![A security guard stands by the front entrance of a luxury retail storefront in downtown San Francisco on April 15, 2024. Retail theft has plagued the area, and numerous storefronts sit vacant. Photo by Loren Elliott for CalMatters](https://i0.wp.com/calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/041524_SF-Retail-Theft_LE_CM_26.jpg?resize=400%2C300&ssl=1)
Politics
California officials debate Prop. 47 changes to curb crime. On the street, the answer isn’t that simple.
How do you stop retail theft? For local and state elected officials, it’s a question of changing Proposition 47. Ask business owners and residents in Oakland and San Francisco, and the answer is much more nuanced.