Man arrested in alleged armed kidnapping attempt of store clerk in Tuscaloosa County
A man in Tuscaloosa County was arrested after allegedly attempting to kidnap a store clerk at gunpoint. The suspect, Christopher Herring, asked the clerk for a cigarette before grabbing her and trying to force her into his car. The clerk managed to escape and call authorities, leading to Herring's arrest. He has been charged with second-degree kidnapping and is being held in the Tuscaloosa County Jail.
WVTM

Nearly $1M in stolen goods found amid probe of Miami-based organized theft ring
Miami police uncovered nearly $1 million in stolen goods during an investigation into an organized theft ring. The group targeted retail stores and warehouses, stealing items like cell phones, clothing, and tobacco products. A search warrant led to the recovery of the stolen merchandise and the arrest of one suspect, with more arrests expected. Authorities are urging the public to provide information about the suspects involved.
NBC Miami

Woman lost her arm during chase with Cobb officers over shoplifting. Now she’s suing
A woman in Cobb County, Georgia, is suing after losing part of her arm during a police chase related to shoplifting. Terri Ball claims she was an innocent passenger when officers used a PIT maneuver, causing the car to crash and eject her. She suffered severe injuries, including fractures and an amputation, and alleges the officers acted recklessly. The lawsuit seeks compensation for her injuries, medical bills, and other damages.
WSB-TV

Kroger robbery suspect punched, ‘maced’ CPD officer, store security guard
A robbery suspect at a Kroger in Cincinnati assaulted a police officer and a security guard while being apprehended. James Wooten, the suspect, stole $112 worth of goods and used mace and physical force to resist arrest. He faces multiple charges, including felonious assault, robbery, and resisting arrest. Both the officer and the security guard are expected to recover from their injuries.
FOX 19

2 victims in Walmart active shooter incident, suspect in custody
A shooting at a Walmart in Evergreen Park, Illinois, left at least two people injured and caused chaos as shoppers fled the scene. The incident prompted a massive police response, with the store evacuated and the area secured. Local schools were placed on lockdown as a precaution, and the investigation is ongoing. The shooting has raised concerns about public safety in retail spaces and the need for enhanced security measures.
CBS News

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Video shows group running from Lululemon with armfuls of merchandise on Boston's Newbury Street

CBS News

Chinese national charged with St. Matthews Kroger gift card fraud scheme to be deported

A judge has decided a Chinese national charged with taking part in a gift card tampering scheme in Louisville will soon be deported.

A Jefferson County grand jury had previously indicted Tianlong Chen and four other men for operating a criminal syndicate and attempting to steal $1 million.

The recommended sentence for Chen was between zero to six months in prison, but because he had been in custody for almost a year already, the judge sentenced him to time served, and instead, he’ll be sent back to ICE custody and deported to China in 15 to 30 days.

WAVE

Despite widespread interest, only 3 states passed license plate reader laws this year

ISJ

From Surveillance to Strategy: Unlocking Retail Intelligence with Video 

Video surveillance is a treasure trove of data; however, most of that valuable intelligence goes unused. With the addition of AI-based video analytics, retail businesses can uncover new insights from their video security systems, transforming the processes their organization uses across departments, including optimizations for loss prevention, operations, marketing, and security teams.

Hear from Ocean State Job Lot and OpenEye as we discuss:

• How to transform your retail business’ video security from reactive to proactive.
• The various benefits of AI-based video analytics for different teams.
• Ocean State Job Lot’s experience using video analytics to improve their business’ operations.

‘It's not worth it': Surveillance shows thieves breaking into Fort Lauderdale smoke shop

Surveillance cameras captured thieves smashing through the front door of a smoke shop in Fort Lauderdale and stealing hundreds of dollars’ worth of product.

On early Monday morning, someone threw a rock through the front door glass, and the alarm went off, said Lexie, an employee at Snoopy's Smoke Shop.

Seconds later, someone puts their hand through the shattered glass, unlocks the door, and three people walk inside. One of them is heard saying, "There’s an alarm."

NBC Miami

New Report Illustrates How Credit Card Companies Weaken Security and Payment Competition

Today, the Secure Payments Partnership – a coalition of payment stakeholders in which NGA is a founding member of – released a report conducted by Retail Payments Global Consulting which highlights a major flaw in the card payments industry.

Entitled Payment Insecurity: How Visa and MasterCard use Standard-Setting to Restrict Competition and Thwart Payment Innovation, the report focuses on EMVCo, a consortium of credit card company reps, and how this body serves as a de facto standard setting organization throughout the card payment industry. Instead of bringing forth standards to increase card security and foster innovation.

NGA

Fighting Strategic Cargo Theft: Risk Management for Rising Claims Disputes and Liability Challenges

Strategic cargo theft—fraudulent schemes where criminals pose as legitimate carriers or brokers to gain possession of freight—has surged across the U.S. freight market.

Since the first quarter of 2021, strategic cargo theft has risen more than 1500 percent, with the average loss per shipment now exceeding $200,000.

Although this creates mounting challenges for shippers, carriers, brokers, and their insurers, the right safeguards in contracts and protocols can help minimize the risk of a catastrophic uninsured loss.

JDSupra

2025 Retail Returns Landscape

The NRF's 2025 Retail Returns Landscape report highlights that total retail returns are projected to reach $849.9 billion, with 19.3% of online sales expected to be returned.

Free returns are a key factor for 82% of consumers when shopping online, but return fraud remains a significant issue, accounting for 9% of all returns. Additionally, 45% of shoppers believe it's acceptable to "bend the rules" when returning items, reflecting evolving consumer attitudes toward the returns process.

NRF

The overlooked driver of injuries, expenses, and frustration — and the innovation redefining cart retrieval

A retail parking lot with shopping carts tucked away neatly in cart corals night seem like no big deal. But each day, retail workers battle these wheeled herds with a forceful combination of awkward body movements.

Manual cart retrieval requires a serious dose of pushing, pulling, and twisting. Many LP and safety leaders might dismiss shopping cart retrieval as routine, but it’s the cause of some of the most common, and dangerous, injuries in retail.

Brought to you by Gatekeeper Systems

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