By Leslie SmithOnce the epitome of the American dream, California now finds itself in a unique and increasingly challenging predicament, with an escalating wave of retail crimes.Further intensifying the matter is the states newly proposed legislation that effectively discourages store employees from confronting potential shoplifters.Conceived by Democratic Senator David Cortese, the legislation was passed in the Senate with a 29 to 8 majority.Its primary aim, as purported by the Senator, is to guarantee the safety of store employees.An unintended, albeit foreseeable, consequence may be the tacit encouragement of criminal behavior.Rachel Michelin, the President and CEO of the California Association of Realtors, is vehement in her belief that the new law could result in an upswing in shoplifting incidents throughout the state.Speaking on Fox2/KTVU, Michelin reminded listeners that many retail establishments have staff specifically assigned to deter thefts.Infringing upon their ability to perform this vital function could inadvertently create an environment conducive to shoplifting.Shoplifting has become a dire issue in California in recent years, with retail giants like Target already projecting a staggering US$1.3 billion in losses due to theft.Conversations with Target employees revealed a daily occurrence of at least ten thefts, per a San Francisco Standard report.In 2014, California voters passed Proposition 47, a significant legal measure that reclassified certain theft and drug-related crimes from felonies to misdemeanors.This meant that these crimes would often not be investigated or prevented.Notably, the proposition increased the minimum value of stolen property from $400 to $950 for a theft to be categorized as a felony, inadvertently contributing to the surge in petty thefts throughout the state.The legislation also allowed criminals serving prison sentences for these reclassified crimes to apply for resentencing, a move mirroring Spains slo s es s law.The current legislation under review seems to be another step on a path that raises concern among the states retail community.The escalation in retail thefts, coupled with the potentially permissive legal environment, is creating a significant challenge for businesses and law enforcement alike.Everything behind glass.
(Photo Internet reproduction)A shoplifting epidemic has hit San Francisco so hard that big corporations are permanently closing stores in the city.Walgreens says petty theft is so out of control that it has closed 17 of its stores.Police agree that stealing has become endemic in the city, with shoplifters selling their stolen goods on the street often not far from the store they robbed.Retail crime, retail crime California, News California, New California legislation bars business owners from confronting theftsShoplift.mp4?#