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A California sheriff launched a scathing tirade against Target, accusing the retailer of preventing cops from cracking down on shoplifting — even as the chain asks authorities for help.

Sheriff Jim Cooper of California’s Sacramento County said he was outraged when the Minneapolis-based discount chain told property crimes detectives that they “could not contact suspects inside the store.”

“We could not handcuff suspects in the store; and if we arrested someone, they wanted us to process them outside behind the store in the rain,” an exasperated Cooper fumed in a lengthy X post

“We were told they didn’t want to create a scene inside the store and have people film it and put it on social media,” Cooper added. “They didn’t want negative press. Unbelievable.”

Cooper detailed one incident at Target where “deputies watched a lady on camera bring in her own shopping bags, go down the body wash isle and grab a bunch of Native body washes. Then she went to customer service and return them!”

“Target chose to do nothing and simply let it happen,” Cooper wrote. “Yet somehow, locking up deodorant and raising prices on everyday items we need to survive is their best answer.”

“We dont tell big retail how to do their jobs, they shouldnt tell us how to do ours.”

The Post has sought comment from Target and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.

Hamstrung by policies that prevent employees from engaging with shoplifters, other big chains including CVS and Walgreens have resorted to locking up everyday items in an attempt to combat rampant shoplifting.

The trend has some shoppers fuming that the days of quick trips to the store are over.

Dr. Emily Long, a plastic surgeon based in Boston, took to social media recently to gripe over having to wait at Target to pick up beauty products that were enclosed behind a glass case.

The era of Target runs is officially over because tell me why it took me over an hour to buy a single bag of items, Long posted in a TikTok video earlier this month that snagged over 3.5 million views before she took it down.

Apparently now my Target locks away essential items, she said, adding that her body wash, deodorant, and razors were bolted up tight.

As her camera panned to the rows of items behind a glass container, Long added: Behold the dystopian nightmare that is my Target.

Reporters from the investigative outlet Inside Edition went shopping at five New York-area Targets to see just how long it takes to get employee assistance to retrieve products locked behind anti-theft cases.

In an aisle stocked with vitamins at a Target store in Manhattan, Inside Edition journalist Lisa Guerrero said she waited 10.5 minutes for an employee to unlock the anti-theft barrier. She had to ask for assistance three times and wait seven minutes before a Target staffer showed up.

And then their key didnt even work, Guerrero said, who had to wait even longer for the staffer to fetch the correct key before she could fetch a tube of toothpaste of the shelf.

Crime-battered Target said earlier this year that expected to suffer as much as a $1.3 billion hit to its bottom line because of theft and organized crime.

The “cheap-chic” discount chain said its profit will be squeezed by $500 million more than what we saw last year when the company lost as much as $800 million from inventory shrink. 

While there are many potential sources of inventory shrink, theft and organized retail crime are increasingly important drivers of the issue, the company said. We are making significant investments in strategies to prevent this from happening in our stores.

Inventory shrink is an industry term that refers to fewer products being on its shelves than whats reported in its inventory catalog.

Theres no nationwide policy on how to deal with shoplifting, though many employers have encouraged staffers to do nothing at all in an effort to keep them out of harms way.

Lululemon made headlines this summer when it fired two staffers for failing to abide by the yoga wear retailer’s “zero-tolerance policy for intervening with a robbery.

One of the axed workers, Jennifer Ferguson, said that once a robbery occurs, employees are instructed to scan a QR code. And thats that. Weve been told not to put it in any notes, because that might scare other people. Were not supposed to call the police, not really supposed to talk about it.

A viral video showed the shoplifting incident that got Ferguson fired, where three masked men blatantly robbed an Atlanta-area Lululemon store.

Wearing sweatshirts with the hoods pulled over their heads, they were recorded swiping Lululemons high-priced athletic wear from tables and displays.

The looters who had allegedly struck the store nearly a dozen times prior momentarily stood in the store doorway and stared at the women before jumping back inside to snatch several more pairs of leggings.

Seriously? Get out, Ferguson is heard frustratingly shouting at the robbers, who make a beeline out of the store.

Thieves also had repeatedly targeted a Lululemon store in upper Manhattan on Broadway across the street from Columbia University in 2021. Between Jan. 2 and Jan. 17 they stole a total of $5,376 in merchandise, police said.

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Sports

2025 ALCS: Live updates and analysis from Game 3

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3 hours ago

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October 16, 2025

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2025 ALCS: Live updates and analysis from Game 3

Oct 15, 2025, 10:45 PM ET

If the Toronto Blue Jays are going to bounce back, tonight’s the night.

After Toronto lost two at home to the Seattle Mariners, the American League Championship Series heads West for Game 3.

The first matchup at T-Mobile Park isn’t an elimination game, but the stakes couldn’t be much higher. It’s essentially a must-win for the top-seeded Blue Jays; only one team in MLB history has ever come back from trailing a postseason series 3-0. Meanwhile, for the Mariners, it’s a chance to get one victory away from the first World Series appearance in franchise history.

Stay here for our coverage — from the pregame lineups to the top moments during the game to our takeaways and analysis after the final pitch.

Key links: How Vlad Jr., Jays bet on each other | LCS update | Bracket

Top moments

Follow live for pitch-by-pitch coverage

Seattle goes back-to-back in the 8th for first runs since 1st inning

It’s raining homers! Alejandro Kirk‘s 3-run mash makes it 12-2

Vlad Jr. adds own home run as Jays pile on

Daulton Varsho‘s 2-RBI double caps off 5-run inning for Toronto

Blue Jays answer with their own blast — and now we’re tied

J-Rod hits 2-run home run to give M’s early lead

Josh Naylor rocking a vintage KD jersey ahead of Game 3

Lineups

Seattle leads series 2-0

Starting pitchers: Shane Bieber vs. George Kirby

Toronto

1. George Springer (R) DH
2. Nathan Lukes (L) LF
3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B
4. Anthony Santander (S) RF
5. Alejandro Kirk (R) C
6. Daulton Varsho (L) CF
7. Addison Barger (L) 3B
8. Ernie Clement (R) 2B
9. Andres Gimenez (L) SS

Seattle

1. Randy Arozarena (R) LF
2. Cal Raleigh (S) C
3. Julio Rodriguez (R) CF
4. Jorge Polanco (S) 2B
5. Josh Naylor (L) 1B
6. Eugenio Suarez (R) 3B
7. Dominic Canzone (L) DH
8. Victor Robles (R) RF
9. J.P. Crawford (L) SS

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Business

UK suffers blow in bid to become minerals superpower – as it’s snubbed by its own leading firm

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3 hours ago

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October 16, 2025

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UK suffers blow in bid to become minerals superpower - as it's snubbed by its own leading firm

Britain’s hopes of becoming a critical minerals superpower have been dealt a severe blow after one of its leading companies abandoned its plans to build a rare earths refinery near Hull.

Pensana had pledged to build a £250m refinery on the banks of the Humber, to process rare earths that would have then been used to make magnets for electric cars and wind turbines.

The plant promised to create 126 jobs and was due to receive millions of pounds of government funding.

However, Sky News has learnt that Pensana has decided to scrap the Hull plant and will instead move its refining operations to the US.

Pensana’s chairman, Paul Atherley, said the company had taken the decision after the Trump administration committed to buying rare earths from an American mine, Mountain Pass, at a guaranteed price – something no government in Europe had done.

“That’s repriced the market – and Washington is looking to do more of these deals, moving at an absolute rate of knots,” he said.

“Europe and the UK have been talking about critical minerals for ages. But when the Americans do it, they go big and hard, and make it happen. We don’t; we mostly just talk about it.”

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Can Trump win the mineral war?

The decision comes at a crucial juncture in critical minerals and geopolitics. China produces roughly 90% of all finished rare earth metals – exotic elements essential for the manufacture of many technology, energy and military products.

Last week, Beijing imposed restrictions on the exports of rare earths, prompting Donald Trump to threaten further 100% tariffs on China.

Pensana had been seen as Britain’s answer to the periodic panics about the availability of rare earths. The site at Saltend Chemicals Park was chosen by the government to launch its critical minerals strategy in 2022.

Visiting for the official groundbreaking, the then business and energy secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: “This incredible facility will be the only one of its kind in Europe and will help secure the resilience of Britain’s supplies into the future.”

He pledged a government grant to support the scheme. That grant was never received because Pensana never built its plant.

Read more from Sky News:
Analysis: China’s rare-earth controls
AirPods link to global trade war
Trump threatens extra China tariffs

Paul Atherley and Kwasi Kwarteng at a groundbreaking ceremony for the plant in July 2022. Pic: Pensana
Image:
Paul Atherley and Kwasi Kwarteng at a groundbreaking ceremony for the plant in July 2022. Pic: Pensana

Mr Atherley said he is optimistic about another project he’s involved with, to bring lithium refining to Teesside through another company, Tees Valley Lithium.

But, he said, rare earth processing is far more complex, energy-intensive and expensive, making it unviable in the UK, for the time being.

The decision is a further blow for Britain’s chemicals industry, which has faced a series of closures in recent months, including that of Vivergo, a biofuels refiner based in the same chemicals park where Pensana planned to locate its refinery.

Producers warn that Britain’s record energy costs – higher than most other leading economies – are stifling its economy and triggering an outflow of businesses.

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Politics

PM faces ‘more unanswered questions’ after evidence in China spying case released

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3 hours ago

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October 16, 2025

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Scale of Chinese espionage in UK revealed as evidence in collapsed spy trial is published

Sir Keir Starmer remains under pressure over the collapse of a trial into alleged Chinese spies after witness statements revealed the government’s deputy national security adviser had warned of significant espionage in the UK.

Three witness statements from the government were released late on Wednesday amid confusion about why the prosecutions of two men accused of spying for Beijing fell apart.

Politics Hub: Follow latest updates

Ex-parliamentary researcher Christopher Cash, 30, and teacher Christopher Berry, 33, were charged last year with passing politically sensitive information to a Chinese agent between December 2021 and February 2023.

They have both denied the allegations, and the case collapsed last month. The director of public prosecutions blamed the government’s refusal to brand China a threat, sparking accusations of a “cover-up”.

Christopher Cash (L) and Christopher Berry (R) had the charges against them withdrawn in September. Pics: Reuters
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Christopher Cash (L) and Christopher Berry (R) had the charges against them withdrawn in September. Pics: Reuters

Sir Keir, who wants a “strategic and long-term” relationship with Beijing, used PMQs to announce witness statements from the case, made by deputy national security adviser Matthew Collins, would be published.

The PM has sought to blame the previous Tory government’s stance on China for the spying trial collapsing.

Sky News chief political correspondent Jon Craig said Sir Keir “will hope he’s got off the hook” by publishing the statements, but the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats say “they beg more questions than they answer”.

So what do the witness statements say?

In the first, from December 2023, Mr Collins said “large scale espionage” was being carried out against Britain.

A second, from February 2025, said Chinese spying threatened the economy.

In the documents, it was also revealed information about internal Tory politics – when the party was in government – was being fed to a Chinese intelligence handler known as “Alex”, according to counterterrorism command SO15.

This includes Mr Cash working as a researcher and “contributing to policy advice being provided to Rishi Sunak”.

The evidence adds: “It is axiomatic that this is prejudicial to the safety or interests of the UK for the Chinese state to have indirect access to one of the individuals providing policy advice to the now prime minister on China, with the potential to influence that advice.”

In the most recent third document from Mr Collins, dated 4 August, he said the Chinese intelligence services remain “highly capable and conduct large scale espionage operations against the UK”.

But he also quotes the Labour manifesto from last year’s election, saying: “It is important for me to emphasise, however, that the UK government is committed to pursuing a positive relationship with China to strengthen understanding, cooperation and stability.

“The government’s position is that we will co-operate where we can; compete where we need to; and challenge where we must, including on issues of national security.”

Sir Keir had suggested the “substantive” evidence in the case was submitted under the Tories, while supplementary statements given also reflected the previous government’s position.

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What does China spy row involve?

Director of public prosecutions Stephen Parkinson said the evidence required from the government in the alleged spying case related to whether China could be considered an “enemy” under the Official Secrets Act.

None of the statements use that word.

‘Completely devoid of context’

Mr Cash and Mr Berry were both charged under the secrets act.

In a statement after the government published the statements, Mr Cash reiterated he was “completely innocent” and attacked his “trial by media”.

The collapse of the trial, meaning he can’t prove his innocence, has put him in an “impossible position”, he said.

“At no point did I intentionally assist Chinese intelligence,” he added.

Mr Cash described the statements as “completely devoid of the context that would have been given at trial”.

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China spy case: ‘What is the point in having a lawyer as PM?’

‘Yet more unanswered questions’

Sir Keir had previously said the government would not publish the evidence as it would not have been allowed by the CPS – before the CPS then denied this was the case.

Stephen Parkinson, the head of the CPS, said in a statement the prosecution was dropped after attempts to get more evidence from the government “over many months” proved unfruitful.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for a statutory inquiry, with the party’s foreign affairs spokesperson saying the published statements “raise yet more unanswered questions”.

Calum Miller MP said: “Did emphasising the government’s desire for a positive relationship with China effectively cause this trial to collapse? What evidence was the CPS requesting which the government failed to provide?

“And who was aware of these statements and the evidence being asked for both among ministers and in No 10?”

Sky’s Jon Craig said a number of Commons committees are likely to open their own inquiries into the case.

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