Several members of Orange County’s congressional delegation announced on Friday, August 18th, their efforts to address the prevalence of flash-mob style retail thefts and home burglaries in the area. Representative Young Kim, along with Representatives Michelle Steel and Lou Correa, discussed a range of strategies they are pursuing to combat these crimes, including new legislation and international cooperation.
The meeting took place just days after a mob-style theft at a Gucci store in Costa Mesa’s South Coast Plaza, where approximately $100,000 worth of designer handbags were stolen. This incident was part of a series of similar robberies in July, including thefts at Kay’s Jewelers and Jewels By Alan, resulting in over $1 million worth of merchandise being lost.
In addition to retail thefts, another concerning trend described as “burglary tourism” has been observed in Southern California. Professional burglars from South America are targeting homes in the region. Responding to the increase in crime, Governor Gavin Newsom has requested additional resources from the California Highway Patrol, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has established a task force focused on retail theft.
Now, federal legislators are joining the effort. Representative Kim highlighted her proposed legislation, the Improving Federal Investigations of Organized Retail Crime Act, which calls for improved cooperation among federal, state, and local investigators to combat organized crime. She emphasized the need for federal action, as stolen goods are often sold across state lines, amounting to federal crimes.
Representative Steel also addressed the issue of “burglary tourism” and discussed the involvement of Chilean nationals entering Southern California under the ESTA visa waiver program. This program allows citizens from 40 countries to visit the U.S. for 90 days or less without a visa. While acknowledging the complexity of the issue, Representative Steel suggested a connection between retail thefts and residential burglaries.
Similarly, Representative Correa expressed concerns about ESTA visitors from Chile and highlighted the importance of data sharing between the United States and other countries. He has been working on a bill to facilitate better information exchange and recently reached out to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and Secretary of State Antony Blinken to urge collaboration with the Chilean government.
The policy panel hosted by the Orange County Taxpayers Association provided a platform for these discussions. The association’s CEO, Sara Catalan, emphasized their focus on policies that support job growth while opposing legislation deemed detrimental to businesses and housing.
Overall, Orange County’s congressional delegation is actively engaged in addressing the surge in retail thefts and burglaries. Through legislative initiatives and international cooperation, they aim to combat these crimes and safeguard the community.
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