Loss Prevention

LP Meets LEED

Ways to go ‘green’ without giving thieves the green light

From Sep 2010 | By David P. Schulz | Tags: Loss Prevention, Sustainability

Green Issues

David P. Schulz

Ways to go ‘green’ without giving thieves the green light

It may not be easy being green, but it sure is popular — particularly with encouragement from the federal government.

Both Sears and J.C. Penney have stores that are among the 14 finalists in the National Building Competition being conducted by EPA – in the mid-point standings released in July, the Glen Burnie, Md., Sears store was in second place, having reduced its energy use by 18 percent. The winner is scheduled to be announced October 26.

Fresh Approaches

Retailers increasingly turn to technology to gain visibility into a fragile food supply chain

From Jul 2010 | By Deena M. Amato-Mccoy | Tags: Loss Prevention, Loss Prevention

Food Safety

Deena M. Amato-Mccoy

Retailers increasingly turn to technology to gain visibility into a fragile food supply chain

Fresh scandals involving food safety seem to emerge on a monthly basis. Whether caused by kinks in the supply chain, natural (or man-made) disasters or a simple lack of checks and balances, food safety practices are being tested at every turn.

But there is hope. In addition to supporting proposed legislation intended to protect the food chain, grocers are deploying technologies like notification systems and collaboration tools to fight food contamination.

Preventing Shoes From Dropping

When it comes to PCI compliance, Bakers Footwear prefers playing offense

From Jul 2010 | By M.V. Greene | Tags: Loss Prevention, Loss Prevention

Risk Management

M.V. Greene

When it comes to PCI compliance, Bakers Footwear prefers playing offense

For many mid-market retailers, PCI compliance is the elephant in the room. The standard applies to organizations that process cardholder data, and organizations at varying levels of transactions must show they are in compliance annually. Those that aren’t risk fines and losing the opportunity to process credit card payments with banks and card companies like MasterCard and Visa.

Response Toolkit

Drill Power

From Jun 2010 | By Liz Parks | Tags: Loss Prevention, Loss Prevention

Disaster Preparedness

Liz Parks

Drill Power

NRF and the Department of Homeland Security have created free resources that retailers can use to build a “How to Respond to Active Shooters” program.

Available at www.dhs.gov or www.nrf.com, the tools eliminate “the heavy lifting of creating retail-based emergency response programs,” says Todd Keil, DHS’s assistant secretary for infrastructure protection. “This way retailers, mall owners, etc., don’t have to start from scratch.”

Gateway to Solutions

Welcome to STORES’ preview of the NRF Loss Prevention Conference & Expo, being held June 14-16 at Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center.

From Jun 2010 | By D. Gail Fleenor | Tags: Loss Prevention, Loss Prevention

Conference Preview

D. Gail Fleenor

Welcome to STORES’ preview of the NRF Loss Prevention Conference & Expo, being held June 14-16 at Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center.

At NRF, we constantly strive to stay ahead of the curve, and my team and I are focused more than ever on bringing added value to the industry and your organization. Our recently-announced partnership with eBay to fight organized retail crime (see "A Bid For Cooperation" in this issue) perfectly illustrates that approach, and we’ve applied that vision to our conferences, as well.

Drill Power

On active shooter preparation, Mall of America practices what it preaches

From Jun 2010 | By Liz Parks | Tags: Loss Prevention, Loss Prevention

Disaster Preparedness

Liz Parks

On active shooter preparation, Mall of America practices what it preaches

On March 30, a woman who had been fired from a Publix supermarket in Tarpon Springs, Fla., for threatening to kill a co-worker returned to the store with a 9mm handgun. She shot and killed the co-worker in the store’s parking lot and then entered the supermarket — looking, according to police, for others to shoot.

Police patrolling near the scene responded immediately and the woman was shot before she could fire again. Another officer was slightly wounded in the incident; no one else was injured.

A Bid for Cooperation

NRF, eBay forge alliance to battle ORC

From Jun 2010 | By Sandy Smith | Tags: Loss Prevention, Loss Prevention

Fraud Prevention

Sandy Smith

NRF, eBay forge alliance to battle ORC

Retail loss prevention professionals have been fighting on two fronts for much of the last decade — with store thieves, and with online auction sites that made selling purloined goods easier.

Ken Amos, divisional vice president of loss prevention for Walgreens, recalls a meeting held several years ago to discuss how LP professionals could work with online auction giant eBay. “It was a very contentious environment, very confrontational,” he says. “Neither side was willing to compromise.”

Establish Ownership, Build a Case

Product information database helps task force take down ORC ring

From May 2010 | By David P. Schulz | Tags: Loss Prevention, Loss Prevention

Q&A

David P. Schulz

Product information database helps task force take down ORC ring

Det. Sean Smith of the Sacramento (Calif.) Sheriff’s Department is assigned to the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force. The unit, with representatives from more than 40 law enforcement agencies, frequently investigates identity theft cases.

Out of the Ashes

Houston retailer finds that determination is the greatest business continuity plan

From May 2010 | By Liz Parks | Tags: Loss Prevention, Loss Prevention

Business Continuity

Liz Parks

Houston retailer finds that determination is the greatest business continuity plan

It took hundreds of firemen from 31 companies three hours to extinguish the inferno that claimed the 60,000-sq.-ft. Gallery Furniture warehouse, and its owners less than a day to get the business up and running again.

The high-cube warehouse, located along Interstate 45 in Houston, held approximately $15 million in merchandise when the fire broke out on May 21, 2009. Three attached showrooms at the front of the complex sustained water and smoke damage, but were salvageable.

Clearly Effective

Houston pharmacy sees theft deterrence capabilities of FlashFog

From May 2010 | By Liz Parks | Tags: Loss Prevention, Loss Prevention

Security

Liz Parks

Houston pharmacy sees theft deterrence capabilities of FlashFog

Two years ago, Kelly Selby was on the scene of the latest early morning robbery at his pharmacy. Because the Community Pharmacy in Denton, Texas, is located at the rear of a medical building, it is particularly vulnerable to off-hours break-ins.

Once inside the store, Selby received a shock: The thieves had wheeled a dumpster into the pharmacy — one big enough to hold just about all the medications and all the products on the front-end shelves.