LA County DA Hochman announces new action against retail theft

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman on Wednesday announced new coalitions with local law enforcement agencies that will aim to combat retail theft.

The goal will be to investigate and prosecute the crimes, and protect businesses.

A news conference was held in front of a Pico-Robertson 7-Eleven that's been hit 12 times in recent weeks.

"I have operated this 7-Eleven store for over 25 years," said Jawad Ursani, the owner of the store in the 8500 block of West Olympic Boulevard where Hochman made his remarks Wednesday.

He said his store has been robbed several times in recent months, including a couple of smash and grab robberies and a serial shoplifter.

"Each incident costs us. In stolen goods, broken equipment, staff morale and personal safety," said Ursani. "We've had to spend thousands of dollars on protection. Money that could have gone towards inventory and community investments."

A task force made up of city, county and state law enforcement is going after the repeat retail thieves and organized gangs of thieves with Prop. 36.

"A felony, no longer is it a slap on the wrist. No longer is it a cite and release. You will actually be booked, you will go downtown, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," said Hochman.

Hochman hailed what he called the success of the tough-on-crime Proposition 36 passed by voters in November, and touted a new effort to warn potential criminals of penalties they may face.

"Is it working? Has Proposition 36 actually resulted in more felony arrests?'' Hochman said as he was joined by elected officials and law enforcement officials outside the store. "The answer is yes. Since Dec. 18, we have had over a thousand Proposition 36 arrests for thieves alone.''

Those arrested are responsible for the theft of more than $1 million in merchandise, according to the D.A.'s office.

The measure increased some shoplifting offenses from misdemeanors to felonies in an effort to crack down on so-called flash-mob robberies and burglaries. A seeming spike in such crimes - some of which were caught on video and widely televised -- in recent years led to a public outcry for more enforcement efforts.

Statewide, the California Highway Patrol is leading a task force that's gone after organized theft rings that are responsible for the theft of millions of dollars in merchandise.

"Our task force has conducted over 3,700 investigations, arrested 4,300 individuals and has taken back 1.3 million items valued at over $53 million," said CHP assistant chief Joe Zizi.

Hochman said the increased penalties should serve as a warning to potential offenders.

"Our goal is not to fill our prisons with these thieves,'' the district attorney said. "If anything, that will be the failure of our efforts. Our goal is to deter these criminals from committing these crimes in the first place, thus saving a whole lot of victims."

"And when I say victims, I don't mean just the stores and the store owners -- the quality of our life is degrading,'' he added.

Ursani echoed the district attorney's sentiments, saying retailers have been targeted by repeat offenders with no fear of reprisal.

"Communities have been targeted repeatedly by shoplifters -- not one-time offenders, but the same individuals coming back over and over knowing that there were no real consequences,'' said Ursani. "My store was targeted not once but twice by a smash-and-grab by about over 50 teenagers and a repeat shoplifter who is now detained and will be held accountable by this D.A.'s Office as we speak.''

In hopes of deterring criminals, Hochman announced a campaign to distribute thousands of bright yellow stickers to be posted at businesses, warning potential thieves of the stepped-up criminal penalties for robberies.

City News Service contributed to this report.