Police in California released a video of three suspected shoplifters who were shocked to learn that the punishment for their crime had recently changed.
In the viral surveillance video shared by the Seal Beach Police Department on Sunday, three women can be seen entering an Ulta Beauty store, browsing the shelves and then casually leaving the store with an amount of nearly $650 abandoned, police said Value of stolen goods.
“…a friendly reminder that Proposition 36, which increases penalties for some retail theft and drug possession offenses, went into effect in California on Wednesday morning.” the Seal Beach Police Department wrote in the video’s caption on her Instagram account.
The video shows the women entering another store and allegedly stealing more merchandise totaling nearly $1,000.
Prankster Arrested After Reportedly Filming Himself Spraying Food at Walmart: ‘Reckless’
A suspected shoplifter was shocked to discover that some shoplifting cases in California are now considered felonies. (Seal Beach Police Department)
A bodycam video then shows police officers chasing the women and ultimately arresting them.
“It’s a crime?” one of the women asks the other in the back seat of the patrol car.
“B—h new laws,” the woman replies. “Stealing is a crime and that bastard from Orange County. They don’t play.”
“Shoplifting with cop” blitz in California leads to dozens of arrests
The women were caught on camera stealing merchandise from several California stores, police said. (Seal Beach Police Department)
Along with the video, police shared a friendly reminder.
“It reverses some of the changes voters made with a 2014 ballot measure that converted certain nonviolent felonies to misdemeanors, effectively reducing prison sentences and leading to an increase in retail theft and crime,” the said Police. “Here in Seal Beach, we have never believed in the Cite and Release program, but this new proposal only strengthens our commitment to fighting organized retail theft. Remember folks, don’t steal in Seal.”
Proposition 36, the Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act, aimed to undo parts of Proposition 47 by increasing penalties for some crimes. It passed overwhelmingly in California, reversing some soft-on-crime policies backed by billionaire George Soros.
Thieves steal 2,500 cakes in strange food heist: ‘So much waste’
The alleged thieves were shocked to learn that they could be charged with felony theft. (Seal Beach Police Department)
When Proposition 47 passed in 2014, most thefts were downgraded from felonies to misdemeanors if the amount stolen was less than $950, “unless the defendant was previously convicted of murder, rape, certain sex offenses, or certain felonies.” been Gun crimes.
Progressive Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon, backed by Soros, helped write Proposition 47 and lost his seat to challenger Nathan Hochman in November.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
California Gov. Gavin Newsom continued to strongly oppose the attempt to undo parts of Proposition 47, saying it “takes us back to the 1980s, mass incarceration.”
Jamie Joseph of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com
