Current:Home > FinanceCalifornia officers work to crack down on organized retail crime during holiday shopping season-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
California officers work to crack down on organized retail crime during holiday shopping season
View Date:2024-12-23 21:17:37
As the holiday shopping season peaks, authorities in California are working to combat retail robberies. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is stepping up efforts to combat such crimes across multiple cities, including Los Angeles, which leads the nation in organized retail theft.
Sergeant Jimmy Eberhart and other CHP officers recently arrested a major suspect accused of being involved in a widespread retail theft ring in Los Angeles. The operation, which CBS News exclusively witnessed, followed about three months of surveillance.
Eberhart said the team of thieves traveled up and down California, hitting multiple drug stores and then returning to Los Angeles to move the merchandise. During their investigation, authorities discovered several stolen items inside a vehicle, including a specialized key designed to unlock anti-theft security tags.
Some thieves don't even try to hide their crimes, like with coordinated flash mobs. Seventeen people recently robbed a Nike store in Los Angeles.
Some security videos show people walking in and then right out of stores, unchallenged. But Eberhart said authorities do investigate and are "very proactive."
In the past four years, the CHP's Retail Crime Task Force has recovered over $33 million in stolen goods. At a warehouse near a swap meet, CHP officers found nearly 500 stolen items valued at over $10,000.
Still, it's a constant battle. In one recent case, the Citadel Outlets in Southern California — a sprawling property with more than 100 retailers — was targeted by thieves during Black Friday weekend.
"This is not that individual shoplifting that we all kind of grew up with and heard about. This is an organized crime effort," said Steve Craig, the outlets' owner.
High-definition cameras and license plate scanners, along with increased on-site law enforcement presence, are being used to help counter crimes at the outlets.
"We've got the highest definition cameras that you can buy today. So we're taking it very seriously," said Craig.
"If someone would've told me 10 years ago we'd be spending $3 million a year on security, I would have said, 'You're nuts,'" Craig said.
A recent Gallup poll on personal safety found more Americans fear becoming victims of a crime, with 40% of respondents — the highest in three decades —saying they were afraid to walk alone at night within a mile of their home. Fifty percent of respondents fear having their car stolen or broken into, and 17% said they avoid going to malls.
Some law enforcement officers told CBS News that policy decisions that make it easier for criminals to avoid prosecution may inadvertently encourage retail crimes. Investigations are also costly and labor-intensive.
Additionally, the widespread acceptance of wearing masks in public poses a challenge in identifying suspects.
veryGood! (32349)
Related
- US wholesale inflation picks up slightly in sign that some price pressures remain elevated
- Will Taylor Swift be at the Chiefs’ game in Germany? Travis Kelce wouldn’t say
- Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw has left shoulder surgery, aims for return next summer
- Minneapolis City Council approves site for new police station; old one burned during 2020 protest
- Lane Kiffin puts heat on CFP bracket after Ole Miss pounds Georgia. So, who's left out?
- 'Golden Bachelor' Episode 6 recap: Gerry Turner finds love, more pain from three hometowns
- 2 killed as flooding hits Kenya, sweeping away homes and destroying roads, officials say
- Matthew Perry Laid to Rest at Private Funeral Attended by Friends Cast
- Brian Austin Green Shares Message to Sharna Burgess Amid Ex Megan Fox's Baby News
- Grandma surprised by Navy grandson photobombing a family snapshot on his return from duty
Ranking
- Mike Tyson concedes the role of villain to young foe in 58-year-old’s fight with Jake Paul
- Businessman sentenced in $180 million bank fraud that paid for lavish lifestyle, classic cars
- Pennsylvania’s election will be headlined by races for statewide courts, including a high court seat
- Retired businessman will lead Boy Scouts of America as it emerges from scandal-driven bankruptcy
- Wisconsin agency issues first round of permits for Enbridge Line 5 reroute around reservation
- U.S. economy added 150,000 jobs in October as hiring slows
- Toxic Pesticides Are Sprayed Next to Thousands of US Schools
- The Gilded Age and the trouble with American period pieces
Recommendation
-
What does the top five look like and other questions facing the College Football Playoff committee
-
Jeff Bezos, after founding Amazon in a Seattle garage three decades ago, packs his bags for Miami
-
Ohio will vote on marijuana legalization. Advocates say there’s a lot at stake
-
King Charles III meets with religious leaders to promote peace on the final day of his Kenya visit
-
Brush fire erupts in Brooklyn's iconic Prospect Park amid prolonged drought
-
Amazon founder billionaire Jeff Bezos announced he's leaving Seattle, moving to Miami
-
Shohei Ohtani headlines 130-player MLB free agent class
-
The FDA proposes banning a food additive that's been used for a century