Tag: theft

Boss of London Pride parade is sacked after ‘spending £7,000 of donations on luxury perfumes and Apple products’

The boss of Pride in London has been sacked after allegedly spending £7,000 of donated vouchers on luxury perfumes and Apple products.

Christopher Joell-Deshields was let go after an investigation was launched into allegations of misuse of company funds, financial mismanagement, and a failure to safeguard volunteers against bullying.

He had been CEO since 2021 and was often seen rubbing shoulders with celebrity supporters such as Naomi Campbell – but was suspended accused of using vouchers donated by a sponsor to purchase luxury products.

Whistleblowers claimed he had spent £7,125 of vouchers intended for volunteers on items including an Apple HomePod speaker, Apple AirPod earphones and colognes including Creed Aventus, which retails from £165. 

The pattern of the purchases suggested they were for ‘personal – rather than organisational – benefit’, the whistleblowers said. 

It was reported that he was being paid his full £87,500 salary whilst suspended, prior to his dismissal at the end of last month. He has denied any wrongdoing.

In a statement, Pride in London’s board of management said Mr Joell-Deshields is ‘no longer employed by or affiliated with London LGBT Community Pride’ – the community interest company that runs the annual event.

He appealed against the decision, but it was subsequently upheld by an independent reviewer. Pride did not say whether it had found the allegations against him proved.

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Marine Corporal Arrested for Allegedly Stealing Missile System, Ammo

A 23-year-old Marine Corporal is under arrest for allegedly stealing a missile system and other “weapons of war” from his California base and selling them for personal profit.

AZ Family reported the Marine, Andrew Paul Amarillas, is “accused of stealing a Javelin missile system and cans of ammunition… to sell on the streets in Arizona.”

Amarillas is an ammunition technician specialist at Camp Pendleton.

The New York Post noted that the Javelin missile system “is capable of punching through heavy tank armor from miles away.”

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Democrat Congresswoman Indicted Over Stolen Millions, Radio Silence From Legacy Media

Political commentator Scott Jennings raised concerns about allegations against Florida Democratic Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus McCormick, who has been indicted in connection with an alleged scheme involving $5 million in FEMA disaster relief funds.

“By the way, have you heard the one about the sitting Florida Congresswoman who stole millions of dollars in FEMA disaster relief funds and then used the money on her campaign for Congress?” Jennings said.

He questioned the level of public attention surrounding the case, adding, “No, you haven’t heard this story? Well, I wonder why that might be.”

Political commentator Scott Jennings raised concerns about allegations against Florida Democratic Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus McCormick, who has been indicted in connection with an alleged scheme involving $5 million in FEMA disaster relief funds.

“By the way, have you heard the one about the sitting Florida Congresswoman who stole millions of dollars in FEMA disaster relief funds and then used the money on her campaign for Congress?” Jennings said.

He questioned the level of public attention surrounding the case, adding, “No, you haven’t heard this story? Well, I wonder why that might be.”

Jennings continued, “Because I’ll tell you why the congresswoman in question is a Democrat, and that tells you everything you need to know about the state of the American media.”

He described the allegations as significant, stating, “Now this is not some minor ethics flap.”

Jennings emphasized the seriousness of the case, saying, “This is not a paperwork error. This is not a technicality here, folks.”

He added, “This is one of the most serious corruption cases involving a sitting member of Congress to come along in years.”

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Walgreens Gives Bodycams To Employees After Rise In Retail Assaults

As most Americans are now well aware, national retail theft has seen a significant spike since 2021, with total shoplifting incidents increasing by roughly 53% between 2021 and 2024 based on industry data.  This has led to sweeping policy changes to retail businesses, specifically in urban locations, and long aisles of locked glass cases are only the beginning.  

In the case of Walgreens, the company has closed a significant number of locations in high crime areas since 2024 as part of a broader plan to shutter underperforming stores nationwide. The company announced in October 2024 that it would close approximately 1,200 stores across the U.S. over three years (through 2027), with about 500 targeted for fiscal year 2025. 

This decision is not unique. Hundreds of larger retailers are also shutting down stores in risky neighborhoods, and critics argue that these closures are directly targeting areas in predominantly black and minority neighborhoods.  They complain that this trend is leading to “food deserts” where minorities do not have easy access to convenient shopping.

The problem, of course, is that these are the areas with the worst crime rates.  Furthermore, to keep said stores open in such places also puts employee safety at risk and makes the companies vulnerable to liability. 

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It’s Not ‘Racism’, It’s Statistics…

A viral video has revealed that CVS is locking up darker makeup shades behind security devices while lighter ones sit open — because stores secure what thieves steal most, and the data backs it up.

A shopper at CVS captured the scene with lighter skin-tone foundations and concealers displayed freely, no locks and no tags, yet the darker shades were all secured behind anti-theft devices.

This isn’t “racism.” It’s basic loss prevention. Retailers don’t waste money locking up products that don’t walk out the door. They follow the numbers.

The wider retail theft crisis makes it crystal clear why. The National Retail Federation’s 2025 Impact of Retail Theft and Violence report shows shoplifting incidents jumped another 19 percent from 2023 to 2024 — on top of a staggering 93 percent surge since 2019.

Retailers reported double-digit increases in both shoplifting and merchandise theft heading into 2026, with aggressive thieves becoming the norm. Losses are projected near $48 billion this year alone.

Stores aren’t profiling customers. They’re protecting their shelves from repeat patterns of theft. And those patterns line up with hard crime statistics.

Nationwide arrest data from 2019 — the most comprehensive recent breakdown available — reveals Black Americans accounted for 26.6 percent of shoplifting arrests while making up just 13 percent of the U.S. population.

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Army ID’s Two Suspects Connected to Drone Theft at Fort Campbell

The U.S. Army has identified the two suspects in the theft of two drones at Fort Campbell in Kentucky.

As The Gateway Pundit previously reported, in a post on the U.S. Army Fort Campbell Facebook Page last week, a spokesperson revealed that four Skydio X10D Drone Systems were stolen from the 326th Division Engineer Battalion building.

The drones were originally stolen in November of last year, but Fort Campbell released information and surveillance photos to the public on March 11.

Now, officials at Fort Campbell have announced that the suspects behind the drone theft have been identified, but have not released their names.

The officials at Fort Campbell added, “The individuals responsible had authorized access to the military installation and the building, and they defeated the locks on the storage cages to perpetrate this theft. This was a targeted act, not a random breach of security.”

Per WSMV:

Fort Campbell provided an update to the investigation into four stolen drones from a government building in late November 2025.

Fort Campbell reported that the Department of the Army Criminal Investigative Division investigation led to the identification of two suspects, credible evidence, and the possible whereabouts of the missing quadcopter drones.

“This is an active criminal investigation, and we are working diligently to resolve this matter,” Fort Campbell said. “This is an active criminal investigation, and we are working diligently to resolve this matter.”

Fort Campbell is adamant there is no threat to the public and that the stolen drones were equipped only with small cameras.

The drones stolen were high-tech Skydio X10D drones, which are unmanned aerial systems designed with modular payload capability.

The U.S. Army 7th Army Training Command, last July, used the Skydio X10D to drop a live M67 grenade for the first time at the Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany.

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‘Where’s the Money?’: California Librarian Questioned on Missing $650,000 Linked to Dolly Parton Initiative

California’s top librarian is accused of failing to produce $650,000 in missing funds linked to a literacy program started by country music star Dolly Parton in east Tennessee in 1995.

State legislators recently pelted Greg Lucas, the leader of the California State Library, with questions about the funds during a budget hearing on education, the New York Post reported on Friday.

The issue is connected to a foundation started by Parton called Imagination Library, which delivers free books to children. The program was set to be statewide in California in 2023, according to WJHL.

The outlet noted Parton created her library in 1995 to provide free books in her home county in east Tennessee.

During the hearing, state Sen. Shannon Grove (R) told Lucas he did not have documentation to show where the money went.

She then asked point blank, “Where’s the money?”

Lucas was appointed to lead the state library in 2014 by former Gov. Jerry Brown, ABC 10 reported.

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Four Military Drones Stolen from Fort Campbell in Kentucky

Four military drones were stolen from Fort Campbell in Kentucky.

In a post on the U.S. Army Fort Campbell Facebook Page, a spokesperson wrote that four Skydio X10D Drone Systems were stolen from the 326th Division Engineer Battalion building.

The Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division is offering a reward for information that leads to the conviction of those behind the theft.

The drones were originally stolen in November of last year, but Fort Campbell released information and surveillance photos to the public on March 11.

Per WKNY:

The U.S. Army Fort Campbell is reporting the theft of four drone systems, and it needs your help to locate the suspects.

According to a social media post by the U.S. Army Fort Campbell, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division is offering $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the theft.

Fort Campbell states the theft involved four Skydio X10D drone systems.

The drone systems were last seen on November 21, 2025 at the 326th Division Engineer Battalion at Building 6955 on A Shau Valley Road in Fort Campbell, according to the post.

Between November 21-24, 2025, Fort Campbell states unknown individuals unlawfully accessed the building and took the drones.

The Skydio X10D is an unmanned aerial drone designed with a modular payload capability.

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Dem Lawmaker Seriously Suggests Studying the Upsides of Shoplifting 

A discussion during a Minnesota House Labor Committee meeting drew attention after State Representative Dave Pinto raised the idea of studying whether individuals benefit from shoplifting, prompting a sharp response from fellow lawmaker Krista Knudsen.

Knudsen addressed the issue publicly after the committee meeting, expressing disbelief over the suggestion that shoplifting could provide any benefit.

“Hey, Minnesota State Representative Christa Knutson, so today in the Labor Committee, Representative Dave Pinto requested a study for the benefits of shoplifting,” Knudsen said.

Knudsen said she could not identify any positive outcomes from theft for businesses that are targeted.

“There are no benefits to shoplifting for the people that are being shoplifted from I have no idea what else to say,” Knudsen said. “I’m shocked.”

Knudsen repeated her reaction while discussing the issue further.

“Actually, I don’t even know what to say,” she said.

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Wells Fargo denies $28K refund after check altered, cashed by mail thieves

When it’s time to pay a bill, many people still write a check and mail it. But is that safe anymore? Postal inspectors say mail theft is rising fast — and thieves are going after your checks.

The phrase “the check is in the mail” has new meaning for two northern California homeowners who were among the latest to pay the price of mail theft. They dropped their property tax payments in the mail as usual. And the checks were cashed right away — but not by the tax collector.

Kathy Pham of San Jose was surprised to get a delinquency notice in the mail saying she never paid her property taxes.

She thought, sure she did.

“I thought, ‘Oh my gosh. Did I forget?’ I was like kicking myself,” Pham said. “My husband actually took the check down to the post office and dropped it off.”

In fact, her bank statement showed that the check had cleared months ago.

“I said I’m going to go to the county Monday, and I’m going to tell them, ‘Hey, you cashed my check.’ And then my husband said, ‘Hey, let’s look at the check.’ And that’s when I almost fell over,” she said.

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