Author Archives: Joe LaRocca, Senior Asset Protection Advisor

Joe LaRocca

Read more about Joe at the NRF.com website.

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Jan27

Law enforcement, retailers take a major step in crime-fighting

By Joe LaRocca, Senior Asset Protection Advisor | Published: January 27, 2010

You may have already seen NRF’s announcement that the Law Enforcement Retail Partnership Network is now available, at no cost, to every law enforcement agency nationwide via the FBI’s Law Enforcement Online website. It’s an exciting development that has been in the works for months and should allow retailers and law enforcement to work even [...]

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Posted in: @NRF | Loss Prevention | Technology Tagged FBI, law enforcement, LERPnet, LP Software, organized retail crime, retail case management systems, Wazagua |

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Jan07

When shoppers have a beef, keep a cool head

By Joe LaRocca, Senior Asset Protection Advisor | Published: January 7, 2010

Posted in Loss Prevention | Video

All too often, retailers see harmless situations turn into safety concerns: shoplifting incidents escalating into robberies, sales events into mob scenes, and now unsatisfactory burgers into destruction of property.
According to a Kansas City Star article, police want to know the identity of a woman who trashed a McDonald’s restaurant after complaining about her hamburger and [...]

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Posted in: Loss Prevention | Video Tagged asset protection, employee safety, Kansas City McDonald's hamburger |

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Nov25

There’s nothing “friendly” about return fraud

By Joe LaRocca, Senior Asset Protection Advisor | Published: November 25, 2009

Posted in Holiday | Loss Prevention | Retail Trends

Earlier this week, I was interviewed by a reporter from National Public Radio for a segment about “Friendly Fraud” and wardrobing. While the finished segment itself did a nice job providing the retailers’ perspective, the thought that fraud of any kind may be considered “harmless” makes me cringe.
You might be wondering, “What on earth is [...]

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Posted in: Holiday | Loss Prevention | Retail Trends Tagged friendly fraud, National Public Radio, NPR, return fraud, wardrobing, Wikipedia |

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Nov04

Are auction sites solving the theft problem? Nope. Just blaming the victim (again)

By Joe LaRocca, Senior Asset Protection Advisor | Published: November 4, 2009

Posted in Loss Prevention | Public Policy

In response to NRF’s safety warning to shoppers earlier this week, an online marketplace lobbyist told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that retailers are simply pursuing organized retail crime legislation “to demonize their online competition.” (This is a ridiculous point, but more on that later.) In addition, this lobbyist attempted to minimize the seriousness of organized [...]

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Posted in: Loss Prevention | Public Policy Tagged Cleveland Plain Dealer, eBay, FBI – Law Enforcement Executive Development Association, Florida Police Chiefs Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police, Joe LaRocca, National District Attorneys Association, ORC, organized retail crime, University of Florida |

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Nov03

Recent ORC busts illustrate need for federal legislation

By Joe LaRocca, Senior Asset Protection Advisor | Published: November 3, 2009

Posted in @NRF | Loss Prevention | Public Policy

On Thursday morning the U.S. Congress, House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security will hear from federal law enforcement officials regarding organized retail crime investigations. Witnesses from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are scheduled to testify.
Each of these agencies understand [...]

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Posted in: @NRF | Loss Prevention | Public Policy Tagged eBay, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hassan Swaid, House of Representatives, House Subcommittee on Crime, John Chass, ORC, organized retail crime, Terrorism, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service |

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Oct26

Catch me if you can: How Albuquerque retailers caught a thief

By Joe LaRocca, Senior Asset Protection Advisor | Published: October 26, 2009

Posted in Loss Prevention

Last week, a shoplifting suspect in New Mexico named Joe Cabral fled the courtroom after learning retailers and police officials were waiting to testify at his sentencing hearing. Cabral, who has been arrested on shoplifting and burglary-related charges more than twenty times, was scheduled to be sentenced last Monday. As his turn approached, [...]

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Posted in: Loss Prevention Tagged Albuquerque Retailers Asset Protection Association, Joe Cabral, shoplifting |

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Oct23

Jokes about retailers’ LP policies are no laughing matter

By Joe LaRocca, Senior Asset Protection Advisor | Published: October 23, 2009

Posted in Loss Prevention | Retail Companies

Earlier this week, a Wal-Mart employee was fired for chasing a shoplifter in a Florida parking lot. According to the Ocala Star-Banner, the shoplifter placed a pack of golf balls down his pants and ate a deli chicken (you cannot even make this stuff up). When confronted by three employees, the man pulled a knife [...]

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Posted in: Loss Prevention | Retail Companies Tagged Best Buy, Jay Leno, Ocala Star-Banner, shoplifting, Wal-Mart |

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Oct19

Crowd control: How retailers prepare

By Joe LaRocca, Senior Asset Protection Advisor | Published: October 19, 2009

Posted in Holiday | Loss Prevention | Video

Last week, a woman who claimed she won $1.5 million in the lottery and offered to buy clothes for customers caused a riot inside an Ohio Burlington Coat Factory. According to police officials, when shoppers found out the whole thing was a hoax, angry customers threw merchandise around and looted, leaving the store looking [...]

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Posted in: Holiday | Loss Prevention | Video Tagged Burlington Coat Factory, Dallas Police Department, GameStop, General Growth Properties |

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Oct16

FDA to Americans: Don’t buy H1N1 vaccine online

By Joe LaRocca, Senior Asset Protection Advisor | Published: October 16, 2009

Posted in Loss Prevention

On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned consumers to use extreme care when purchasing any products over the Internet that claim to diagnose, prevent, treat or cure the H1N1 influenza virus. The warning comes after the FDA recently purchased and analyzed several products online, which may pose risks to patients.
This important alert says [...]

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Posted in: Loss Prevention Tagged antiviral, FDA, Food and Drug Administration, h1n1, influenza virus, swine flu, Tamiflu |

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Oct14

Five takeaways from the National Retail Security Survey

By Joe LaRocca, Senior Asset Protection Advisor | Published: October 14, 2009

Posted in Loss Prevention

The final results of the National Retail Security Survey were released to industry executives just a few days ago. The quick findings: retail shrinkage averaged 1.51 percent of retail sales in 2008, up from 1.44 percent in 2007. Total merchandise losses increased to $36.3 billion, up from $34.8 billion in 2007.
Instead of walking through all [...]

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