[Richard230]

Things are getting really nasty in the San Francisco Bay Area and perhaps in other locations, too. What has been going on recently according to news reports are that gangs of robbers are taking advantage of the protests and driving their cars around in large groups to shopping malls. If they see any cops in the area, they get back on the freeway and head for another location. But if the store and the area looks deserted, they will park their cars at the front door, break-in and steal everything they can. Various pharmacy chains like CVS and Walgreens, grocery stores like Safeway and Lucky, Apple stores, car dealerships, Walmart stores, Target stores, and jewelry stores were all robbed over the past few days while the police were busy directing traffic around the protest marches. Many of these stores are temporarily shutting down and boarding up their buildings, leaving their neighborhoods with nowhere to shop. This has resulted in several cities and counties establishing curfews in the hopes of catching these thieves while they are traveling in groups before they can rob and damage these and other stores.

[Richard230]

The news last night reported that 70 expensive new Dodge cars were stolen from just one dealership in the city of San Leandro within a short period of time last Saturday. The value of the vehicles was around $5 million. So far 15 cars have been recovered (one was located 150 miles away), but most of the cars recovered have had their engines and other parts removed. Apparently, several of the cars were Dodge Hellcat models with very powerful and expensive engines. You can imagine the number of people and organization that it took to pull this heist off while the cops were preoccupied with controlling protests and looting in other parts of town. There had to be at least 150 people involved in this robbery.

[gizzo]

Seriously though, it seems like things have started winding down a little bit over there? According to our news.  Hope so.

[Richard230]

Seriously though, it seems like things have started winding down a little bit over there? According to our news.  Hope so.

I agree, but time will tell. Right now the National Guard has been called in to patrol the city of Vallejo in the hopes that will keep the looters in that city at bay. Two nights ago they torched the city hall and when the automatic sprinklers came on a lot of damage was caused to the lower floor of the building. The current hot weather is supposed to cool off a lot and become windy this weekend so that might also cool off the violent protestors.

[cyrusb]

I have been thinking about some temporary flooring for the stores/shops that is coated in mousetrap glue. Or, a human sized roach motel designed to appear like a jewelry store. Any others?

[REpozer]

Maybe some could help the “protesters” out by showing up with an American flag and a MAGA hat.

[Richard230]

Maybe some could help the “protesters” out by showing up with an American flag and a MAGA hat.

Not a smart thing to do in most areas of the West Coast and especially in the San Francisco Bay Area.   

[Bilgemaster]

I have been thinking about some temporary flooring for the stores/shops that is coated in mousetrap glue. Or, a human sized roach motel designed to appear like a jewelry store. Any others?

That sticky flooring's a million dollar idea, that is.

[cyrusb]

I know, right? Non violent, non discriminating and self arresting. Bring the judge and charge them right there.

[Richard230]

The latest talk from the San Francisco and LA mayors is that their cities should "de-fund" their police departments and give the money saved to support social programs for the "under-served".     And the mayor of LA is also talking of prohibiting the arresting of criminals who just perform property crimes, such as stealing, burglaries, robbing, looting, arson and other "nonviolent crimes. 

Meanwhile gun sales are soaring in the SF Bay Area as some residents appear to be arming themselves to protect their families.

[tooseevee]

The latest talk from the San Francisco and LA mayors is that their cities should "de-fund" their police departments and give the money saved to support social programs for the "under-served".     And the mayor of LA is also talking of prohibiting the arresting of criminals who just perform property crimes, such as stealing, burglaries, robbing, looting, arson and other "nonviolent crimes. 

Meanwhile gun sales are soaring in the SF Bay Area as some residents appear to be arming themselves to protect their families.

          A giant chainsaw should have been used in the 1950s to cut the whole state of Kalifornia loose and push it out to sea. It's too late now. The Progressive cancer that grew on the East and West coasts since the early 1900s has metastasized slowly and steadily and spread throughout the whole country. 

[axman88]

And the mayor of LA is also talking of prohibiting the arresting of criminals who just perform property crimes, such as stealing, burglaries, robbing, looting, arson and other "nonviolent crimes. 

I would have thought that the pendulum would have already swung as far as it could years ago, but apparently proximity to the ocean lets things swing a lot further than anybody could have anticipated.

What is with the California Zero Bail policy?  Was this just a stunt by a police chief to draw political attention, or do they really "have to" let crooks go, repeatedly and for felony level crimes?  https://abc7.com/glendora-pd-arrests-man-3-times-in-1-day-under-new-ca-bail-policy/6144190/

[Richard230]

I would have thought that the pendulum would have already swung as far as it could years ago, but apparently proximity to the ocean lets things swing a lot further than anybody could have anticipated.

What is with the California Zero Bail policy?  Was this just a stunt by a police chief to draw political attention, or do they really "have to" let crooks go, repeatedly and for felony level crimes?  https://abc7.com/glendora-pd-arrests-man-3-times-in-1-day-under-new-ca-bail-policy/6144190/

My understanding is that the California courts have been letting thousands of convicted criminals out of prison so far this year. The latest excuse is that they need to be let out so they will not become infected with the COVID-19 virus while they are in jail.  So they get dumped on to the street, where there are no jobs available and they may not have any place to live, making them homeless and desperate - with predictable results. 

I think I heard a report yesterday that the courts will finally be putting an end to the no-bail, get out of jail free, concept. I hope that is the case.