I am fortunate to work with many great people on my team and my peer group. They are among the best leaders, investigators, and analysts I’ve ever seen in my long career working in retail loss prevention.
The Boston Globe carries an article in today’s edition highlighting a recent case that we’ve had:
After a 10-week investigation initiated by corporate security experts for local Target stores, police believed that Mousli was printing fake stickers that allowed him to buy items for much less than their actual price and then reselling them, possibly on eBay, officials said.
Mousli came to the attention of security in the Watertown Target store in April when he was spotted taking hundreds of dollars of electronic equipment to a cash register, only to have it ring up for less than $47.
But this case led to something much more interesting than normal:
The FBI, the Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Department of Homeland Security have joined local police in investigating a Syrian national after a search of his Revere duplex uncovered flight-simulation software, pictures of Osama bin Laden, two small-caliber weapons, police scanners, and radio-jamming equipment, law enforcement and court officials said yesterday.
Somerville and Revere police raided the Orvis Road home of Hammam A. Mousli, 45, at about 6 p.m. Wednesday, expecting to find computers, printers, and other equipment they believed Mousli was using in a sophisticated scheme to buy merchandise using fake UPC code stickers, said David Procopio, a spokesman for the Suffolk County district attorney’s office.
But they found much more, prompting them to arrest Mousli and call in federal antiterrorism investigators, according to two law enforcement officials who both spoke on condition of anonymity.
Mousli had multiple copies of Microsoft Flight Simulator software, radio-frequency jamming equipment, radio scanners capable of monitoring law enforcement frequencies, two-way radios, and several books detailing how to use scanners, one listing frequencies used by federal agencies, the officials said.
Investigators also found two pictures of bin Laden among Mousli’s belongings, including one from an Arabic-language newspaper, and two guns, including a .38-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver and a .22-caliber Winchester rifle, the officials said.
Additional Coverage: Boston Herald, WHDH-TV (NBC News), WCVB-TV (ABC News)
That swelling feeling in my chest? Pride, baby. Pride.
