Social media has been spreading false claims that Governor Newsom decriminalized looting in California. This is untrue. Looting is illegal in California during states of emergency and disasters. Governor Newsom has publicly condemned looting, and law enforcement agencies are actively addressing it.
Looting is illegal in California during a state of emergency or under an evacuation order, according to the state's penal code. People can be charged with felony looting when they commit burglary or grand theft during a state of emergency, and it's punishable by up to three years in county jail. Looting by petty theft is a misdemeanor.
As firefighters continue to battle wildfires that have razed neighborhoods in greater Los Angeles for the past week, officials have arrested at least 20 people suspected of looting, according to the Los Angeles Times. Social media has been flooded with misinformation regarding looting laws in California, particularly in the wake of the ongoing wildfires. Some posts falsely claim that Governor Gavin Newsom and California Democrats have decriminalized looting, preventing police from arresting looters and prosecutors from pursuing charges against them. These claims are demonstrably false. California law explicitly prohibits looting during states of emergency, evacuations, or disasters. Under the 'Burglary' chapter of the California Penal Code, individuals who commit burglary or grand theft during a state of emergency, local emergency, or under an evacuation order resulting from an earthquake, fire, flood, riot, or other natural or man-made disaster shall be guilty of the crime of looting. This offense is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for up to three years. Individuals who commit petty theft under the same circumstances can be charged with a misdemeanor, which could lead to imprisonment in a county jail for six months. Governor Newsom has publicly stated his stance against looting, emphasizing zero tolerance for such illegal activity. Law enforcement agencies are actively working to prevent and apprehend individuals engaging in looting during this crisis
CALIFORNIA LOOTING WILDFIRE NEWSOM MISINFORMATION
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