Category Archives: Theft

May 16, 2013 · 5:50 am

Hospitality Industry Security Risks: Thirty Arizona Hotels Burglarized By “Electronic Door Hackers” Using Portable Programming Devices; TV’s, Laptops And Credit Cards Stolen

“…Surveillance video showed the suspects, both white males in their 20s, entering the hotel and then leaving with the victim’s suitcases… some Onity Electronic Lock30 local hotels — probably more — have been targeted by hotel hackers. Investigators believe there are more suspects than those caught on surveillance video…hotel hacking is not just a local problem. Because the technology used to open the electronic locks is so easy to obtain and use, hotel hacking is growing issue nationwide…”

A man and a woman have been burglarizing hotel and motel rooms in the Easy Valley and now Silent Witness is offering a reward for information about them. According to Silent Witness, the pair, dubbed “Hotel Hackers,” used portable programming devices to get into the rooms at various locations in Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale and possibly Avondale. It’s not clear how many locations the pair has hit, but Silent Witness said the crime spree started on Feb. 25.

The suspects have stolen TVs, bedding, laptop computers and guests’ personal belongings, including credit cards.

Silent Witness released surveillance video (above) and photos of the pair, both of which were taken at a Walmart store where the suspects used a stolen credit card.

For more: http://www.azfamily.com/news/Hotel-Hackers-behind-burglaries-at-hotels-motels-in-East-Valley-207552391.html

Leave a Comment

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

Tagged as , , , , , ,

May 10, 2013 · 6:44 am

Hospitality Industry Risk Solutions: Hotel Housekeeping Carts Are Now Smaller Leading To Increased Room Security, Less Employee Injuries And Reduction In Amenity And Towel Theft

 ”Items are not exposed to people walking through hallways so theft of amenity items or towels is greatly reduced…there’s a safety issue, too…Housekeeping staff would park the larger carts outside and keep the door open while they cleaned…not so with the Hotel Housekeeping Safety & Securitysmaller version…the guest comes back and sees the door wide open (and would) think anyone can get in the room…”

“Linen closets (are now) situated closer to the rooms for easy access, eliminating the need for the larger carts. The housekeeping staff has been more productive with the smaller carts because they can move around more quickly, he says. They’re also less prone to injury as the larger carts were heavy to push around…”

Big, rolling housekeeping carts are disappearing from many hotel hallways, just like the floral polyester linens they used to carry. Hotels say they’re replacing cumbersome carts with smaller ones sometimes akin to golf caddie bags out? of necessity, in addition to convenience and even appearance.

Among those saying goodbye to the hall-blocking carts: The Staybridge Suites Times Square in New York, The Ritz-Carlton in Charlotte and the Renaissance Charlotte SouthPark Hotel.

Hotel general managers say there are a number of reasons why smaller is better.

  • Hotels don’t use duvets and bulky linens anymore, so there’s no need for large carts, they say. Plus, storage space is at a premium, and smaller carts don’t take up much space.
  • The bags are small enough to take into the room and leave the hallways clear and safe. They also don’t nick the walls of elevators and corridors like the large carts did.
  • But more important, the guests prefer them, says Rich Hotter, general manager of the Staybridge Suites Times Square.

For more:  http://www.usatoday.com/story/hotelcheckin/2013/05/10/hotels-housekeeping-carts/2146993/

Leave a Comment

Filed under Guest Issues, Injuries, Insurance, Labor Issues, Liability, Maintenance, Risk Management, Theft

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

April 26, 2013 · 6:13 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: Las Vegas Hotel Guest Rooms Burglarized By Thieves “Walking Down Hallways And Door Pushing”; Victims Held In Bathroom While Personal Items Stolen

“…Thieves can walk down a hallway and just by slightly pushing on a door can determine those rooms that are left unsecured… But Hotel Burglariesjust days after the couple’s stuff was stolen from the Luxor, police arrested two men for a similar crime at Excalibur…This time police paperwork indicated the thieves held the victims in the bathroom and stole their stuff. Hueslkamp think it’s tied to his case and said the hotel should be responsible for what’s stolen…”

Some Las Vegas tourists expect to lose thousands gambling inside the casino, but if they’re not careful they could also get ripped off inside their hotel room. Huelskamp, an Ohio tourist, told Action News his story via Skype. He said that he and his fiance were staying at the Luxor and while they were sleeping a thief walked right into their room. It’s crime police call “door pushing” and it can happen at any hotel.

The couple took a photo of the door they thought closed behind them. There is no dead bolt and after a long road-trip to Las Vegas they went to bed thinking they were safe. “We went to bed, we know at 1:26 a.m. because we watched a movie on the iPad that was later stolen,” Huelskamp said. “It was no further than six inches away from my beautiful wife’s head.”
.
Police don’t know how often door pushing happens because they get hundreds of reports of burglaries every day. After this happened and even in travels today I am still a little weary about staying in a hotel no matter where we are,” he said.
.
The Luxor sent Action News a statement that reads “We are sorry for the Hueslkamp’s unfortunate experience. Our resorts have extensive security and surveillance systems in place but there is no substitute for being alert. Even on vacation, guests should always remain aware of their surroundings and ensure their hotel room doors are securely closed and locked at all times.”
.

Leave a Comment

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

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

April 18, 2013 · 7:11 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Illinois Restaurant Employees Plead Guilty To “Skimming Credit Card Information Of Paying Customers”; Over $200,000 In Fraudulent Purchases Made By Ring Leaders

“…(the ring leader) organized the scheme by paying the defendants, who were employees at the various establishments, to skim credit card information of paying customers using a small credit card reader provided to them by Woods and Washington. The employees swiped identity theftapproximately 175 cards through the readers, enabling Woods to reproduce counterfeit credit cards and allowing Woods, Washington and Alex Houston to rack up thousands of dollars in charges…”

Sentences were handed down against seven defendants who illegally obtained personal banking information from patrons visiting Chicago area restaurants and attractions, including Wrigley Field and the Magnificent Mile’s RL Restaurant, according to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.

Defendants Joseph Woods, Britain E. Woods, Alex Houston, Jenette Farrar, Essence S. Houston, Kenyetta Davis and William Washington pled guilty and were sentenced for “skimming” personal banking information, which was used to make purchases of more than $200,000. The banking and credit card account information was stolen from customers who patronized Chicago area establishments, including Wrigley Field, RL Restaurant, a Chicago Taco Bell location and a McDonald’s restaurant in Berwyn.

Madigan said financial institutions with accounts that were compromised in the scheme include Chase, U.S. Bank, Citibank, Harris Bank, American Express, Bank of America and Fifth Third Bank. The banks assisted in the investigation and notified victims to secure their personal information.

Madigan said identity theft is a significant threat to Illinois consumers. Last year, more than 2,500 identity theft complaints were filed with her office’s Consumer Fraud Bureau. Consumers reported incidents of fraudulent charges on their existing accounts, thieves opening new accounts in their names (including credit card, utility and cell phone accounts) and instances of bank fraud, such as stolen checks or fraudulent withdrawals made to a victim’s bank account.

For more:  http://www.claimsjournal.com/news/midwest/2013/04/18/227236.htm

Leave a Comment

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

Tagged as , , , , , ,

April 12, 2013 · 6:38 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: East Coast Hotels Victimized By Man Who “Skipped Out On Hotel Bills” While Posing As Corporate Employee; $60,000 For A Presidential Suite

“…housekeepers found paperwork in the room belonging to (defendant)…a Residence Inn employee told police she received a call from Hotel Theft By DeceptionSerra in which he stated he would pay the bill if the Residence Inn would sign a waiver promising not to charge him with any crime. No agreement was made…Police then were notified the Residence Inn received an email from someone claiming to be a Raytheon employee, stating Serra would be staying there for 15 nights. The email address was identical to the one used in Serra’s February stay, police said…”

A Lowell man is accused of skipping out on bills in upscale hotels in seven states, running up charges while posing as an employee of major corporations.

In one case, prosecutors allege that in March, Michael Serra ran up a $60,000 bill for a stay in the presidential suite at the Ritz-Carlton in Boston under the name Dennis Colling. Serra allegedly said he worked for Citigroup, but does not.

When confronted by Tewksbury police and a U.S. Secret Service agent, Serra allegedly confessed to committing crimes up and down the East Coast for two to three years. The Residence Inn at 1775 Andover St., Tewksbury, reported that a person named Carter Whitmore, who represented himself as a Raytheon employee, skipped out on a $6,349 bill in February. Court documents state that Raytheon refused to pay for the room because it had no employee by that name.

For more:  http://www.lowellsun.com/local/ci_23010643/city-man-held-hotel-fraud

Leave a Comment

Filed under Crime, Guest Issues, Liability, Theft, Training

Tagged as , , , , ,

April 4, 2013 · 5:49 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: Washington Hotel Manager And Staff Assist In Arrest Of “Identity Theft Ring”; Forged ID Cards, Computers And Printers Discovered In Room

“…the hotel manager called the police to report suspicious men who had booked a room. As he was talking to officers, the identity theftsuspects ran out a back door of the hotel and left in a vehicle…the manager called back to report that his staff found “suspicious computer equipment” and documents strewn about a room they had been scheduled to clean. Detectives served a search warrant on the room…three suspects returned to the hotel that night to get the items they left in the room and were arrested…”

Mukilteo police arrested three men on Thursday in connection with an identity-theft ring after hotel cleaning staff found a room full of forged IDs and the equipment to manufacture them. The room at the hotel in the 8500 block of the Mukilteo Speedway was filled with computers, printers, mail and paperwork that didn’t belong to anyone registered for the room, said Cheol Kang, spokesperson for the Mukilteo Police Department.

A search warrant also recovered numerous ID cards with different names but the same photo of one of the men, as well as a printer with pages of blank check paper.

A 32-year-old from Lake Stevens, a 31-year-old from Renton and a 28-year-old from Everett were booked into Snohomish County Jail for investigation of financial fraud and forgery. Kang said the three men were already under investigation by other law-enforcement agencies for identity theft, fraud and other financial crimes.

For more:  http://mukilteobeacon.villagesoup.com/p/identity-theft-ring-busted/983738

Leave a Comment

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

Tagged as , , , , ,

March 31, 2013 · 1:33 am

Hospitality Industry Data Security Risks: Hotels Are At Significant Risk Of “Large-Scale Hacking” Of Guest Personal Information, Including Information In Reservation Systems

“Data security is becoming an issue of significant importance in the hospitality industry…(because of) an increase in hacks and malware attacks, which frequently target hotel systems because they’re a rich source of cybercrime in hotelspersonal information… hackers aren’t just targeting data on hotel systems but also the information passed along to reservations systems…credit card theft is much easier — and more likely — through large-scale hacking…another reason hotel guests are vulnerable to having their personal information stolen: They’re easily distracted.”

Several days after Traci Fox visited a small independent resort in the Catskill Mountains, she received an unexpected call from a shoe store. Where did she want it to ship the $400 worth of pricey sneakers that she’d ordered?

Fox believes that her hotel may have compromised her credit card information. At least one government agency shares her concerns. Last summer, the Federal Trade Commission sued Wyndham Hotels, alleging that the company had failed to protect its customers’ personal information. As a result, the FTC claims, hundreds of thousands of credit card numbers fell into the wrong hands, leading to millions of dollars in fraud-related losses. Wyndham denies any wrongdoing and is fighting the suit.

The problem may run deeper than the theft of credit card numbers, however.

The personally identifiable information in your guest profile, such as your home address, your license plate number and your date of birth, which is attached to your reservation, can end up in the hands of a third party that offers little or no warranties about how it will protect your data. “These kinds of areas are more worrisome than some huge Visa bill,” says hotel consultant Marion Roger. “Once your identity has been cloned, you can easily spend years and hundreds of thousands in legal and other fees.”

For more:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/the-navigator-when-you-check-in-your-private-information-may-be-checked-out/2013/03/28/07cb90ca-9599-11e2-bc8a-934ce979aa74_story.html

Leave a Comment

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

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

March 28, 2013 · 6:08 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: Arizona Hotel Guest Reports $2,000 Stolen After Front Desk Accidently Gives Out Victim’s Room Key

“…The hotel front desk worker told police he accidentally gave the suspect the victim’s room key after forgetting the room was already Hotel Theft Surveillanceassigned…a short time later, the suspect and an unidentified man checked out, saying the room was dirty, according to the police report. By the time the victim came back to her room, her purse and clothes bag were gone…”

A 24-year-old Arizona woman had an interesting response when given the wrong room key at an Oak Creek hotel last week: Steal the clothes and purse of the person staying there. According to a police report, the woman took advantage of a mix-up at the Days Inn front counter and got off with more than $2,000 worth of valuables and clothes belonging to a woman staying at the hotel with co-workers.

The purse contained a phone, credit cards, social security card, $30 in cash, a diamond ring valued at $1,500 and a check made out to her for $1,500. The check and credit cards were canceled.

Clothes, an iPad, sunglasses, an umbrella and more jewelry were also stolen, according to the report.

The front desk worker told the victim that Days Inn is responsible for paying to replace the items stolen, according to police.

For more:  http://oakcreek.patch.com/articles/room-key-mix-up-leads-to-theft-of-purse-clothes

Leave a Comment

Filed under Crime, Guest Issues, Labor Issues, Risk Management, Theft

Tagged as , , , , ,

March 23, 2013 · 12:10 pm

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: South Dakota Restaurant Account Manager Charged With Stealing More Than $100,000; Deposited Checks Into Personal Account Over 7 Month Period

“…(the defendant) is accused of depositing money into her own bank account on 12 occasions, mostly through checks, with the thefts targeting Minervas of Bismarck, N.D. and the Phillips Avenue Diner in Sioux Falls totaling $97,477…(she) also reportedly deposited hospitality industry employee theftmoney electronically three other times, for a total loss to the business of $101,600. All the thefts took place between February and September last year…”

A former account manager for Minervas and the Phillips Avenue Diner has been charged with stealing more than $100,000 from the company last year. Bobbie Sue Davis, 28, worked for WR Restaurants Management when the thefts began, according to court paperwork. The company manages restaurants across North and South Dakota.

During an interview with an SFPD detective on Nov. 19, Davis allegedly admitted to stealing the money, saying she’d been having “personal financial issues” that year.

Davis was arrested on a charge of aggravated grand theft by embezzlement of $100,000 or more on Feb. 5 and released on bond. A grand jury indicted Davis this week. If convicted, she could spend up to 15 years in prison.

For more:  http://www.argusleader.com/article/20130322/UPDATES/130322021/Woman-accused-embezzling-more-than-100K-from-area-restaurant-chain

Leave a Comment

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

Tagged as , , , , , ,

March 22, 2013 · 5:48 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Maine Restaurant Owner Convicted Of Stealing Over $67,000 From Customers By “Double Billing Credit Cards”

“…(the defendant) stole money from her customers by double billing their credit cards, the prosecutor said…(she) took credit card slips from sales at her restaurant during the summer of 2010 and later that year, and ran them through for payment a second time after the employee theftrestaurant had closed…may have stolen as much as $80,000 through the fraudulent credit card charges.”

A former local restaurant owner who stole more than $67,000 from banks and customers through check and credit card fraud, but who has since paid it back, has been ordered to spend 60 days in jail for her crimes. Having pleaded no contest last fall to two felony theft charges, Jennifer Lozano, 43, on Thursday received an overall sentence of five years with all but 60 days suspended and will have to serve two years of probation upon her release.

As part of a plea deal, prosecutors had agreed to cap the unsuspended part of the sentence at nine months if Lozano paid $67,399 in restitution to people and financial institutions she stole money from. She did so, paying off the final $18,000 she owed in restitution just as the sentencing hearing was about to begin Thursday afternoon in Hancock County Superior Court.

Kellett said an investigation revealed that Lozano conducted 1,488 fraudulent duplicate credit card transactions in the fall of 2010. She repaid many customers who complained, and many were repaid by their credit card companies, but she did not repay everyone who lost money through the scheme before police learned about it. As part of the restitution order, Lozano had to repay $15,300 to a credit card company that had lost money through the fraud and to customers whom she had not already repaid.

But Kellett said that restitution amount does not reflect the full scope of the illegal credit card transactions that Lozano made. Investigators believe that not all the double-billed customers complained, and so were not repaid either by Lozano or by their credit card firms.

For more: http://bangordailynews.com/2013/03/21/news/hancock/former-mdi-restaurant-owner-gets-60-days-for-67000-theft/?ref=polbeat

Leave a Comment

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

Tagged as , , , ,