Theft among retail workers is up — particularly the fraudulent use of gift cards, the Times reports. According to a recent study, store workers, not shoplifters, are responsible for the majority of the estimated $36 billion per year that is heisted from retail establishments, and a growing number of thieving employees are using gift certificates to commit their crimes. more ›

The big department stores all have their holiday cheer on display. Katie Sokoler went to check out what they had to offer, hitting up Saks, Macy's, Bergdorf's, Lord & Taylor and Barney's. She tells us: "Bergdorf and Macy's definitely had the best ones. Saks was just terrible!" We'd have to say that Lord & Taylor also looks a bit drab, though they get props for keeping it traditional each year — in fact, this year's looks very similar to last year. If you're interested in checking out the big stores yourself, here's a helpful map. more ›

What is it with Saks Fifth Avenue employees? Earlier this year there was the ol' "it was for charity" excuse, which was prequeled by all of these incidents. Now another employee has been busted for siphoning around $130,000 from his employer. 23-year-old Kashien Mercer is the latest to use the store as his personal ATM; too bad he was "caught on surveillance video behind a cash register crediting some of the illegal returns to the gift card, which he put in his pocket." He was busted on November 3rd and charged with grand larceny. Listen up Saks employees, your employer is on to you, it's time to try another department store. more ›

Last year, 51-year-old Cecille Villacorta, an ex-Saks employee, went on trial for charges that, through a unique con, she stole over $1 million from the Manhattan flagship store. She faced up to 7 years in prison for grand larceny, and now the court has finally handed down her sentence: 90 days behind bars, five years’ probation and a $96,000 fine. Though Villacorta reportedly left the courtroom happy, the conviction is being appealed—if it's upheld, she also faces deportation to her native Philippines. more ›

Fashion Week is in full effect and The Humane Society of the United States is watching out for our furry friends, as usual. This morning the organization led a press conference with NY State Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal following an investigation that uncovered some big NYC retailers selling unlabeled fur-trimmed garments in violation of state law (which requires that all apparel with real or fake fur be labeled as such, giving shoppers access to product information). All the big names were on their list, including Bloomingdale’s, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue. Footage of the investigation shows what may happen to confused customers: more ›

That Saks is den of thieves! First a jewelry saleswomen is accused of bilking the store over $1 million, then a suit salesmen is arrested for stealing from office buildings, now a "public-relations finance manager" has been arrested on charges she stole more than $680,000 from the department store. 52-year-old Ava John's job required her to pay outside vendors hired by Saks for special events at the store. According to the Daily News, John allegedly spent the last five years creating fake invoices for her friends and relatives, who would get a taste of the loot in exchange for cashing the checks. She may have raked in more than $680,000 in the scam, which has also implicated her 32-year-old niece, who allegedly helped by incorporating a bogus bridal consultancy, the Post reports. more ›

A former Saks Fifth Avenue suit salesman allegedly used his employee-discount threads to glide past security in Midtown office buildings and steal cash and credit cards from empty offices. 34-year-old Edward Proctor was arrested last week and accused of lunchtime stealing sprees at CBS offices and another building on 49th Street in May and June. “I was in the next room eating lunch when he went behind my desk," one victim tells the Post. Proctor successfully robbed workers on the same floor at CBS twice in the same month; police only tracked him down after he allegedly used one of the credit cards to pay for his parking at a garage. He’s out on $40,000 bail, which, one hopes, wasn’t paid with plastic. more ›

Cecille Villacorta, an ex-Saks employee, is on trial today for charges that she stole over $1 million from the Manhattan flagship store, money that actually went into her customers pockets. Sort of like a modern day Robin Hood except she was stealing from the rich and giving to the rich. Her big commissions and bonuses came from striking a deal with about 230 customers and selling over $27 million in jewelry; upon purchasing the jewels she told the trusted consumers they could expect a "refund" credit without ever making a return. On top of the $1M she's accused of stealing, she also received $50K in commissions. The 51-year-old faces 25 years in prison for grand larceny. more ›