Los Angeles, Ca

1 in 3 homeowners with security cameras have spotted package thieves: report

Published

1 year ago

December 8, 2022

1 in 3 homeowners with security cameras have spotted package thieves: report

Package deal thieves, porch pirates, field bandits — no matter you wish to name them; they’re a rising drawback throughout the nation.

A brand new nationwide survey from U.S. Information & World Report discovered that about half of American owners polled have had deliveries stolen. A few third of these owners caught the thieves within the act.

The survey included 2,000 People who’ve dwelling safety cameras.

They have been requested a wide range of questions, together with how typically they examine their safety footage and what they use their cameras to watch.

Crime was an apparent purpose for individuals buying cameras, and an awesome quantity (90%) stated they really feel that safety digital camera are a great crime deterrent.

However regardless of the prevalence of dwelling safety cameras, greater than three-quarters of respondents stated they nonetheless fear about package deal thieves.

Almost half (47%) stated they’ve had packages stolen; much more (55%) stated they’ve actively taken steps to stop thefts.

With the busy vacation season in full swing, and with extra buyers choosing supply than ever, the danger of deliveries being stolen in more likely to solely go up.

On-line purchasing through the holidays went up 64% from 2019 to 2021, in accordance with the survey’s writer. This 12 months, FedEx alone had delivered round 6.2 million packages daily to houses and companies throughout the nation.

And regardless of the rise in dwelling safety cameras, there’s nonetheless little probability {that a} porch pirate shall be arrested and efficiently charged for pulling a Grinch.

A 2022 Package deal Theft Report by Safety.org discovered that 44% p.c of people that caught a package deal thief within the act in all probability had sufficient proof to get that particular person arrested, however these apprehended thieves hardly ever face extreme expenses.

Whereas mail theft is a federal crime and can lead to stiff penalties, that legislation solely applies to packages and parcels positioned in or close to mailboxes. If a package deal is dropped in your steps, you are by yourself, Safety.org stated.

If the median worth of your package deal is lower than $50, the theft shall be thought-about a misdemeanor in a lot of the nation – together with California. Within the Golden State, any theft underneath $950 is taken into account petty theft (a misdemeanor.)

So what are you able to do to cut back your danger of falling prey to a package deal thief? That’s, in case you’re not just like the 55% of People polled who stated they don’t seem to be already taking proactive steps.

Safety.org recommends choosing safe supply areas while you’re not at dwelling, i.e. your work’s mailroom or routing the ship to a neighbor who you recognize is dwelling. There are additionally providers offered by firms like Amazon which give safe lockers on your packages, though these usually are not obtainable in all cities.

However arguably probably the most surefire option to keep away from getting your package deal swiped out of your stoop: require a signature. You will need to be sure you’re dwelling when your supply arrives, however that inconvenience may prevent your hard-earned cash and stop a liked one from dropping out on a vacation reward.

Los Angeles, Ca

13 arrested during retail theft bust at San Bernardino County mall

Published

4 hours ago

April 24, 2024

Press Room

13 arrested during retail theft bust at San Bernardino County mall

Thirteen people were arrested during a retail theft bust at a popular San Bernardino County shopping mall.

The operation took place at Victoria Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga on April 19, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

As deputies descended on the outdoor shopping center, 13 suspects were spotted and were arrested in connection to retail thefts.

Authorities seized around $10,926 in stolen property during the massive bust. Photos of some of the stolen items include beauty products and accessories, backpacks, wallets, athletic clothing and more.

SBSD’s Operation SMASH & Grab cracks down on retail theft crimes in the Rancho Cucamonga, Apple Valley, Hesperia, Victorville, and Chino Hills shopping district areas.

Authorities said the operation was a response to a troubling rise in violent and costly retail thefts involving organized crime groups.

A variety of stolen merchandise was found after 13 people were arrested for retail theft at a Rancho Cucamonga shopping mall on April 19, 2024. (San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department)

“These violent criminals terrorize the citizens of San Bernardino County by utilizing intimidation tactics and a mob mentality that creates an unsafe and uncomfortable shopping environment for our residents,” said SBSD. “Investigators utilize conventional and non-conventional investigative methods to accomplish this task and lessen the blight created by these bad actors.”

Six of the arrested suspects face felony charges and seven others face misdemeanors, deputies said.

Los Angeles, Ca

GoFundMe officially expands to Mexico

Published

12 hours ago

April 23, 2024

Press Room

Fundraising platform GoFundMe announced its expansion into Mexico on Tuesday.

Mexico is the crowdfunding platform’s 20th country, according to a GoFundMe release, and it is the company’s first international expansion in six years.

As of Tuesday, organizers in Mexico can create fundraisers, accept donations and withdraw funds in Mexican Pesos (MXN).

“Launching in our 20^th country is a huge milestone which will provide people across Mexico with a safe, easy and powerful way to raise money for the people and causes they care about,” GoFundMe CEO Tim Cadogan said. “Every country we’ve gone into has adopted GoFundMe in its own unique way but there is a common underlying theme shared everywhere: the desire to help each other is a universal human truth.”

Since its inception in 2010, GoFundMe has raised more than $30 billion, and donations from non-English-speaking countries have grown by an estimated 400% over the last six years.

Los Angeles, Ca

Where does California rank among the most gambling-addicted states?

Published

19 hours ago

April 23, 2024

Press Room

Where does California rank among the most gambling-addicted states?

Although online and sports betting is not legal in California, the Golden State still finished just outside the top 10 on WalletHub’s recent list of most gambling-addicted states.

WalletHub compared the 50 states to determine where excessive gambling is most prevalent. Their data set of 20 key metrics ranges from the presence of illegal gambling operations to lottery sales per capita to the share of adults with gambling disorders.

California finished 11th overall and is in the top 10 for Gambling Problem and Treatment Rank (7th) and in Gambling-Related Arrests Per Capita (8th), according to WalletHub’s study.

California also ranked 24th in Casinos Per Capita and 50th in Legality of Sports Gambling.

Overall Rank*	State	Total Score	Gambling-Friendliness Rank	Gambling Problem & Treatment Rank
1	Nevada	72.52	1	1
2	South Dakota	66.53	2	9
3	Montana	59.45	7	4
4	Louisiana	57.29	3	22
5	Pennsylvania	55.99	5	16
6	Oklahoma	52.15	6	33
7	Mississippi	51.81	8	23
8	West Virginia	51.05	4	49
9	Oregon	50.51	11	10
10	New Jersey	47.99	9	37
11	California	44.64	26	7
12	North Dakota	44.53	10	38
13	Rhode Island	44.43	17	29
14	Texas	44.38	28	5
15	Illinois	44.35	18	28
16	Wyoming	43.47	23	12
17	Michigan	42.09	12	48
18	Delaware	41.77	19	34
19	Iowa	41.61	14	42
20	New York	41.29	15	44
21	Minnesota	41.01	29	14
22	Indiana	40.61	16	47
23	Colorado	40.56	24	26
24	Missouri	40.19	32	8
25	Massachusetts	39.99	22	32
26	Virginia	39.98	20	40
27	Ohio	39.89	21	41
28	Tennessee	39.34	34	11
29	South Carolina	38.86	46	3
30	Arizona	38.83	30	15
31	New Mexico	38.74	13	50
32	North Carolina	38.36	33	19
33	Maryland	37.79	25	36
34	Idaho	37.06	38	17
35	Kentucky	36.41	27	43
36	New Hampshire	36.09	45	6
37	Washington	35.70	36	27
38	Alabama	35.54	40	20
39	Florida	35.41	31	31
40	Arkansas	35.21	37	21
41	Georgia	34.20	39	30
42	Kansas	33.06	43	25
43	Connecticut	31.72	35	46
44	Hawaii	31.55	49	2
45	Wisconsin	31.19	42	35
46	Maine	30.40	41	39
47	Nebraska	28.78	44	45
48	Vermont	27.06	47	24
49	Alaska	26.65	48	13
50	Utah	24.14	50	18

Note: *No. 1 = Most Addicted
With the exception of “Total Score,” the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of each state, where a rank of 1 represents the worst conditions for that category.

Not all gamblers are the same, WalletHub writes. “Recreational” or “social” gamblers, for instance, buy the occasional lottery ticket, take the rare casino trip or bet small stakes in fantasy sports, but they set limits on how much they gamble and don’t cause financial harm to themselves.

When gambling gets out of control, though, it becomes a real medical condition. Gambling disorder, as it’s known, affects about 1-3% of all U.S. adults. That addiction can lead to serious economic consequences. While the gambling industry made a record $66.5 billion in revenue last year, U.S. consumers experience over $100 billion per year in total gambling losses.

Not surprisingly Nevada, the home of Sin City, topped the list of most gambling-addicted states.