LAPD detective: Cities were sold a bill of goods on bail reform
LAPD detective Jamie McBride says ‘there are no ramifications’ for the rash of thefts in California.
A Los Angeles Police Department detective said Friday that Californians were sold a "bag of goods" on bail reform as thefts surge in cities across the state.
"I blame the [American Civil Liberties Union]. I think they sold everybody a bag of goods with this zero bail policy as we see. Our chief came out yesterday and said that 14 of these people that were arrested did not stay in jail. They got released and some of them were arrested and out on release from a prior smash and grab robbery," LAPD detective Jamie McBride told "Fox & Friends."
CALIFORNIA’S ZERO-BAIL POLICY SETS FREE 14 SMASH-GRAB ROBBERY SUSPECTS, LAPD CHIEF SAYS
McBride, director of the L.A. Police Protective League, said there are no ramifications for the rash of thefts in California.
"Most people's holidays start in December. Here in California and especially Los Angeles, it’s every day. It’s Christmas every day here for the criminals. Why wait until the holidays? You can go out and get whatever you want any time you want and there are no ramifications."
FILE - In this June 15, 2021, file photo California Gov. Gavin Newsom talks during a news conference at Universal Studios in Universal City, Calif. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu, File)
McBride said it is "not safe" in Los Angeles because crime is "everywhere." The former detective said not only is crime happening in poor areas but is also stretching to Beverly Hills.
Los Angeles police recently arrested 14 suspects in connection with 11 "smash and grab" robberies in the city in late November – but all 14 suspects are back on the street, the city’s police chief says.
The reason? The state of California’s "zero bail" policy, Chief Michel Moore told reporters at a Thursday evening news conference, according to FOX 11 of Los Angeles.
"All the suspects taken into custody are out of custody, either as a result of one juvenile, or the others as a result of bailing out or zero-bail criteria," Moore said.
Liberal Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon, who backs ending bail for many crimes, insisted that smash-and-grab offenders would be held accountable, The Associated Press reported.
FILE - In this Dec. 7, 2020, file photo provided by the County of Los Angeles, George Gascón speaks after he was sworn in as Los Angeles district attorney in Los Angeles. Gascon is re-imagining how gang-related cases are going to be prosecuted by downsizing or eliminating his office’s hardcare gang unit, sources say. (Bryan Chan/County of Los Angeles via AP, File)
"Our office has been collaborating with multiple law enforcement agencies and once all the evidence has been gathered, we will review the cases to determine what criminal charges should be filed," Alex Bastian, special adviser to Gascón, said in a statement. "These brazen acts hurt all of us: retailers, employees and customers alike."
Back in March, the California Supreme Court ruled that judges in the state must consider a suspect’s ability to pay when setting bail prices – in effect allowing indigent defendants to go free, pending further legal action, unless they are deemed too dangerous, according to the AP.
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Los Angeles' is cracking down on crime by ramping up the patrols to prevent further heists.
Los Angeles Assistant Sheriff Bruce Chase said the rise of "smash and grab" robberies and looting are due to the lack of repercussions for those arrested, saying in many cases suspects are released the same day if they have no prior arrests.
"We have a pretty large operation that provides police services to a little over three million of 10 million folks in L.A. County. We've got a lot of ground to cover, but we've got a lot of equipment," he told "Fox & Friends First."
"These thieves take calculated risks. So, when they feel that the risks are minimal and the consequences may be minimal. They're willing to take a chance. They're terrorizing and traumatizing shoppers in our community. Law enforcement is working diligently to try and combat this, but we're going to need some help from the justice system and our justice partners."
Fox News' Dom Calicchio contributed to this report.
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