Over $222K in counterfeit iPhones seized by CBP
Agents at the Port of San Diego seized nearly 5,000 counterfeit iPhones and iPhone backings that violated the Apple trademark, according to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). CBP said officers arrived at a bonded warehouse located at the airport and examined a shipment from Portugal. The shipment listed merchandise labeled as “back covers” and “polarizers.”
Officers examined three pallets of boxes, discovering counterfeit backings and LCD screens for multiple iPhone models, according to CBP. CBP said 4,820 counterfeit iPhone parts were seized and based on the manufacturer’s suggested retail price the total value of the parts would have been $222,113 if the goods had been genuine.
“One of our goals is to protect American consumers and U.S. industry from the threats posed by counterfeiting and piracy,” said Port of San Diego Port Director Bill Snyder. “The attention to detail from these CBP officers helped protect the nation’s economic security.” CBP is raising awareness about the consequences and dangers that are associated with the purchase of counterfeit and pirated goods. [Source: KYMA11 News]
Fraudster bought $13K of jewelry from vending machine with stolen credit cards
A man used a fraudulent credit card to buy $13,000 of jewelry from a vending machine in Brooklyn, police said. That’s right, a luxury jewelry vending machine. The machine is outside the William Vale Hotel in Williamsburg. It sells jewelry designed by Marla Aaron, who also has a jewelry vending machine outside the Brooklyn Museum.
Police say a man used a fraudulent credit card to buy jewelry from the machine on the afternoon of September 20. It’s not clear how he got the credit card. Police are looking for a man in his 20s or 30s who is about 5 feet, 10 inches tall and 220 pounds. Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800.577-TIPS (8477). [Source: NBC4 New York]
Target shrinks the big box into a smaller space
Target has built a store for shoppers who like Target but not the experience of big box stores, which are the size of at least two-and-a-half football fields, including the end zones. Not this one. Dallas-Fort Worth’s first small-format Target opens Wednesday in Preston Center, one of the city’s oldest shopping centers. The 55,000-square-foot store is on the second level of the Pavilion, which was built in the 1950s for Sanger Harris, a Dallas department store that was gobbled up in the chain that is now Macy’s. Target’s merchants and store designers have figured out how to jam their store into a smaller space without giving up any merchandise category.
This neighborhood is worth the effort. Between the Park Cities and Preston Hollow, the demographics are definitely upscale with average household income of $316,351 in a one-mile radius and $293,888 in a two-mile radius. The point of a smaller store is to place the Target brand where there are customers to reach, like college campuses and mature neighborhoods, but where there aren’t wide open spaces for a big store.
The Preston Center store has a full-size beauty department but no pharmacy. (There’s already a CVS in the building.) There’s a good size Starbucks with seating and a view. A family could even accomplish their weekly shopping from the grocery aisles that include fresh meat and produce.
Merchandise is arranged to be convenient for shoppers. It’s an art in these smaller Target stores. Across the aisle from men’s apparel are beer coolers. The store has 80-feet of beer and 50-feet of wine. Women’s apparel and lingerie faces home décor and bed and bath linens. Kids clothing is across from the baby food and supply aisles.
Electronics sells TVs up to 70 inches, smartphones and service contracts. It includes video games and is next to toys. Some stores near college campuses skip the children’s apparel departments, for example, said Jared Youngblood, manager of the store. The small store even has Target’s bull’s-eye area for $1 and $2 items. [Source: Dallas News]
Suspect arrested in shoplifting incident that injured employee
From the Wareham Police Department in Massachusetts: The Wareham Police Department is pleased to announce an arrest in conjunction with the shoplifting incident at Walmart on Thursday, September 13, in which a 76 year old employee was dragged several feet by the suspects before fleeing the scene.
As a result of an intensive investigation by Wareham police detectives, David V. Pasquale, 25, of 50 Seabury Street Providence, was arrested by the Rhode Island State Police Violent Fugitive Task Force on Friday. On Tuesday, two Wareham police officers went to Rhode Island, taking Mr. Pasquale into custody from authorities there. The arrest of this man is a direct result of the public becoming actively involved, providing valuable tips.
Wareham detectives working with the Providence Police and the Rhode Island State Police were able to take this information and build a case resulting in a warrant being issued and an arrest being made. Mr. Pasquale is charged with shoplifting and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on a person over 60.
After being processed at the Wareham Police Station, the suspect was taken to Wareham District Court for arraignment. This remains an active investigation and more arrests are expected. Acting Police Chief John Walcek said, “We are very grateful to our partners in the media and the public for assisting with this case. We would not have had a successful conclusion without their help.” [Source: CapeCodToday]
Two men drive stolen truck through retail store, steal more than $60K in clothes
Two men are behind bars after police said they stole more than $60,000 worth of clothes from a Memphis store on October 15. Police arrested Franklin Bacon and Lordellro McCullough Monday in connection with the theft but said more suspects could be on the run. The burglary happened around 1:15 a.m. at the Superior Men clothing store in Parkway Village. The burglars drove a Ford F-250 pickup truck through the business.
FOX13 spoke with Superior’s owner, who said it’s the second time in the past month that a car slammed into his building to aid in a theft. The burglars drove a Ford F-250 pickup truck through the business. FOX13 spoke with Superior’s owner, who said it’s the second time in the past month that a car slammed into his building to aid in a theft. Now, he’s pouring thousands into getting it all fixed.
“It’s unfortunate it’s become a norm, like it’s normal,” said the owner. “My brother called me up at 1 a.m. and said they broke into the store.” MPD said the truck was stolen from Jackson, Tenn. Shelby County deputies said stolen cars used in other crimes has become common. “Usually, they’ll steal a vehicle and go to rob somebody or do something else,” said Deputy Derek Mills. “They won’t use their own vehicle. They’re going to be in a stolen vehicle.”
Dozens of items like backpacks were damaged from the truck crashing through the store. Now, the store has metal sheets to keep other potential vehicles from coming through again. The store owner told FOX13 he is trying to get his store back in business by Saturday. Police are still searching for any other people who may have been involved. If you have any information, call Crime Stoppers. [Source: Fox13 News]
An ill wind blows: Hurricanes and supply chains don’t mix
Natural disasters are a huge headache for man-made systems…. in addition to disrupting services like water and power on a residential level, they can also bring supply chains to a screeching halt. From flash flooding to outright facility damage, hurricane-proofing your supply chain is a challenge, but one well worth tackling. While you can’t predict when and where a hurricane will completely shut down 3PL availability and reach, you can commit to frequent monitoring and communication throughout the storm. Telltale signs… school closures, states of emergency, power outages, and so on, are readily available online, even in the worst of the storm. Monitor the situation around both your logistics departure points and their slated arrival destinations. While a creative or elongated route can avoid issues during transport, a disaster waiting at the start or end point will put an ugly knot in your supply and demand chain.
Bear in mind that your end consumers, distributors, and retailers are also going to be struggling with disruptions. Sending out a pre-hurricane email blast with a “plan of attack” helps soothe nerves and promotes good customer relationships in the process. If you’re a B2B company, consider having your reps reach out with phone calls to high-volume clients to accomplish a similar act of reassurance. You might also want to instruct employees to create out-of-office auto-replies in case your facility is shut down, or place a banner on your website or customer-facing sales portal with the same information.
Much like homeowners who find out they needed flood insurance after their home has been already been impacted, the best time to review your warehouse facility coverage is well before hurricane season:
- Are you covered from leaks in the roof or water pooling up from below?
- What kind of reimbursement should you expect if stock is damaged, and on what timeline?
- What services or equipment will you likely need for cleanup, if it comes to it?
- Will your facility management provide any protections against water damage, such as sandbags?
- Which numbers should you call to report hurricane-related damages to your facility or utilities?
Knowing the answers to these questions can minimize the disruption to your supply and demand chain considerably in an extremely chaotic time. Your staff and chain partners will be looking to you for guidance, and if you have it readily available, they can take what actions they need to without hesitation. The longer you need to consider a course of remedy, the more likely your pool of resources will shrink, artificially limiting your options. [Source: MultiBriefs]