SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Shoppers are paying the price for retail theft, and on average will pay about $500 more a year to make up for the impact, according to Homeland Security Investigations.
Video shot recently and sent to ABC10 shows a man walking out the side door of the Target on Riverside and Broadway in Sacramento’s Land Park neighborhood with a cart full of stolen items.
“It’s brazen,” said Stephanie Duncan Land Park advocate.
Land Park residents are taking it upon themselves to record the thefts. The Sacramento Police Department says it received a call about the Target theft but didn’t send an officer to investigate.
“Target has a hands-off policy. They don’t stop people from exiting with stolen items when I’ve reported issues that I’ve seen in the past. They have no desire to report it police,” said Duncan.
In a statement to ABC10, Target says “We are actively working with city officials, law enforcement and retail industry partners to advocate for public policy solutions to combat theft and organized retail crime.”
But Rachel Michelin, the president of the California Retailer’s Association, says those policy solutions failed this year when no amendments were made to Prop 47.
“People come into stores, they steal under the $950 threshold and there is no consequence for the behavior,” she said.
Michelin adds there are no consequences for repeat offenders.
“We are working on a grant program with local law enforcement to give them some more resources to deal with retail theft,” she said.
The California Retailer’s Association says they’re open to pursuing other outlets like diversion programs for those committing the crimes. It’s not just about jail time.
As for Tuesday's theft caught on camera, the Sacramento Police Department says they were called around 9:45 p.m. for a man trying to steal property from the store. Police say the property was recovered and the suspect was gone.
