Protesters gather at Target's Minneapolis HQ as new CEO starts first day
Activists are planning protests at Target’s corporate headquarters in Minnesota coinciding with the first day of its new CEO’s tenure, aiming to spotlight issues related to immigration enforcement and corporate responses. Demonstrators are organizing in response to broader local outrage over federal immigration raids and enforcement actions that have sparked community backlash. The protests reflect ongoing tensions between public sentiment and how major corporations engage with social and political issues affecting their customers and employees. Target has acknowledged the demonstrations but says it supports peaceful expression while focusing on its business operations and community relations.
How a business lost $78,000 due to a sophisticated fraud scheme – and why they can't get their money back
A North Austin tech firm, CTS Mobility, lost approximately $78,000 after falling victim to a sophisticated fraud scheme that exploited weaknesses in banking processes. Investigators say the scam involved deceptive transactions that tricked the company into transferring funds under false pretenses, highlighting how fraudsters are adapting to exploit financial systems. The incident has raised concerns among local businesses about similar scams and the need for stronger internal controls and vigilance. Authorities stress that companies should verify unusual payment requests and work closely with banks to detect and prevent these kinds of schemes.
Disgruntled Employees become easy targets for hackers to bypass Data Security controls
Security experts warn that hackers are increasingly targeting disgruntled or unhappy employees as entry points to bypass data security controls, recognizing that internal dissatisfaction can make individuals more susceptible to recruitment or coercion. These opportunistic attackers look for workers who may feel undervalued, overlooked, or aggrieved, sometimes luring them with promises of financial gain or other incentives. Because internal personnel already have legitimate access to systems and sensitive data, their involvement — whether malicious or negligent — can significantly increase an organization’s vulnerability to cyberattacks. The trend underscores the importance of robust insider threat programs, employee monitoring, and security awareness to protect against both external and internal security breaches.
San Francisco uncovers secret casinos, sleazy drug dens in 9 convenience stores
San Francisco officials have shut down or are moving to evict nine storefronts in the Tenderloin neighborhood that were secretly operating as illegal casinos, drug dens, and fronts for criminal activity disguised as convenience stores. The stores, some operating during restricted overnight hours, were found with gambling machines, illegal narcotics, stolen goods, and other contraband during raids conducted by law enforcement and city officials. Authorities say the crackdown stemmed from a nighttime safety ordinance aimed at reducing crime and illegal activity in the area, with plans to consider expanding the strategy to other high-risk parts of the city. These actions reflect ongoing efforts to reclaim public safety and address persistent underground criminal enterprises embedded within legitimate retail spaces.
Retailers turn to AI to crack down on rising return fraud
Retailers are increasingly using artificial intelligence technology to fight the rising tide of return fraud, which has become a costly and complex challenge for stores nationwide. AI systems can analyze patterns, detect anomalies, and predict fraudulent return behavior more effectively than traditional rule-based methods, helping retailers differentiate between legitimate returns and suspicious activity. By leveraging machine learning and real-time data insights, stores aim to reduce losses while maintaining a positive customer experience. As return fraud continues to evolve, AI is becoming a vital tool in strengthening loss prevention efforts and protecting retailer margins.
Groundhog Day Isn’t a Curse… It’s the Plan
Ryan Bauss
VP | TalkLPnews
[email protected]
Every February, the groundhog gets his moment. Cameras flash. Predictions fly. And if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, we brace for six more weeks of winter. In retail, that shadow comes in the form of another shrink report. Another data drop. Another senior executive demanding to know: “What’s the new plan?”
We don’t say this out loud, but… There is no new plan. And that’s a good thing.
Loss Prevention leaders don’t struggle because they need more dashboards, hotter heat maps, or one more “urgent” response plan. They struggle when they get baited into changing strategies before the last one had a chance to work. This is our Groundhog Day. Every day, same store, same problems. The difference? We learn. We evolve. We get sharper with every rep. That’s the gift of Groundhog Day.
Remember the movie? Bill Murray relives the same day over and over again. At first, he panics. Then he experiments. But eventually, he figures out that small, intentional changes that get executed consistently transform the outcome. If you want to change the ending, stop re-writing the beginning.
Field teams don’t need new plays every month. They need reps. Reps build instinct. Reps build momentum. Reps build results.
Credit: Groundhog Day (1993), directed by Harold Ramis, © Columbia Pictures.
But they only work when leaders stop reacting to shadows and start trusting the sunlight that comes after consistency.
When every period brings a new shrink number, it's tempting to pivot. To abandon ship. But change fatigue is real. We’ve seen what happens when loss prevention leaders get whiplash from corporate’s appetite for something new. Reports change. Priorities shift. Execution inevitably flatlines.
If you want shrink to go down, stop chasing something new each period. Reinforce what’s already working. Repetition isn't the enemy. It’s the point.
This year, don’t fight the loop. Own it. Make the plan better. Make the reps matter. Stay in the cycle on purpose. Because in loss prevention, the way out isn’t a different strategy. It’s doing the right one long enough for it to work.
What’s your take? Stick with the plan or chase the next big thing? Drop your thoughts to [email protected]
Albertsons launching tracking devices on carts, baskets at hundreds of stores
Boise-based Albertsons is rolling out technology to hundreds of its stores that will allow it to track how carts and baskets move through the store. That also appears to mean it could track individual customers and what they buy, though the company for now says it isn’t doing that.
During a podcast taped at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last month, Albertsons Companies VP of Media & Measurement touted a pilot of a new technology: a small device that is clamped to carts and baskets, allowing Albertsons to see exactly where shoppers go in its stores.
“We’re able to get some signal to get how folks… how carts and baskets are traversing the store,” Roche said.
FL man says he tossed $4K in stolen Publix meat after girlfriend found with another man
A Jacksonville man accused of stealing thousands of dollars in meat from two Publix stores in Palm Coast told detectives he threw most of it away after going to his girlfriend’s home and finding her cooking with another man, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies arrested 30-year-old Heannys O. Alvarez Reyna earlier this month after surveillance footage and investigative leads connected him to thefts at the Belle Terre Crossings Publix and the Island Walk Publix on January 5.
Detectives say Alvarez Reyna first entered the Belle Terre store around 7:43 p.m., where he removed $1,574.86 worth of beef and lamb from the shelves before walking out without paying.
Employee arrested on suspicion of sexual assault at California mall store
A man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of sexually assaulting a customer at MainPlace Mall in Santa Ana earlier this month, police said.
Around 9 p.m. on Jan. 15, a 44-year-old woman reported she had been sexually assaulted earlier that day at the mall, according to the Santa Ana Police Department. She told officers she had visited Bee & Co., a store inside the mall, where she purchased facial cream and was offered a complimentary facial.
The woman said she was introduced to a male employee and taken to a back room for a facial and massage. During the service, the employee allegedly sexually assaulted her, police said.
Eddie Foley Expands Role at Tractor Supply Company
Eddie Foley has stepped into an expanded leadership role at Tractor Supply Company as Vice President, Asset Protection, Licensing & Compliance. A longtime industry veteran, Eddie has spent more than two decades with Tractor Supply, most recently serving as Vice President of Loss Prevention, where he helped shape the company’s modern LP strategy and investigative operations. His new responsibilities broaden his impact across compliance and licensing while continuing to strengthen enterprise asset protection.
Congratulations to Eddie on the expanded role and continued leadership at Tractor Supply.
Jamie Van Dusen Promoted to Senior Director at Macy’s
Jamie Van Dusen
Sr. Director, AP Operations
Macy’s
Join us in congratulating Jamie Van Dusen on his promotion to Senior Director, Asset Protection Operations at Macy’s!
Jamie shared the news this month, noting his excitement to step into this new role after leading AP training and compliance efforts nationwide. With more than two decades of experience spanning investigations, operations, and program leadership, Jamie brings a strategic mindset and deep industry knowledge to the table.
From the sales floor to senior leadership, Jamie has consistently built programs that protect people, product, and brand.
Gatekeeper Systems Launches FaceFirst Touch
Next-Generation Mobile App for Enhanced Facial Recognition Management
Fully Redesigned Mobile Experience Delivers Advanced Features, Streamlined Interface, and Mobile Access to Top NIST-Ranked Facial Recognition Technology.
Foothill Ranch, CA – February 4, 2026 Gatekeeper Systems, a global leader in intelligent loss prevention solutions, today announced the launch of FaceFirst Touch™, a redesigned mobile application that transforms how security teams and other users interact with the industry-leading FaceFirst® facial recognition platform.
Available now in the Google Play Store for Android and Apple App Store for iOS devices, FaceFirst Touch™ is compatible with FaceFirst v8.3 and above. It introduces significant enhancements designed to streamline security operations and boost team productivity.
Expanding upon the proven FaceFirst platform that’s now enhanced with ROC's top NIST-ranked facial recognition technology, the new FaceFirst Touch app delivers enhanced accuracy and performance through an intuitive mobile interface. The app addresses the most requested features from users and provides a modern experience that simplifies critical security workflows. Key capabilities include:
Mobile Approval of Pending Enrollments: Supervisors and administrators can now review and approve enrollments directly from their mobile devices, enabling faster response times and improved operational efficiency
Enhanced Visual Verification: Larger face images help users verify matches more quickly and accurately in the field
Advanced Filtering and Sorting: Users can filter enrollments to view pending, enabled, disabled, or rejected entries, and sort by enrollment group, date range, or location for better visibility
Simplified Setup: Streamlined configuration reduces the number of settings required, with core server setup available via internal QR code from the web app About screen
Modern Interface: Redesigned user experience with fewer buttons and fewer taps to complete common tasks
"FaceFirst Touch represents the evolution of mobile loss prevention," said Michael Wiley, VP of Product Management at Gatekeeper Systems. "We've taken an industry leading product and made it more accessible and efficient for loss prevention teams. This mobile experience empowers responders with faster verification, streamlined approvals, and the confidence that comes from NIST-ranked technology, all from the palm of their hand."
FaceFirst Touch is available for download by searching “FaceFirst Touch” in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. The application is compatible with FaceFirst version 8.3 and above.
Security guard shoots man after being fired upon outside bar in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood
Police in Detroit say they're investigating an early Saturday shooting that involved a security guard injuring a man who fired at them outside a bar in the city's Corktown neighborhood.
The man arrived at the bar on the 2100 block of Trumbull Avenue around 1:17 a.m. and became involved in an altercation with the security guard, police said. The man "produced a gun" and fired shots at security outside the business.
According to officials, the security guard then returned fire, striking the man. He was taken to the hospital.
Successful AI in retail only works when operations change with it
For many retailers, artificial intelligence has reached an inflection point, not because the technology has suddenly matured, but because expectations have. After years of pilots, dashboards, and experimentation, supply chain leaders are increasingly asking a harder question: What business outcome does this actually change?
According to Andrea Morgan‑Vandome, SVP and chief innovation officer at Blue Yonder, that shift in mindset is the single biggest determinant of whether AI delivers value or simply produces more noise.
Clark: Technology trends driving new risks in cargo theft and freight security
Digital technology has transformed logistics, giving shippers and carriers unprecedented speed, efficiency, and visibility into cargo movements. But that same technology has created new vulnerabilities. A 2025 cargo theft report from the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) reveals just how costly those vulnerabilities have become: Cargo theft now costs the industry as much as $6.6 billion annually, more than $18 million every day.
What once required physical access now often takes nothing more than a laptop, stolen credentials, and clever deception.
Footwear retail comes with its own set of LP challenges, and this session is all about talking through them openly. Join Amber Bradley and footwear industry peers for an informal, peer-driven discussion focused on the realities loss prevention teams are facing on the ground.
Bring a topic, compare notes, and walk away with practical insight from people who live the same environment every day.
Save your seat now! Register HERE to join the conversation.
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
Your content is solid. Your expertise is real. So why aren't you making the impact you should when you speak?
Executive presence isn't a mysterious "it factor"—it's seven specific skills you can learn and practice.
Join us for a practical masterclass on creating the presence that gets you heard, remembered, and taken seriously in any speaking situation.
The Importance of Door Hardware Maintenance
Door hardware might not be the first thing on your loss prevention checklist, but it’s one of the most important. This Detex article breaks down why regular door hardware maintenance isn’t just a facilities task — it’s a critical component of security effectiveness. Worn or poorly aligned hardware can compromise electronic access systems, increase vulnerability to forced entry, and reduce the reliability of your alarms and monitoring. By staying on top of inspections, lubrication, and timely repairs, you keep both people and property better protected. If you’re tightening up your physical security this year, this piece is a must-read.
Inspector general outlines ‘significant challenges’ facing OSHA and MSHA
OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration both face “significant challenges” in ensuring workers’ safety and health, according to a report from the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
In its annual U.S. Department of Labor’s Top Management and Performance Challenges report, published Jan. 29, OIG says the challenges are particularly acute for high-risk industries such as mining, health care, agriculture, construction, meatpacking, fishing, forestry and manufacturing.
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.
