Norfolk mayor seeks city role in holding shoplifters accountable
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Larceny cases are down in Norfolk after the first three months of this year.
That's compared to the same amount of time in 2024, a year in which they hit a five-year high.
Friday, Mayor Kenny Alexander announced that he would like to see the city play a role in holding shoplifters accountable.
Norfolk mayor touts accomplishments, takes swipe at Fatehi
City Attorney Bernard Pishko told 10 On Your Side's Brett Hall that the city already prosecutes misdemeanors now — code violations being one example. If City Council passed an ordinance, shoplifting would be considered the same way.
'In Norfolk, we intend to support businesses impacted by shoplifting by passing a city ordinance ordinance that enables the city to prosecute shoplifting,' Alexander said Friday in his State of the City address, with Commonwealth's Attorney Ramin Fatehi sitting front and center. 'Enforcing this crime under city code will allow Norfolk to take action where the Commonwealth has not.'
Fatehi said, however, that it's not that he hasn't taken action. He points to six convictions in the past year, including one in which a suspect robbed three ABC stores and will spend more than a year behind bars.
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'The best thing to do is to provide the resources so that there are prosecutors in the courtroom so that business owners and police aren't there to fend for themselves,' Fatehi said.
Other Commonwealth's Attorneys in the region confirm that they do not have the staff to prosecute misdemeanor crimes. Fatehi, for his part, said he would love to prosecute more shoplifters.
'My office has needed 10 extra prosecutors for years,' Fatehi said. 'The City Council has not given them to me.'
While 10 On Your Side was unable to speak with Alexander after his speech, it's worth noting that this is all happening as the mayor backs former U.S. Attorney John Butler to defeat Fatehi in the June primary.
In 'hardest city in region to police,' crime in Norfolk trending down
'I think that speaks to the City Council and the mayor's frustration with not having an effective partner in the Commonwealth's Attorney's office,' Butler said.
Councilman John 'J.P.' Paige, when asked about the mayor's idea to let the city prosecute shoplifting, said 'that was a new one for me. I would like to do a little more research before I make any comments on that or get my own personal stance on it.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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