California leaders are under a lot of pressure because many stores face theft problems. Some stores even have to lock up products like deodorants.
Important Democrats don’t want to change the laws that make certain crimes less severe. However, some police and other lawmakers think they should change those laws.
There are not just small thefts; sometimes, big groups rush into stores and take things openly. This is happening a lot in California and other places.
In big cities like the Bay Area and Los Angeles, stealing from stores has been on the rise. Across California, stealing has increased, but it’s still not as bad as before the pandemic in 2019.
Governor Gavin Newsom doesn’t want to change the laws either. He thinks there are already enough ways to catch criminals. He wants to focus on stopping car theft and seeing people who sell stolen stuff. California is also spending a lot of money to help police catch thieves.
In 2014, California changed some laws because the prisons were too full. They wanted to stop putting so many people in jail for minor crimes. But some say this made it easier for thieves to get away with stealing.
Some lawmakers don’t think the current plans are good enough. They want to change the laws again to make punishments for thieves stricter.
Others think they can make things safer without changing those laws. They want to focus on stopping car theft and helping people with drug problems. There’s a lot of debate, but no final decisions yet. Everyone wants to make sure communities are safe from theft.
