California’s soft-on-crime policies have not only led to stores being robbed without much punishment, but politicians including Rep. Adam Schiff and LA Mayor Karen Bass are also being robbed.
California has been known for skyrocketing crime, especially when it comes to businesses being robbed with criminals receiving lenient punishments. If you look up “shoplifting in California” on Google, you will see many stories about how elected officials are trying to deal with the uptick in crime, as well as stories related to crime in the state.
In 2014, Proposition 47, known as the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act went into effect, which “reduces most drug possession offenses and thefts of property valued under $950.00 from felonies to misdemeanors,” according to the Superior Court of California’s website. However, crime started to noticeably increase since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Due to the increase in crime, the Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act received over 900,000 signatures in order to get the measure on the ballot, which surpassed the requirement of 500,000 votes, Fox News reported. It has support from both Republican and Democrat elected officials.
This bill enables judges to issue harsher penalties for offenders involved in organized theft resulting in damages or destruction of property, with losses exceeding $50,000.
There would also be a new class of crime called a “treatment-mandated felony,” where individuals with multiple hard drug possession convictions would be given the option to undergo drug and mental health treatment instead of facing incarceration.
However, not only have soft-on-crime policies in the state impacted businesses, but also Democratic politicians, whose party initially pushed for them.
For example, Rep. Adam Schiff (D) who is running for U.S. Senate was robbed in San Francisco Thursday before attending a dinner with his donors, the San Francisco Chronicle shared. It was reported that thieves stole Schiff’s luggage in his car, which was in a parking garage, and he ended up wearing “shirt sleeves and an insulated vest” while others wore suit jackets and ties.
“Yes, they took my bags,” Schiff told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Schiff has not been the only victim who is a politician.
Even the mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass has been a victim of crime. Her family was sleeping inside of the mayoral residence when a man smashed a glass door and caused around $5,000 to $10,000 in damages, the New York Post reported. There was reportedly no security at her home when the intruder broke into it.
This was not the first time she had been robbed. In 2022, during her campaign, two men stole a pair of handguns from her house.
The District Attorney of Oakland Pamela Price also had her laptop stolen in a “smash-and-grab” while attending an event.
It should not come as a surprise that there are bipartisan efforts to reform the soft-on-crime policies.
