Amazon To Fire 16,000 People Globally, Replace Them With AI
Amazon announced it will cut about 16,000 corporate jobs worldwide as part of its latest round of workforce reductions, marking one of the largest layoffs the company has undertaken in recent years. The company said the cuts are driven in part by its increased reliance on generative artificial intelligence to streamline operations, along with broader efforts to reduce bureaucracy and “remove layers.” These layoffs follow an earlier round of job cuts in late 2025 and impact roles across multiple business units, although Amazon has not specified which teams will be affected. Despite the job losses, the company reported strong financial results, with robust revenue growth and continued investment in strategic areas, highlighting a broader trend of tech companies using AI to reshape their workforce.
Gov pardons ex-Fairfax officer in fatal shooting of shoplifting suspect
Just days before leaving office, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin issued a full pardon to former Fairfax County police sergeant Wesley Shifflett, who had been convicted for reckless handling of a firearm in the 2023 fatal shooting of an unarmed man suspected of stealing sunglasses at a mall. Shifflett’s conviction, which came after a jury found he recklessly used his weapon during the encounter, had previously led to a three-year prison sentence that was mostly commuted. Youngkin justified the pardon by citing a review that deemed the officer’s use of force “objectively reasonable,” effectively overturning the jury’s verdict and reigniting debate about standards for police use of deadly force. The decision has drawn criticism from Johnson’s family and sparked broader discussions about accountability and legal protections for law enforcement officers.
Seattle 12-year-old charged with second-degree robbery in attack outside grocery store
A 12-year-old juvenile has been charged with second-degree robbery following an attack at a Seattle grocery store, where police say the youth assaulted a worker during a theft incident. The incident occurred outside an Amazon Fresh location, drawing attention from local law enforcement amid concerns about youth involvement in violent retail crimes. Seattle police are coordinating with prosecutors on the case, which will be heard in juvenile court given the age of the suspect. The charge underscores ongoing challenges departments face when addressing robbery and aggressive theft behaviors involving minors in retail environments.
Joker-masked thief sentenced for 10-year crime spree in 7 counties
A man known as the “Joker” masked thief has been sentenced following a decade-long crime spree that spanned seven counties, involving numerous thefts and other offenses. Law enforcement described the suspect’s pattern of criminal behavior as brazen, often involving disguise and repeated targeting of businesses across multiple jurisdictions. Authorities pursued the case over many years, culminating in a multi-county investigation that ultimately led to his capture and prosecution. The sentencing brings closure to a long-running series of retail and related crimes that had frustrated both businesses and police efforts to curb the suspect’s activities.
Woman punched after confronting shoplifting suspect in Longwood
A 68-year-old woman was assaulted in Longwood, Florida, after confronting an alleged shoplifter inside a beauty supply store. Police say the victim noticed a suspect placing unpaid items into her clothing and politely asked her to return the merchandise. In response, the alleged shoplifter punched the woman in the face, pulled her hair, and fled the store on foot, leaving the victim with injuries that were treated at the scene. Authorities are now seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the suspect as part of the ongoing investigation into the assault tied to retail theft.
2 Women Arrested For $15K iPhone Thefts At Wayne Mall, Police Say
Two women have been arrested for their role in a shoplifting scheme at Willowbrook Wall in Wayne, police said.
On two occasions in January, Wayne police were called to Willowbrook for shoplifting incidents in the mall’s Apple Store.
According to police, a total of $15,000 in merchandise was stolen from the store in the two incidents.
Investigators determined that the same people were responsible for each incident.
Three charged after thousands stolen from East TN beauty stores
Officers with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office said they found more than $18,000 in merchandise stolen from beauty stores as part of what they claim might be organized retail crime, court records said.
Sariel Maqueira, Yilianne Casero, and Yoandys Diaz are charged under the organized retail crime prevention act, court records stated. Maqueira and Diaz are charged with allegedly being fugitives from justice, while Casero faces theft of merchandise charges. Casero and Diaz are being held for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, court records said.
4 arrested for alleged roles in theft scheme targeting Littleton Home Depot
Littleton police arrested four people Tuesday in connection with an organized retail crime ring involving thefts from Home Depot.
According to police, the thefts occurred between November and December 2025.
Advertisement Investigators said the group conspired to steal merchandise worth thousands of dollars.
The scheme was discovered and reported by Home Depot asset protection specialists.
All four suspects have been released on personal recognizance bail and are scheduled to be arraigned in April at Littleton District Court.
Melanie Millaway Named Senior Director of Asset Protection, Investigations & Security at PetSmart
Melanie Millaway has stepped into the role of Senior Director, Asset Protection, Investigations & Security at PetSmart, continuing a nearly two-decade career with the company. In her expanded role, Melanie leads enterprise investigations, security, and intelligence strategies across both stores and eCommerce, with a strong focus on mitigating theft, fraud, and high-risk incidents. She is known for building data-driven asset protection frameworks, strengthening front-end loss controls, and advancing strategies to address both physical and digital threats.
Melanie works closely with HR, Legal, Digital, and executive leadership to reduce risk, improve resilience, and protect PetSmart’s people, assets, and brand. Connect with Melanie on LinkedIn HERE.
Amazon closing its Amazon Fresh grocery and cashierless Go stores
Amazon said on Tuesday that it is closing its Fresh grocery and cashierless Go convenience stores as the online retailer backtracks on its foray into brick-and-mortar retail.
Amazon said some physical store locations will be converted into Whole Foods Market stores. Amazon Fresh will continue to exist as an online brand, the company said.
"While we've seen encouraging signals in our Amazon-branded physical grocery stores, we haven't yet created a truly distinctive customer experience with the right economic model needed for large-scale expansion," the company said.
Assistant principal at Georgia elementary school accused of stealing from Walmart nearly 100 times
The assistant principal at an elementary school in Cherokee County is on leave after being accused of nearly 100 thefts.
Courtney Shaw, 47, is the assistant principal at Free Home Elementary School, according to the school’s website.
An incident report filed by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and obtained by Channel 2 Action News accuses Shaw of stealing from Walmart 98 times in just two months.
The report says that between Nov. 2 and Dec. 31, Shaw stole $943.97 worth of merchandise from the Bells Ferry Road store.
Man arrested in Hudson in connection with New York organized retail theft group
A man in Hudson has been arrested and charged in connection to the organized theft of over-the-counter medication.
Almost 500 items of over-the-counter medication were seized from a vehicle rented by Yasin Shearin, 28, investigators said.
Advertisement Police said their investigation connected Shearin to an organized crime group based in Staten Island, New York, that focuses on over-the-counter medicine from southern New Hampshire.
Shearin was flagged by Walmart security Dec. 17 in Hudson, where police took him into custody.
Last Chance to Nerd OUT About RFID… Register Before It’s Too Late!
Let's be honest: retailers are drowning in data but starving for answers. You've got RFID reads. Video footage. EAS alarms. Traffic counts. POS transactions. Device analytics. And somehow, none of it talks to each other.
So when shrink happens, you're still piecing together the story like a detective with half the clues missing.
Here's the good news: multi-sensor intelligence is changing the game.
Instead of more dashboards and more tools that don't integrate, we're finally seeing what happens when RFID, computer vision, lidar, EAS, and AI actually work together—in real time, with one operational view that LP, ops, and merchandising can all trust.
In this webinar, Amber is sitting down with Tom Meehan from CONTROLTEK and Randy Dunn from Zebra Technologies—two companies with one of the strongest partnerships in the space—to nerd out about how sensor fusion is moving from buzzword to business impact. We're talking real use cases. Real results. And real talk about how retailers can stop managing chaos and start making decisions with clarity.
If you're tired of hearing "we need a single pane of glass" without actually getting one—or if you're trying to figure out how to turn all that tech investment into something your teams can actually use—this one's for you.
We're keeping it real on the unscripted side of LP.
The Hidden Security Risk: What You Need to Know About Tailgating
Tailgating, also known as piggybacking, is a common yet often overlooked security risk. It happens when an unauthorized individual gains access to a secured area by following closely behind an authorized person. While it can be as harmless as holding the door open for someone to be polite, it can also be as dangerous as an intruder exploiting this courtesy to breach your facility.
Even a single instance of unauthorized access can put your business, employees, and sensitive information at risk. Whether it’s a malicious actor entering to commit theft or an unvetted individual compromising private data, the consequences of tailgating can be severe.
Police release video of Dollar General shooting suspect
Police released a video of a suspect wanted in connection with a shooting at Dollar General.
The shooting happened at the store on 412 N. Washington. One victim was injured.
According to a preliminary incident report from the FCPD, officers found the victim in his vehicle, bleeding from gunshot wounds to his upper abdomen and lower back.
The victim told police he did not know who the shooter was, according to the report.
Officers reviewed the security footage of the store and saw the suspect enter wearing a black and gray coat, khaki pants, and black water boots that stopped below the knee, the report said.
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.
