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A video recently uploaded to Twitter shows two brazen shoplifters casually walking out of a Granada Hills TJ Maxx store with hundreds of dollars worth of shoplifted items. With the increase of organized crime across California, it's important that the necessary precautions are taken to prevent further crime.
The Twitter video shows two men walking out of the Granada Hills TJ Maxx store extremely casually and with no remorse. Their arms are full of clothing and other items from the store. One of the men is also shown with a large duffle bag across his bag that is seemingly filled with other shoplifted items.
CBS LA spoke to Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. Jerretta Sandoz about the Granada Hills incident,
"They didn’t even run out, they walked out,"
Sgt. Sandoz would continue
"And so, that’s sending a message that we, the criminals, are winning."
The LAPD is actively investigating this incident, but none of the shoplifters have been arrested or charged.
With the alarming rate of crime, Prop 47 is being blamed as one of the causes of crime increasing. Prop 47 is a 2014 referendum that lowered criminal sentences on crimes.
Sgt. Sandoz blames the incident and many like this on Prop 47.
"If they’re caught, they’re probably given the equivalent of a traffic ticket," ... "So it’s not taken seriously."
Sgt. Sandoz would tell CBS LA
Criminal Defense Attorney Alexandra Kazarian discussed the topic of why employees are not going after these criminals when certain crimes take place,
"The employees at TJ Maxx have been told that, in these specific circumstances, it’s not worth it for you to go and physically attack, physically stop people that are walking out with this inventory,"
Since many of these businesses have insurance, it is safer and easier to deal with the authorities and insurance after instances like this.
Officials need to rethink Prop 47!