https://apnews.com/article/california-smash-grabs-retail-theft-30b3d0e0a85669fbfc6240667ce352fe
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Thursday bringing back tough criminal penalties targeting large-scale stealing schemes and smash-and-grab robberies.
I always thought the biggest problem with these wasn't light penalties but that perpetrators were rarely caught because they plan things out and 10 seconds after you realize something's happening they're in the car driving off.
Cops want an excuse to high speed chase 🤷♂️
Personally I would think increasing patrols in business areas to prevent property crime and decreasing them in residential areas focusing on drugs might be a good idea, but I'm just a random guy on the net, what do I know?
See a lot of grow houses busted, but rarely a stash of these kinds of organized retail gangs.
Were they actually happening significantly in California? Valid concern if they were, of course.
However, it seems otherwise the overarching narrative from retailers that this was happening all over the country seems false.
A whole host of retailers had to turn tail last year and be like "Okay, so maybe our losses weren't all shoplifting after all whoopsie doodles!"
It certainly wasn't a massive concern in my homestate, so how am I to know if it's actually a serious issue in California. I don't follow a lot of Cali-exclusive news.
So, any native Californians able to fill us other Lemmings in on whether this is needed or a farce? If it's needed, do you think it will actually deter these type of crimes, or do you think its just for show?
They were becoming more popular in certain areas because it wasn't the same level of crime as say, breaking and entering into someone's home.
Some of these gangs were staking out carousels at airports watching for equipment cases to come through, then tailing cars they were loaded into to smash and grab the contents, sometimes with people in the vehicles stopped in traffic.
This sounds like they'll be prosecuted with a much harsher penalty now.
Gavin Newsom is a neocon freak. He's like Joe Manchin but with almost a whole coast to abuse.
What point did it get to? How frequently does it happen, or is it just a media frenzy based on isolated incidents?
Media loves to stir up fear of crime, even as the crime rate declines. It'd be useful to see some facts.
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