Would you be surprised to learn that, in a report completed by the National Retail Federation in 2023, Sacramento ranks 7th highest in the nation when it comes to retail crime? Sacramento has been among the top ten, nationwide, as far back as 2018. While there are various thoughts about why the Sacramento region ranks so high where most others in the top ten are metropolises like Los Angeles, San Fransisco, Oakland, and New York, the passage of Proposition 47, which reclassified any theft under $950 as a misdemeanor, is emerging as a pivotal indicator.
The scale and scope of the problem in Sacramento were highlighted when, in late November and early December of 2023, the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office carried out “Operation Bad Elf.” During the week-long campaign, detectives made 285 arrests for theft at local retailers, recovered tens of thousands of dollars in stolen merchandise, and found more than half of those arrested were repeat offenders with violent criminal backgrounds. In a similar operation organized by California Highway Patrol in Sacramento and Alameda Counties, a whopping $350,000 worth of stolen merchandise was recovered. Sadly, the vast majority of those arrested were eligible for “cite and release” under Prop 47.
In response to these troubling facts, on Tuesday, February 27th, the Metro Chamber convened the 2nd in a series of Retail Crime Roundtables designed to advocate for change and support our members who are being adversely affected by retail crime. During the convening, Congressional Representatives from District 3, District 6, and District 7, law enforcement agencies from Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, Yolo, and Yuba counties as well as District Attorneys from several jurisdictions heard testimony from small, midsized, and larger businesses from around the region who have been impacted by retail crime. Their powerful stories were followed by briefings from trade associations supporting the retail, grocery, and restaurant industries and by the Sacramento District Attorney on the various potential legislative fixes and ballot initiatives currently under consideration to address this issue. The Metro Chamber then led an action-oriented brainstorming session designed to create a coalition of businesses dedicated to supporting the efforts to undo the unintended consequences of Prop 47.
Will you join us in our efforts by answering our six-question survey so we can better understand how your business has been impacted by retail crime and accept your invitation to our business convening on retail theft? With the Sacramento Metro Chamber as your advocate, our voices will be strong, and our impact will be multiplied.