California ballot measure blamed for shoplifting jump

Yahoo! News ^ | May 14, 2016 | AP

[Leaning Right]

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 (...). "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.

[SFConservative]

What? You mean you’re still limping along with that thing instead of the femto model that came out back in February?

[joshua c]

FYI, the ballot measure that did this was Proposition 47:

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Otherwise known as, “The We Want More Crime Initiative”.

[bigbob]

Yep, kind of a variation on the “Everything’s A Thousand Dollars” store.

Man, California is just full of good ideas /s

[rainee]

Shoplifting is a civil right.

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

Forgive me, I’m a luddite on a budget!

[fruser1]

One thing I never understood about this kind of limit is that, as far as I know, it’s based on what the shop keeper sets the price (what you’d pay at the register) and not on what the item was purchased for by the retailer.

In any other circumstance of loss (say a judgement or insurance claim), the value is the present value, and never a retail sales price.

This creates some absurdity in my mind when you consider that something priced a bit over the limit results in a felony, but if you steal it when it’s on sale, it’s now a misdemeanor.

[lee martell]

Thanks for looking it up.

[GeorgiaDawg32]

You do realize your arguing has triggered me. I now have to go to my safe space to listen to calming music and color in my books.

[B Knotts]

Yep...pretty much.

[SFConservative]

<doubling down> Nah, just do it the old-fashioned way and take it out on the first person who crosses your path! </doubling down>

[ExGeeEye]

I suppose there must exist people have pockets deep enough to be able to consider a $900 item an “impulse purchase”.

[ExGeeEye]

That does not address my suggestion.

[tbpiper]

When did we vote on that? I must not have been paying attention.

You have to understand that those who make the law are far more qualified than you to understand the way life ought to be lived by lesser beings.

[sheana]

I didn’t vote for it. Now they’re all out on the streets stealing anything that’s not nailed down. Add all the prisoners they let out and the non prosecutions and it’s a free for all.......everywhere.

[kingu]

I suppose there must exist people have pockets deep enough to be able to consider a $900 item an “impulse purchase”.

Credit cards and tax refunds, two things very welcome at such stores.

[dsrtsage]

So, did someone determine that prosecuting shoplifting is racist?

[Reno89519]

Facilitating crime begets more crime. A misdemeanor should be under $20, make the rest felonies.

[Vic S]

But if the retailer doesn’t allow dudes into the women’s bathroom, the police will be right over.

[clee1]

How about keeping them in a locked storage area????

Sorry, but we have too much serious crime to worry about.

[R_Kangel]

.... It's called ..... "Cause and Effect" and the "Law of Unintended Consequences." Those are two things that Liberals CANNOT understand! They just do not and cannot understand common sense and the logical repercussions for ones actions.

.... Those things are absolute mysteries to those that believe in the Liberal Socialist Utopian society where everybody should have "Equal" outcomes in life.