California ballot measure blamed for shoplifting jump

[UK2K]

As we continue to move towards a society that allows you to never take responsibility for your own actions, we see what attempting to win over hearts and minds really results in...

[QUOTE]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

[Nick Young]

I love the California life style but I hate the idiotic free love hippy laws California has been implementing the past few years.

The state has gone to shit since Arnold left.

We really need to change that idiotic condom law too so hopefully the porn industry returns to Cali.

The Lefties have done their best to **** us over but it's still not too late to fix things.

[tomtucker]

[I]Anything below $950 keeps the crime a misdemeanor

[DonDadda59]

Was putting some money aside to get the new DJI Phantom. Finna go to Cali and get a 5-finger discount instead. :pimp:

[warriorfan]

I guess this is bad if you are determined to fill prisons with shoplifters...

If you look at it from a money perspective, it is going to cost the state more to arrest them, put them on trial, and then imprison them. Most people that are shoplifting are doing it because they have to. It's cheaper to let them just take some shit here and there. Plus most of the time they are stealing from huge corporations, or places like that hobby shop get covered by insurance. It really is stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, even if the poor is themself.

[tomtucker]

I guess this is bad if you are determined to fill prisons with shoplifters...

If you look at it from a money perspective, it is going to cost the state more to arrest them, put them on trial, and then imprison them. Most people that are shoplifting are doing it because they have to. It's cheaper to let them just take some shit here and there. Plus most of the time they are stealing from huge corporations, or places like that hobby shop get covered by insurance. It really is stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, even if the poor is themself.

yeah, but stealing a drone is some bullshit.......no one needs a drone.

those drones come in pretty big boxes, must be a sick fukk to try to steal one of those..........just grabbing one and running out of the store :wtf: :facepalm

[warriorfan]

yeah, but stealing a drone is some bullshit.......no one needs a drone.

those drones come in pretty big boxes, must be a sick fukk to try to steal one of those..........just grabbing one and running out of the store :wtf: :facepalm

the dudes that are dashing out with drones probably aren't drone enthusiasts...they are probably trying to flip it for some fast cash that was desperately needed

better some guy dashing out of a store with a drone rather than him robbing random people in the street

[FillJackson]

[QUOTE=tomtucker][I]Anything below $950 keeps the crime a misdemeanor

[FillJackson]

Article mentions that the reason they are not sufficiently punished is overcrowded jails not shoplifting laws.

While misdemeanors, in theory, can bring up to a year in county jail, Fresno Police Sgt. Mark Hudson said it's not worth it to issue a citation or arrest a suspect who would likely be immediately released because of overcrowding.

[Long Duck Dong]

Most people that are shoplifting are doing it because they have to.

You either truly believe that and are retarded or a thief with an agenda. Either way just :facepalm

[UK2K]

[QUOTE=tomtucker][I]Anything below $950 keeps the crime a misdemeanor

[UK2K]

I guess this is bad if you are determined to fill prisons with shoplifters...

If you look at it from a money perspective, it is going to cost the state more to arrest them, put them on trial, and then imprison them. Most people that are shoplifting are doing it because they have to. It's cheaper to let them just take some shit here and there. Plus most of the time they are stealing from huge corporations, or places like that hobby shop get covered by insurance. It really is stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, even if the poor is themself.
Under that logic, let's not have laws at all. We'll just assume everyone will play nicely togerher.

I don't know what world you're living in, but I don't work for a 'huge corporation' and we had over $3 million dollars lost in shrink last fiscal year. Why don't you Google how much revenue is lost to theft before suggesting ideas that an informed person knows are ridiculous.

And generally, it's not the big scary, evil corporations losing money because they can afford to provide adequate deterrents. It's the mom and pop stores that get robbed, they have no security systems.

[NumberSix]

better some guy dashing out of a store with a drone rather than him robbing random people in the street
Why?

[oarabbus]

Why?

Because criminals who commit felony assault and battery are more dangerous to the public than those who commit misdemeanor shoplifting.

[UK2K]

Because criminals who commit felony assault and battery are more dangerous to the public than those who commit misdemeanor shoplifting.
It wasn't misdemeanor until recently so...

Dangerous? Sure, but I see two people breaking a law. Maybe it's just me, but I have a problem with people stealing anything. I understand there's an underlying 'get them' lynch mob mentality, but I don't really care who its being stolen from.

[tomtucker]

Seems like the law allows for adequate punishment (http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/resources/criminal-defense/misdemeanor-offense/shoplifting-charges-california)

If charged as a misdemeanor, mandatory fine between $50 and$1,000 and/or up to six months of jail time for first time conviction of petty theft of retail merchandise

that certainly does not sound like they get away scot free !

[tomtucker]

Yes but if it's a small amount, a lot of times nobody will press charges.

A felony used to be anything over $300 here in Indy, but they've changed it now to $900.

So you can try to steal a TV and if you do get caught, you're likely facing community service at worst, if anything at all.
surely you will get a fine ?

[Overdrive]

As we continue to move towards a society that allows you to never take responsibility for your own actions, we see what attempting to win over hearts and minds really results in...



As with any law that removes the deterrent put in place in order to keep crime at bay... this resulted in an increase in shoplifting. But hey, at least we can say we aren't ruining lives by charging people with crimes they committed. That's a start.

That's the way of our society these days. Abortion removes any responsibility of having to have kid. Student loan forgiveness eliminates people's stupid decisions. Erasing criminal history from job applications means you can be on par with a law abiding citizen in a job application process even though you're a career criminal.

Whatever we can do to make it so you never have to be held accountable.

Of course crime on money and property has to be punished serverly as there's a much lower moral treshold doing them compared to crimes involved with bodily harm, but up to one year in jail should be enough for stealing items below 950$ to keep people from stealing.

The guy selling drones is surely insured and is just linking that to a new law. The want to paint a picture of a theft epidemic and can come up with one shop as an example? Maybe it's just his precautions that suck?

Of course it's bad and I hate thieves and stealing, for me it's just not right, but humans steal.

[nathanjizzle]

uk2k is in his late 30s but he still rents an apartment and he talks about being responsible. life losers are not responsible people.

[UK2K]

surely you will get a fine ?

Depends.

When I worked in LP (as the law on theft recently changed a few years ago), if it was a misdemeanor, a lot of times officers wouldn't even bother filling out the paperwork unless I asked them to.

And even then, if I wanted to prosecute, I had to do all the work. I had to call, I had to submit information, I had to do this and do that, and if I didn't the judge would (according to the officer) 90% of the time let them walk.

When it was a $300 theft was a felony, people were being charged. Now that it's $950 (or $900, I can't remember), most of the people I caught stealing were just let off.

[UK2K]

uk2k is in his late 30s but he still rents an apartment and he talks about being responsible. life losers are not responsible people.

27 and bought a house on April 1st. Even dropped (as of now) $14k on a remodel to make it look real noice. Crown molding installed, privacy fence put up, new windows put in.

https://i.imgsafe.org/4d733fb.jpg

You are free to come visit. I think you'd like it.

[UK2K]

Of course crime on money and property has to be punished serverly as there's a much lower moral treshold doing them compared to crimes involved with bodily harm, but up to one year in jail should be enough for stealing items below 950$ to keep people from stealing.

The guy selling drones is surely insured and is just linking that to a new law. The want to paint a picture of a theft epidemic and can come up with one shop as an example? Maybe it's just his precautions that suck?

Of course it's bad and I hate thieves and stealing, for me it's just not right, but humans steal.

Well, to begin with, I highly, highly doubt anyone ever receives the one year imprisonment unless they are repeat repeat repeat offenders.

But my view is, if you knew the penalty and did it anyway, you shouldn't be out walking the street because you clearly don't know how to follow simple laws.

[DukeDelonte13]

in Ohio it's up to 1k for a misdemeanor.

I've seen tons of people get the max (180 days) in jail for a petty theft. Almost always heavy repeat offenders.


1st timers will get hit with probation, classes, maybe even a first offender program where they jump through enough hoops to get it off their record. 6 months to a year on probation isn't exactly a slap on the wrist for stealing some cheap crap from walmart, IMO.

Theft offenses are nasty things to have on your record.

[DukeDelonte13]

Well, to begin with, I highly, highly doubt anyone ever receives the one year imprisonment unless they are repeat repeat repeat offenders.

But my view is, if you knew the penalty and did it anyway, you shouldn't be out walking the street because you clearly don't know how to follow simple laws.


i'd say 98% of the time repeat theft offenders are junkies. They don't care about law they only care about taking care of their addiction.

[UK2K]

i'd say 98% of the time repeat theft offenders are junkies. They don't care about law they only care about taking care of their addiction.

Then they need to be removed from the streets and the kids need to go somewhere else.

I get this idea we can't 'take a kid away from the parent', but if the biological parent is teaching their kids to follow in their footsteps, society as a whole is better off by not allowing these type of people to display unlawful behavior to an impressionable mind over and over and over again.

No different then addicts.

And by remove, I mean remove. I mean, don't put them in county lockup for 48 hours, nobody gives a shit about that and it's no big deal. But if you aren't learning your lesson the first, second, third, or fourth time, then you are never going to get it and need to be exiled from the gene pool.