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After years of anarchy, the residents of California have overwhelmingly concluded that perhaps legalizing theft wasn’t the best idea. 

While prior generations managed to figure this out thousands of years ago, Californians were of the mindset that criminals are the real victims, or are only doing so out of necessity. Strangely, I can’t think of a single case of a thief actually “stealing bread,” as it’s often framed.  

In November, nearly 70% of California voters voted in favor of Proposition 36, officially known as “Allows Felony Charges and Increases Sentences for Certain Drug and Theft Crimes.” It undoes most of the changes that California voters approved in 2014 that turned certain nonviolent crimes into misdemeanors – which was immediately followed by a spike in crime. 

Proposition 36 does the following:

 

  • Increases the penalty for repeat shoplifters (two or more past convictions) of $950 in value or less from a misdemeanor to a felony, punishable by up to three years in prison.
  • Allowing felony sentences for certain crimes such as theft or damage to property to be lengthened if the crime is committed by a group of three or more people.
  • Requiring that sentences for certain felonies such as drug dealing be served in prison.
  • Allowing people convicted of possession of illegal drugs (specifically those who possess certain drugs such as methamphetamines or fentanyl or those who have two or more past convictions for drug crimes) to be charged with a “treatment-mandated felony” instead of a misdemeanor in some cases. Upon completion of treatment, charges will be dismissed. Upon failure to complete treatment, charges stand and include up to three years in state prison.
  • Requiring courts to warn people that they could be charged with murder if they sell or provide illegal drugs (such as methamphetamines, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine) that kill someone. This could allow for murder charges in the future if they later sell or provide illegal drugs to someone who dies.

The law took effect this month, and California police are already sending warnings to criminals that their heyday is over.

In a viral video, a trio of alleged shoplifters are seen stealing from numerous stores before being arrested by police. 

In a hilarious exchange between two of the alleged shoplifters, they’re shocked to learn that consequences now exist for breaking the law. 

“It’s a felony?” one of the women asks the other while seated in the back of a cop car. 

“B**** new laws. Stealing is a felony and this Orange County b***. They don’t play.”

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