San Francisco D.A. charges nine with felonies in $1-million theft wave of luxury stores

[tenderfoot]

San Francisco Dist. Atty. Chesa Boudin said Tuesday that he has charged nine people with felonies in a series of shoplifting incidents that included a mass smash-and-grab at Union Square luxury stores.

At least 40 thieves allegedly broke into a Louis Vuitton store on Friday, grabbing whatever they could before loading it into a series of cars parked curbside out front. The shoplifting caravan cut a swath through San Francisco’s high-end boutiques, creating a scene of chaos while stealing more than $1 million in merchandise.

Boudin said two of the nine people were charged for possession of firearms during the Friday incident. He said the nine face charges of grand theft, commercial burglary and possession of stolen goods at the felony level.

“These are not petty thefts. These are not misdemeanor conduct. This is felony conduct,” Boudin said. “We are charging felonies today.”

:snip:

San Francisco Assistant Police Chief Mike Redmond, appearing with Boudin, announced that extra uniformed officers will be deployed to shopping areas and a traffic plan put in place “to keep cars out of the area if we see things ramp up downtown.”

Redmond said he expects many more arrests in the Union Square shoplifting incidents and indicated that the series of mob rip-offs around the Bay Area that began in San Francisco may be connected.

“We believe it is a lot of the same groups involved,” he said.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-11-23/san-francisco-da-charges-eight-of-union-square-smash-mob-with-felons-as-part-of-organized-burglary-group

[MichMan]

1. They need to give serious jail time, not just a slap on the wrist if they promise not to do it again

[TheRealNorth]

2. They need to find out the parties that are buying what they steal

Doubt these people are just stealing for their own personal use.

[Demobrat]

14. From what I've heard they sell online.

You can’t really arrest someone for scoring a great deal on a designer bag on eBay.

[catsudon]

21. jokes on them, it is

easier for me to buy counterfeit yeezy shoes, lv bags from china that is 1:1 copy for dirt cheap and re-sale on amazon for obscene markup.

[Demobrat]

22. Yeah but these are real.

I never, ever buy anything with a logo off Bootleg Land, AKA Amazon. Learned that lesson with a bottle of my favorite shampoo.

I guess it is possible to hit the jackpot though.

[tenderfoot]

3. Like MAGAs getting slaps on the wrists for participating in Jan 6th

I agree.

[Demovictory9]

16. others pay homeless/vulnerable to do some of the mob thefts seen lately

[JohnSJ]

4. I wonder if Boudin thinks his "tough" talk will save him from being recalled?

[tenderfoot]

5. You sound upset that the thieves have been apprehended and are being held accountable

Is this his first big case?

[JohnSJ]

7. Not at all, he hasn't been doing his job, and is up for recall because of it

https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-inquiry/the-trial-of-chesa-boudin

[tenderfoot]

10. Here his is defending himself

Also, the comments section of that article you posted...

[JohnSJ]

20. That was not a good link I supplied. I just choose the first link from a search for

background purposes.

Unfortunately, the link I posted was a right wing biased publication, thus the awful comments.

I have changed that link to a New Yorker article about it, and appreciate you pointing out the disgusting comments from the original one I posted.

Thanks


https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-inquiry/the-trial-of-chesa-boudin

[jimfields33]

17. 9 out of 40 thieves.

Get back when the other 31 are arrested.

[dalton99a]

13. He's talking tough because the store's name is Louis Vuitton.

Criminals have been robbing and stealing from pharmacies and small businesses in S.F. without any fear of consequences. (Same with the anti-Asian violence - his refusal to prosecute in a highly publicized case at the beginning of the pandemic spoke volumes and sent a message to racist assholes that they would suffer no real consequences)

[LonePirate]

6. There are cameras everywhere nowadays so it takes a special brand of criminal to park curbside.

If they didn't remove the plates or use a stolen vehicle, they were destined to be caught.

[oasis]

8. Don't do the crime. nt

[tenderfoot]

11. An authoritarian DA would be a better option

eom

[dalton99a]

12. A DA who puts people in jail for violent crimes regardless of color.

[Amishman]

19. agreed, there is a lot of middle ground between spineless and an iron fist

IMO overall this country is too hard on first time offenders (particularly young ones) but too soft on frequent offenders (not uncommon to see someone getting short sentences or no jail time despite half a dozen priors)

[C Moon]

15. I'm not diminishing this crime, but why do white collar criminals get a slap on the wrist?

The crimes they commit usually involve multi-millions of dollars that hurt many people.

Okay, I guess I am diminishing this crime. But white collar crime time needs some serious revamping.

[jimfields33]

18. California could easily change the laws on white crimes

They have the super majority in both houses. Why have they not done this? Any word on changing the recall laws?

[C Moon]

23. I agree on both statements, 100%.

[C Moon]

24. I just wrote my congress person about changing the recall rules.

Thanks.