WATCH: Alleged Thieves Stroll Out of California TJ Maxx with Loads of Items

Amy Furr

Two men were seen walking out of a TJ Maxx store in Granada Hills, Los Angeles, recently, carrying what appeared to be loads of stolen items.

“That looks great,” a man behind the camera said while filming the incident, CBS Los Angeles reported Tuesday.

An Instagram user named inflnzer shared the footage on Sunday, writing in the caption, “shoplifters at TJMaxx. Shoplifters know there’s nothing we can do. just happened about 15 minutes ago.”

One of the individuals appeared to be carrying an oversized black duffle bag:

“What’s up, guys? I wanted to see how far you guys get,” the man with the camera told the two men as they walked through the parking lot.

A few moments later, the footage showed a dark-colored car driving away.

“They didn’t even run out, they walked out,” Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. Jerretta Sandoz explained. “And so, that’s sending a message that we, the criminals, are winning.”

She also blamed the incident on Proposition 47 which minimized criminal sentences for certain non-violent crimes including shoplifting.

“If they’re caught, they’re probably given the equivalent of a traffic ticket,” she noted, adding, “So it’s not taken seriously.”

In June 2018, Breitbart News reported a study by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) found voter-approved Proposition 47 had increased property crimes by nine percent:

The California social justice advocates who sponsored the Prop 47 ballot initiative in November 2014 claimed that the state historically had over-penalized lower-level drug and property offenders, resulting in high incarceration rates and correctional costs. By reducing penalties associated with so-called “Prop 47 offenses” from felonies to misdemeanors, advocates claimed the state would slash the incarcerated population’s size and length of sentences.

Passing with almost 60 percent support, Prop 47 reduced shoplifting, grand theft, receiving stolen property, check forgery, check fraud, and writing bad checks where the loss does not exceed $950 from felonies to misdemeanors. The measure also downgraded the personal use of most illegal drugs from a felony to a misdemeanor.

Criminal defense attorney Alexandra Kazarian told CBS it is fear of violence keeping retailers from attempting to confront shoplifters, not Proposition 47.

“The employees at TJ Maxx have been told that, in these specific circumstances, it’s not worth it for you to go and physically attack, physically stop people that are walking out with this inventory,” she stated. “Because these businesses have insurance.”

However, Kazarian added that sophisticated shoplifters are receiving prison time.

“People who are stealing giant, giant tote bags, giant backpacks worth of inventory are not getting the same benefit of the people that are stealing food and clothing for their children,” she concluded.

Police are investigating the recent incident but the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office said no suspects have been arrested or cited regarding the case.

Meanwhile, the crime wave in San Francisco has persisted as police presence dwindles and thieves loot stores, causing Target stores in the area to announce they are cutting back hours to reduce losses, Breitbart News reported July 2.

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