Frustrated business owners turning to Prop 36 for relief after repeat break-ins

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Widespread shoplifting in the Bay Area is happening so boldly and so often that small business owners say they are furious and fed up.

Many hope that voters can curb crime by casting their ballots on Election Tuesday.

But some question if Proposition 36, which allows for felony charges and increases sentences for certain drug and theft crimes, is the right answer.

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This first weekend of November, bands of thieves ran into two different Walgreen’s stores Saturday afternoon-one on Mission Street and another on Market Street. They cleared out the shelves and ran out the door. No one was arrested.

“It’s out of control,” said Michelle Leopold, part-owner of six Ace Hardware stores across the Bay Area.

She has seen it happen again and again.

“At our six stores, we’ve seen so much blatant shoplifting where people will do it because there are no consequences,” said Leopold. “I think I have video of a customer who walked out with two Yeti coolers–most of that shoplifting is right under that $949-dollar limit.”

Leopold says one guy stole eight propane tanks from the Pittsburg Ace Hardware and in a separate incident a couple took off with bins of tools and supplies.

“There’s no interest by most of the police because of Prop 47 passed 10 years ago,” said Leopold.

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Prop 47 made some theft and drug crimes into misdemeanors to help reduce overcrowding in state prisons.

Leopold says she believes Prop 36 will reform Prop 47 by increasing penalties for repeat shoplifting and fentanyl dealing.

Prop 36 allows felony charges for possessing certain drugs and for thefts under $950 dollars if defendants have two prior drug or theft convictions.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and San Francisco Mayor London Breed support Prop 36 saying it encourages treatment for those addicted to drugs.

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But opponents say don’t be fooled.

“Prop 36 is a perverse fraud and I’m hoping voters are not duped by it,” said Will Matthews with Californians for Safety and Justice.

It is a public safety advocacy organization and leading opponent of Prop 36.

Matthews says Prop 36 is misleading.

“It promises to produce mass treatment on demand without even creating a single dime of funding for this supposed mass treatment,” said Matthews.

Governor Newsom is among the opponents of Prop 36.

They say it slashes crucial funding for victims, crime prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.

Opponents of Prop 36 believe it will lead to more crime and mass incarceration.

Most people agree Californians desire and deserve to feel safe, the question is whether Prop 36 is the best way to do that.