Tag Archives: Crime

by | January 8, 2013 · 8:42 am

Hospitality Industry Security Risks: Illinois Hotel And Restaurant Sued For “Negligence” After Guest Attacked By Man With Knife In Restroom; “Allowed Unauthorized Access To Property”

“…The lawsuit claims the hotel and restaurant at 909 N. Michigan Avenue were negligent when they allowed Restaurant Crime“unauthorized persons to gain access to their hotel, restaurant and restroom facilities” and didn’t perform proper security checks…”

An Oak Brook doctor who was stabbed in the neck and face during an attempted holdup at a Gold Coast restaurant in November is suing his alleged attacker along with the restaurant and hotel that houses it. Mir Shah says he was violently attacked and stabbed several times by Jimmy Harris in the bathroom of the Westin’s The Grill on the Alley on Nov. 17, according to a lawsuit filed Monday in Cook County Circuit Court. The restaurant’s bartender was also injured when he chased Harris, who cut him with a knife, police said.

Harris, who also goes by the name Jimmie Harris, had been freed from prison eight days prior to the attack. He has at least 60 arrests and nine felony convictions dating to the late 1970s, according to Chicago police, state and court records.

Shah, an oncologist, was out to dinner with his family that night after attending the Lights Festival along the Magnificent Mile. While in the bathroom, Harris approached Shah and announced a robbery before stabbing the doctor in the right side of his neck and face, prosecutors said. Shah is now disfigured and disabled, according to the suit.

For more:  http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-doctor-stabbed-after-mag-mile-lights-festival-sues-suspect-20130107,0,4498714.story

Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Security Risks: Illinois Hotel And Restaurant Sued For “Negligence” After Guest Attacked By Man With Knife In Restroom; “Allowed Unauthorized Access To Property”

Filed under Crime, Guest Issues, Injuries, Insurance, Liability, Management And Ownership

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

by | January 5, 2013 · 7:45 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: Washington Hotel Room Used By “Major Identity Theft And Forgery Ring”; Police Seize Laptops, Lamination Machine And Bags Of Stolen Mail

“These labs tend to be mobile…they go from hotel to hotel…the room contained a computer, two laptops, laminating paper, card stock, check stock and a hot laminator machine along with identification, checks and identity theftbags of mail that had been stolen. Also seized were more than 100 licenses and other IDs, roughly 20 hard drives and numerous other media storage devices, such as thumb drives and memory chips.

Police and U.S. Secret Service agents believe they have taken down a major identity theft and forgery ring involving at least a dozen suspects and more than 100 victims. The number of victims could grow as experts analyze computer hard drives and video surveillance footage from businesses where the suspects tried to get money. As of Friday evening, authorities estimated more than $45,000 had been stolen, but said that amount is likely to grow.

Evidence is being examined at the Secret Service’s Electronic Crimes Task Force lab in Seattle. Many of the victims — both individuals and businesses — are from Everett, but the center for the operation was traced to a hotel room in Shoreline.

That’s where police and the Secret Service found what amounted to a ID-theft factory Thursday.

For more:  http://heraldnet.com/article/20130105/NEWS01/701059947

Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: Washington Hotel Room Used By “Major Identity Theft And Forgery Ring”; Police Seize Laptops, Lamination Machine And Bags Of Stolen Mail

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

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | December 28, 2012 · 6:50 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Wisconsin Hotel Manager Charged With Stealing More Than $28,000; Purchased Prepaid Credit And Gift Cards From Company Accounts

A police audit of credit card purchases made by Huff on her company account revealed $19,603 in prepaid Visa and other gift card purchases made at a local grocery store during a six-month period. Investigators also employee theftdiscovered checks Huff wrote for personal use as well as additional credit card purchases for a cellphone, a computer, auto insurance and auto repairs.

A Schofield woman charged with stealing more than $28,000 from two hotels she managed will be sentenced Jan. 10 after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors. Gretchen Huff, 32, was charged in March with embezzlement after investigators discovered thousands of dollars in unauthorized charges to her employer’s credit card for personal purchases. Huff is the former general manager of two Ghidorzi Co. hotels, the Country Inns and Suites in Schofield and the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Weston.

Managers at Ghidorzi Cos. became suspicious of Huff in January after discovering a one-week van rental in August 2011 for $1,029. Police say Huff paid for the rental with a business credit card issued in her name. Huff admitted renting the van to go on vacation with her children in Nebraska and offered to pay back the money. Further investigation by Ghidorzi officials uncovered additional unauthorized charges, including $2,000 for a used car and stereo equipment Huff said she purchased for a boyfriend in Chicago.

For more:  http://www.stevenspointjournal.com/article/20121228/SPJ0101/312280278/Sentencing-set-woman-charged-hotel-thefts?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Wisconsin Hotel Manager Charged With Stealing More Than $28,000; Purchased Prepaid Credit And Gift Cards From Company Accounts

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

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | November 23, 2012 · 9:08 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: North Carolina Motel Damaged After Meth Lab Explodes Inside Room

Agents with the State Bureau of Investigation donned chemical gear to sift through the rubble of the motel room to determine the cause of the explosion. Investigators said some of the materials used to make methamphetamine are highly flammable.

The front of a Dudley motel blew out early Friday when a methamphetamine lab inside one of the rooms exploded, authorities said. The explosion occurred at about 4:15 a.m. at the Old Goldwater Motel, 3428 U.S. Highway 117 Alternate. The Mar-Mac Fire Department responded to the motel, but authorities said the building sustained little or no fire damage.

Valentine Morales, who lives at the motel with his family, said the explosion awakened him as he slept on a sofa. He said his first thoughts were for his wife and three children sleeping in the next rooms.

Two of the people injured in the blast ran to Jeffrey Aultman’s house nearby for help.

“It scared me. I was getting ready to go out the door, and it was bang, bang, bang, and it shook me up,” Aultman said, noting that he initially thought the men at his door had been in a vehicle wreck.

Two of the injured drove themselves to Wayne Memorial Hospital in Goldsboro, authorities said. Wayne County EMS took two more people to the hospital.

For more: http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/9255785/

Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: North Carolina Motel Damaged After Meth Lab Explodes Inside Room

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

Tagged as , , , ,

by | November 12, 2012 · 7:49 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: Florida Restaurant Thieves Steal Safe Containing $35,000 In Cash; Break In Through Wall In Business Next Door

“The burglars got into the restaurant by breaking into a neighboring business and entering through a wall. Once inside the restaurant, they took the safe and the surveillance system…”

Thieves broke into a restaurant on Flagler Street overnight, stealing a safe that contained $35,000 in cash.
According to NBC 6, thieves broke into El Caribe Cafe at 7173 W Flagler Street sometime between midnight and 4 a.m. Monday morning.

About four months ago, thieves broke into the same restaurant, entering through the roof.

Police are investigating the crime, and doubt one thief acted alone. Miami police spokesperson Kenia Reyes confirmed evidence was left at the scene, but is not disclosing what it is at this time.

For more:  http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/shortorder/2012/11/thieves_steal_35000_in_restaur.php

Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: Florida Restaurant Thieves Steal Safe Containing $35,000 In Cash; Break In Through Wall In Business Next Door

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

Tagged as , , , ,

by | November 9, 2012 · 6:49 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: Tennessee Hotel Rooms Broken Into By "Convicted Burglar" Using "Chiseled Tip Knife" And Keycards Stolen From Cleaning Carts

“…Police said Brown was carrying seven keycards from several hotels as well as knife with a chiseled tip that could be used to defeat locking mechanisms…He told police he had taken the keys from a cleaning cart…”

Police are investigating whether a man who allegedly broke into a hotel room in downtown Nashville had any involvement in ten other similar hotel burglary since January.

Police said the victims were inside their hotel room on the 13th floor of the Renaissance Hotel when 35-year-old Antoun Brown came in and asked where the ice machine was, and then made his way into the bathroom before leaving.

The victims told police they heard someone messing with their door lock before he came inside.

Hotel security apprehended him on the 4th floor and held him until police arrived to take him into custody.

Brown, who is a convicted burglar, was charged with aggravated burglary and possession of a burglary tool.  His bond was set at $13,000.

For more:  http://www.newschannel5.com/story/20040554/man-allegedly-broke-into-downtown-hotel-room

Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: Tennessee Hotel Rooms Broken Into By "Convicted Burglar" Using "Chiseled Tip Knife" And Keycards Stolen From Cleaning Carts

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

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | October 29, 2012 · 7:00 am

Hospitality Industry Information Security Risks: Report Shows "Computer Password Theft" Has Increased Dramatically As Users Fail To Make Complex Passwords; Cybercrime Now Totals $110 Billion Annually

“…Only about half of computer users make complex passwords for themselves…In the first six months of 2012 alone, hackers stole over 30 million passwords on hacks of just three online services: eHarmony, Zappos and lawyer-friendly LinkedIn. Another recent survey, unconnected to the Norton survey, concurrently found that password theft is up 300 percent in 2012…”

The 2012 Norton Cybercrime Report is now out and it points to an incomprehensible laziness on the part of American computer users when it comes to using passwords.

According to this report, nearly three-quarters of adults have been the victim of a cybercrime (averaging a little under $300 per incident), totaling over 70 million people. The worldwide annual total of cybercrime is estimated at $110 billion.

That is coupled with two other problems: people use the same password for multiple functions, and people use passwords that are, in and of themselves, too simple.

The Norton survey was conducted with 13,000 adults in 24 countries. It found that nearly half of those responding do not use a password that combines phrases, letters, numbers, capitalized letters, lower case letters and symbols, which create complex passwords that are far more difficult to hack than passwords that do not have those things.

The survey showed that nearly a third of all respondents have been notified by an email service, social network, or bank to change their passwords. The bank figure—13 percent––is particularly alarming, implying that nearly one in eight people have had their bank account passwords compromised.

Seventeen percent of people store passwords to other accounts inside another password-protected account. Once one password is stolen, the keys to those other accounts are included.

More? A report out the last week of September found that one in 10 people had “1-2-3-4” as their four digit password. My guess is that a substantial number also have “1-1-1-1” and “0-0-0-0” as well.

For more:  http://www.akronlegalnews.com/editorial/5202

Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Information Security Risks: Report Shows "Computer Password Theft" Has Increased Dramatically As Users Fail To Make Complex Passwords; Cybercrime Now Totals $110 Billion Annually

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

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | October 7, 2012 · 1:14 pm

Hospitality Industry Information Security Risks: Hotel's Guest's Credit Cards Are Targets For "Identity Thiefs" From "Mulitple Charges" During Stay

“…hotels have lots of employees — and many of them have access to the credit card and other personal information of guests. No matter how well trained and supervised, more personnel correlates to greater risk. The fact that low-level employees typically have access to key guest information, and that there is, historically, a high turnover in hotel employees, exacerbates the problem…”

Hotels are obvious targets for identity and financial theft for many reasons. Hotels transact business through credit cards, and those credit cards are kept on file and can be accessed multiple times during a guest’s stay. The possibility that a credit card charge will be recorded occurs with each night’s room charge, room service, bar or restaurant bill, spa charge, and so on. Every charge is another opportunity for an identity thief to access the information using sophisticated computer hacks and other malicious software, generally without the hotel’s knowledge.

The need to respond to guest demands is another source of insecurity. The Identity Theft Resource Center noted, “The ability to connect to the Internet is an integral part of many individuals daily life. This has led to the increased demand for public WiFi.” As a result, hotels find themselves compelled to offer wireless internet, and that service is almost always unsecured. But an unsecured wireless network is “just as dangerous as leaving files of your most important personal documents on a street curb for all to see. Hackers can easily get into an unsecured wireless network and get financial information, business records or sensitive e-mails.” (PC World, “Got Wireless Security”, http://www.pcworld.com/article/125040/got_wireless_security.html). At the same time, hotels have little say in the matter. Guests demand wireless internet service.

Some security researchers have described a wave of attacks against the hospitality industry. In 2010, the cybersecurity consultant Trustwave found that in 38% of its investigations, hotels and resorts were the victims of successful cyber intrusions, despite those firms only representing 3% of its customers.  Hotels represent a disproportionate number of security breaches.

For more:  http://hotellaw.jmbm.com/2012/10/liability_for_guest_information_.html

2 Comments

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

Tagged as , , , ,

by | October 4, 2012 · 6:29 am

Hospitality Industry Security Risks: Hotel "Electronic Room Locks" Opened With "Hacking Device" Tool Disguised As "Dry Erase Marker" (Video)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyN-8CeNSZg]

A trio of hackers have built a tool that appears to be an innocent dry erase marker, but when inserted into the port on the bottom of a common form of hotel room keycard lock triggers the lock’s open mechanism in a fraction of a second.

The security researchers who spend their days breaking into clients’ systems to find and fix security vulnerabilities often call themselves “penetration testers,” or “pentesters.” But one group of hotel lock hackers just gave the term “pentest” a very different meaning.

The inconspicuous lock hacking device is an adaption of one demonstrated at the Black Hat security conference in July by Cody Brocious, a hacker and software developer for Mozilla, who discovered and exploited a vulnerability in Onity locks, a cheap and popular hotel room lock that the company says are used on at least four million hotel rooms worldwide. Through the port on the bottom of the lock intended for a device that hotels can use to set master keys, Brocious found he was able to read the lock’s memory, including a decryption key stored on the locks that gave him access to their opening mechanism.

2 Comments

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

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | October 3, 2012 · 6:33 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: South Dakota Restaurants Report $6,000 In "Bathroom Piping" Thefts

“…two men, one with a black backpack, were caught on surveillance standing next to the restroom Monday at the Russell Street and Minnesota Avenue restaurant…when a worker checked the restroom soon after, the toilet piping was missing…”

A local fast-food chain is out $6,000 after five of its restaurants were hit by a recent string of thefts of toilet piping in Sioux Falls. Five of the 11 local Burger King restaurants have reported thefts from men’s restrooms since Thursday. The most recent was Monday. Mike Leslie, director of operations for the local Burger King cooperate office, said the suspects might be caught on surveillance.

Police spokesman Sam Clemens said Monday’s two reports push the amount of restroom thefts to 14 since Thursday. Monday’s other theft was from the Ramkota Hotel in northwestern Sioux Falls. A public restroom was hit in the hotel, Clemens said.

Leslie said he has shared surveillance with police.

For more: http://www.argusleader.com/article/20121003/NEWS/310030051/Restaurant-chain-reports-6-000-lost-bathroom-thefts

Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: South Dakota Restaurants Report $6,000 In "Bathroom Piping" Thefts

Filed under Crime, Insurance, Maintenance, Management And Ownership, Theft

Tagged as , , , ,