Organized Retail Crime Security Briefing – May 2011

Syracuse InfraGard presents                        

ORC – A Collaboration of Law Enforcement  and Retail Security Professionals

Conference Host: Tim Erwin, Security Director – Carousel Center

Agenda:

0700-0730- Registration – Coffee & Networking

0730 – Welcome: Special Agent Tim Dwyer, FBI & Laurie Venditti, Syracuse InfraGard Leadership Chairman

0745- ORC – Booster Groups and Fencing Operations
Gary Weisbecker, Investigations Supervisor – Walgreens-Organized Retail Crimes Division – This presentation will explain in detail what ORC is and the inner workings of booster groups and fencing operations.  Gary will review the product and merchandise that boosters target, why they choose what they do and the path the stolen product takes.  He will provide an education for both retail and law enforcement attendees on ORC.  Additionally, Gary will discuss the importance of how partnerships are formed between retail and law enforcement, including prosecutors.

0830-Detection of counterfeit US currency: an in-depth look at the security features of genuine US currency while discussing the current trends in counterfeiting.
Special Agent Thomas West United States Secret Service  - This presentation will cover Next Generation currency designs.  

0915-Building  a Retail Community & Law Enforcement Communication Network  
Captain Rich Trudell – Syracuse Police Department – This presentation will address ways to help build a communications network with local law enforcement and identify ways to help reduce theft.  Attendees will gain an understanding of how local secondhand/pawn dealers are being used  to move stolen property.

Speaker Biographies:

Gary Weisbecker – Investigations Supervisor- Organized Retail Crime Division -  Walgreens
Gary Weisbecker was a member of the New York City Police Department for 23 years.  He has served in the ranks of Police Officer, Detective, Sergeant, and Detective Squad Sergeant Supervisor.  In his law enforcement career Gary has investigated all types of organized crime cases.  While a Detective he was assigned with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Organized Crime Task Force in New York City.  After September 11th he was temporarily assigned to the Missing Persons Task Force.  Gary Weisbecker retired in January 2002 and began his career with Walgreens where he is currently an Investigations Supervisor with their Organized Retail Crime Division.   Gary works with local, state, and federal law enforcement investigating Organized Retail Crime across the nation.  Gary Weisbecker has spoken on Organized Retail Crime at numerous law enforcement and retail conferences around the country.

Special Agent Thomas West, United States Secret Service
Agent West was commissioned as an Agent with the United States Secret Service in 1999, and received his law enforcement training at both the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia and the James J Rowley Secret Service Training Center in Beltsville, Maryland.  Agent West holds a bachelor’s degree from Le Moyne College and is months away from completing a Masters in Criminal Justice degree from the University of Cincinnati.

Over the last 12 years of working for the United States Secret Service Agent West has had extensive training in the detection of counterfeit US currency and has been continually updated on the security features present in genuine US currency as new style notes are issued.  Agent West has been the lead investigator and has participated in numerous counterfeit investigations and arrests in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and New York.

Captain Rich Trudell – Syracuse Police Department
Captain Rich Trudell is a 17 year veteran of the Syracuse Police Department. Captain Trudell has an associates degree in Criminal justice from SUNY Canton and a BA in Public Justice from Oswego State.  He is currently assigned as the Commanding Officer of the Technology Division and Criminal Intelligence Section.  The Criminal Intelligence Section is assigned to the Regional Onondaga Crime Analysis Center.  Captain Trudell is an active member in focusing the IMPACT strategy for Onondaga County where he reports directly to the IMPACT Executive board with intelligence and crime analysis information.  

Organized retail crime (ORC) refers to groups, gangs and sometimes individuals who are engaged in illegally obtaining retail merchandise through both theft and fraud in substantial quantities as part of a criminal enterprise. These crime rings generally consist of “boosters” – who methodically steal merchandise from retail stores – and fence operators who convert the product to cash or drugs as part of the criminal enterprise. Sophisticated criminals have even found ways to switch UPC bar codes on merchandise so they ring up differently at checkout, commonly called “ticket switching.” Others use stolen or cloned credit cards to obtain merchandise or produce fictitious receipts to return products back to retail stores.

According to Congressional testimony and industry experts, ORC losses total an estimated $15-30 billion annually. The National Retail Federation “NRF” and its various committees have been on the forefront of educating retailers, law enforcement, legislators, the business community and consumers on the vast impact of organized retail crime.  Only four of the top 10 metropolitan areas affected by ORC are located in states with active ORC/ORC-related legislation.  

Who should attend?
Law Enforcement Professionals
Loss Prevention Professionals

Download Brochure

Event Program

Who is attending?

ADT Security Services

Great Northern Mall & Shoppingtown Mall

Kinney Drugs

Kiwi Systems

New Justice Conflict Resolution Services, Inc

NYSP

Rite Aid

Rite Aid Pharmacy

Syracuse Police Department

Town of Manlius Police Department

Walmart

Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.

Zales Corporation