Tom Meehan, CFI
Tom Meehan, CFI, is retail technology editor for LP Magazine as well as chief strategy officer and chief information security officer for CONTROLTEK. Previously, Meehan was director of technology and investigations with Bloomingdale’s, where he was responsible for physical security, internal investigations, systems and data analytics. He currently serves as the chair of the Loss Prevention Research Council's (LPRC) innovations working group. Meehan recently published is first book titled Evolution of Retail Asset Protection: Protecting Your Profit in a Digital Age. He can be reached at TomM@LPportal.com.
Using Social Media as a Security and Threat Assessment Tool
OSINT existed before social media did, and a vast trove of publicly available information still exists beyond social media. We all know the information is out there, but few of us have the expertise, time, or patience to ferret out the parts we need. That’s where OSINT tools come in.
2020 Retail Trends That Will Impact Asset Protection
Technology is not here to eliminate us; it’s here to make our jobs and lives easier. Retail will continue to evolve with technology. As retailers, our responsibility is to focus our efforts on improving the customer experience using the new tools at our disposal.
4 Retail Trends Seen at the NRF 2020: Retail’s Big Show
They don’t call it the Big Show for nothing. There were over 40,000 people in attendance from all over the world to talk retail, technology, strategy, and the future at the National Retail Federation (NRF) Big Show hosted in New York City January 12–14. Here are four of the biggest trends that will impact retailers in 2020.
What Retailers Need to Know about New York’s Bail Elimination Act
A New York law eliminating cash bail and pretrial detention for most nonviolent crimes went into place at the beginning of the new year. The legislation was designed to address the disproportionate effect on people who cannot afford to pay bail and must remain in jail until their trial date. However, the unintended consequences for retailers is the risk of most shoplifting and ORC offenders remaining free to commit more crimes.
7 Cybersecurity Predictions for Retail in 2020 and Beyond
The rapid change in retail is making it increasingly difficult for us to mitigate risk of cyberattacks. We must remain vigilant and take a balanced approach that focuses on prevention and how we respond to a cyber event. Here are some trends to consider.
Your #1 Tool for Deterring Thieves: Why Physical Security Hygiene Matters
Though retail loss prevention has changed a lot in recent years, it is important to remember the basics of physical security, and that starts with maintaining good physical security hygiene. If you work with your LP professionals to create a smart physical security strategy, you can stretch your LP budget even further than you might originally think.
Standardization to Bring Greater Transparency and Efficiency in Cash Logistics and Visibility
Cash logistics and visibility is critical to business. Packages sent to your home are tracked efficiently, so you know exactly where and how they move. Shouldn’t it be possible to track your money the same as your packages? Significant changes to cash handling are in the works.
Retailers, Solution Providers, Law Enforcement, and Students Collaborate on Retail Crime at LPRC Conference
Over 430 people made their way to the University of Florida’s Gainesville campus for the Loss Prevention Research Council’s 2019 Impact conference. The three-day event focused heavily on learning and collaboration, as well as research on evidence-based tactics and strategies to reduce retail crime and loss.
FaceApp Isn’t the Privacy Threat We Should Worry About
Recently in the news you probably saw, read, or heard something about FaceApp—a mobile application that takes a picture and uses artificial intelligence to...
Using Artificial Intelligence to Catch Shoplifters in the Act
Artificial intelligence is a trending topic in both the tech and security industries, but how exactly can it help us in the retail loss...
