2011 Loss Prevention Award Winners

2011 Law Enforcement Retail Partnership Award (LERPA)

Oscar Valenzuela and Marek Drozd, Counterterrorism & Intelligence Division, Chicago Police Department
David Williams, Assistant State's Attorney, Cook County State's Attorney’s Office

Chicago Police Officers Oscar Valenzuela and Marek Drozd from the Counterterrorism and Intelligence Division partnered with Target investigators and Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney David Williams on an investigation related to Over-the-Counter (OTC) merchandise thefts. The thefts occurred at several retail stores in the Chicago area and investigators identified a fencing operation where multiple boosters sold stolen product. Mobile surveillance revealed the main subject was offloading merchandise to a wholesaler. An undercover officer developed a relationship with the wholesale company owners. The team orchestrated the sale of a Target semi-trailer full of stolen merchandise valued at over $100,000. The undercover officer arranged a meeting and recorded on video and audio the negotiated sale price of $22,000 for the stolen merchandise with the wholesale company owners.

After this transaction, Chicago Police executed simultaneous search warrants at the wholesale business location, the residences of the owners and the banks where safety deposit boxes were located. Investigators recovered more than $4.5 million in cash. The suspects were charges with theft and money laundering both Class 1 Felony cases.

David Williams, Cook County State's Attorney's Office

2011 Loss Prevention Case of the Year Award

Shane Coover, Sr. Investigator, Safeway, Inc.
Raphael Villanes, Sr. Investigator, Safeway, Inc.
Mike Serio, Investigations Team Leader, Target Corporation
Damien Walter

In early 2009, an investigation was launched by Safeway and Target ORC investigators. The two teams worked in tandem to identify pawn shops that were serving as fences. By running surveillances and monitoring controlled sales, the investigators revealed the pawn shops also ran E-businesses, selling on Craig’s List and eBay. In a separate investigation, store detectives apprehended boosters who identified a buy-and-sell shop in the Baltimore, MD area. Surveillances and controlled sales revealed a potential criminal enterprise.

Ultimately the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Internal Revenue Service participated in the investigation in conjunction with the Baltimore County and Baltimore City Police Departments. Additionally, the loss prevention teams at Wegmans and Home Depot provided technical expertise and logistical support on the case.

On Thursday March 25, 2010 more than 100 officers from 7 agencies executed search warrants on more than 30 locations. The investigation was valued at $22 million with the total dollar amount associated with this criminal enterprise exceeding $30-45 million. All but one of the original persons indicted has been convicted or pled guilty to the charges.

From left to right: Shane Coover, Sr. Investigator, Safeway, Inc.; Mike Serio, Investigations Team Leader, Target Corporation; Raphael Villanes, Sr. Investigator, Safeway, Inc.; Damien Walter

2011 Ring of Excellence

Josh Hegan

John Hegan began his 45-year loss prevention career with R.H. Macy & Company at Bamberger’s (New Jersey) after leaving the Marine Corps. He began as a store detective and was eventually named VP and Director of Security at Bam’s before the merge with Macy’s. John worked closely with his service providers to deploy an early version of the ultra-sonic motion detector into retail department store burglar alarm systems. He also worked intimately with the U.S. Secret Service and NYPD to develop a security plan for the visit of the candidate Bill Clinton. Clinton visited Macy’s Herald Square prior to his acceptance speech at the 1992 Democratic Convention held at Madison Square Garden that year. John reorganized Security Operations for the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, including new high level relationships with NYPD officials and other associated city agencies. In addition, he worked closely with officials of the International Olympics Committee and Atlanta Police Department to develop, implement and coordinate a security operations plan for the Macy’s store a few blocks from the 1996 Atlanta Centennial Olympic Park. For 20 years, John was active on the National Retail Merchants Association, which is now the National Retail Federation Advisory Council.

Special Recognition

Kevin Tyrrell
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

The NRF Loss Prevention Awards & Recognition Committee honored Section Chief Kevin Tyrrell with ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) for his instrumental role in launching the ICE Organized Retail Crime Pilot Program (ORCP) in July 2009. The Program initially focused on Houston, Los Angeles, Miami and New York as target ORC markets. In early 2011, ICE HIS expanded the Program into an ongoing, national initiative, which will be known as the SEARCH initiative (Seizing Earnings and Assets from Retail Crime Heists). Kevin’s leadership and tenacity helped formalize SEARCH, which (as of April 2011) has resulted in 93 cases initiated, 41 criminal arrests, 29 indictments, 251 seizures and $4.9 million in cash, property, and monetary instruments seized.

 

 

2011 Loss Prevention Volunteers in Action

The Loss Prevention Volunteers in Action is a program that recognizes Loss Prevention professionals making significant and measurable contributions to charitable organizations. These contributions include fundraising, outreach, volunteering and activities that have made a positive impact in the community. Many thanks to the companies below for dedicating time and support to these organizations.

Loss Prevention Team	Charitable Organization
Barnes & Noble CVS Dollar General GAP Hart Inventory Systems Kirklands Starbucks Partner & Asset Protection U.S. & Canadian Team The Buckle, Inc. TJX Companies, Inc. Tractor Supply	Hike for KaTreena H.E.L.P. Philadelphia Second Harvest Food Bank Habitat for Humanity Children's Cancer Center, Letters to Soldiers, Boys and Girls Clubs & Feeding the Hungry The Center for Courageous Kids Camp Charley Northwest Harvest Food Bank Provided gifts, toys, clothes and meals to the underprivileged American Cancer Society, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer CASA

To submit your nominations for the NRF LP 2012 Awards Ceremony please go to: www.nrf.com/lp/lpawards