The Intel by Auror: Retail Crime Intelligence Podcast

The Intel by Auror

Let's talk about the future of Retail Crime Intelligence and how leaders around the world are addressing ORC (Organized Retail Crime). From industry trends to peer-to-peer insights, this podcast covers the hottest topics of today with the biggest implications for our future. These talks are hosted by Auror, the platform for retailers focused on preventing crime, reducing loss, and making stores safer. Learn more at auror.co

  1. APR 7

    Strengthening partnerships for public safety with the Retail Crime Hub [Auror Connect NA 2026]

    When information is connected, investigations move faster and go further. In this episode, Ruby Arden brings together leaders from retail, law enforcement, and technology to explore what’s actually getting in the way of effective retail crime investigations. Featuring Raul Aguilar (Auror), Brian Wilson (Anchorage Police Department), Jason Fisher (Redmond Police Department), and Arjun Subramanian (Axon), the discussion goes beyond theory into how cases are built, shared, and acted on in the real world. The group breaks down a familiar challenge: teams are doing the work but outcomes don’t always follow. Reports go unread, cases stay isolated, and repeat offenders continue operating across multiple locations. Without a clear view of what’s happening beyond a single store or incident, it’s difficult to prioritize and act. They share how connecting information across retailers and law enforcement changes that dynamic, helping teams identify patterns, focus on the individuals causing the most harm, and build stronger cases that stand up in court. Early results show what’s possible when investigations move from fragmented to coordinated. From uncovering broader criminal activity to executing a multi-state takedown, this episode highlights how better visibility and shared intelligence lead to more consistent enforcement and safer outcomes for teams and communities. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why many retail crime cases stall before reaching prosecution How connecting information improves case quality and prioritization What it takes to turn repeat incidents into actionable investigations Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Introduction to the Retail Crime Hub Panel (02:37) The historical challenges  between retail and law enforcement (05:40) Inside the Retail Crime Hub: connecting retailers and police (09:34) Why repeat offenders keep getting away and how that’s changing (17:08) How shared intelligence led to a multi-state takedown (24:51) Building trust, sharing data, and making partnerships work Resources: Ruby's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubyarden/  Raul’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raul-o-a-b6bbb1273/  Jason’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-fisher-648318293  Understand the latest organized retail crime trends: https://www.auror.co/retail-crime-insights-report  Learn more about organized retail crime: https://www.auror.co/organized-retail-crime Auror’s website: https://www.auror.co/

    36 min

  2. MAR 22

    Revolutionizing Retail Safety with Facial Recognition Technology

    For police and retailers alike, identifying known offenders quickly can make all the difference in keeping people safe. In this episode, host Nick McDonnell is joined by Jamie Townsend, Director at True Recognition Ltd and former Detective Chief Inspector at the Metropolitan Police. With over 30 years of experience, Jamie has played a pivotal role in the adoption and deployment of facial recognition technology (FRT) within law enforcement. Jamie discusses his journey from policing the streets of London to introducing live facial recognition at one of the world’s largest police forces. He shares how FRT helps officers make informed, real-time decisions, ensuring that dangerous offenders are identified on the spot, while also emphasizing the importance of human oversight in these decisions. The conversation delves into the ethical and accuracy concerns surrounding biometric data and how transparency with the public is key to maintaining trust. With the increasing use of FRT by both law enforcement and retailers, Jamie explains how this technology is not only making people safer but also ensuring that frontline workers and communities feel supported. In this episode, you’ll learn: How FRT can prevent crime and de-escalate potentially dangerous situations The role of human decision-making and ethical considerations in using FRT effectively The critical importance of transparency and trust when deploying new technologies Jump into the conversation:(00:00) Introduction to facial recognition in public safety(03:10) Jamie’s background in policing and FRT(07:45) Why police turned to facial recognition technology(10:17) Human decision-making and the role of officer oversight (15:26) Retail safety and frontline de-escalation(18:26) Building trust with the public and ensuring transparency(22:09) The future of FRT in policing and retail(24:25) Precision in identification and avoiding profiling(28:09) How FRT helps retailers and law enforcement act quickly and accurately(31:57) Real-world results from facial recognition deployments(36:01) Jamie’s advice to the sector regarding FRTResources: Jamie’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-townsend-a2411a271/ Discover True Recognition Ltd: https://www.trurecognition.io/ Nick’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickjmcdonnell/ Understand the latest organized retail crime trends: https://www.auror.co/retail-crime-insights-report  Learn more about organized retail crime: https://www.auror.co/organized-retail-crime Retail Secure Conference details: https://rccretailsecure.ca/agenda/ Auror’s website: https://www.auror.co/

    46 min

  3. FEB 12

    The role of innovation in keeping people safe from retail crime and violence [Retail Risk Leicester 2025]

    Every day, retail teams face greater risks on the shop floor, and retailers are stepping up with innovation designed to protect them. In this episode, Ellen Dick, Director of Retail Partnerships at Auror, speaks with Paul Hollowood from Primark, Ben McDonald from Morrisons, and John Ward from Home Bargains about the practical ways innovation is keeping colleagues safe. From intelligence sharing and stakeholder engagement to technology that prevents harm before it happens, the panel shares how collaboration and purpose-driven innovation are building safer retail environments. In this episode, you’ll learn about: How to balance innovation and risk while protecting people Why stakeholder buy-in determines technology success in retail How actionable intelligence reduces violence and repeat offending Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Setting the scene on rising retail violence and the need for innovation (01:28) Meet the panel: Primark, Morrisons, and Home Bargains share their safety focus (02:13) Why violence and aggression demand new safety solutions (03:15) How retailers choose the right innovation partners (06:29) The toughest part of innovation (10:06) Building trust and ethical practices around facial recognition (13:16) Real-world results: reducing violent incidents by 60% (17:28) What’s next for LP innovation in the next 12 months Resources: Paul’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-hollowood-5a29b67a/  Ben’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-mcdonald-a6965153/ John’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-ward-8003782b/?originalSubdomain=uk  Ellen’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellendick?originalSubdomain=uk  Understand the latest organized retail crime trends: https://www.auror.co/retail-crime-insights-report  Learn more about organized retail crime: https://www.auror.co/organized-retail-crime Retail Secure Conference details: https://rccretailsecure.ca/agenda/ Auror’s website: https://www.auror.co/

    22 min

  4. JAN 29

    Inside Ulta Beauty's SOC: Lessons from retail

    What does meaningful support look like when retail associates face their most difficult moments? In this episode, Julie Lawson from the Loss Prevention Foundation hosts a conversation with Mike Korso, Director of Loss Prevention Intelligence at Ulta Beauty, and Bobby Haskins of Auror to unpack how Ulta built its EPICenter and why associate safety sits at the center of every decision. From creating a centralized security operations center from a blank slate to rethinking how intelligence, technology, and people work together, the discussion offers a grounded look at what it takes to support stores in real time while earning trust across the business. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Ulta designed its EPICenter around associate experience and life safety What retailers should prioritize when building or evolving a security operations center Why soft skills, accuracy, and speed matter as much as technology Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Why associate support is the most valuable return on investment (03:16) Introducing Ulta Beauty’s EPICenter and its mission (07:29) Securing leadership buy-in for a centralized SOC (11:13) Foundational roles and workflows inside the EPICenter (14:45) Choosing technology based on life safety priorities (18:30) Managing alert fatigue and intelligence accuracy (21:46) How Auror supports EPICenter intelligence workflows (24:24) Measuring impact beyond financial metrics (32:00) Key lessons from four years of SOC operations (35:01) Skills needed to lead a security operations center (42:27) Notifications and critical incident response (47:49) Technology risks and future blind spots Resources: Mike’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-korso-mba-cfi-lpc/  Bobby’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyhaskins/  Julie’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-lawson-mba-lpc-15b6231b/  Understand the latest organized retail crime trends: https://www.auror.co/retail-crime-insights-report  Learn more about organized retail crime: https://www.auror.co/organized-retail-crime Retail Secure Conference details: https://rccretailsecure.ca/agenda/ Auror’s website: ⁠https://www.auror.co/⁠

    54 min

  5. 12/11/2025

    Voices in Loss Prevention: Safety & security at bp with Emily Milner

    Every decision Emily Milner makes comes back to one goal: sending her people home safe. In this Voices in Loss Prevention ‘25 episode, bp ANZ’s Country Security Manager joins Auror’s Sean Singh to discuss safety in high-risk retail and operational settings.  Drawing on her two decades of experience, Emily shares bp’s approach to security, from clear protocols for staff to accessible support during incidents. Emily and Sean cover topics like rising violence, citizens’ arrest laws, and reporting systems that drive action.  The conversation highlights the importance of protecting people first, whether on the frontlines or in the boardroom. In this episode, you’ll learn about: Building safety processes that match real-world operations How global knowledge-sharing strengthens local security programs The importance of celebrating effective safety actions on the frontline Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Emily Milner introduction (01:24) Lessons from working across retail, aviation, and terminals (03:15) How bp builds a people-first safety culture (04:59) Managing unintended risks from well-meaning interventions (07:07) Creating processes that match real-world store operations (10:46) Showing the human impact behind safety statistics (17:35) Challenges of staying ahead of organized retail crime (26:31) How technology is transforming incident response and prevention (31:18) Addressing the emotional toll of frontline incidents Resources: Sean’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seandsingh/  Emily’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-milner-183b912a/  Understand the latest organized retail crime trends: https://www.auror.co/retail-crime-insights-report  Learn more about organized retail crime: https://www.auror.co/organized-retail-crime Retail Secure Conference details: https://rccretailsecure.ca/agenda/ bp’s website: https://www.bp.com/

    34 min

  6. 11/21/2025

    Building a Prevention Network: How Retail and Law Enforcement Are Partnering to Stop Crime

    How do you stop organized retail crime before it starts? In this episode, Auror’s Raul Aguilar, Head of Law Enforcement Partnerships - Americas, sits down with Chief Eric Clifford of the Schenectady Police Department and Detective Sergeant Nicholas Ferrara of the Gainesville Police Department to show how trust between law enforcement and retail investigators is helping communities feel safer. From a single post that sparked a seven-state investigation to a detective known as “The Tech Wizard” who linked offenders across the country, these stories reveal what’s possible when law enforcement and retailers work together as one network. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why thousands of theft cases never make it past the report stage, and what it takes to change that How detectives are using shared intelligence to solve more cases with fewer officers How smarter reporting and human connection are helping stop repeat offenders before crimes escalate Jump into the conversation:(00:00) Getting video evidence faster with Auror and Axon integration (01:32) Chief Eric Clifford on how organized retail crime impacts communities (03:27) Detective Sergeant Nick Ferrara on Gainesville’s ORC challenges (06:00) Defining intelligence networks and the role of Auror’s platform (08:07) Overcoming law enforcement challenges in real-time intelligence sharing (10:20) Real case: How shared data helped identify a multistate ORC crew (16:00) Building trust and collaboration between retailers and police (22:45) Empowering loss prevention as a force multiplier for law enforcement (30:19) The future of prevention networks and safer communities Resources: Chief Eric’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-s-clifford-40849a14/  Detective Sergeant Nick’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-ferrara-128171127/  Raul’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raul-o-a-b6bbb1273/  Understand the latest organized retail crime trends: https://www.auror.co/retail-crime-insights-report  Learn more about organized retail crime: https://www.auror.co/organized-retail-crime Retail Secure Conference details: https://rccretailsecure.ca/agenda/ Auror’s website: https://www.auror.co/

    40 min

  7. 09/19/2025

    Modern Retail Safety: Leading a Connected Response to Crime

    This episode comes from a joint Auror x Axon webinar hosted by the Loss Prevention Foundation (LPF) in August 2025. Auror’s Bobby Haskins brings together Raul Aguilar, Brian Friedman from REI, Seth Hughes from Axon, and Lt. Eugene Kim from the Beverly Hills Police Department to share how connected responses to retail crime are changing what’s possible. They open up about the toll crime takes on staff, the need for trust across jurisdictions, and the technology that is finally making collaboration faster and evidence more secure. From body-worn cameras to real-time intelligence sharing, the panel shows what happens when partners commit to building safer environments together. It’s a candid look at the urgency of stopping organized retail crime before it escalates, and a call for retailers and communities to stand united in protecting both employees and customers. In this episode, you’ll learn about: Why closer partnerships between retailers and law enforcement make stores safer How technology is speeding up evidence sharing and prevention efforts What repeat offenders show us about the rising complexity of retail crime Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Brian Friedman, Seth Hughes, Lt. Eugene Kim, and Raul Aguilar introduction (04:01) How fragmented systems hinder collaboration with law enforcement (07:40) Raul Aguilar on federal action and Operation Boiling Point (12:09) Building stronger public-private partnerships through local outreach (17:55) Deconfliction and why information sharing prevents wasted efforts (24:28) Transmitting evidence from Auror to FBI in minutes (26:15) Body-worn cameras changing employee confidence and safety (35:43) Tracking KPIs and measuring real outcomes from retail crime data (41:58) Case closed through workflow and retailer police sit-alongs Resources: Brian’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianbfriedman/  Seth’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-hughes-lpc-5474544/  Raul’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raul-o-a-b6bbb1273/ Bobby’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyhaskins/  Understand the latest organized retail crime trends: https://www.auror.co/retail-crime-insights-report  Learn more about organized retail crime: https://www.auror.co/organized-retail-crime Retail Secure Conference details: https://rccretailsecure.ca/agenda/ Auror’s website: https://www.auror.co/

    48 min

  8. 08/26/2025

    50 in 5: A Movement to Reduce Violence in Retail

    A cashier was dragged by her hair. An elderly jewelry store owner was brutally beaten. This is the reality of retail today, and it’s unacceptable. Auror’s 50 in 5 mission sets a bold goal: reduce violent retail crime by half within five years.  In this episode, Auror’s Phil Thomson, Terry Sullivan, Raul Aguilar, and Alaina Kring come together to explain why this mission matters and the collective effort needed to make it happen. Through their experiences in retail leadership, law enforcement, and partnerships, they bring forward stories from the frontline, examine the role of intelligence and AI in prevention, and underline why communities cannot allow violence in stores to become routine. This conversation is both a warning and an invitation to act with urgency, because each act of violence leaves scars that statistics can’t measure, and the responsibility to stop it belongs to all of us. In this episode, you’ll learn about: Why violent retail crime is more than a loss prevention issue How frontline stories fuel the urgency of 50 in 5 The role of intelligence and AI in stopping repeat offenders Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Phil Thomson, Terry Sullivan, Raul Aguilar, and Alaina Kring introduction (01:18) Introducing the 50 in 5 mission with Auror (05:13) Law enforcement and retailers building a coalition of the willing (09:47) Stories of frontline workers facing violence in stores (13:42) The reality of organized retail crime and ORC networks (20:24) Family safety concerns and the myth of petty theft (26:16) How AI and intelligence are changing crime prevention (36:48) Facial recognition technology and safeguards for safe adoption (39:31) Practical takeaways retailers can use to protect communities Resources: Phil’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomsonphil/ Terry’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-sullivan-lpc-b267937/ Raul’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raul-o-a-b6bbb1273/ Alaina’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alaina-kring-cpht-93108390/ Understand the latest organized retail crime trends: https://www.auror.co/retail-crime-insights-report  Learn more about organized retail crime: https://www.auror.co/organized-retail-crime Retail Secure Conference details: https://rccretailsecure.ca/agenda/ Auror’s website: https://www.auror.co/

    43 min
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Let's talk about the future of Retail Crime Intelligence and how leaders around the world are addressing ORC (Organized Retail Crime). From industry trends to peer-to-peer insights, this podcast covers the hottest topics of today with the biggest implications for our future. These talks are hosted by Auror, the platform for retailers focused on preventing crime, reducing loss, and making stores safer. Learn more at auror.co

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