Category Archives: Crime

by | April 19, 2012 · 6:43 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Man Arrested For Using Fraudulent Credit Card Information At California Hotels; Police Seize $32,000 Worth Of Cashier's Checks

“…(the man) was arrested on suspicion of using fraudulent credit card information at hotels and resorts in Laguna Beach, Costa Mesa and Dana Point…between Feb. 15 and April 12…”

“…it was common for Larson to give his hotel room to someone else before the end of his stay and move on to another hotel…”

Harold Eric Larson, 36, of Orange was arrested April 12 at the Costa Mesa Marriott, where detectives seized documents, hotel booking information and $32,000 worth of cashier’s checks from 39 different accounts.

Larson is facing charges of burglary, identity theft, grand theft and credit card fraud, said Laguna Beach police Sgt. Robert Rahaeuser.

According to court records, Larson pleaded not guilty Monday to 20 felony counts.

Laguna police first got a tip March 2 that Larson was committing fraud at a Laguna resort.

For more:  http://www.dailypilot.com/tn-cpt-0420-larson-20120417,0,413551.story

Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Man Arrested For Using Fraudulent Credit Card Information At California Hotels; Police Seize $32,000 Worth Of Cashier's Checks

Filed under Crime, Guest Issues, Insurance, Liability, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Theft

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | April 16, 2012 · 1:31 am

Hospitality Industry Guest Payment Risks: New Jersey Hotel Is Victim Of $3900 "Theft By Deception"; Two Teens Stay In Room After Pretending To Be Placed By Social Services Agency

Police have determined that 19-year-old Joshua Walton of Barnegat and a 17-year-old girl had stayed in the room. Both were charged with theft by deception.

Authorities say two New Jersey teens pretended to be placed in a motel by a social services agency and then ran up a bill of $3,900.

Long Beach police tell the Asbury Park Press that a woman claiming to work for Ocean County Social Services called a motel last summer and requested a room for a couple and their child.

The motel owner agreed to house them for two weeks, but later learned that the woman who had made the arrangements did not work for the agency.

For more:  http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20120415/NEWS01/204150306/Police-Teens-ran-up-3-900-hotel-bill

Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Guest Payment Risks: New Jersey Hotel Is Victim Of $3900 "Theft By Deception"; Two Teens Stay In Room After Pretending To Be Placed By Social Services Agency

Filed under Crime, Guest Issues, Liability, Management And Ownership, Risk Management

Tagged as , , ,

by | · 1:31 am

Hospitality Industry Guest Payment Risks: New Jersey Hotel Is Victim Of $3900 "Theft By Deception"; Two Teens Stay In Room After Pretending To Be Placed By Social Services Agency

Police have determined that 19-year-old Joshua Walton of Barnegat and a 17-year-old girl had stayed in the room. Both were charged with theft by deception.

Authorities say two New Jersey teens pretended to be placed in a motel by a social services agency and then ran up a bill of $3,900.

Long Beach police tell the Asbury Park Press that a woman claiming to work for Ocean County Social Services called a motel last summer and requested a room for a couple and their child.

The motel owner agreed to house them for two weeks, but later learned that the woman who had made the arrangements did not work for the agency.

For more:  http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20120415/NEWS01/204150306/Police-Teens-ran-up-3-900-hotel-bill

Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Guest Payment Risks: New Jersey Hotel Is Victim Of $3900 "Theft By Deception"; Two Teens Stay In Room After Pretending To Be Placed By Social Services Agency

Filed under Crime, Guest Issues, Liability, Management And Ownership, Risk Management

Tagged as , , ,

by | April 14, 2012 · 1:49 am

Hospitality Industry Security Risks: Florida Hotel's Video Surveillance System Captures Woman Stealing $700 In Property From Room

“…Surveillance video captured the 5-foot-7 thief, in a blue tank top and jeans  shorts, lugging the stolen TV down a hallway at the Sabal Suites hotel…”

A Florida bandit helped herself to a television, bedspread, curtains, rugs,  trash can, iron and ironing board from a vacant Tampa hotel room. The 10:15 a.m. robbery back on March 21 included several trips back and  forth as the woman stripped the room of about $700 worth of property — leaving  behind only the bed.

The 20-something suspect checked several doors before starting her one-woman  crime spree. The rooms were under renovation at the time of the robbery.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/mini-bar-article-1.1061166#ixzz1rwodYiC9

Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Security Risks: Florida Hotel's Video Surveillance System Captures Woman Stealing $700 In Property From Room

Filed under Crime, Guest Issues, Insurance, Liability, Maintenance, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Theft

Tagged as , , , ,

by | April 12, 2012 · 1:10 am

Hospitality Industry Information Technology Risks: Hotel And Restaurant "POS Systems" Are The #1 Target Of Criminal Data Breaches

If a criminal can breach a system in the restaurant, they also have access to the front desk, the spa and any other connected system. The risk is even greater when hotels are part of a hotel chain with interconnected systems.

Franchise businesses are particularly at risk primarily because franchises tend to have the same POS system duplicated at all locations. If a cybercriminal can figure out a way to breach one, in all likelihood, they can replicate the attack at other locations.

In 2011, Trustwave SpiderLabs conducted 42 percent more data breach investigations than in the previous year. More than 85 percent of these data breaches occurred in the food and beverage, retail and hospitality industries.

Why the focus on these industries? There are several reasons, but the number one is that they all process credit cards. In our investigations, we found that the vast majority of assets targeted by criminals were point-of-sale software systems (75 percent of cases). Think of the scenario of a hotel that maintains a restaurant, a spa, as well as other services all connected to one POS system.  We’ve investigated cases where the criminal breaches the environment at one location and was in turn able to connect todozens of others through the wide area network used by the hotel chain.

For more:  http://www.forbes.com/sites/ciocentral/2012/04/11/restaurants-beware-hackers-want-your-customer-data/

2 Comments

Filed under Crime, Guest Issues, Liability, Maintenance, Management And Ownership, Privacy, Risk Management, Technology, Theft

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | · 1:10 am

Hospitality Industry Information Technology Risks: Hotel And Restaurant "POS Systems" Are The #1 Target Of Criminal Data Breaches

If a criminal can breach a system in the restaurant, they also have access to the front desk, the spa and any other connected system. The risk is even greater when hotels are part of a hotel chain with interconnected systems.

Franchise businesses are particularly at risk primarily because franchises tend to have the same POS system duplicated at all locations. If a cybercriminal can figure out a way to breach one, in all likelihood, they can replicate the attack at other locations.

In 2011, Trustwave SpiderLabs conducted 42 percent more data breach investigations than in the previous year. More than 85 percent of these data breaches occurred in the food and beverage, retail and hospitality industries.

Why the focus on these industries? There are several reasons, but the number one is that they all process credit cards. In our investigations, we found that the vast majority of assets targeted by criminals were point-of-sale software systems (75 percent of cases). Think of the scenario of a hotel that maintains a restaurant, a spa, as well as other services all connected to one POS system.  We’ve investigated cases where the criminal breaches the environment at one location and was in turn able to connect todozens of others through the wide area network used by the hotel chain.

For more:  http://www.forbes.com/sites/ciocentral/2012/04/11/restaurants-beware-hackers-want-your-customer-data/

2 Comments

Filed under Crime, Guest Issues, Liability, Maintenance, Management And Ownership, Privacy, Risk Management, Technology, Theft

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | April 10, 2012 · 1:36 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: "Large Identity Theft Operation" Uncovered At California Hotel After Manager Suspected Drug Sales

“…Deputies found fake credit and identification cards as well as computers, printers and software used to make false identification..Deputies also found credit card readers and small cameras that allowed criminals to capture credit card information and PIN numbers. Prepaid credit cards embossed with stolen information which could then be used at businesses were located..”

Sheriff’s deputies broke up a large identity theft operation this past weekend while investigating a report of drug dealing at a hotel room. Investigators contend the material found Sunday at Four Points by Sheraton at 11960 Foothill Blvd. was created using stolen information from card readers or skimmers, Rouse said.

The group allegedly started in Northern California and “have been working their way around,” he said.

On Sunday, a hotel manager called the Sheriff’s Department to report someone was selling drugs in one of the rooms.

Deputies discovered various items indicating Jeffery Wilkinson, 35, Barbara Brown, 32, and Shahin Abdollahi, 46, were involved in a large-scale identity theft ring, sheriff’s Sgt. Ken Jamieson said.

Wilkinson had an arrest warrant and was in the possession of drugs.

For more:  http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_20355205/rancho-cucamonga-id-theft-ring-uncovered

Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: "Large Identity Theft Operation" Uncovered At California Hotel After Manager Suspected Drug Sales

Filed under Crime, Guest Issues, Liability, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Theft

Tagged as , ,

by | · 1:36 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: "Large Identity Theft Operation" Uncovered At California Hotel After Manager Suspected Drug Sales

“…Deputies found fake credit and identification cards as well as computers, printers and software used to make false identification..Deputies also found credit card readers and small cameras that allowed criminals to capture credit card information and PIN numbers. Prepaid credit cards embossed with stolen information which could then be used at businesses were located..”

Sheriff’s deputies broke up a large identity theft operation this past weekend while investigating a report of drug dealing at a hotel room. Investigators contend the material found Sunday at Four Points by Sheraton at 11960 Foothill Blvd. was created using stolen information from card readers or skimmers, Rouse said.

The group allegedly started in Northern California and “have been working their way around,” he said.

On Sunday, a hotel manager called the Sheriff’s Department to report someone was selling drugs in one of the rooms.

Deputies discovered various items indicating Jeffery Wilkinson, 35, Barbara Brown, 32, and Shahin Abdollahi, 46, were involved in a large-scale identity theft ring, sheriff’s Sgt. Ken Jamieson said.

Wilkinson had an arrest warrant and was in the possession of drugs.

For more:  http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_20355205/rancho-cucamonga-id-theft-ring-uncovered

Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: "Large Identity Theft Operation" Uncovered At California Hotel After Manager Suspected Drug Sales

Filed under Crime, Guest Issues, Liability, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Theft

Tagged as , ,

by | April 8, 2012 · 7:02 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Florida Hotel Employee Charged With Stealing $500 Of "Dom Perignon Champagne"; Picture Posting On "Facebook" Leads To Arrest

“…an employee at the hotel discovered pictures on a Facebook page of a former night auditor and a friend holding Dom Perignon champagne bottles with the caption: “Hey, we’re having Dom in the morning!”

The security cameras had been turned off at the time of the theft, according to a subsequent investigation.

A Panama City Beach hotel reported the theft of $500 of Dom Perignon champagne in February after an inventory of supplies showed three bottles were missing, according to a news release from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.

The hotel manager ID’d the man as Jonathon Appleby, a former night auditor at the hotel. Appleby had access to the cooler with the champagne and to the security cameras while he was employed an investigation determined.

For more:  http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/strange/sfl-champagne-20120408,0,4727820.story

Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Florida Hotel Employee Charged With Stealing $500 Of "Dom Perignon Champagne"; Picture Posting On "Facebook" Leads To Arrest

Filed under Crime, Labor Issues, Liability, Maintenance, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Theft

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | · 7:02 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Florida Hotel Employee Charged With Stealing $500 Of "Dom Perignon Champagne"; Picture Posting On "Facebook" Leads To Arrest

“…an employee at the hotel discovered pictures on a Facebook page of a former night auditor and a friend holding Dom Perignon champagne bottles with the caption: “Hey, we’re having Dom in the morning!”

The security cameras had been turned off at the time of the theft, according to a subsequent investigation.

A Panama City Beach hotel reported the theft of $500 of Dom Perignon champagne in February after an inventory of supplies showed three bottles were missing, according to a news release from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.

The hotel manager ID’d the man as Jonathon Appleby, a former night auditor at the hotel. Appleby had access to the cooler with the champagne and to the security cameras while he was employed an investigation determined.

For more:  http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/strange/sfl-champagne-20120408,0,4727820.story

Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Florida Hotel Employee Charged With Stealing $500 Of "Dom Perignon Champagne"; Picture Posting On "Facebook" Leads To Arrest

Filed under Crime, Labor Issues, Liability, Maintenance, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Theft

Tagged as , , , , ,