4 arrested after merchandise stolen from Sacramento Nike store as enforcement of Proposition 36 nears
SACRAMENTO – Authorities said four people were arrested on Wednesday after merchandise was stolen from the Nike Clearance Store in Arden. There was also a Burlington in the area that was hit by thieves.
A spokesperson from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office said the suspects went to great lengths to get away—committing hit-and-runs, running over a detective and hitting an employee from Burlington with their car. The spokesperson said some of the victims faced minor injuries.
Witnesses in Arden-Arcade on Wednesday shared a cell phone video with CBS Sacramento showing what appeared to be a man stealing from the Nike Clearance Store in Arden for what they said was the second day in a row.
"He said, 'Shoes $20' as he is running out of the store," said Gemma Olson, who shared the video.
The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office reviewed this video and said it is not one of the suspects who was arrested but could have happened before officers arrived on the scene.
From brazen theft to smash and grabs, businesses big and small are fed up.
"It feels like a violation," said Josh Varner co-owner of Zanzibar Fair Trade.
Varner said that thieves stole $200,000 worth of antiques and fine jewelry from his shop last fall.
"It was an incredibly taxing experience emotionally, psychologically and financially," said Varner. "Honestly we won't ever fully recover from it, and we probably won't ever."
Proposition 36 to take effect soon
It is one of the reasons why Californians overwhelmingly passed Proposition 36, which will make repeat retail theft crimes a felony and will soon be taking effect in California. It will increase criminal penalties for certain drug and theft offenses.
California's Secretary of State is set to certify election results on Friday, Dec. 13. Officials anticipate Proposition 36 will go into effect five days later, on Dec. 18.
"There was a time in history in California where these crimes were felonies, so we are not reinventing the wheel," said Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig.
Reisig said that is why law enforcement and prosecutors are ready.
"There will be many people on day one eligible for a felony based on their past conduct and those are the people we are going to go after first," Reisig said.
People who steal under $950 worth of items repeatedly, on the third conviction, will be charged with a felony. If convicted, they could spend up to three years in prison.
"I am hoping it will have some type of discouragement for smash-and-grab crimes and petty crimes in general," Varner said.
Reisig said the big changes for counties will be in processes, like how law enforcement runs rap sheets and changing the language in case management systems for attorneys.
The hope is the outcome will save businesses money and devastation.
"It's one of the worst experiences of my life to have so much loss so quickly," said Varner.
District attorneys, law enforcement agencies, business owners and others will be meeting in Hollywood on Thursday to discuss the processes that will need to happen to implement Proposition 36.