargebacks911, says hat the diconnect between AI shopping agents and fraud detection systems is creating a significant and largely overlooked risk for merchants, triggering false declines and revenue loss at scale.
The warning comes as agentic commerce, in which AI systems autonomously search, compare, and complete purchases on behalf of consumers, moves rapidly from concept to commercial reality. Visa and Mastercard are already piloting agent-initiated transactions with major banking partners, and platforms including Perplexity, Walmart, and Amazon are enabling AI agents to transact directly on consumers' behalf.
ATA Joins Coalition Pressing DOJ to Crack Down on Cargo Theft
The American Trucking Associations joined a broad coalition of freight, retail, and manufacturing stakeholders to pressure the U.S. Department of Justice to implement congressionally mandated measures to counter a sharp rise in cargo theft and organized retail crime.
Cargo theft is becoming increasingly prevalent and high-tech, costing the trucking industry over $18 million per day. In response, Congress passed an appropriations bill in January with a provision championed by ATA that directed DOJ to begin the process of establishing a unified, federal response to cargo theft; however, the Department has already missed the first deadline set by the new law.
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