Subway employee killed while protecting his mother during armed robbery
An 18-year old Subway employee was shot and killed in Houston, Texas, while trying to protect his mother Wednesday night during an armed robbery.
Two men showed up around 9 PM, closing time, demanding money. When one of the men pointed a gun at the victim’s mother, the teen stepped in front of her and was subsequently shot in the neck and later died. The gunmen ran out after the shooting occurred, without any money, and were last seen driving a tan or gold colored sedan. The teen worked at the restaurant with his mother and they were getting ready to close for the night when the incident occurred.
Investigators said the two men were described as young black men wearing hoodies and dark pants. One is about 18-to-20 while the other is younger, possibly in his mid-to-late teens. Police said the two suspects may be linked to another Subway restaurant robbery that happened after the shooting. The mother of the young man was the only witness, but they are also looking at video surveillance from the restaurant. Anyone with any information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 713-222-TIPS. [For more: Houston Patch]
The American Greed Report: Organized Retail Crime
These are busy times in the shoplifting industry. Yes, we said industry. What used to be thought of as petty theft is now a $30 billion a year business that retailers and law enforcement call “organized retail crime.” It features roving bands of shoplifters, midlevel operatives who fence the stolen goods, and bosses who control the enterprise. “It’s definitely the biggest problem retailers face,” said Robert Moraca, Vice President of Loss Prevention at the National Retail Federation.
Rico Vendetti of Rochester, New York, profiled in the latest episode of “American Greed”, had the drill down pat. From his apartment above the tavern he owned, Vendetti controlled a retail crime ring whose foot soldiers—professional shoplifters known in the industry as “boosters”—stole an estimated $700,000 worth of merchandise from big box stores and supermarkets. Then Vendetti and his team sold the goods online.
The key to the business is the numbers, says FBI Special Agent Eric Sakovics. “It’s a very large number of these boosters who would steal anything from a TV to flea medicine. They bring them back to him, and then he would resell it. And in this case, he was reselling it 50 cents on the dollar for retail value online,” Sakovics said. But here is the good part, Sakovics said. “He would pay his boosters 25 cents (on the dollar). So he was a making a 25 percent profit off retail value.” [For more: CNBC]
Police investigate $30k jewelry heist at Pittsburgh pawnshop
A burglar stole an estimated $20,000 to $30,000 worth of jewelry from a Pittsburgh pawnshop along Route 30 early Wednesday morning. The masked burglar, who was caught on security camera, was seen using a brick to smash display cases containing gold rings, necklaces, gold chains, antique jewelry and other items from Jake’s Haggle Hut, said Jeff Steinmeyer, store manager.
The burglar also used the brick to smash a front door window to gain entry, state police said. No cash was stolen in the burglary. Clothing that may have been worn by the burglar was found along Millersdale Road, Steinmeyer said. Store officials were notified by the pawnshop’s security company of the break-in, which occurred at about 2:40 a.m., Steinmeyer said. Jake Cunningham, store-owner, notified area pawnshops of the items that were stolen in the event that someone would try to sell the stolen jewelry. [For more: Tribune-Review]
Five habits that could cause a data breach at your company
Data breaches have become a hot-button topic in recent months as many major companies such as Yahoo and Target have been hit by high-profile attacks. Here are five common things you could be doing, that may put your company at risk.
Clicking on random advertisements
Fake advertisements are one of the oldest tricks in the book. Today, they are more sophisticated than ever and harder to recognize. Many house ransomware, which can hold assets “hostage” through encryption until a fee is paid. No website is safe, even major ones as ads like these have been found on websites such as the New York Times and AOL.
Forgetting to lock your accounts
Something we have all done, such as getting up from our computer for just a moment, is all it takes for someone to pop a USB in and corrupt or steal files. It takes even less time to simply keep information safe with a password.
Sharing information too freely
A common theme among data breaches is allowing a bunch of random employees unrestricted access to highly sensitive data. Make sure only those that are needed and trusted have access. A Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) is a good option, especially when dealing with third party vendors, as this can notify you if someone attempts to access shared information from a foreign location or after work hours.
Using public WiFi for work
Public wifi is not private at all and akin to inviting random people to view every bit of information you access while on the public connection. If necessary to connect while traveling, a VPN or virtual private network that can be reached from any location is suggested. Also be sure to monitor your network often, especially with frequent travel.
Connecting with strangers online. Social networking sites such as LinkedIn have become a hotspot for attacks. Spammers and bot attacks through social media have exploded recently. Be wary of connecting with new people you have not met in person. If unknown people friend you on a site, it might be a good idea to verify them by speaking on the phone first. [For more: Apex Tech]
Catch up to the future of credit card fraud with our FREE Special Report, Credit Card Fraud Detection and Prevention: Lessons on Credit Card Skimming, e-Commerce Scams, and Theft Investigations.
Ex-employee to pay $1.3 million, go to prison for theft from Alabama nonprofit
A Madison man was sentenced to two and a half years in prison and ordered to pay over $1.3 million in restitution after stealing from his former employer, a Huntsville nonprofit.
Reggious Sanchester Bell, 30, was sentenced for stealing more than $1 million from the Huntsville Rehabilitation Foundation, which does business as Phoenix and contracts to provide jobs and counseling services for people with disabilities, the Justice Department announced.
Bell pleaded guilty last year to one count of federal program theft and two counts of federal income tax evasion. U.S. District Judge Karon O. Bowdre sentenced him late Tuesday. Bell under-reported his income and under-paid taxes for 2011-12, according to the announcement from Acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge, Veronica Hyman-Pillot and FBI Special Agent in Charge Roger C. Stanton. [For more: AL News]
NC man convicted in $1m fraudulent credit card scam at Walmart and Sam’s Club
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced that today in federal court, Ambrose Mendy, 31, of Raleigh, was convicted following a two-day trial before United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The jury found the defendant guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Access Device Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, and two counts of Access Device Fraud.
The defendant was charged, along with nine co-defendants, in an indictment alleging a scheme to manufacture and use counterfeit credit cards. The indictment alleged that the defendant and others would acquire stolen credit card numbers online and encode them onto plastic cards containing magnetic strips. The indictment further alleged that the conspirators would use the fraudulent cards at Walmart stores located around the state to purchase more than $1 Million worth of Walmart gift cards. The indictment alleged that the conspirators then took the genuine gift cards to Sam’s Club stores and used them to purchase more than $1 Million in cigarettes and stored-value Visa cards, which could then be sold off for cash.
Prior to trial, various co-defendants pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering and Aggravated Identity Theft. The defendant proceeded to trial on the charge of Conspiracy to Commit Access Device Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, and two counts of Access Device Fraud. After a two-day trial, the jury found the defendant guilty of each charge. Three remaining co-defendants are at large. These defendants are Malamin Ousman Sonko, Salifu Jallow, and Ardoulaie Francis Lowe Nicolas.
The investigation of this case was conducted by agents of the United States Secret Service, with the assistance of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and numerous local law enforcement agencies. At trial, the United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorneys William M. Gilmore and Melissa Kessler of the Economic Crimes Division.
If you know of the whereabouts of codefendants Malamin Ousman Sonko, Salifu Jallow, and Ardoulaie Francis Lowe Nicolas, please contact the United States Secret Service at (919) 855-1052. [For more: Department of Justice]
Three admit smuggling more than 40,000 counterfeit Apple, Sony products into Florida
Three people pleaded guilty Wednesday to smuggling 40,000 fake iPhones, iPads, iPods, Sony camcorders and accessories into Florida over the course of five years. Married couple Andreina Becerra, 31, and Roberto Volpe, 34, and Rosario La Marca, 54, entered guilty pleas on charges of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods, to smuggle goods into the United States and to structure financial transactions; and trafficking in counterfeit goods.
According to court documents, Becerra and Volpe received more than 360 shipments from a Chinese company that included the fake electronics complete with counterfeit labels and packaging. Becerra and Volpe would receive the products at their Miami home and ship many of them to La Marca, who was operating out of New Jersey, investigators said. The retail value of the items, if they were legitimate, would have been upwards of $15 million, court documents said. The counterfeit electronics were also shipped to individuals in New York, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, California, Oklahoma, Louisiana and other areas for distribution, investigators said.
The group wired more than $1 million to the Chinese manufacturer to purchase the fake Apple and Sony products and packaging, a 31-page indictment said. The scheme ran from July 2009 through February 2014, officials said. The three, along with their Chinese supplier, Jianhua Li, were indicted in April 2015. Li has pleaded not guilty to the charges. When they are sentenced later in the year, Becerra, Volpe and La Marca face up to 15 years in prison and more than $2 million in fines. [For more: WFTV9 News]
The post Breaking News in the Industry: February 27, 2017 appeared first on LPM.