The “Walgreens is closing SF stores because the DA won’t prosecute shoplifting” narrative is complicated by a couple things: 1) reported shoplifting in the city is down. 2) the store announced it was closing hundreds of stores in the fall of 2019, before Boudin took office.https://twitter.com/ASFleischman/status/1408455506075717635 …
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Replying to @radleybalko
The obvious reason why the total count of reported incidents would go down is that fewer stores are open. I was curious what the numbers are correcting for that. The article has the answer, and it says that incidents have risen in stores that stayed open.pic.twitter.com/ry19Ol5RqN
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Replying to @RichardYannow
Thanks for this. That survey appears to be national though, no?
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Replying to @radleybalko
Yeah, we don't have any SF-specific per store stats, though default expectation would be that it's followed the national trend and store owners aren't lying. They're taking costly measures to deal with this (hiring security guards, locking up items), so it's not just empty words.
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Replying to @RichardYannow
Yeah, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if shoplifting is up everywhere due to the pandemic. I’m just skeptical that it’s up more in SF b/c of the DA. Also, Walgreens instructs security to not apprehend shoplifters. Which may be good policy, but also makes arrests difficult.
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Replying to @radleybalko @RichardYannow
The shoplifting in SF is organized cells routinely cleaning out entire aisles, not kids or celebs stealing a pack of condoms, that has to be on the cops and DA, I'd very much like to hear a prosecutor explain if proposition 47 was a barrier to cracking down on that
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1) In California, most misdemeanors are eligible for diversion - which is often granted - which precludes giving jail time. 2) In many jurisdictions, including SF, there is zero bail for nearly all misdemeanors. 3) Prevoiusly - repeat offenders would be charged with a felony.
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Can an organized cell that repeatedly cleans out entire aisles be charged with something different than a misdemeanor? It seems ludicrous people think this behavior doesn't meet a felony charge.
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If a specific incident results in a theft above $950 the DA could charge a felony - but usually the amount is far below that. Re theft rings - There are conspiracy charges that could be charged as a felony, but the investigation and evidence needed for that charge is cumbersome.
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There is video of all of these incidents, they often know where the products are being sold, they have already caught one ring -- and so I would like to hear from the DA himself that proposition 47 is the issue. I wish a journalist would press him on that.
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Prior to prop 47 the DA had the choice to charge a misdemeanor or or a felony with these shoplifting cases.
Based on @chesaboudin policies, it seems highly unlikely he would pursue felonies, since it appears he’s not fully prosecuted these cases as misdemeanors either.
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