Table of Contents
1 The allegation: San Francisco displayed signs permitting theft of items valued at $950
2 Our assessment: Inaccurate
3 Theft signs are not legitimate
4 Our fact-check sources:
A revision to Prop 47 seems likely to be added to the ballot in November
A proposal for an amendment to Prop 47, the law that set the minimum threshold for theft or burglary to be considered a felony at $950, looks set to go to a November vote.
Reported by Fox - LA
The allegation: San Francisco displayed signs permitting theft of items valued at $950
An Instagram post on June 30 (direct link, archive link) showcased various photos of street signs stating, “Notice: Stolen goods must remain under $950.”
The caption on the post read, “San Francisco, California, US. In 2014 Voters approved Prop. 47 to downgrade drug possession and thefts worth less than $950 to misdemeanors. Today they’re putting up signs to defend it. California under Newsom. Theft is now fully legalized.”
The post received over 8,000 likes within three days. Alternative versions of the claim circulated on Instagram and X, previously known as Twitter.
More from the Fact-Check Team: Details on how we select and evaluate claims | Newsletter via email | Facebook page
Our assessment: Inaccurate
The signs in San Francisco were not produced by city officials, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the city. The reclassification by the California law of shoplifting items valued at less than $950 as a misdemeanor did not result in the full legalization of theft. Offenders can face up to six months in jail and fines reaching $1,000.
Theft signs are not legitimate
As per Rachel Gordon, a spokesperson for the San Francisco Department of Public Works, the signs depicted in the post were not authorized by the city.
However, both the signs and the Instagram post portray an incorrect view of Proposition 47, which Californian voters approved in 2014.
Previously, USA TODAY refuted the notion that the proposition permits theft of items worth up to $950.
The proposition made certain nonviolent property crimes into misdemeanors, including shoplifting, defined as “entering a commercial establishment during regular business hours where the property taken or intended to be taken is $950 or less.”
According to Charis Kubrin, a criminology professor at the University of California, Irvine, Proposition 47 did not legalize theft of goods valued at up to $950.
“Prop. 47 reclassified some low-level drug and property offenses as misdemeanors instead of felonies – they are still considered crimes,” Kubrin explained.
Fact check: No, California’s Proposition 47 does not allow the theft of $950 in store items
The text of the proposition stipulates that individuals convicted of shoplifting may face up to six months behind bars and/or fines of up to $1,000. For those with specific prior convictions, sentences could range from 16 months to three years.
The proposition clarifies that “any other entry with intent to commit theft” constitutes burglary. Second-degree burglary, involving nonresidential structures like stores and businesses, may be categorized as a misdemeanor or felony, known as a “wobbler.”
In such instances, judges have the discretion to impose a felony penalty of up to three years in a county jail, as informed by Kubrin.
USA TODAY attempted to contact the users who shared the post for their input but did not receive immediate responses.
Our fact-check sources:
Rachel Gordon, communication via Email with USA TODAY on July 1California Courts, May 19, 2017, Proposition 47USA TODAY, Sept. 13, 2023, Clarification: California’s Proposition 47 does not authorize the theft of $950 in store items | Fact checkGorelick Law Offices, accessed on July 2, Details on Burglary Charges In California
We appreciate your support for our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app, or e-newspaper here.
USA TODAY is a verified participant of the International Fact-Checking Network, dedicated to nonpartisanship, impartiality, and transparency. Our fact-checking efforts are partly funded by a grant from Meta.
—-
Author : usa-news
Publish date : 2024-07-05 01:39:38
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.