Shoplifting has essentially been decriminalized, by Progressives in California for years they have weakened property rights and retailers that apprehend thieves can be sued.
In California, in short, trying to protect one’s property can be a criminal offense. Looters, on the other hand, typically go free thanks to a 2014 referendum that turned theft of property valued at less than $950 into a misdemeanor. Police stopped apprehending shoplifters because it wasn’t worth their time as thieves were released without prosecution.
The end result: Walgreens stores in San Francisco are shutting down, the seventh in 2020, closed after its shelves were cleared by looters.
Shoplifting has become a very lucrative an endeavor, there are now serial shoplifting gangs working around the state. Several retailers in the state have been sued by people caught shoplifting, they claimed to be victims of racial profiling.
Penalties for Shoplifting if caught and prosecuted:
- Misdemeanor probation
- Up to six months in county jail, and/or
- A fine of up to $1,000.
Who would ever open a store in California under these circumstances, especially a mom and pop retailer…