The aftermath of Proposition 47: Property crime up in South Lake Tahoe

In November, 2014, 60% of the voters in California approved Proposition 47, the "Safe Neighborhoods and School Act."

Since then, South Lake Tahoe and other cities across the state are seeing a big increase in crime. Prop. 47 reduced the penalties for certain theft and drug crimes in California. Several crimes that were once a felony because a misdemeanor overnight.

The arrest in South Lake Tahoe on September 17 of a suspected car thief brought the local situation to light. Tarra Sheffield is accused of stealing a car from the parking lot of a local business, a crime which would have been punishable, if found guilty, of up to four years in state prison. She is also facing drug charges. Now, those crimes in a post-Prop. 47 world, are each a misdemeanor.

The maximum penalty for the crimes Sheffield is charged with will generally be up to one year in county jail and/or a fine of up to $1.000.

"This reduction in penalties applies to other crimes also; such as receiving/possession of stolen property, theft of a firearm, commercial burglary by shoplifting, forgery of checks and money orders, and a host of drug possession crimes," said South Lake Tahoe Police Lieutenant Brian Williams.

In South Lake Tahoe, property crime rate has increased 12 percent in the first half of 2015, with $779,389 in property reported stolen to the police department.

In San Francisco, theft from cars is up 47 percent this year over the same period in 2014. Auto theft is up by 17 percent. Robberies are up 23 percent.

In Los Angeles, there has been 12.7 percent increase in overall crime this year, according to the Los Angeles Times. Violent offenses rose 20.6 percent, while property crime rose by 11 percent.

Prior to the passage of Proposition 47, drug offenders not only got out of jail, but they got out of drug treatment. In Los Angeles County, substance abuse treatment rolls are down 60 percent. Prosecutors could offer drug treatment instead of jail time, but now there is no jail.

More criminals on the streets equals more crimes. Most of the thefts are from easy targets such as unlocked cars, open doors and windows of a home, unlocked bicycles or those without good locks.

Of the almost $800,000 in items stolen in South Lake Tahoe, the majority had no identifiable markings or registered serial numbers, making it difficult for law enforcement to identify and return it when found. Not this this will necessarily keep criminals from stealing other people's personal property, it will help people see their belongings again.

SLTPD is supporting a crime prevention effort with anti-theft dots, a new technology that will assist law enforcement in identifying the owners of stolen property.

Additionally, SLTPD will soon be implementing a GPS tracking campaign that will involve bait items such as vehicles, bicycles, construction equipment, tools and electronics. With these GPS trackers, SLTPD will be able to track the movements of the stolen bait items and apprehend the criminals behind these thefts.

-South Tahoe Now Staff Report