Prosecutors Align to Prevent Organized Retail Theft. Marin DA among new alliance to ensure accountability

November 29, 2021
Source: https://www.marincounty.org/main/county-press-releases/press-releases/2021/da-organizedthefts-112421

 

San Rafael, CA –  Prosecutors in the counties of Marin, Contra Costa, Alameda, San Francisco, San Mateo, San Joaquin, and Santa Clara have created an alliance with law enforcement and state agencies to combat the recent increase in organized retail theft. Each office has pledged a prosecutor to collaborate and participate in the joint effort.

Marin County District Attorney Lori E. Frugoli said local law enforcement leaders are united in promising relentless prosecution against thieves as her office joins in the partnership with Bay Area DAs. The Marin County Police Chiefs Association also issued a strong statement[External] condemning the organized thefts.

“This is a time when families are celebrating each other, their communities, and finally enjoying the outdoors and shopping in Bay Area stores,” Frugoli said. “This unprecedented violence and theft by organized criminals is not only victimizing and endangering businesses but innocent bystanders, their children, and law enforcement. Some are armed. They are a danger. They are a threat to our communities and will be stopped.”

The new alliance commended Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta for “taking organized retail theft seriously, and we implore the community to report suspicious resell activity to assist law enforcement’s efforts in tracking organized retail theft rings.”

While police work to strengthen investigations and collaborations across jurisdictional boundaries, prosecutors’ offices similarly can better ensure accountability through information sharing. The partnership between counties and local agencies allows for the sharing of information through data collection, crime analytics, as well as pooled investigative tools to successfully prosecute those involved with organized retail theft schemes.

In addition to the shared resources between counties, the District Attorneys offices would continue to collaborate with their local retailers and state representatives to ensure statutes that cover organized theft rings are enforceable and improve safety for consumers.

“It’s clearer than ever that the retail theft incidents we’ve seen are not isolated but rather are organized efforts to steal and destroy property with no regard for the workers, customers, communities, or businesses hurt in the process,” Attorney General Bonta said. “This group represents an active, collaborative approach to tackling the problem of organized retail crime head-on. The district attorneys and law enforcement agencies that have partnered together are ready to use our joint resources to prevent organized retail theft, keep consumers and business owners safe, and hold the individuals involved in these crime syndicates accountable.”

Read the full news release from the new alliance[External].

Prosecutors Align to Prevent Organized Retail Theft (marincounty.org)