SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. — Deputies recovered tens of thousands of dollars of merchandise during a seven day operation targeting retail theft.
The operation was conducted last week at several big box retailers in Sacramento County including Target, Home Depot and Walmart, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office.
"We'd catch folks that would come in, scan an item or two and then walk out. Some folks had a shopping cart full of stuff and would walk out through self-checkout," said Sheriff Jim Cooper.
Sgt. Tiffany Pfau, lead supervisor for "Operation Bad Elf," said the amount of theft going on was eye opening. She said the sheriff's office put undercover officers inside stores and unmarked vehicles in the parking lot.
"We would observe shoplifters and then detain them once they left the store," she said.
Sheriff Cooper said 285 people were arrested, adding that a majority of those had violent criminal history or had been arrested for theft-related crimes before.
"These people just go out and steal, not because of the need, but because they can and they won't get in trouble," Cooper said.
According to data from the sheriff's office, 99% of the cases were committed by individuals and 1% as part of organized crime. Sheriff Cooper said four of their arrests were part of organized retail crime.
The sheriff's office also said 21% of cases were committed by residents experiencing homelessness and 15% were minors who were shoplifting.
Of the 285 people arrested, Cooper said 233 were issued misdemeanor citations.
Under California law, the value of stolen property must be over $950 to become a felony. The law was passed by voters in 2014 under Proposition 47.
"A lot of folks ran. We uncovered guns during the operation, so really a lot going on. So where are we headed? I think the public's fed up. Enough is enough," Cooper said.
Sheriff Cooper is calling for reforms to Prop 47 to be put before voters on the ballot and for retailers to fund the initiative.
"Number one, they need to do it for their customers and for their employees and, really, for folks to feel safe," he said.
Cooper said the operation cost $300,000 to conduct, paid for in part by grant funding.
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