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. FRESNO, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE) The Fresno Police Department is looking for two people for an alleged theft that occurred at a Hobby Lobby Store in Fresno. Posted: Feb 28, 2023 / 03:52 PM MST. The incident is among a cluster of quick-hit robberies that have been plaguing high-end retail stores and pharmacies in the San Francisco area all year. The city's district attorney, Chesa Boudin, who took office in January 2020 on a progressive platform that pledged to tackle incarceration rates and endorse diversion programs, has been at the center of a recall effort after complaints of rising crime in the city. Hey, look here are 80 people engaged in a large-scale smash-and-grab robbery of a Nordstrom in Walnut Creek outside San Francisco last weekend, one of a series of jaw-dropping thefts over the last several days, including an operation that cleared out a Louis Vuitton on San Franciscos Union Square. Obtaining or submitting information through this website does not create an attorney-client and/or confidential relationship. Related: Three-Strikes Law: Which States Have it? It would reinstate some of the stiffer fines and penalties for property theft, particularly in the case of repeat offenders. Surveillance video appears to show Buffer making his way through a comic book store and helping himself to books by shoving them inside his shirt, according to footage obtained 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). ", Retail thefts have gotten the bulk of the attention on social media because of the string of videos. WebPolice in the Kabete constituency in Kiambu county have arrested 6 people suspected to have been stealing vehicles and vandalising their parts. Police data shows overall thefts are down 9 percent in the first six months of the year compared to the same period in 2020, when the city was on lockdown and many businesses closed during the onset of the pandemic. We feel a little 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. 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. 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. "People shopping there were just kind of standing there watching. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. So is it any wonder that stores like Walgreens are packing up and fleeing the state? ABC7. "There are stores around there, too. The measure is widely expected to fail. WebOn Nov. 17, three people stole merchandise from a jewelry store at a mall in Fairfield, Calif., about 27 miles north of Concord, the police there said. But they aren't the only ones to fall victim to her con. On Monday, Scott said officers in San Francisco were being deployed in more crime-plagued neighborhoods. by the Board of Trustees of Leland Stanford Junior University. Los Angeles police said asecurity guard was sprayed with an irritant meant to deter charging bears at the Westfield Topanga & The Village shopping center in Canoga Park. WebFischer was wounded in the dognapping and five people in total have been charged in connection with the theft. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. But the biggest victim may have been a major lending firm. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. 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. Wednesday 1 March 2023 09:43, UK Image: Pic: Evan 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 the worst such episodes theyve heard of, two longtime police officers say. The state agency tasked with investigating their cases is backlogged and underfunded. Theft will be considered a misdemeanor if the stolen value does not exceed $950. "Our investigations have shown that there are organized fences where people are selling these products that they steal," he said. In Fresno, a $500 fine is possible the first time somebody is caught stealing water from a fire hydrant, city spokesman Mark Standriff said. LA's top prosecutor is threatening a fight with auto companies to force change. Newsom for being soft on crime.Read more: https://bit.ly/3x9X1suSubscribe to KTVU's YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVhtkN7-c8mA8GXEoxS4YQw?sub_confirmation=1KTVU delivers the best in-depth reports, interviews and breaking news coverage in the San Francisco Bay Area and CaliforniaWatch KTVU's newscasts on https://www.ktvu.com/liveDownload KTVU's news and weather apps for free at https://www.ktvu.com/mobile-appsSubscribe to KTVU's newsletter at https://www.ktvu.com/newslettersFollow KTVU on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ktvuFollow KTVU on Twitter: https://twitter.com/KTVUFollow KTVU on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ktvu2/ 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. IE 11 is not supported. Theres a referendum (known as prop 20) on the ballot today in California to address this. "Nobody cares about big broad statistics," she said. In recent years, some retail stores have been placing not only high-end items but everyday products like toothpaste and shampoo behind security locks. 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. In an interview with NBC News last week, Scott suggested that California's Proposition 47, which voters passed in 2014 and lowered criminal sentences for certain nonviolent crimes like shoplifting and check forgery, is being exploited by those who want to commit theft. Market data provided by Factset. Adam Carolla, a comedian who hosts a podcast, posted the video to Facebook along with a false comment about Proposition 47. "So its not taken seriously.". They say Walgreens policy is to not get involved. San Francisco shoplifting: 4 women bolt out of CVS with stuffed bags in citys latest retail theft. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. "San Franciscans will have to determine what they can put up with," he added. The erstwhile Golden City is beset by an ongoing tide of theft that is closing down retail locations and again demonstrating the citys unwillingness to govern itself. Ambrosio Rodriguez, a criminal defense attorney and former deputy district attorney in Los Angeles, said cities like San Francisco battling rising crime rates amid calls against over-policing will have to determine how much the public is willing to tolerate in terms of smaller, "victimless" crimes before overall quality of life is an issue. Shoplifting has essentially been decriminalized, and retailers that apprehend thieves can be sued. Sgt. 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. Check this out people running out of a Neiman Marcus with fancy handbags into waiting cars. If someone did not have the intent to steal when entering the business, the crime is not shoplifting under the California legal system. WOULD-BE ROBBERS SHOT BY ARMED SHOPPERS IN LOS ANGELES. "If theyre caught, theyre probably given the equivalent of a traffic ticket," she told CBS LA. The same month, city leaders pushed back against critics who argued that the shoplifting incidents were out of control. Two men in a Los Angeles suburb were seen on camera brazenly leaving a TJ Maxx store with their arms full of shoplifted items. Hoover scholars offer analysis of current policy challenges and provide solutions on how America can advance freedom, peace, and prosperity. Walgreens announced last month that it would close five stores in San Francisco because of organized retail theft. A bill moving through the state Legislature and supported by the California Retailers Association would renew and fund the Organized Retail Crime Task Force through the end of 2025, focusing on "ringleaders and conspirators of these criminal networks and not the low-level petty thief." One enterprise that was broken up was estimated at $50 million. "This is really bad. "The evidence seems to be mounting that Prop 47 is not the culprit here or at least not the key culprit," Kubrin said, adding that criminal justice reforms have "become a scapegoat" to blame for the perception of high crime. That happened again this week as yet another Walgreens has closed its doors permanently. Ford Pickup (Full-size) - Number of Thefts: 36,355 4. 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. "And so, thats sending a message that we, the criminals, are winning.". The suspect then turned and fired at a U-Haul van whose driver returned fire, killing Moser, the sheriff's office said in news release posted on its Facebook page Tuesday. San Francisco Police Chief William Scott and Mayor London Breed acknowledged that while some crime is up, including aggravated assaults, homicides and incidents with guns, the overall numbers of violent and property crimes have fallen. 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. 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. "People who are stealing giant, giant tote bags, giant backpacks worth of inventory are not getting the same benefit of the people that are stealing food and clothing for their children," she said. An employee was pepper-sprayed, and two others were punched and kicked, a police spokesperson said. Maybe this investigation will connect the ballots stolen by these women with the ballots that were in the possession of the felon in Torrance. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Only King pocketing and then spending the money. 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). Hoover scholars form the Institutions core and create breakthrough ideas aligned with our mission and ideals. The In San Jose on Sunday, about $40,000 of items was stolen from a Lululemon store, the Mercury News reported. If the robbers are minorities, the businesses are immediately accused of racism if they attempt to stop the thieves. "If it's a felony, our officers can take action," he added. Sandoz, who serves as vice president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, said she blames the incident on Prop 47, a 2014 referendum that lowered criminal sentences on crimes such as shoplifting. 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. Shoplifting isnt unique to Los Angeles, as other cities in the state are reporting an increase. Districts attorneys from several Bay Area counties met Tuesday to discuss solutions to the spree of thefts. WebTwo men in a Los Angeles suburb were seen on camera brazenly leaving a TJ Maxx store with their arms full of shoplifted items. California is continuing down a path where simply being a member of a minority group is an excuse for nearly anything. "The threshold for a misdemeanor offense is $950 meaning that a person can steal up to that amount and only be charged with a misdemeanor," Buel said. A rational society knows this, and perhaps one day San Francisco will again as well. "But if it's a misdemeanor, that arrest has to be a private person's arrest. The landscape of shoplifting and petty theft jurisprudence in California has shifted dramatically in recent years, largely due to Proposition 47, which voters approved in 2014. The former model should be given the environment to thrive, the latter ground to dust. 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). This does not happen in all cases, but it is possible to even with the new law. For those who have completed their time for a felony theft charge, the CA theft law allows them to file to change the felony to a misdemeanor, if applicable. This story has been shared 100,855 times. California Theft Laws: Petty Theft, Grand Theft, & Shoplifting. And as weve seen in other places like New York City, store managers in California are telling their employees to not interfere with looters for fear of being branded as racists on social media or even run into lawsuits over alleged discrimination. When more is stolen, the charge is referred to as wobbler meaning prosecutors can choose whether they would like to pursue a felony or misdemeanor charge. WebIn 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 She's accused of fabricating loans using expensive cars, watches and even NFL contracts as collateral. Police in affected areas have increased patrols as stores have ramped up security. WebThe state attorney general announced earlier this month that five defendants had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit organized retail theft after officials seized roughly $8m in NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- A Newport Beach attorney stands accused of living the high life in a Las Vegas casino for six months, spending and gambling away more than $10 million of other people's money. Why is shoplifting so rampant? "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. Even being filmed by multiple people, including security, the thief wasn't discouraged. 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. Google Shoplifting in San Francisco and you will find more than 100,000 hits. NBC Bay Area reported that a jewelry store in Southland Mall in Hayward, California, was targeted Sunday afternoon by about nine people who used hammers to smash cases before they fled. Robbery The thefts are also not specific to California. This includes death row inmate Richard Allen Davis, one of 737 murderers in the system, who was a released felon when he murdered Polly Klaas in 1993. Experts say yes. And you will find lots of YouTube videos, where you can watch a single thief, or an entire gang, walk into an SF Walgreens or CVS and empty the shelves. Thanks to Prop 47 thefts under $950 will not be prosecuted, Carolla commented on the post. As California enters its hottest and driest stretch of the year, which forces municipalities to increasingly restrict water use, the thefts are threatening to make a bad situation even more dire. These arent episodic crimes. No, theft is not decriminalized under the new law. When not having the planned intent to steal, the crime becomes petty theft, which is also a misdemeanor crime. Thanks for contacting us. The amount of water that is being stolen to water those (marijuana) plants has a huge impact on our local aquifers, Siskiyou County Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue told CNN. WebProgressives in California in recent years have strengthened property rightsto other peoples property. But chains say even more drastic measures are required. All six men have been arrested and were held in California. Related: California Wobbler Crimes: Misdemeanor or Felony? Antonio Planas is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. The most they do is record the thefts with their cell phones. California will allow 63,000 prisoners, out of a population of 115,000, the possibility of early release. Through the end of June, 125 Californians reported water thefts to state authorities more than twice as many as a decade ago. 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