Kia, Hyundai settle class-action lawsuit after a rash of thefts due to security flaw
May 19, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Hyundai Motor America and Kia America said Friday they have reached a settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit prompted by a surge in vehicle thefts.
Target wrestles with pullback in spending and theft that may cost retailer more than $1B this year
May 17, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Target on Wednesday reported another quarterly profit decline and issued a cautious sales and profit outlook for the current period.
The Minneapolis company is dealing with rising costs, which includes rising theft as a big factor, and consumers who have become more cautious about spending.
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The U.S. Postal Service is replacing tens of thousands of antiquated keys used by postal carriers and installing thousands of high-security collection boxes to stop a surge in robberies and mail thefts, officials said Friday.
Chicago man sentenced to up to 92 years in prison for shooting Iowa deputy during robbery
May 10, 2023 GMTCEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A Chicago man who was convicted of shooting and seriously wounding an Iowa sheriff's deputy during a convenience store robbery in 2021 has been sentenced to up to 92 years in prison.
Models covered by Hyundai and Kia anti-theft software update
May 9, 2023 GMTAbout 8.3 million Hyundais and Kias dating to the 2011 model year can be stolen easily by using just a screwdriver and a USB cord, creating an auto-theft outbreak across the U.S.
Hyundai and Kia thefts keep rising despite security fix
May 9, 2023 GMTNearly three months ago, Hyundai and Kia unveiled software that was designed to thwart an epidemic of thefts of their vehicles, caused by a security flaw that was exposed on TikTok and other social media sites.
‘Outraged’ letter carriers demand action to stop robberies
May 8, 2023 GMTPORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Postal carriers have more worries than snow, rain or the gloom of night keeping them from their appointed rounds. They're increasingly being robbed, often at gunpoint, from Maine to California.
Altar to devil, death found in Mexico fuel thieves’ tunnel
May 5, 2023 GMTMEXICO CITY (AP) — Hundreds of police and government agents raided an underground fuel theft terminal in a tunnel in central Mexico on Thursday where thieves had erected an altar to the devil and another to La Santa Muerte, a skeletal folk saint.
78-year-old bank heist suspect: ‘I didn’t mean to scare you’
April 9, 2023 GMTHARRISONVILLE, Mo. (AP) — A 78-year-old woman with two past bank robbery convictions faces new charges after authorities allege she handed a teller a note that said “I didn’t mean to scare you” during a recent Missouri heist.
St. Louis sues Kia, Hyundai over rash of car thefts
March 27, 2023 GMTST. LOUIS (AP) — A federal lawsuit filed Monday by the city of St. Louis accuses automakers Kia and Hyundai of failing to install industry-standard anti-theft technology, resulting in thousands of vehicle thefts in the Missouri city.
Congress members warned of significant health data breach
March 9, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Members of the House and Senate were informed Wednesday that hackers may have gained access to their sensitive personal data in a breach of a Washington, D.C., health insurance marketplace.
Capitol rioter guilty of stealing badge from beaten officer
March 4, 2023 GMTA New York man pleaded guilty on Friday to stealing a badge and radio from a police officer who was brutally beaten as rioters pulled him into the mob that attacked the U.S.
Records show suspect in TV attack had many juvenile arrests
March 3, 2023 GMTORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A 19-year-old suspect charged in last week's fatal shootings of a TV reporter, a 9-year-old girl and a woman was arrested at age 15 for battering a high school student during an armed robbery, according to police reports released Friday through a public records request.
Minnesota moves to crack down on catalytic converter thefts
March 2, 2023 GMTST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Senate voted Thursday to make it harder for thieves to sell stolen catalytic converters, a crime that has skyrocketed across the country in recent years.
Biden pushes for $1.6B funding for pandemic fraud measures
March 2, 2023 GMTPresident Joe Biden's administration is asking Congress to approve more than $1.6 billion to help clean up the mess of fraud against the massive government coronavirus pandemic relief programs.
Lebanese state media archives looted in heart of Beirut
February 27, 2023 GMTBEIRUT (AP) — Unknown assailants broke into the offices of Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency and stole the servers that contain its archives, the Information Ministry said Monday.
The theft occurred in a tightly secured area, further reflecting the cash-strapped country’s continued decay.
Virginia passes law to crack down on organized retail theft
February 24, 2023 GMTRICHMOND, Va. (AP) — It's a scene that's gone viral over and over, with social media videos showing groups of thieves brazenly stealing bags of merchandise from stores around the country.
Organized retail theft is a financial problem for businesses and a crime trend that police and lawmakers want to stop.
UK: Thief admits stealing thousands of chocolate Easter eggs
February 14, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — A man who prosecutors said broke into a U.K. industrial park to steal almost 200,000 chocolate Easter eggs has pleaded guilty to theft and criminal damage.
Prosecutors said Tuesday that Joby Pool, 32, used a metal grinder to break through a gate at an industrial park in Telford, central England, on Saturday, then used a stolen semi truck to tow away a trailer loaded with Cadbury Creme Eggs and other chocolate goods worth more than 31,000 pounds ($38,000).
Lawyer: Santos had 2017 Pennsylvania theft charge expunged
February 10, 2023 GMTU.S. Rep. George Santos was charged with criminal theft in Pennsylvania in 2017 in connection with bad checks apparently used to buy puppies from dog breeders, according to a lawyer who said she helped the Republican with the case.
Debit card left during Florida robbery leads to arrest
February 9, 2023 GMTPALM COAST, Fla. (AP) — Crime might not pay, but authorities say a criminal tried to.
Authorities arrested a Florida man who they said broke into a convenience store and took a few items, although he left his debit card behind.
Zoo too? Houston Zoo latest to deal with suspicious incident
February 8, 2023 GMTHOUSTON (AP) — Police are investigating possible vandalism at the Houston Zoo after workers discovered that someone had deliberately cut a four-inch gap in the mesh that covers a habitat for brown pelicans.
Retailers try to curb theft while not angering shoppers
February 6, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — When the pandemic threat eased, Maureen Holohan was eager to scale back her online shopping and return to physical stores so she could more easily compare prices and scour ingredients on beauty and health care products for herself and her three children.
Woman stole veterans benefits for decades after mom’s death
January 20, 2023 GMTCINCINNATI (AP) — A woman who stole nearly $500,000 from the federal Veterans Affairs department by impersonating her dead mother for nearly 50 years has been spared a prison term.
Irene Ferrin, 76, of Cincinnati, had pleaded guilty last August to theft of public money.
Ex-NYPD union boss admits theft of about $600,000 from union
January 20, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — The former president of one of the nation's largest police unions pleaded guilty Thursday to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the union to fund a lavish lifestyle that prosecutors say included high-end restaurants and luxury personal items.
Stolen hot dog statue returned to WVa restaurant owner
January 20, 2023 GMTCHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The owner of a West Virginia restaurant that was heavily damaged by fire has his coveted hot dog statue back.
The “Wienerman” statue was stolen from the Dairy Winkle in Campbells Creek during a break-in sometime after the Jan.
Actor Ezra Miller gets fine, probation after home break-in
January 13, 2023 GMTActor Ezra Miller pleaded guilty Friday to a charge stemming from a break-in and theft of alcohol at a neighbor's home in Vermont, one of a string of arrests and reports of erratic behavior last year that stretched from Hawaii to New England.
Guantanamo defense lawyer faces criminal charges
January 12, 2023 GMTBANGOR, Maine (AP) — A defense lawyer in Maine who once represented detainees at the Guantanamo Bay military prison has been charged with several criminal counts, and a prosecutor is recommending his disbarment, court records show.
3 ex-Oregon state workers sentenced in $6M theft scheme
January 7, 2023 GMTOREGON CITY, Ore. (AP) — Three former Oregon Department of Transportation workers have been sentenced for a long-running theft and reselling scheme estimated to have cost taxpayers about $6 million.
Man pleads guilty in fatal East St. Louis bank robbery
January 5, 2023 GMTEAST ST. LOUIS. Ill. (AP) — A St. Louis man has pleaded guilty to a federal bank robbery charge in connection with a 2021 holdup in East St. Louis in which a security guard was shot dead, prosecutors said Thursday.
Couple in central Florida retirement community found slain
January 4, 2023 GMTMOUNT DORA, Fla. (AP) — A couple living in a central Florida retirement community was found slain in their home, and a woman who was seen driving the couple's car has been arrested, authorities said.
No cash, no bank heists in Denmark; criminals now go online
January 3, 2023 GMTCOPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — For the first time in years, Denmark hasn't recorded a single bank robbery. There wouldn't have been much point.
Cash transactions in the Nordic country have become virtually obsolete, with Danes increasingly opting to use cards and smart phones for payments.
Florida sheriff: Burglars call 911 to get help moving stuff
January 3, 2023 GMTPOINCIANA, Fla. (AP) — Two people in Florida were arrested after one of them made a 911 call to get help with moving their belongings from a home they were burglarizing, authorities said.
Deputies responded to a home Saturday after a 911 call was made but nobody spoke, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.
Maryland man sentenced in West Virginia resort theft case
January 3, 2023 GMTCHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A Maryland man who admitted stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a southern West Virginia resort where he was the maintenance director has been sentenced to two years and three months in federal prison.
Facial recognition tool led to mistaken arrest, lawyer says
January 2, 2023 GMTNEW ORLEANS (AP) — Louisiana authorities’ use of facial recognition technology led to the mistaken-identity arrest of a Georgia man on a fugitive warrant, an attorney said in a case that renews attention to racial disparities in the use of the digital tool.
Theft costs Chicago church thousands of dollars in donations
December 29, 2022 GMTCHICAGO (AP) — Police are investigating the theft of thousands of dollars in donations that a Chicago church had collected for its community outreach efforts, including a soup kitchen for the homeless.
Officers make Christmas Eve deliveries of stolen packages
December 25, 2022 GMTHOLLYWOOD, Fla. (AP) — Police officers in South Florida made Christmas Eve deliveries to the rightful owners of packages that had been stolen by a “porch pirate" on Saturday, authorities said.
Police officers in Hollywood, Florida received a call about a man who was seen taking packages from people's front doors Saturday evening.
Funding bill targets online sites amid retail theft concerns
December 23, 2022 GMTRetailers are scoring one win in the governmentwide spending bill, which will force online marketplaces like Amazon and Facebook to verify high-volume sellers on their platforms amid heightened concerns about retail crime.
Missouri men sentenced in catalytic converter theft ring
December 21, 2022 GMTSPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Three Missouri men have been sentenced for their roles in the theft of tens of thousands of stolen catalytic converters, which were taken to an Arkansas business as part of a multi-million-dollar scheme.
Alleged shooter outside Zeldin home indicted as part of gang
December 13, 2022 GMTHAUPPAUGE, N.Y. (AP) —
The suspect in a drive-by shooting outside the home of U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin is among 18 alleged gang members indicted for a series of crimes on Long Island that also include a murder, armed robberies and the theft of seven French bulldogs, Suffolk County officials announced Monday.
Western IN boy arrested after leaving school, stealing rifle
December 7, 2022 GMTWEST TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — An 11-year-old western Indiana student will face juvenile charges of pointing a firearm and theft after leaving school, stealing a rifle from a nearby home and pointing the weapon at police officers, a sheriff said Wednesday.
Former Yankton Sioux Tribe’s police chief charged with fraud
December 7, 2022 GMTSIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — The former police chief of the Yankton Sioux Tribe in South Dakota has been charged by federal prosecutors with wire fraud and theft from the tribe.
Federal prosecutors allege that Chris Saunsoci sought wages both from the tribe and a local ministry that was providing flood relief.
Mongolians protest alleged theft of coal sold to China
December 6, 2022 GMTULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (AP) — Protesters angered by allegations of corruption linked to Mongolia's coal trade with China tried to force their way into the State Palace in the capital, demanding dismissals of officials involved in the scandal.
Hertz to pay $168 million in bogus theft settlement
December 5, 2022 GMTHertz says it will pay approximately $168 million by the end of the year to settle the majority of the lawsuits brought against the rental car company by some of its customers who were wrongly accused of stealing cars they had rented.
Judge dismisses OT fraud charges against 48 CHP officers
December 4, 2022 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge has dismissed felony wage theft and fraud charges against 48 Highway Patrol Officers who were accused in an overtime fraud scheme.
Police: 18 arrests as Los Angeles retail theft ring busted
December 4, 2022 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — Eighteen people were arrested when Los Angeles police busted an organized crime ring that targeted clothing and shoe stores as recently as last week, authorities said.
The suspects ranged ranged in age from 15 to 20 and were linked to retail thefts at chain stores Thursday and Friday where about $23,000 worth of goods were stolen, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Germany: Kandinsky sale on hold after Poland alleges theft
December 2, 2022 GMTBERLIN (AP) — A German auction house said Friday that the recent sale of a watercolor by Wassily Kandinsky has been put on hold in response to the Polish government's claim that the painting is stolen.
More calls for South Africa leader to quit over theft probe
December 1, 2022 GMTJOHANNESBURG (AP) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa faced calls Thursday to step down after a parliamentary panel's probe found he may have breached anti-corruption laws in connection with the alleged theft of a large amount of money from his Phala Phala game farm.
California man pleads guilty in theft of Olympic gold medal
November 30, 2022 GMTANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — A Southern California man received a jail sentence after admitting he stole an Olympic gold medal belonging to a member of the 2020 U.S. Women’s Volleyball Team.
Jordyn Poulter reported the medal stolen May 25 after the Olympian found her car broken into at a parking garage in Anaheim, police said.
Nigeria drills for oil in new field as theft erodes earnings
November 22, 2022 GMTABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria on Tuesday began drilling oil and natural gas in the country’s northern region, anticipating a boost to the nation's finances even as the new energy supplies face the threat from theft and extremist activity.
Auditors in Iraq uncover staggering $2.5 billion tax fraud
November 22, 2022 GMTBAGHDAD (AP) — Auditors in Iraq have uncovered a massive scheme in which a network of businesses and officials embezzled some $2.5 billion from the country’s tax authority, despite layers of safeguards.
Afghan official says 19 people lashed in northeast province
November 20, 2022 GMTKABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Nineteen people in northeastern Afghanistan were lashed for adultery, theft and running away from home, a Supreme Court official said Sunday. The announcement underscored the Taliban's intention of sticking to their strict interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia.
20 years for Chinese national in US aviation spying case
November 16, 2022 GMTCOLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday handed down a 20-year prison sentence to a Chinese national who was convicted of trying to steal trade secrets from multiple U.S.
Nigerian Navy detains foreign ship and 27 crew for oil theft
November 16, 2022 GMTABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria's navy has seized a foreign ship and detained 27 foreigners who are charged with operating illegally on Nigerian waters and attempting to export crude oil without clearance, a senior official told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Prosecutors: HOA board members stole millions from residents
November 15, 2022 GMTMIAMI (AP) — Several current and former board members on one of Florida's largest homeowners associations have been charged with stealing more than $2 million of residents' money.
Australia blames Russians for health insurance data theft
November 11, 2022 GMTCANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Moscow must he held to account for Russian cybercriminals accused of hacking Australia’s largest health insurer and dumping customers’ personal medical records on the dark web, Australian officials said Friday.
3 Olympic volleyball medals stolen from California home
November 11, 2022 GMTLAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (AP) — Authorities on Thursday were looking for three Olympic medals belonging to a member of the U.S. women's volleyball team after they were stolen from a Southern California home.
Extortionist threatens to publish Australian customer data
November 8, 2022 GMTCANBERRA, Australia (AP) — An extortionist has threatened to make Medibank customer data public within 24 hours after Australia’s largest health insurer refused to pay a ransom for the personal records of almost 10 million current and former customers.
Phoenix police arrest two in dismemberment death of veteran
November 6, 2022 GMTPHOENIX (AP) — Police investigating the killing of an 80-year-old Air Force veteran arrested two suspects after they allegedly pawned the chain saw used to dismember the victim's body.
Phoenix police said Thomas Wallace was being held Sunday on $1 million cash bond on suspicion of second-degree murder, concealing a dead body, theft of a pickup truck and trafficking in stolen property, while Romana Gonzalez is jailed on suspicion of fraud and theft.
Ex-lawmaker pleads guilty in theft of $1.2M in COVID-19 aid
November 2, 2022 GMTHARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A former Connecticut state representative pleaded guilty Tuesday in connection with the theft of more than $1.2 million in federal coronavirus relief funds from the city of West Haven, using some of the money for gambling at a casino, according to prosecutors.