SACRAMENTO, Calif — The side effects of retail theft can be seen everyday from increased security presence at the local grocery store and everyday items locked up in displays.
It's gotten enough that a group of lawmakers created a committee to try and come up with a solution — all while questioning the effectiveness of Proposition 47.
"Retailers are not exaggerating the problem of retail theft," said Rachel Michelin, of the California Retailers Association.
The Select Committee on Retail Theft met for the first time Tuesday with Proposition 47 being one of the main topics discussed. It was passed by voters in 2014.
"Focused on reducing the overuse of prison sentences, and reallocating money from prisons budgets to community based safety programs. Specifically, it took six low level crimes and reclassified them from felony to misdemeanor," said Lenore Anderson, president of the Alliance for Safety and Justice.
Anderson co-authored Prop 47 and said petty theft crimes of less than $950 are among the six crimes. Anderson still stands by this law despite growing criticism of its effectiveness.
"A lot of the focus on Prop 47 has been on this $950 level having been changed from what it was before," said Assembly Democratic Caucus Chair Rick Chavez Zbur.
Michelin, CEO of the California Retailers Association, is calling for a change.
"Petty theft with a prior was removed with the passage of Proposition 47. Reinstating this section would need to go back to the voters so we implore the legislature to act fast," she said.
However, Anderson sees the positives in the law she helped write.
"Without a doubt, it's been overwhelmingly successful," she said. "Nothing in Proposition 47 prevents local and state law enforcement from responding appropriately to the kind of retail theft that voters are concerned about," Anderson continued.
Just last week, another group held hearings at the Capitol on retail theft. Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper testified and stressed there is no accountability when it comes to these crimes. He said his office doesn't get statistics from retailers, theft is underreported and some stores are told not to report it.
WATCH ALSO:
