Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem&#8217;s handbag, containing about $3,000 in cash, her DHS badge, passport, and other sensitive items, was <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/21/politics/homeland-security-kristi-noem-purse-stolen/index.html">reportedly</a> stolen by a man wearing a medical mask at a Washington, D.C. restaurant on Sunday night.
Noem confirmed the incident on Monday while attending the White House Easter Egg Roll, but indicated that the matter remains unresolved.
Secret Service agents reviewed security camera footage at the Capitol Burger restaurant, which showed an unknown white male wearing a surgical mask stealing her unattended bag before quickly exiting the establishment.
Other stolen contents include Noem&#8217;s driver&#8217;s license, apartment keys, medication, makeup, and blank checks.
A DHS spokesperson <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/why-kristi-noem-had-3000-cash-purse-when-it-was-stolen-2062146">told</a> Newsweek that Noem had such a large amount of cash on hand to &#8220;treat her family to dinner, activities, and Easter gifts.&#8221;
&#8220;We can confirm this occurred last night. Her entire family was in town including her children and grandchildren,&#8221; DHS said.
A law enforcement source confirmed that the Secret Service has initiated an investigation to trace any potential unauthorized use of Noem&#8217;s financial instruments.
“This is a security breach that actually has high consequences, and it needs immediate and further review by the Secret Service and DHS, and other law enforcement partners,” former Secret Service agent Jonathan Wackrow told CNN.
“If necessary, the Secret Service will need to make operational changes on how they deal with these types of private events moving forward,” Wackrow said.
He added that Noem remains “at higher risk for targeted threats, both by foreign and domestic actors, and just her public profile alone makes her a symbolic target.”

Connecticut Democrats And Survivors And Families Of Gun Violence Victims Mark 12th Anniversary Of Sandy Hook School Shooting

Kristi Noem’s Purse — With DHS Badge, Passport, $3,000 Cash Inside — Stolen

Crime

Kristi Noem

Restaurant

Theft

U.S.

Washington D.C.

A woman who previously worked as the director of finance and operations for Habitat for Humanity in Central South Carolina has been sentenced for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the federal government.
Ashley Clark Ingram, 35, was sentenced last month to two years in federal prison after she pleaded guilty to theft of government funds, the U.S. Department of Justice<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/former-nonprofit-finance-director-sentenced-theft-government-funds"> announced</a> in February.
“Evidence presented to the court showed that while employed as the director of finance and operations for Habitat for Humanity, Ingram applied for an employee retention tax credit for retaining employees during the COVID-19 pandemic from the IRS on behalf of Habitat for Humanity, but without the knowledge of the nonprofit,” the DOJ said. “Ingram then received checks totaling $388,550.75 from the United States Treasury and deposited the funds into a Habitat for Humanity account that she controlled then transferred the money from the Habitat for Humanity account into her own bank accounts.”
“In total, Ingram misappropriated approximately $514,672.37 from Habitat for Humanity and the United States Government,” the DOJ added.
U.S. District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Ingram to two years in prison, followed by two years of court-ordered supervision. She was also ordered to pay “a remaining balance” of $30,165.47 to Habitat for Humanity, as well as a $10,000 fine and a $100 special assessment fee. Ingram had already paid back nearly all of the money she stole.
Ingram pleaded guilty last June to the theft, the South Carolina Daily Gazette <a href="https://scdailygazette.com/2025/02/11/sc-habitat-for-humanity-worker-sentenced-to-2-years-in-prison-for-nearly-500k-theft/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
“There’s a terrible irony in this case,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews said, according to the outlet. “She stole money from an organization that helps people get housing of all things.”
Habitat for Humanity’s interim executive director, Emily Fernald, told the Gazette that Ingram’s crimes weren’t just about the money but the “reputation of our organization.”
Because of Ingram’s theft, 16 families in South Carolina saw their home construction delayed as the charity dealt with financial issues. The homes were still being built, but the work slowed, and the charity lost donors.
“They have to overcome what you did,” Judge Lewis said before sentencing Ingram.
Ingram’s attorney claimed she stole the money because of her personal financial struggles. Her husband had lost his job, and they lived in an unsafe neighborhood. She wanted to escape and used some of the stolen money to buy a new house.
But as Fernald said, many of the people who seek out Habitat for Humanity face similar problems.
“These are folks who worked extremely hard to get where they are in life,” she said, according to the Gazette. “But they’re not stealing. They’re not lying.”

Habitat For Humanity

Former Habitat For Humanity Official Sentenced After Stealing Thousands From Govt

Former Habitat For Humanity Finance Director Sentenced After Stealing Thousands From Government

South Carolina

NFL star QBs Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa addressed the recent burglaries affecting players in the league following a string of break-ins over the last month during games.
On Wednesday, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/cincinnati-bengals">Cincinnati Bengals</a> QB Burrow spoke to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDd__FLJluQ/?igsh=NjZiM2M3MzIxNA%3D%3D">members of the press</a> after he became the latest athlete to have his home broken into while he was on a road trip with his team.
“Obvioulsy, everybody has heard what has happened,” Burrow said at a press conference. “I feel like my privacy has been violated in more ways than one and way more is already out there than I would want out there and that I care to share.”
It came after the Hamilton County’s Sheriff’s Office confirmed to <a href="https://www.wlwt.com/article/joe-burrows-house-broken-into-report-during-football-game/63148465">WLWT</a> that Burrow’s $7.5 million Ohio home was burglarized and ransacked during Cincinnati’s 27-20 win over the Cowboys in Texas on Monday.
The outlet reported that a 911 call came in from a woman whose daughter was staying at the QB’s home, saying, “Someone is trying to break into the house right now.”
“My daughter is there. This is Joe Burrow’s house,” the mom added. “She is staying there. He’s at the football game. She’s wondering what she should do, if she should be hiding, or if she should go outside. She said someone was in the house.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🎥 Amidst the recent security concerns around NFL players’ houses, Tua Tagovailoa reveals he has hired personal security
“Just let that be known, they are armed… I hope if you decide to go to my house, you think twice.” (<a href="https://twitter.com/MiamiDolphins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MiamiDolphins</a>) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoFins?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoFins</a> <a href="https://t.co/v3wpWfAETH">pic.twitter.com/v3wpWfAETH</a>
— FinsXtra (@FinsXtra) <a href="https://twitter.com/FinsXtra/status/1866940165949714599?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2024</a></blockquote>
A second 911 call came from the person staying at Burrow’s house, saying, “Someone broke into my house. It’s like completely messed up.”
Following Burrow&#8217;s burglary, <a href="https://x.com/FinsXtra/status/1866940165949714599?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1866940165949714599%7Ctwgr%5Edd6ed6c61d5f75922167fd258fb39fa3eb5c6a36%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsports.yahoo.com%2Ftua-tagovailoa-says-he-has-personal-security-amid-string-of-break-ins-at-nfl-residences-150854034.html">Miami Dolphins QB Tagovailoa</a> warned criminals to “think twice” before hitting his home.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE</a>
&#8220;We got personal security to take care of all of that. When we&#8217;re on the road, we&#8217;ve got someone with my wife, got someone also at the house, surveying the house,&#8221; Tagovailoa said.
&#8220;So I hope that if you decide to go to my house, you think twice,&#8221; he added, noting his security is armed.
The NFL recently issued a security alert to players and teams following two other break-ins at the homes of Kansas City Chiefs players <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/patrick-mahomes">Patrick Mahomes</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/travis-kelce">Travis Kelce</a>.
In a memo obtained by the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-security-alert-burglaries-mahomes-kelce-960075221367266fbee98f711a74c094">Associated Press</a>, the league said homes of professional athletes have become “increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups.”
The memo labeled the transnational crime rings “well-organized, sophisticated,” and urged the players to safeguard valuables and avoid publicly sharing check-ins on social media or any information about their homes and any luxury items they might own, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/cincinnati-bengals-qb-joe-burrow-home-burglary-rcna183666">NBC News</a> noted.
Officials noted that the homes are specifically being targeted when players are at their games.
A South American crime ring is believed to be the culprit in at least the Chiefs burglaries, the <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/12/10/sports/joe-burrows-home-broken-into-during-mnf-in-another-athlete-robbery/">New York Post </a>reported.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nfl-star-qbs-home-broken-into-while-hes-playing-monday-night-football-game" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NFL Star QB’s Home Broken Into While He’s Playing Monday Night Football Game</a>

Chiefs-Dolphins-1

‘Think Twice’: NFL Star Quarterbacks Address Recent Burglaries

'Think Twice': NFL Star Quarterbacks Address Recent Burglaries

Cincinnati Bengals

Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins

Sports

Florida Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ron-desantis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ron DeSantis</a> signed legislation on Tuesday that further cracks down on retail theft, porch piracy, and inciting looting through social media.
DeSantis took a swipe at Democrat-controlled areas, which have seen the largest uptick in the aforementioned crimes, saying that Florida was &#8220;pretty much doing the opposite of what a lot of states like California and New York have done.&#8221;
The governor noted that coordinated retail theft and looting was being organized through social media, with companies reporting a $112 billion loss in 2022.
Despite the explosion in crime in places like California, New York, and Washington, D.C., Florida has seen a 30% decrease in shoplifting since DeSantis took office in 2019, the governor&#8217;s office said.
The bill that DeSantis signed into law, HB 549, institutes the following, according to his office:
HB 549 institutes the following:
<ul>
<li>A third-degree felony, punishable up to 5 years in prison, if criminals commit retail theft with five or more individuals.</li>
<li>A second-degree felony, punishable up to 15 years in prison, if criminals commit retail theft with five or more individuals and use social media to solicit others to participate in the theft.</li>
<li>A first-degree felony, punishable up to 30 years in prison, if a criminal commits retail theft with a firearm or with two or more prior convictions of retail theft.</li>
<li>The ability to charge a felony for multiple retail thefts occurring in the span of 120 days, which is an increase from 30 days.</li>
<li>Theft of property in an amount less than $40 is a first-degree misdemeanor.</li>
<li>A subsequent violation is a third-degree felony.</li>
<li>Theft of property valued at $40 or more is a third-degree felony.</li>
</ul>
“Florida is taking another step to distinguish ourselves from lawless jurisdictions and keep our residents and businesses safe,” said DeSantis. “If you steal in Florida, we will catch you and we will prosecute you.”
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
TODAY: Governor DeSantis signed a bill to crack down on retail theft &amp; porch piracy in Florida🎯👇 
&#8220;If you order something and they leave it at your front door, when you come home from work or you bring your kids over from school, that package is gonna be there. And if it&#8217;s not… <a href="https://t.co/25qQfO3kI5">pic.twitter.com/25qQfO3kI5</a>
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristinaPushaw/status/1777723717209952487?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2024</a></blockquote>

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a press conference in

DeSantis Signs Bill To Further Crack Down On Retail Theft, Porch Piracy, And Inciting Looting On Social Media

Florida

Politics

Ron DeSantis

Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/john-fetterman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John Fetterman</a> (D-PA) blasted the woke notion of “squatter’s rights” during an interview late this week where he again went against the grain in his party by signaling support for law enforcement.
“Squatters have no rights,” Fetterman <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/04/06/us-news/fetterman-blasts-squatters-violent-crime-i-am-not-woke/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the New York Post&#8217;s Jon Levine. “How can you even pretend that this is anything other than you’re just breaking the law?”
“I am not woke,” Fetterman said, noting that he has always &#8220;tried to push back against that,&#8221; including when he was the mayor of the small Pennsylvania town of Braddock.
“It’s wild that if you go away on a long trip, for 30 days, and someone breaks into your home and suddenly they have rights,” he sad. “This is crazy. Like if somebody stole your car, and then they held it for 30 days, then somehow you now have some rights?”
Fetterman said that the Democrats&#8217; soft-on-crime policies led to the murder of New York Police Department Detective Jonathan Diller, adding that if the suspect is convicted, he &#8220;should spend the rest of his life and in prison, and never have an opportunity to get out.”
Diller, a husband and father who had served three years on the force, was shot in the stomach while making a traffic stop in late March in Queens. The suspect in the shooting was identified as 34-year-old Guy Rivera, who was sitting in the passenger seat of the car pulled over by Diller when he allegedly pulled out a handgun and fired at the officer. Rivera had 21 prior arrests and was released from prison in 2021 after serving five years for criminal possession of a controlled substance, according to the Post. He was also in prison from 2011 to 2014 for first-degree assault.
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“If you have those kinds of established records, it doesn’t serve any greater goal to allow people that are offending, offending, offending and allow them to not be held accountable,” Fetterman said. “We have to be very smart and aggressive on crime.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
NEW from me
I took <a href="https://twitter.com/SenFettermanPA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenFettermanPA</a> to 3x Michelin star restaurant Eleven Madison Park in New York City
Story TK TK <a href="https://t.co/bMIxtNUKln">pic.twitter.com/bMIxtNUKln</a>
&mdash; Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) <a href="https://twitter.com/LevineJonathan/status/1776591291553358215?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-destroys-squatters-rights-in-florida-this-isnt-california-and-new-york" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DeSantis Destroys ‘Squatter’s Rights’ In Florida: This Isn’t ‘California And New York’</a>

John Fetterman Sept 26

Fetterman Blasts Squatters Trying To Steal People’s Homes: ‘Squatters Have No Rights’

General

Homelessness

John Fetterman

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/venezuela" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Venezuelan</a> illegal alien who encouraged other illegal aliens to try to steal people&#8217;s homes through squatting is now facing potential federal firearm charges.
Leonel Moreno, who was recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ice-busts-venezuelan-illegal-alien-who-urged-illegals-to-take-over-americans-homes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested</a> by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, illegally entered the U.S. in April 2022.
The New York Post reported that internal federal documents obtained by the publication shows the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has been in contact with immigration officials and is considering bringing federal charges against him.
&#8220;The exact charges are not known, but sources said they would likely be brought under a section of the Gun Control Act which prohibits those on parole from possessing, shipping, transporting or receiving firearms or ammunition,&#8221; the report said.
Moreno posted videos on social media of him at firearms stores holding firearms, asking his followers which one they liked the best, and saying that he could buy them in stores.
John Fabbricatore, a former ICE field office director in Denver, said, &#8220;Charges under [Gun Control Act section] 922.g are a serious matter and can result in significant legal consequences for Moreno.&#8221;
“This should be a warning to any illegal aliens that possessing a firearm unlawfully will result in criminal charges and hopefully lead to a conviction,” he added.
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While there is no proof that he ever purchased a firearm at a store, Peter Forcelli, former special agent for the ATF, told the publication that the ATF is likely seeking charges because &#8220;he’s an illegal alien in possession of a firearm that was transported across state lines,&#8221; the report said.
“Based on the fact that he’s advocating going into people’s homes and taking them over is incredibly concerning,” Forcelli said.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ice-busts-venezuelan-illegal-alien-who-urged-illegals-to-take-over-americans-homes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ICE Busts Venezuelan Illegal Alien Who Urged Illegals To Take Over Americans’ Homes</a>

US-MUSIC-POLITICS-HINCKLEY

Venezuelan Illegal Alien Who Advocated Squatting In Homes Is Facing Potential Gun Charges: Report

Guns

Illegal Immigration

Venezuela

On Tuesday, the House of Representatives Rules Committee will prepare to vote on the Laken Riley Act, a bill which would require the secretary of Homeland Security to take into custody aliens who have been charged in the United States with theft.
Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old illegal immigrant from Venezuela who has been named as the suspect in Laken Riley’s murder, was <a href="https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/clarke-county/jose-diego-ibarra-court-documents-reveal-immigration-criminal-past-united-states/SPXOP242MNF3NPCCRCCB4DZSQU/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested</a> in August 2023 by New York police after he was caught driving an unregistered car with a five-year-old inside. He was <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/brother-uga-murder-suspect-charged-green-card-fraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener">charged</a> in the Riley case with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and kidnapping after Riley’s body was found on February 22 near the University of Georgia’s Intramural Fields and Lake Herrick.
His brother Diego, who was arrested and charged with possessing a fraudulent green card on February 23, had been arrested in New York in September 2023 for driving under the influence without a license; in October 2023, he was arrested again for shoplifting.
“The Biden administration should not have released Laken Riley’s alleged murderer into the United States,” the bill, <a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-118hr7511ih/pdf/BILLS-118hr7511ih.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">H.R. 7511</a>, states. “The Biden administration should have arrested and detained Laken Riley’s alleged murderer after he was charged with crimes in New York, New York, and Athens, Georgia; President Biden should publicly denounce his administration’s immigration policies that resulted in the murder of Laken Riley; and President Biden should prevent another murder like that of Laken Riley by ending the catch-and-release of illegal aliens, increasing immigration enforcement, detaining and removing criminal aliens, reinstating the Remain in Mexico policy, ending his abuse of parole authority, and securing the United States borders.”
House lawmakers are hoping to get the bill to the floor for a vote as soon as this week.
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The bill also would give the attorney general of a state or another authorized state officer, standing to bring an action against the Attorney General or Secretary of Homeland Security “alleging an action or decision by the Attorney General or Secretary of Homeland Security under this section to release any alien or grant bond or parole to any alien that harms such State or its residents.”

House Holds Hearing On Worldwide Threats To The Homeland

House Prepares ‘Laken Riley Act’: Would Require Homeland Security To Arrest Illegal Immigrants Charged With Theft

Department of Homeland Security

Laken Riley

U.S. House of Representatives

The eldest son of Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lauren-boebert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lauren Boebert</a> (R-CO) was arrested this week in connection to a string of property thefts and vehicle trespasses, according to police.
The Rifle Police Department said that Tyler Jay Boebert, 18, was arrested on Tuesday afternoon over &#8220;a recent string of vehicle trespass and property thefts in Rifle.&#8221;
&#8220;Boebert is facing the following charges: four felony counts of Criminal Possession ID Documents &#8211; Multiple Victims, one felony count of Conspiracy to Commit a Felony, and over 15 additional misdemeanor and petty offenses,&#8221; police said. &#8220;This is an ongoing investigation, no further information will be released at this time.&#8221;
CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lauren-boebert-son-arrested-tyler/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab7e&amp;linkId=341353928" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that records from the Garfield County Jail showed that Tyler Boebert was being held on 22 charges. He was released after posting $1,250 bond and will next appear in court in early April.
&#8220;I love my son Tyler, who has been through some very difficult, public challenges for a young man and the subject of attention that he didn&#8217;t ask for,&#8221; Lauren Boebert said in a statement. &#8220;It breaks my heart to see my child struggling and, in this situation, especially when he has been provided multiple opportunities to get his life on track.&#8221;
&#8220;As an adult and father, Tyler will take responsibility for his actions and should be held accountable for poor decisions just like any other citizen,&#8221; she added.
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The incident comes as Lauren Boebert has had a lot going on in her personal life — mostly centering around her divorce from Jayson Boebert, to whom she was married for 17 years. Some of the drama has garnered media headlines.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) came to Boebert&#8217;s defense after the story about her son surfaced on Wednesday afternoon.
&#8220;This is a family in crisis and the recreational cruelty I see on social media needs to be out of bounds,&#8221; Fetterman said. &#8220;I know the impact this has on children. I&#8217;m calling for restraint because cruelty has substantial collateral damage. We can&#8217;t ever forget that they didn&#8217;t sign up for this.&#8221;

House Oversight Committee Holds Closed Door Interview With Hunter Biden

Boebert’s Son Arrested On 5 Felony, 15+ Misdemeanor Charges: Police

Boebert's Son Arrested On 5 Felony, 15+ Misdemeanor Charges: Police

Colorado

Lauren Boebert

The owner of the Compton bakery that was looted by a group of more than 100 people — and had a car crashed into it — last week says his business suffered $70,000 in damage.
Ruben Ramirez Jr., the son of Mexican immigrants and the owner of Ruben’s Bakery &amp; Mexican Food told Fox News that his family is trying to rebuild after the incident.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
WATCH:
Owner of the Compton bakery that was looted in several viral videos, Ruben Ramirez, joins <a href="https://twitter.com/SandraSmithFox?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SandraSmithFox</a> to detail what happened, his confusion over why he was targeted and who these looters were, and his efforts to rebuild his store for his community. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmericaReports?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AmericaReports</a> <a href="https://t.co/5cpYaaKFCN">pic.twitter.com/5cpYaaKFCN</a>
&mdash; America Reports (@AmericaRpts) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmericaRpts/status/1743340889290719496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;This has never happened to us before. We&#8217;ve seen ‘street takeovers’ in the area, but it&#8217;s never anything like this,&#8221; Ramirez said.
A group of more than 100 looters crashed a car into Ruben&#8217;s Bakery and looted the store in the dead of night on Tuesday, after an illegal street takeover, which began at 3 a.m. about a mile away.
<div class="dw-mm-player-container">Someone backed a white Kia through the front doors of the bakery, ramming it into the store twice as a large group crowded around nearby, security footage shows.</div>
<div></div>
<div class="dw-mm-player-container">Once inside, the looters, wearing masks or pulling their hoods over their faces, can be seen grabbing as much as they can from the store, jumping on counters, and pushing past each other before fleeing. Some go straight for the cash register.</div>
<div></div>
<div>Photos from the aftermath <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/video/compton-residents-vent-frustration-after-street-takeover-crowd-robs-local-bakery/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h" target="_blank" rel="noopener">show</a> the store ransacked with open food containers lying on the ground. A metal-grated window appears to have been destroyed by the car, and shattered glass lies on the ground as well.</div>
<div>
Among the items stolen were meat scales, meat, groceries, and lotto tickets, <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/01/04/news/la-mob-of-over-100-looters-takeover-compton-bakery-after-car-smashes-through-front-door/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Captain Melissa Ramirez of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.
<div>
&#8220;The worst is seeing my parents, who built something for over 48 years, to almost lose it because of this violence that&#8217;s going on right now. These street takeovers in Compton have been getting worse and worse, and I&#8217;m not the only one frustrated. My neighbors here are telling me the same thing,&#8221; the bakery owner said.
</div>
&#8220;I do hope they see justice, but more than anything I just want my business back. I want to be able to serve the community how we&#8217;ve been doing it for all these years and make everybody happy with our food,&#8221; Ramirez said.
Just before the looting incident, police had been called twice about a car on fire and the street takeover outside the bakery.
</div>
<div>
No arrests appear to have been made related to the looting so far.
Street takeovers have been an ongoing problem in the Los Angeles area.
Retail theft has also been a problem plaguing the Los Angeles area, especially organized mobs of thieves who descend on stores.
</div>

Ruben’s Bakery, street takeover, Compton

WATCH: California Bakery Owner Says He Suffered $70k Damage From Street Takeover Looters

California Bakery Owner Says He Suffered $70k Damage From Street Takeover Looters

California

Los Angeles

street takeover

A top Home Depot executive told a congressional panel Tuesday that the company is facing increasingly dangerous threats from shoplifting.
Scott Glenn, head of loss prevention at Home Depot, said employees have been threatened with weapons and even been killed in some cases since 2020, when the company saw a &#8220;significant uptick&#8221; in workers coming into &#8220;violent contact with bad actors.&#8221;
“Retailers are not exaggerating the problem,” Glenn <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qvU-WKkj2I" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> during a hearing of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement and Intelligence.
Overall, retailers across the country lost $112.1 billion due to theft last year, up from $93.9 billion in 2021 and $90.8 billion in 2020, <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/retail/retailers-lost-112-billion-2022-because-unprecedented-levels-theft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to <a href="https://cdn.nrf.com/sites/default/files/2023-09/NRF_National_Retail_Security_Survey_2023.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this year&#8217;s</a> National Retail Security Survey.
&#8220;These individuals are becoming increasingly aggressive, they are dangerous, and often care little about any consequence other than getting out of the store with as much as possible,&#8221; Glenn said. &#8220;I want to be very clear that we&#8217;re not talking about petty shoplifting. We&#8217;re talking about theft for greed, not theft for need.&#8221;
In April, a Home Depot security guard in California was fatally <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/04/19/home-depot-guard-blake-mohs-fatally-shot-by-would-be-thief/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shot</a> by a woman who was stealing a phone charger and fled in a car driven by her boyfriend with her two-year-old child in the back seat. The victim, Blake Mohs, 26, was a Boy Scout leader and was engaged to marry his fiancée, Kasey.
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Last year, an elderly Home Depot worker also <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/06/02/son-of-gary-rasor-home-depot-worker-fatally-pushed-by-shoplifter-demands-crackdown/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">died</a> after a serial shoplifter shoved him down onto a concrete floor.
The spike in organized retail crime has also forced Home Depot to lock up valuable products and hire off-duty cops, among other security measures, Glenn said.
&#8220;There&#8217;s the myth that [organized retail crime] rings happen only in big cities. Unfortunately criminals don&#8217;t discriminate,&#8221; Glenn said, saying this type of crime is happening &#8220;everywhere,&#8221; even in suburban areas.
Home Depot has more than 2,000 stores and more than 490,000 employees across the U.S.
Glenn pointed to several issues he said he believes are root causes of the crime spike, including the drug crisis, third-party marketplaces that make it easy for criminals to resell goods, and a lack of resources for law enforcement.
A bill sponsored by one of the House committee members, Representative Dina Titus (D-NV), the “Combating Organized Retail Crime Act,” would launch a federal response across multiple agencies to fight organized retail theft.

Home Depot To Release Fiscal Year 2003 Earnings

Home Depot Exec Describes Soaring Violent Threats From Shoplifters In Congressional Testimony

Congress

Home Depot

shoplifting

As retail theft soars in Washington, D.C., one CVS store is taking drastic measures to prevent its stock of toilet paper and other products from being stolen. 
Instead of seeing packages of toilet paper on the shelf, at a CVS on H Street NE in the nation’s capital, you will only find framed photos of the product. The move comes in response to a spike in theft at the store, particularly among the homeless population, according to a <a href="https://wtop.com/dc/2023/10/northeast-cvs-only-has-photos-of-paper-products-on-shelves-due-to-theft/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from WTOP News. 
“It seems to be a case that people don’t care about laws or respect that anymore,” a tourist told the outlet. “In the United Kingdom, we are seeing shops closing down because they’re losing so much money from people shoplifting, which is obviously having an impact on the economy in general.”
Sources told WTOP that homeless people had been entering the store and stealing toilet paper and other products, prompting it to remove items from display. To get the products for purchase, shoppers need to press a button for assistance &#8211; something that&#8217;s becoming more common across the country, especially in Democrat-run cities. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Washington DC CVS replaces shelves of toilet paper with framed photos of products amid rising thefts
A CVS location in Washington DC was forced to wipe its shelves clean of toilet paper and replace them instead with framed photos of the products amid rising thefts in the… <a href="https://t.co/mUfhQ6vfUj">pic.twitter.com/mUfhQ6vfUj</a>
&mdash; Owen Gregorian (@OwenGregorian) <a href="https://twitter.com/OwenGregorian/status/1723689549623124145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In 2023, there were roughly 4,922 homeless people in D.C., an 11.6% increase from 2022, according to the annual Point-in-Time count <a href="https://dcist.com/story/23/05/05/dc-homelessness-increase-2023-pit-count/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released</a> in May.  
According to a recent <a href="https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/dc/cvs-thefts-columbia-heights-dc/65-1490b69c-abc1-46ea-887f-ce317f01ae16" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from WUSA9, thieves ransack a separate CVS location in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of D.C. nearly every day. Sources told the outlet that people leave the store with boxes of stolen goods daily, with staff saying that thieves will specifically target the store when it gets new shipments, stealing the product before it&#8217;s put out for sale. The result: near-empty shelves. 
“I think it’s enforcement and the infractions are not tough,&#8221; a woman who recently bought a home near the store told the outlet. &#8220;A lot of times, it’s just a slap on the hand.&#8221; She also said she was reconsidering moving to the area, saying, &#8220;It&#8217;s getting worse. People get killed in front of the Metro, stores are robbed every single day. You can’t even find food.&#8221;
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According to Fox Business, retail theft in the nation’s capital <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/retail/washington-dc-cvs-only-shows-pictures-toilet-paper-products-rising-theft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is up 68%</a> over 2022, with more than 3,000 robberies taking place so far this year. At this point last year, 1,791 robberies had occurred, the outlet noted. 
A CVS spokesman <a href="https://wtop.com/dc/2023/10/thieves-hit-columbia-heights-cvs-leaving-shelves-nearly-empty/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> WTOP that the company has no plans to shutter any of its Washington, D.C., locations. 
In July, it was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/some-san-francisco-stores-locking-up-frozen-foods-to-prevent-shoplifting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed</a> that some stores in San Francisco began locking up their frozen foods section due to retail theft. One CBS News Bay Area reporter said that a Walgreens location was being robbed 20 times a day, prompting it to start locking up goods. 
“Workers said normally shoplifters clean out all the pizza and ice cream every night. They’re usually hit 20x a day. The whole store is virtually locked up,” CBS News Bay Area reporter Betty Yu said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/bett_yu/status/1681124070077906945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1681138386382331904%7Ctwgr%5Eac0f748e14bb10b8414dc9738d77cc5cdca4ae75%7Ctwcon%5Es2_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsan-francisco-food-stores-lock-up-frozen-goods-to-mitigate-shoplifting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> on X. 
A video accompanying the tweet shows ice cream, microwave dinners, frozen fish sticks, and frozen pizzas in freezers locked with a chain. Additionally, rows of makeup, hair products, cleaning supplies, candles, laundry detergent, and other items are in locked cases.

Toilet Paper Replaced With Framed Photos Of Product In D.C. Drugstore As Retail Theft Soars

Business

University of Colorado football players allegedly had thousands of dollars of jewelry and other valuable items stolen during their game against UCLA over the weekend in Southern California.
Players discovered that their possessions were stolen at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles after they lost their game against the then-No. 23 Bruins, 28-16.
“The UCLA athletic department confirmed that a report was filed to the Pasadena Police Department following the UCLA-Colorado football game regarding items that were reportedly missing from the Colorado locker room,&#8221; UCLA <a href="https://www.outkick.com/colorado-jewlrey-stolen-during-ucla-game-deion-sanders/">said</a> in a statement. &#8220;UCLA is in communication with law enforcement, Rose Bowl Stadium officials and the University of Colorado on the matter.”
&#8220;That&#8217;s awful for anybody,&#8221; UCLA head coach Chip Kelly told reporters after hearing about the incident. &#8220;You would think that when you go anywhere that your valuables are safe.&#8221;
A video posted to social media following the game showed several players talking about the items that were stolen from them.
&#8220;I just got mine, bro,&#8221; said Colorado safety Cam&#8217;Ron Silmon-Craig. &#8220;I had the jewelry box and everything, bro. They took it off my jewelry box.&#8221;
The Denver Post <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2023/10/30/cu-buffs-football-players-robbed-rose-bowl-ucla/">reported</a> that at least five football players were victimized during the robbery.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
During the Colorado vs UCLA game, thieves stole Colorado’s players’ jewelry from the locker room. Crazy 😳 <a href="https://t.co/8mTeDab9zA">pic.twitter.com/8mTeDab9zA</a>
&mdash; College Transfer Portal (@CollegeFBPortal) <a href="https://twitter.com/CollegeFBPortal/status/1718814870131314960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Someone tried to rob Colorado Football coach Deion Sanders when he was at Jackson State during a game against Edward Waters, according to Outkick.
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&#8220;Naw it was stolen but they got it back,&#8221; Sanders wrote at the time. &#8220;It was stolen out my personal bag in my office and My assistant caught the gentleman in the process of stealing it but she was alone. No Miscommunication my man at all.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Naw it was stolen but they got it back. It was stolen out my personal bag in my office and My assistant caught the gentleman in the process of stealing it but she was alone. No Miscommunication my man at all <a href="https://t.co/foXTKwqsQC">https://t.co/foXTKwqsQC</a>
&mdash; COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeionSanders/status/1363647569403015170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2021</a></blockquote>
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UCLA Bruins defeated the Colorado Buffaloes 28-16 to win a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

Thousands Of Dollars Of Jewelry Stolen From Colorado Football Players During UCLA Game

College Football

Los Angeles (UCLA)

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