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By Stephen Frank, California Political News and Views
Thanks to the voters of California, criminals can steal up to $950 worth of your stuff, and get a ticket to appear as punishment. If they do not appear, no problem. The cops will let it slide because the DA will let it slide. In the California of today, you can steal four or five times a day and come away with over $4,000 worth of goods—and NO taxes. That is $20,000 a week—tax free.
“A 7-Eleven franchise owner told NBC 7 every single day shoplifters come in and take what they want if they keep it under a certain amount.
The owner hopes the city will step in to do something because right now they claim police have their hands tied.
“It’s happening every day, hour by hour,” said 7-Eleven Franchise Owner, Jassi Dhillon.
At every one of his six locations, he said snacks fly off the shelves, but are often not paid for.
“It’s unbearable. It’s out of control. You will have the same guy coming in five times a day, picking things out,” said Dhillon.
So after stealing computers, cell phone tables, chairs, etc., the hungry criminals goes to 7-11 and steal hot dogs, potato chips and soda to wash it day. No taxes!! No punishment!
Related article: Business Owners Upset Over Increase of Shoplifters Due to Prop. 47
Stephen Frank: Is the the publisher and editor of the California Political News and Views. Mr. Frank speaks all over California and appears as a guest on several radio shows each week. He has also served as a guest host on radio talk shows and is a full time political consultant. http://capoliticalnews.com/
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They have only themselves to blame. Everyone who has had their car broken into; items stolen from their yards, shop owners, all those who voted for Prop 47 should look into the mirror. Even if the thieves somehow misjudge and steal over a grand’s worth of stuff, the worst they will get is continued on probation with perhaps three weeks actual time served in county jail.
In England, it is my understanding that they handle crimes like stealing from a shop as if they were soccer fouls. You get yellow cards for the first two offenses which are warnings. The third time you get a red card and have to go to the local cop shop where a sergeant will give you a stern talking to. Is that where we are headed?
We have gotten a distorted picture of what constitutes crime. It is almost as if we have thrown the idea of private property out the window. People talk about theft of property as a victimless crime. It is not a victimless crime. It doesn’t matter if the value of the items stolen is covered by insurance because if you report a theft you can count on your insurance premium being higher the next time your policy renews. You rarely get back the value of the item stolen. A five year old computer may be valueless on the open market but unless you have to have the latest, fastest, biggest memory, it still has value to you. Even if you get replacement value for your 5 y.o. computer, you still have to take time and shop for a replacement. You have to learn the new systems on the new computer and unless you are a computer expert, it is a painful process. In addition, unless you saved everything to a separate memory device the last time you closed your computer, all your recent activity is gone. In my book major inconvenience is not victimless.
I recently read a sob story about how many unfortunates are in prison when their only violation was a victimless crime. True new speak. Selling narcotics is not a victimless crime. Using narcotics is not a victimless crime. You inflict misery and suffering on your relatives and loved ones. They are the victims. Perhaps tax evasion could be considered a victimless crime but I doubt that there are “thousands” of tax evaders languishing in federal prison.
Well, I will pick up my soapbox and go to dinner. I truly get tired of preaching in the wilderness.