SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho announced the formation of a new organized retail theft prosecution unit.
The unit is comprised of a full-time investigator and prosecutor who will work the cases.
"The message to the thieves committing these crimes is that we are going to find you; we will hold you accountable to the fullest extent of the law," District Attorney Ho said at a press conference Tuesday morning.
Since launching two months ago, the district attorney's office said the unit has filed 35 cases.
"They will handle the case from beginning to end, collaborating with our law enforcement partners in the investigation process, our business community, all the way through the prosecution and conviction of the case," Ho said.
From smash and grab robberies to organized shoplifting, the examples of retail theft in our region and across the state are numerous.
Both big box stores and small businesses have been hit by thieves.
Last week, ABC10 spoke with the owner of a Gold River Liquor Store targeted by thieves who allegedly stole $10,000 to 12,000 worth of liquor.
"You can see the women taking bottles off the shelves putting them in their skirts right here," said Jas Jit Gill of Sunrise Food and Liquor Store. "They are causing ruckus where it's hurting the good people."
It is a problem that law enforcement agencies are working with other departments and retailers to tackle.
The California Highway Patrol said last year, their task force arrested more suspects and conducted more takedowns than ever before. In the last four months of 2023 alone, the CHP Chief Mike Dust said they conducted 21 retail blitz operations throughout Sacramento, Placer and San Joaquin counties that led to 116 arrests and $325,000 of assets recovered.
"But all of these enforcement efforts are futile without prosecution," Dust said.
Under California law, a person must steal more than $950 worth of items for the crime to be classified as a felony; otherwise, they're likely issued a misdemeanor citation.
"Because of the laws in California, there is zero accountability. These folks know that they're not going to go to jail, they're not going to get in trouble and they go on and on," said Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper.
He and the district attorney are looking to legislation to change that. Ho pointed to a bill by Assemblymember James Ramos that would increase penalties for repeat offenders. Under the proposal, suspects convicted of two or more theft-related offences could face jail time.
"At the end of the day, we need the tools, the tools to be able to hold people accountable to the fullest extent of the law when it's appropriate," said Ho.
Sacramento Police Department opened a new tip line for their organized retail theft team. If you have information about organized retail crimes, contact Sacramento Police Department at orctips@pd.cityofsacramento.org. Anonymous tips can be shared with Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at 1-800-AA-CRIME.
If there is an emergency or active crime in progress, Sacramento Police Department reminded residents to call 911.
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