Latest news with #CrosstownLA
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Ending the cycle': Los Angeles DA touts success of new state law cracking down on ‘smash-and-grab' offenders
Like many major cities, Los Angeles is not immune to crime — but incidents of store theft have increased in recent years. Crosstown LA, citing LAPD data, says that in 2023, there were 11,945 reported cases of shoplifting in the city, compared to 6,585 the year before. There's been a notable uptick in 'smash-and-grab' robberies, where a criminal smashes a window, grabs items on display, and makes a run for it. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) But now, California lawmakers are cracking down on theft with a new set of guidelines outlined in Proposition 36. And so far, it seems to be having good results. Proposition 36, or Prop 36, enacts new laws for drug and theft offenses. It went into effect on Dec. 18, 2024, and states that theft-related crimes can be charged as a felony, a more serious offense with harsher consequences, or a misdemeanor, a more minor offense. One major change under Prop 36 is that prosecutors can combine the value of various thefts to arrive at a felony charge for criminals. Prior to Prop 36, theft in the amount of $950 or less allowed criminals to receive a minor penalty that, as the bill said, was basically the equivalent of a traffic ticket. That allowed thieves to effectively steal an unlimited amount of goods with minimal punishment as long as each individual theft did not exceed $950. Now that Prop 36 is in effect, the value of a string of thefts can be combined for a greater charge. To put it another way, a $500 theft and a $1,000 theft by the same person can be combined to exceed the $950 mark so the crime can be treated more seriously. This means serial criminals could face harsher consequences for their actions. The goal, of course, is not just to punish criminals, but to deter them from theft in the first place. As NBC4 Los Angeles reported, LA District Attorney Nathan Hochman says Prop 36 is working. "Since Dec. 18, we have had over a thousand Proposition 36 arrests for thieves alone," he said. His hope is that the threat of harsher penalties will serve as a warning to potential criminals. "Our goal is not to fill our prisons with these thieves," Hochman said. "If anything, that will be the failure of our efforts. Our goal is to deter these criminals from committing these crimes in the first place, thus saving a whole lot of victims." Jawad Ursani owns the 7-Eleven in the 8500 block of West Olympic Boulevard and has been the victim of theft on multiple occasions. "Communities have been targeted repeatedly by same individuals coming back over and over knowing that there were no real consequences," Ursani told NBC4 reporters. "My store was targeted not once, but twice, by a smash-and-grab by about over 50 teenagers and a repeat shoplifter who is now detained and will be held accountable by this DA's office as we speak." Read more: This is how American car dealers use the '4-square method' to make big profits off you — and how you can ensure you pay a fair price for all your vehicle costs The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) says that since Prop 36 went into effect, prosecutors have filed "thousands of new felony drug and theft charges." During the second half of February, prosecutors filed around 1,500 theft cases with felony charges, the PPIC says, citing data from the Judicial Council of California. Findings from Sicuro Data Analytics, meanwhile, tell a different story — during the first 90 days since Prop 36 went into effect, there were 3,500 theft cases filed. All told, the PPIC says that Prop 36 felony cases comprise 10% to 15% of the 15,000 or so felony cases filed statewide in a typical month. Hochman is pleased with the impact of Prop 36 on LA. In a mid-May statement, he said, 'Ending the cycle of catch-and-release that sent serial retail thieves back on the streets to reoffend is a top priority." LA businesses are also being supplied with decals warning criminals that those who steal will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Of course, this begs the question: Will more states implement harsher penalties for theft? The Council on Criminal Justice says that between 2019 and 2023, New York and LA had the biggest increases in shoplifting across major cities at 64% and 61%, respectively. On a broad level, the rate of shoplifting incidents across major cities fell between January of 2018 and June of 2023. But that doesn't mean it's not a problem. The National Retail Federation says that in 2023, there was a 93% increase in the average number of shoplifting incidents compared to 2019. There was also a 90% increase in dollar loss from shoplifting in that same timeframe. Cracking down on theft is something lawmakers should therefore consider on a more national scale to protect business owners and consumers alike. Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
L.A.'s parking enforcement problem
Los Angeles has a budget problem. Well, another budget problem. According to a recent report from independent news organization Crosstown LA, the city is fighting a losing war over parking and parking enforcement. Crosstown analyzed data provided by City Controller Kenneth Mejia, which showed that L.A. is spending tens of millions more on parking enforcement than it is receiving from parking tickets. In the fiscal year that ended in June 2024, after giving out 2 million parking tickets, the city collected about $110 million in parking fines. Meanwhile, according to Mejia's data, it was spending $88 million on parking enforcement expenses like salaries and equipment. But when the cost of pensions and other obligations and liabilities were added to the mix, that figure jumped to more than $176 million. A $65 million shortfall. A $65 million shortfall when the city is experiencing a significant budgetary crisis that it needs to address. The parking enforcement problem isn't new. The city hasn't made money by issuing parking tickets since 2016. But there doesn't seem to be any end in sight. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the existing problem with parking restrictions temporarily or permanently lifted in some places. Revenue in the fiscal year that ended in June 2021 was down 37% from the prior year. Fewer people are also commuting and filling the city centers than pre-pandemic times, meaning less cars overstaying their welcome or parking where they shouldn't. Steet sweeping tickets are lucrative for L.A. — but not enough And the existing budget crisis is likely to only make the problem worse, Crosstown says, citing an interview with Department of Transportation spokesman Colin Sweeney. Staff cuts and open positions left vacant are another main culprit for the decrease in parking enforcement fines. The City eliminated more than 60 positions in the 2024-25 budget, Sweeney said. Dozens of traffic officers have also retired. And since the COVID-19 pandemic, traffic officers have taken up different non-revenue-generating roles, initially helping with COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites, providing traffic control during events, and even helping with Mayor Karen Bass's pet project Inside Safe, which brings the unhoused off the streets and into more appropriate temporary housing. Sweeney says LADOT is advocating for more officers to be hired as part of the next city budget, and the department will hope its pitch will be heard before the budget is finalized April 21. To read the full story, including the methodology used by Crosstown, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Yahoo
Illegal dumping in Los Angeles soars in first two months of 2025
Reports of illegal dumping in Los Angeles soared in the first two months of this year compared to the same period last year, according to data compiled by Crosstown LA. There were 22,046 reports of trash, furniture and other debris discarded illegally in the city in January and February, up 36%, according to the data news outlet. That's the highest number for that period dating back to at least 2018, based on publicly available data from the MyLA311 service. 'While illegal dumping may bring to mind a few trash bags dropped on a corner, it often means piles of construction debris, or even hazardous waste, tossed by a person or business seeking to avoid paying proper disposal fees,' Crosstown notes in its report. 'Materials are frequently dropped on sidewalks, in alleys or on vacant lots under cover of darkness.' In L.A.'s Council District 8, which encompasses much of South L.A., illegal dumping reports more than doubled from 2,118 in January-February 2024 to 3,329 in the first two months of this year. 'This situation is unacceptable,' said Council President and District 8 representative Marqueece Harris-Dawson told Crosstown LA. 'We are going after the big fish—the businesses trying to avoid construction debris and waste removal fees by illegally dumping their trash and hazards in our communities. We are absolutely going to make examples out of them and do it swiftly and very publicly until we shift this culture of anything goes, including profiting at all costs without regard for thy neighbor.' Van Nuys has seen the most illegal dumping reports so far this year, with 845. Click here to read Crosstown LA's full report>>> Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
