Santa Monica Pavilion's -- security guard ignores thief (Sacramento, Rocklin: crime, felony)

[Cinema Cat]

I was at the Santa Monica Pavilion's tonight. The one on Montana Ave. I saw a guy stealing, stuffing water bottles into a HUGE black camping bag.

I went to the security guard at the store's entrance. The thief was about to exit. I told the guard that I'd just seen that guy stealing.

The guard said to the thief, "Don't come around here no more, bro."

Then the guard, and two other store employees, followed the thief out, talking to him and watching him leave. Maybe trying to discourage him from returning?

When the guard returned, I said, "That guy just stole from you."

The guard replied, "Yeah, I can't touch him."

I guess the store is afraid of being sued? Maybe for racism and assault?

The thief was a short black man, very dark skin, age 20s or 30s, with nappy hair. He was dressed entirely in black, as was his HUGE camping bag.

[Cage_50]

His boss probably told him they'd rather be out $5 in water than possibly tens of thousands in court costs and settlement bucks. I bet the thief also knows this.

[Finper]

Almost same thing happened to me at a CVS. I saw a guy steal a whole backpack full of expensive makeup. I told the employees and they just watched him run out. All you thieves shoplifting is now perfectly fine. In case you don't already know... which I'm sure you do

[Cinema Cat]

Some say Prop 47 is partially to blame. It reduced penalties for "minor thefts."


https://www.foxnews.com/us/californi...oplifting-jump

ROCKLIN, Calif. – Perry Lutz says his struggle to survive as a small businessman became a lot harder after California voters reduced theft penalties 1½ years ago.

About a half-dozen times this year, shoplifters have stolen expensive drones or another of the remote-controlled toys he sells in HobbyTown USA, a small shop in Rocklin, northeast of Sacramento. "It's just pretty much open season," Lutz said. "They'll pick the $800 unit and just grab it and run out the door."

Anything below $950 keeps the crime a misdemeanor — and likely means the thieves face no pursuit and no punishment, say retailers and law enforcement officials. Large retailers including Safeway, Target, Rite Aid and CVS pharmacies say shoplifting increased at least 15 percent, and in some cases, doubled since voters approved Proposition 47 and ended the possibility of charging shoplifting as a felony with the potential for a prison sentence.

I read a while back that police in Santa Monica (and, I assume, elsewhere in California) are discouraging store owners from prosecuting, because minor shop lifting merely gets a citation. It's not worth the paperwork.

[disgruntled la native]

The guard did the right thing. At least he let the thief know he was seen and it wasn't okay.
It's not worth risking your life for $12-15 an hour. Especially when CA/Santa Monica laws don't prosecute petty theft.

[V8 Vega]

A homeless guy stole some beer at Food for Less a few months ago in Sylmar. The security guard confronted him and got stabbed to death. He sure didn't make enough to have that happen to him.

[JohnG72]

At the Starbucks stores in DTLA, homeless just come in and take food items in the open refrigerators and walk out. Or sometimes don’t even walk out.

[Exitus Acta Probat]

Originally Posted by JohnG72

At the Starbucks stores in DTLA, homeless just come in and take food items in the open refrigerators and walk out. Or sometimes don’t even walk out.

And cue a response from Telemutt in 5...4...3...

[jm1982]

We really need law and order in this city and state .

But we won’t get it with the current regime that calls criminals “justice affected individuals “

No doubt being soft on crime has encouraged more of this crime . So much of it isn’t even reported . With high rents , high wages , high taxes and high theft /shoplifting L.A doesn’t seem to be an attractive place to run a brick and mortar business . Plus street vending recently legalized so more competition from people that have a Low barrier to entry and hardly any expenses , plus no taxes to pay .

[Exitus Acta Probat]

Originally Posted by jm1982

We really need law and order in this city and state .

But we won’t get it with the current regime that calls criminals “justice affected individuals “

No doubt being soft on crime has encouraged more of this crime . So much of it isn’t even reported . With high rents , high wages , high taxes and high theft /shoplifting L.A doesn’t seem to be an attractive place to run a brick and mortar business . Plus street vending recently legalized so more competition from people that have a Low barrier to entry and hardly any expenses , plus no taxes to pay .