‘There Are No Consequences’: California Grocery Stores Push For Tougher Crime Laws, Citing Safety Co

[Free Vulcan]

Jordan Lancaster
Reporter
September 16, 2020 2:49 PM ET

California grocery stores are pushing for tougher laws on crime, citing safety concerns and merchandise losses from increased crime.

The stores are supporting Proposition 20, a ballot measure that would increase penalties for crimes like shoplifting and make it more difficult for people convicted of crimes to get parole, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday. Law enforcement groups are the primary sponsors of the bill, but several large grocery stores have supported the measure, claiming that recent criminal justice reforms that reduced penalties had created more incentive for people to commit crimes.

https://www.conservativereview.com/there-are-no-consequences-california-grocery-stores-push-for-tougher-crime-laws-citing-safety-concerns-2647686185.html

[DB]

Just raise the cost.

Let the fools who voted for this stupidity pay the price.

[rustynail]

'Tax the rich, feed the poor Till there are no rich no more'....

[PeteS in CA]

From the article:

Albertsons, Kroger, and the California Grocers Association all announced their support for Proposition 20 in statements, according to the report. Grocery chain Safeway donated $100,000 to the campaign, Ralphs donated $91,800, and several local and regional chains also donated, the LA Times reported. The stores say that they have suffered significant merchandise losses and felt that the safety of their employees was threatened following a rise in shoplifting and other retail crimes.

I'm disappointed not to say Central California regional chain Lucky and Raleys/Nob Hill among the supporters. The effect of the proposition appears to be more broad than "just" grocers. It basically lowers the $$ threshold from the ~$900 level to which Prop 47 raised it. Besides encouraging shoplifting, it has also made it unsafe to park a car in SF if anything that looks like it might have value is visible from the outside.