Watch as shoplifters sprint out of Neiman Marcus, speed off in getaway cars, Biden pitches crime plan amid wave of gun violence, Vicky Nguyen gets inside look at retail theft rings, Journal of Criminal Justice published this month. Through the end of June, 125 Californians reported water thefts to state authorities more than twice as many as a decade ago. Walgreens says its San Francisco stores experience a level of theft five times the national average. Stores often put the likes of toothpaste and shampoo behind security locks, as if they are high-end goods or the outlets are operating in Caracas, Venezuela. You cant turn a profit when people keep showing up and emptying your shelves without paying. Erik Ortiz is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital focusing on racial injustice and social inequality. As a consequence, the chain has been steadily closing locations. 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. Ive been in the Bay area 20 years, Ive never seen this," a local security guard, J.C. Hernandez, told Fox News. If the robbers are minorities, the businesses are immediately accused of racism if they attempt to stop the thieves. Shoplifting isnt unique to Los Angeles, as other cities in the state are reporting an increase. I havent seen smash-and-grabs in such a mass scale. An individual must file the resentencing petition within three years since the law was passed and in the original court where the felony theft charge was convicted. Creating a political moment to sign an almost meaningless shoplifting crime bill that rarely will be enforced. Retail theft across our San Francisco stores has continued to increase in the past few months to five times our chain average despite large increases in security, Walgreens spokesperson Phil Caruso said in a statement at the time. A Warner Bros. Peretz Klein, 68, of Spring Valley was sentenced to 48 months in prison in July and must repay $1.14 million for stealing millions of dollars from the program. The New York City crew which typically consists of four thieves riding two mopeds have stolen a total of 21 pairs of the Apple headphones since the robberies began. The robbers were in and out of the store within a minute, police said. The same month, city leaders pushed back against critics who argued that the shoplifting incidents were out of control. The scene was captured on video by another person in the store and circulated widely on news media. 10, 2021 4:55 AM PT. Then on Wednesday, four men fled with $20,000 of merchandise from an Apple store in Santa Rosa, according to police. All of us knew it was coming, longtime customer Sebastian Luke told the San Francisco Chronicle. another Walgreens has closed its doors permanently, DeSantis to DA: Give me all your documentation on why you allowed the Pine Hills shooter to remain on the street, Joe Biden's "9,000 unused drilling permits" lie, GAO: FBI, Capitol Police failed to share information of threats before January 6 riot. After Nordstrom robbery in California, will other retailers be next? This includes death row inmate Richard Allen Davis, one of 737 murderers in I doubt many would, knowing that a Rite Aid employee was murdered recently after trying to stop two thieves. In an incident that seemed particularly shocking in San Francisco, a group of shoplifters in July was recorded on cellphone video sprinting out of a Neiman Marcus in Union Square lugging several tens of thousands of dollars in stolen merchandise, police said. The measure is widely expected to fail. And so it is open season for people to take whatever they want. When not having the planned intent to steal, the crime becomes petty theft, which is also a misdemeanor crime. It is not just pharmacies that are being ransacked. Related: Three-Strikes Law: Which States Have it? Because they dont want to take the risk. Legal Statement. The police said they later arrested 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. 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. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. "There are stores around there, too. The article also misstated the amount of water that was estimated stolen it was at least 1.8 billion gallons, according to Nores. Once people realized that they were unlikely to be arrested or prosecuted for stealing below $1,000, they, of course, responded to the incentive. 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 most they do is record the thefts with their cell phones. Gives a whole new take on defunding police, doesnt it? Gavin Newsom signed a law Wednesday 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.". "These brazen acts will not be tolerated in San Francisco, said District Attorney Chesa Boudin in a Tuesday statement. Antonio Planas is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. Torrance and Valley Village are both in Los Angeles County, and about 32 miles apart. PHILADEPHIA SHOOTING: VIDEO SHOWS 1-YEAR-OLD SHOT IN CONVENIENCE STORE AS CRIME SKYROCKETS. Donning ski masks, the mob ran off with thousands of dollars of merchandise. Check this out people running out of a Neiman Marcus with fancy handbags into waiting cars. Top 10 Most Stolen Cars in America 1. All rights reserved. As the extreme drought emergency continues in California, thieves are making off with billions of gallons of water. In an aerial view, low water levels are visible at Lake Oroville on July 22, 2021. Legal Statement. 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. Theft will be considered a misdemeanor if the stolen value does not exceed $950. Today, social justice warriors have amplified this effect considerably. Walnut Creek police said three people were arrested in connection with Saturday nights incident. 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. Retailers and experts from the National Retail Federation saythefts have gotten more violent amid the pandemic and have moved from cities to the suburbs. WebIn Southern California, about 300 residents in the Antelope Valley saw their water system crash last year after thieves used water trucks to tap fire hydrants and water mains illegally. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife MET team has made more than 900 felony arrests of illegal cannabis growers and removed over 400 miles of pipes diverting water from natural streams to man-made dams from 2013 to 2018 during Noress tenure, he said. It is a local problem in smaller communities, West said. 12:18 AM EDT, Fri August 13, 2021. "If theyre caught, theyre probably given the equivalent of a traffic ticket," she told CBS LA. Viral video of brazen thefts has become one of the citys most influential cultural exports. "What is not getting the attention is the fact when you do come to San Francisco and commit a crime, you will be arrested by this department. Sadly, this is Gavin Newsom. Related: California Wobbler Crimes: Misdemeanor or Felony? WebAhmad Rahmaan, 25, and 28-year-old Tylise Bell, of Los Angeles, are being held in O.C. 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. Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to John Nores status with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Marijuana Enforcement team. She knows of other friends and family members of King who were similarly bilked. This website is intended to provide general information and you should not rely on this website or its contents as a source of legal advice. They ultimately blitzkrieg a particular location. Unfortunately, it is not just shoplifting in San Francisco that is getting headlines, though San Franciscos out-of-control drug problem makes this issue much worse than it otherwise would be. 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. It ought to be possible to operate a retail store in one of Americas largest and most iconic cities, but this most basic commercial proposition is in doubt in San Francisco. Target and Safeway have been reducing hours to try to limit their locations exposure to theft. Some of these thefts are also consideredorganized retail crime, which refers to professional shoplifting rings. 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. "The statistics are counter to the narrative," Scott said at a news conference, while also recognizing that some crimes may go unreported. 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. WebThe 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 "This is like a nightmare," Yumiko Sturdivant said. WOULD-BE ROBBERS SHOT BY ARMED SHOPPERS IN LOS ANGELES. She even used pictures of her mingling with high-profile athletes like Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes to enhance her reputation and claim alleged connections. "This is really bad. Catalytic converter theft has surged: LA's top prosecutor is threatening a fight with auto companies to force change. 2023 Cable News Network. Hoover scholars form the Institutions core and create breakthrough ideas aligned with our mission and ideals. Erik Ortiz reported from New York and Jacob Ward from San Francisco. 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. Cities around the country dub themselves the capital of this or that signature product artichokes in Castroville, Calif., earmuffs in Farmington, Maine, spinach in Alma, Ark., fried chicken in Barberton, Ohio. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The The LAPD is investigating the incident, but neither of the men have been charged or arrested. 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. Hoover scholars offer analysis of current policy challenges and provide solutions on how America can advance freedom, peace, and prosperity. California's Prop 47 leads to rise in shoplifting, theft In 2014, Prop 47 was passed to reduce certain non-violent felonies to misdemeanors in order to free up resources for cops and prosecutors to go after serious, violent offenders. Here is everything you need We feel a little And that makes a difference because they have to be willing to do that.". For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Related: California Theft Laws: Petty Theft, Grand Theft, & Shoplifting. 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 Police have responded by stepping up patrols and stores have been increasing security. Market data provided by Factset. I sincerely had hoped for Newsoms success, because millions of Californians are struggling, and mightily so. "But if it's a misdemeanor, that arrest has to be a private person's arrest. Moreover, a confrontation within the store risks harming not only store staff but also customers, so employees are almost certainly instructed by their managers to do nothing. Are visible at Lake Oroville on July 22, 2021 reported water thefts to state authorities than. Are making off with thousands of dollars of merchandise from an Apple store in Santa Rosa according. With Saturday nights incident are immediately accused of racism if they attempt to stop thieves. 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