AnonymousBy an edhat reader
I heard on the scanner that a large group of kids went to a clothing store in the 600 block of State Street this afternoon and stole a lot of items.
This was before 5:00 p.m. and the store was the Volcom clothing store. Initial scanner traffic stated the alarm went off after a group of 10 or more went into the store, took items, and left from the back door.
It didn’t sound like anyone has been caught yet.
Careful BigUgly, we’re about 1 variant away from a police state. If it wasn’t for half this country appreciating the freedoms our ancestors fought and died for we’d already be there.
I heard this week that we have almost 20 open positions on our police force and that it is hard to find officers because they can’t afford to live here. We NEED to have more law enforcement, our high cost of living is a detriment to our entire city and it is creating layers upon layers of problems. It is about so much more than politics! Greed has been allowed to flourish in our city and it is making it ugly. It’s got to change but I don’t have any solutions, I am just a hard worker who is barely keeping my own head above water.
A big part of this is that we have a two-tiered pension system… breathtakingly generous for the old-timers (literally retiring with pensions worth millions and millions) and shockingly bad (with super high pay-in rates) for the youngsters. Read in the tea leaves the future of California.
The number of Californians age 65 and older grew from 9% of the population in 1970 to 15% in 2018—and is projected to reach 21% by 2030. Birth rates have declined and are projected to decrease through 2030, meaning fewer younger workers to support the increasing number of public employee retirees. For example, there were two active members contributing into CalPERS per retiree in 2001; the ratio dropped to 1.3 in 2015. Fewer active members and longer-living retirees contribute to higher unfunded liabilities.
Just last week I stated that gang store looters will soon “make it” in S.B.
That is exactly what is happening.
And many Edhat viewers are perfectly “fine” with the increased criminalization of our society !
Defund the police, no more bail, no more jails or prisons !
1:11 VOICE – Dude that’s straight up disrespectful to the millions of American servicemembers who have died fighting for our country throughout history. Our “ancestors fought and died” so you didn’t have to wear a mask when you go to a store during a pandemic? That’s pathetically false and simple minded.
1:11 – Yeah, it’s a good thing the people who embody the true values of this country voted that moron out of office. It’s too bad he duped so many with weak minds that he still remains as a threat of dictatorship.
1:11 – Yeah, it’s a good thing the people who embody the true values of this country voted that moron out of office. It’s too bad he duped so many with weak minds that he still remains as a threat of dictatorship.
@2:29 no one said anything about masks, and most active duty servicemen and veterans would strongly disagree with you. Your, and several others here, continued association of masks as going against our freedoms shows how well you’ve been misled and how blind you are to the actual encroachments on our freedoms over the past 18 months.
VOICE – you equate mask mandates with tyranny, don’t try to dodge it.
Wrong RHS. Before prop 47, it was considered burglary to enter a commercial establishment with the intent to steal. Prop 47 created a new offense called “shoplifting.” As long as the value of the stolen property does not exceed $950, it is no longer burglary. See the prop 47 FAQ here: https://www.courts.ca.gov/prop47.htm
Masks equaling tyranny is your own construct. Do not confuse my strong skepticism on the effectiveness of masks, particularly on young children, with the actual governmental overreach and very real encroachment on our freedoms and liberties that has occurred. There is a long list of high-level court decisions, at both the state and federal level, to back this up.
VOICE – you’ve said many times here that forcing people to wear masks is tyrannical, for lack of a better word. Stop lying.
This kind of theft has been happening forever so one can’t really point fingers at the cause.
In addition RHS, I never thought of the San Francisco chronicle as a far right publication. However, they are apparently promoting the “far right nonsense” you are talking about. Here is a chronicle article describing how numerous storefronts in union square are boarded up this year due to a wave of looting. https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/There-s-nothing-festive-about-boarded-up-16664219.php
I have not once said that. When I point out the errors in your statement you often put words in my mouth in rebuttal. Please feel free to dig through the old comments to prove me wrong.
@2:42, I don’t think you know the definition of a ‘dictatorship.’
VOICE – reread you 1:11 comment. Your whole argument against the covid restrictions/rules is that they’re overreach by a government trying to control us. I’m hardly putting any words in your mouth.
No Sac. Many of the restrictions/mandates have been, or are currently, governmental overreach and a violation of individual freedoms and liberties, but mask ordinances aren’t one of them.
VOR’s position, unless he’s continuing to fib, is that what he “types” into a comment box is not what he “says”.
In california, a business can be punished for failing to enforce mask and vaccine passport regulations. In Florida, a business can be punished for enforcing mask or vaccine passport requirements. Completely opposite approaches. Are both states guilty of government overreach?
FOND OF – What will Mom/Dad do when “little Johnny” or “little Susie” are seen wearing some new clothes they can’t account for? I don’t agree many viewers are “fine” with increased criminalization. I believe some are too fearful to speak out against the rabble now in charge at different levels of government. Some are content with letting others get involved to hopefully solve the problem; and a few just don’t care. A person says something against what the rabble believe and they are jumped on. Look at what’s happening to parents speaking out against some school board officials in different states. Hopefully, those that care, will use their vote to make positive changes. Until then, we will have to deal with these little groups of cowards, thieves and others as the law permits. As a side note, I am duly impressed. Some of these little clowns made their escape on a bicycle. Three-wheeler or two with training wheels, anyone know?
VOICE – forcing people to wear masks is not governmental overreach?
VOICE – it’s not “personal medical information,” it’s a confirmation and date of vaccination. This has been required in schools, the military, overseas government employment, etc. This is not new, nor is it some “violation” of privacy or liberty.
To equate requiring proof of vaccination in some businesses, employment, etc to a violation of the liberties and freedoms our servicemembers have died for is an affront to their service and flat out hysteria.
4:47 – More evidence that Florida’s governed by lunatics.
Under Proposition 47, The Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act passed in 2014, shoplifting charges regarding the theft of $950 or less were lowered from felonies to misdemeanors. Just like the other day, if caught they looters will walk, there is no deterrent for this not getting worse.
Or we could hold parents responsible for their children’s deeds. A few nights in the klink with their kid should adjust parents’ attitudes and perspectives.
We can expect more and more of this in SB, which is the same as what is happening in cities coast to coast. LA and SF are totally out of control. Companies like Walgreens are shutting down dozens of stores in the SF area due to theft, and places like ‘Hilda and Jesse’ in the North Beach area of SF is kicking out officers who are eating at their restaurant. Hilda and Jesse Restaurant is now trying to backtrack, but it looks like they…..shot themselves in the cash register.
BABYCAKES – this is a perfect example of how ridiculous the far left can be. I’m a liberal, but I think the far left is almost as dangerous as the far right. Only reason the far right still wins is the obsession with violence and praising people who kill unarmed people, self defense or not.
SacJon: Example*(s)?
Good thing we closed schools for a year…
https://apple.news/A5kyfJv8ES7-1MkCUCbhD0w
Good job everyone who supported, championed and celebrated our school boards decision…
Unfortunately, for the intellectually challenged, propaganda continues to work very well…
The argument is lost when one confuses ‘difference of opinion’ with ‘propaganda’ and then throws the ‘intellectually challenged’ shade on those who disagree wit chew. Why be a tosser when you can be a hero?
The trope that raising the petty theft definition means “looters will walk” is such far right nonsense that we should laugh but unfortunately it seems to resonate. A few facts: People who enter into a business with the intent of theft commit burglary, not petty theft. People who use violence to commit theft commit felony theft. People who are convicted for petty theft (even as newly defined) face at least 6 months in jail. Petty theft had been set at less than $400 for decades despite inflation. Long ago it was set at $200. No one claimed that raising it then resulted in a huge increase in petty theft. This is propaganda. The only issue right now is that misdemeanor arrestees (NOT these smash and grab criminals) will be released pending charges to avoid COVID problems in jails. This has to do with the pandemic and not with criminal justice reform.
SacJon: I wouldn’t worry about it too much or get emotional, the fact is that violence is all around us. Think about the Eastside vs Westside conflict in SB….do you think they think in terms of left/right? Have you been held at knifepoint on your way home from the store (Foodland in my case) and had your purse and groceries stolen? If so, then you know what I’m talking about. I can’t even come within two blocks of Bohnett Park any longer. Welcome to the new norm.
BABY – Wow. That was an Olympian level deflection and about face lol! No, not talking about violence in general. You asked for examples, I provided them. I’m neither worried nor emotional, just providing the facts you asked for and now you completely change direction. OK, it’s cool. I know there is more violence in general now, I agree, but that’s not what we were talking about now was it?
Again though, far right and far left fanatics are what’s dragging us down. The far right and its violence, the far left and its over obsession with wokeness.
Absolutely! Prioritizing the health of the community in the face of ignorant calls for business as usual was the right call.
So wonderful what’s happened to California over the last 3 years.
Speaking more locally about our beloved Santa Barbara. I beg you all to go visit Seattle, San Francisco, Portland, Oakland, or San Jose if you haven’t recently. We just cannot keep chasing the policies those places have embraced. The results are clear, and they are disastrous.
If you skew conservative, I beg you to embrace police reform that doesn’t necessarily mean *fire them all!” and the need to reform our justice system. If you skew liberal, I beg you to embrace the idea that you will soon be LOSING to conservatives even in far-left California if you don’t start dealing with some tough realities. So long as the liberal cities look like Mad Max Thunderdomes, it’s gonna be hard to win over the electorate that you are about humane and effective change.
Identify and apprehend the kid. If under 18, charge parents 10 times the cost of the stolen item and publish initial & surname. If over 18, publish perp’s picture, full name and employ them in “Worst Job in the World” type job until s/he pays off 10 times the cost of the item. In both cases, the stolen item is donated to charity if the store can’t take it back.
Yep. This town is becoming more and more like San Francisco everyday.
Things change and SB certainly has, which requires changes in us. We will see more “kiosk” type businesses that sell through a grated window after you tell them what you want, which is a loss for the shoppers experience. Santa Barbarans are fortunate to have a plethora of fine, lovely wrought iron window and door examples locally. Examples that one would do well to install in these “new” times. (fire releases on some openings are required)
I think the owners of Hilda and Jesse were 100% RIGHT in asking the cops to leave if they were going to be ammo’d up as much as they are. They are NOT military, and this is not a police state. If I were dining there, I would have been uncomfortable with that level of gun power and weaponry on these cops. IT’s JUST WRONG. Demilitarize the police. The civilians are NOT the enemy and they (the cops) are NOT the military.
Trans, have not heard this is true for our public safety unions. Their unions are too strong to allow this.
If we can’t find enough people to take the sworn positions, maybe we need to rethink the system. How many calls require an armed response? Could 1/2 the force be community service officers to take reports and respond to homeless issues? CSOs could be armed with pepper spray and tasers and call for armed response if things escalate.
Thinking creatively will get us out of this mess, Ollie.
The Surgeon General and the White House are blaming the huge uptick in crime amongst “teen agers” on Covid. So, the reason for the smash-and-grabs robberies by these criminals is due to Covid. And they expect a-n-y-o-n-e to believe this??? Ree-deeq-U-luss!
Everyday, without fail, you come here and showcase your true colors and capabilities.