Timothy T. Williams Jr., who spent 29 years with the Los Angeles Police Department before he retired from its Robbery-Homicide Division, said he has also never seen so many suspects accused in a shoplifting incident. The same month, city leaders pushed back against critics who argued that the shoplifting incidents were out of control. The 'green' in Build Back Better's green programs will com JK Rowling showing outstanding moral courage as she stands up to vile woke mob, Thieves are swiping left and right to steal all around NYC, Black Democrat DA tells the truth on crime, but progressives won't listen, Ousted Chicago mayor blames loss on racism, gender but not her tepid response to crime, 11-year-old reads aloud from 'pornographic' book he checked out from library at school board meeting, Hoda Kotb's lengthy 'Today' show absence finally explained, King Charles evicting Harry, Meghan from Frogmore Cottage, giving to Andrew. Sturdivant says King convinced her to loan her company thousands of dollars, promising a quick return on her investment - one that never materialized. (Nov. 25), more than 80 people stormed another Nordstrom, Retailers and experts from the National Retail Federation say, 'Mob of people' storms, robs California Nordstrom, Walgreens closing 5 more San Francisco stores due to organized shoplifting. Through the end of June, 125 Californians reported water thefts to state authorities more than twice as many as a decade ago. The stance of San Francisco isnt exactly anti-business. Lynda Buel, president of Ohio-based security consulting firm SRMC, told CNN the decriminalization of low-level offenses in some states mean fewer consequences for people accused of participating in grab-and-go thefts. These arent episodic crimes. The clerks say there is nothing they can do. "The employees at TJ Maxx have been told that, in these specific circumstances, its not worth it for you to go and physically attack, physically stop people that are walking out with this inventory," criminal defense attorney Alexandra Kazarian said of why many employees dont confront shoplifters. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. In 2020 alone, nearly 650,000 people left California for other states about 210,000 more than moved to California from elsewhere in the U.S. WebProgressives in California in recent years have strengthened property rightsto other peoples property. Officials say the thieves are getting their hands on water by breaking into secure water stations, drilling into water lines, tapping into fire hydrants and using violence and threats against farmers, making off with truckloads of water for their crops under cover of darkness. A shoplifting incident involving 80 people accused of grabbing items and rushing out of a Nordstrom store in California in under a minute Saturday night is among Claim: The passage of Prop 47 means that thefts involving property valued at less than $950 will no longer be prosecuted in California. https://www.foxnews.com/us/san-francisco-shoplifting-retail-cvs-pharmacy-video Because state law holds that stealing merchandise worth $950 or less is just a misdemeanor, which means that law enforcement probably wont bother to investigate, and if they do, prosecutors will let it go. Ive been in the Bay area 20 years, Ive never seen this," a local security guard, J.C. Hernandez, told Fox News. In recent years, some retail stores have been placing not only high-end items but everyday products like toothpaste and shampoo behind security locks. It has shuttered 17 already and last month announced five more closures, including the one hit by the man on the bike (who was finally arrested after robbing the store one too many times). VENICE BEACH VIOLENCE REACHES BOILING POINT IN L.A. AS NEW VIRAL VIDEO EMERGES, "Its just lawlessness," he added. The incident, which remains under investigation, was only the latest to give an impression of lawlessness running rampant in San Francisco's stores, where people have been caught on recordings openly swiping products seemingly without repercussion. For the crime to be considered shoplifting, the stolen goods cannot allot to over $950, and the individual must have had the intent to steal before entering the store. Additional research, however, will be needed, Kubrin said, to see the effect something like Proposition 47 is having on San Francisco and other local communities. A similar study in the Journal of Criminal Justice published this month found that Proposition 47 and another related reform law were successful in helping to reduce the state prison population and that the increases in crime that the initiatives may have been linked to in the Los Angeles area were "generally small.". "Because these businesses have insurance.". In October, the California Attorney General's Office announced breaking up a major theft ring in the Bay Area in which $8 million worth of merchandise was allegedly swiped from Target, CVS and Walgreens, and then sold in other countries with the earnings laundered back to the United States. With Black Friday and the start of Christmas shopping season, retailers say they're worried more robberies may be on the horizon. This is a polity deciding that it is more important to stay its own hand from arresting and jailing criminals than to protect businesses from getting robbed, protect duly employed people from having to watch cretins flout the law and protect neighborhoods from losing retail outlets that they depend on. WebCalifornia law defines petty theft as the theft of any property with a value of $950 or less. 2023 Cable News Network. . The state agency tasked with investigating their cases is backlogged and underfunded. And as weve seen repeatedly, when you stop enforcing the law, a certain percentage of the population will quickly move in to take advantage of the situation. The article also misstated the amount of water that was estimated stolen it was at least 1.8 billion gallons, according to Nores. But city leaders are pushing back at that image after the release Monday of a midyear public safety report. All six men have been arrested and were held Misdemeanor charges can still lead to no more than 6 months of jail time. And if you are one of those who identify Neiman Marcus with Needless Markup, well, now you know: those markups help cover the cost of theft insurance and stolen merchandise, costs that are passed on to those who choose to acquire merchandise the old-fashioned wayby paying for it. WebCalifornias $950 Theft Law turned shoplifting from a felony offense to a misdemeanor as long as the total stolen does not exceed the value of $950. Holding people accountable for their crimes is decried as a form of racism, as is incarcerating anyone. Even being filmed by multiple people, including security, the thief wasn't discouraged. To reclassify a conviction, the reclassification must occur with the original judge who presided over the initial conviction. What sets Hoover apart from all other policy organizations is its status as a center of scholarly excellence, its locus as a forum of scholarly discussion of public policy, and its ability to bring the conclusions of this scholarship to a public audience. King's second husband, Kamran Pahlavi who is Iranian royalty - a relative of the late shah of Iran - connected King with LDR International, which is now suing her for fraud and civil theft. Insurance companies have limits as to how many times theyll cover a claim if youre unwilling or unable to secure your inventory. But if you enter a bank or a store intending to commit forgeryfor example, by cashing or creating a forged checkyou can also face charges for PC 459. Failing to lead. If a felony charge is pursued, the maximum jail time is 3 years, and a fine could be up to $10,000. All rights reserved. The thefts are also not specific to California. Quick-hit robberies continue to target high-end retail stores and pharmacies in Californias Bay Area, officials say. These type of smash-and-grabs I have not seen in my 45 years in law enforcement, said Andrew Scott, who was the police chief in Boca Raton, Florida, from 1998 to 2006. "Nobody cares about big broad statistics," she said. Through a series of measures starting back in 2014, the state of California has made it increasingly easy for people to commit property theft and get away with it. His rural county in the northernmost part of the state is one of the hardest hit by thieves, where many residents rely on well water. 12:18 AM EDT, Fri August 13, 2021. Those convicted of the possession of mass destruction weapons, Those convicted of vehicular manslaughter while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Therefore, it is important to have legal representation to help defend the individual in instances where shoplifting did not occur. Check this out people running out of a Neiman Marcus with fancy handbags into waiting cars. Most petty thefts are charged as misdemeanors , which carry a sentence of up to six String of organized thefts: After Nordstrom robbery in California, will other retailers be next? The issue has become so severe that some communities have been forced to place locks on fire hydrants or remove them altogether. Incredible before-and-after imagery shows impact of California wildfires and drought. Water pressure in the area north of Los Angeles dropped so low at one point, it caused the system to fail, said Anish Saraiya, public works deputy for Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. Money also said people should use low-tech ways to defend against PIN and card data theft. Creating a political moment to sign an almost meaningless shoplifting crime bill that rarely will be enforced. Homicides in California jumped 31 percent last year, making 2020 the deadliest year since 2007. Sgt. What is needed is a change to the state law that makes shoplifting at a much lower dollar level a felony, to provide adequate incentives to individuals not to commit these crimes. The state has recorded increased levels of retail theft every year since prop 47 was passed. As an extreme drought grips California, making water increasingly scarce, thieves are making off with billions of gallons of the precious resource, tapping into fire hydrants, rivers, and even small family homes and farms. Discovery Company. Businesses need to invest in displays that are shatterproof. Police in Hayward and Walnut Creek, which is about 30 miles northeast, didnt return requests for comment Monday about whether the incidents might be connected. "I do think no one is going to have much empathy for Neiman Marcus, but that's besides the point," Rodriguez said. Because they dont want to take the risk. All Rights Reserved. They ultimately blitzkrieg a particular location. WebAhmad Rahmaan, 25, and 28-year-old Tylise Bell, of Los Angeles, are being held in O.C. Web6 people accused of stealing $1.1 million in construction equipment by: Samantha Jarpe. Cell phone video of the incident shows 20 to 40 people smash windows and grab merchandise, according to police. The county has seen up to 18 water main breaks, forcing the waterworks department to spend about a half-million dollars responding to the incidents, Saraiya said. LA's top prosecutor is threatening a fight with auto companies to force change. All six men have been arrested and were held in California. Wednesday 1 March 2023 09:43, UK Image: Pic: Evan "The balance here is to provide a measure of public safety ensuring consumers will not get caught in the middle of a theft in progress by giving law enforcement adequate resources to dismantle organized retail crime operations before they can plot a crime spree," Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer, a Democrat who represents parts of Los Angeles, said. by the Board of Trustees of Leland Stanford Junior University. Most walk in, go about their pilfering, and then walk out, though at least one thief rode their bike into the store and departed the same way, carefully navigating their two-wheeler down a narrow aisle. McCray jails on $200K bail. Fischer was wounded in the dognapping and five people in total have been charged in connection with the theft. "So its not taken seriously.". Thanks for contacting us. The WaPo: FBI resisted Mar-a-Lago raid, DoJ prosecutors demanded it. This includes death row inmate Richard Allen Davis, one of 737 murderers in And in the matter of minutes, in just a couple of minutes, they can literally steal hundreds of thousands of dollars of product.. WebPolice in the Kabete constituency in Kiambu county have arrested 6 people suspected to have been stealing vehicles and vandalising their parts. WebEntering an open business with the intent to steal less than $950 worth of property is shoplifting under California state law (Penal Code 495.5). In an aerial view, low water levels are visible at Lake Oroville on July 22, 2021. Most stores only have one or two security personnel on duty at most so they cant stop them all. The following individuals will not qualify for sentencing under California Law: The resentencing will not happen for those who the judge determines as a risk to public safety. Criminal justice experts say if California officials agree that moving away from mass incarceration and toward decriminalization of low-level offenses is imperative, then it's important to go after the bosses and co-conspirators rather than focusing on the shoplifters themselves, who may be paid juveniles and homeless people, according to officials. "If it's a felony, our officers can take action," he added. And that makes a difference because they have to be willing to do that.". San Francisco police didnt respond to a request for comment or updated theft statistics Monday. And even if a couple of the looters are caught, they know theyll be back out on the streets in an hour or two at most. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Nine people face felony charges in connection with the theftslast Fridayat Louis Vuitton, Burberry and Bloomingdales inSan Francisco'sdowntown Union Square, police said. The shoplifting problem represents a deliberate choice rather than an unstoppable tide. On the other, there are the organized crime rings that oversee the theft of vast amounts of merchandise that is turned around and sold online. The state decriminalized theft such that stealing less than $950 worth of goods was only a misdemeanor, leading to a small fine, frequently far less than the value of the merchandise that was stolen. Theres a referendum (known as prop 20) on the ballot today in California to address this. WebTwo men in a Los Angeles suburb were seen on camera brazenly leaving a TJ Maxx store with their arms full of shoplifted items. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Governor Newsom recently signed a new law in which shoplifting is a felony, even if it is below the $950 limit, ifand this is a big ifthe theft is part of an organized ring with the intent to sell the stolen goods. "There are stores around there, too. Those diversions threaten native fish and wildlife that depend on the water to survive during hot summer months. Jerretta Sandoz told CBS LA of the incident. (Wall Street Journal, subscription required). This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Were not seeing something new here thats a result of the riots and looting, though the trend has definitely ramped up this year. So when people stop going to Neiman Marcus, and the stores around it closes, there will be a larger effect on other businesses and perceptions about whether a place is safe to visit.". This must occur within three years of the laws implementation. I sincerely had hoped for Newsoms success, because millions of Californians are struggling, and mightily so. The latest video of retail crime at a San Francisco drug store coincides with an appearance of a Republican candidate for governor in the city for a press event where he knocked Gov. The result: Another Walgreens store in San Francisco, the seventh this year, is closing after its shelves were cleared by looters. Progressives in California in recent years have strengthened property rightsto other peoples property. In 2014, California adopted Proposition 47, which made thefts of $950 or less a misdemeanor. . Why is shoplifting so rampant? Police said over a dozen people in Chicago stole about $120,000 of items from a Louis Vuitton store on Nov. 17. She's accused of fabricating loans using expensive cars, watches and even NFL contracts as collateral. And if you need a one-liner for why Newsom is not the person to govern California, Newsom had this to say about the recall: Were going [to] defeat this partisan effort, and were going to work hard to do the work people sent us here to do. 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