It’s a free for all, you can walk into Walmart and walkout with $500 worth of stuff with impunity. you still have to get through any security guys they have but the Police will NOT even respond to shoplifting calls, it is a Civil Matter!!!
Does anyone understand California?
I worked in retail, and actually this started to happen back in the 80’s.
Local police department frankly have too much on their plate in a lot of areas to be responding to every call for a junkie who’s shoplifting to finance his next fix.
The Civil Recovery thing came into being then. Frankly my employers would have rather had the money than a conviction (although good luck actually collecting on that judgment).
Walmart employees, including any security they may have, has been told they can’t touch them as they walk out with stuff. A friend recently witnessed a lady with a full basket of groceries just walking out screaming at the employees.....you can’t touch me! And they don’t.
Finally a reason to go vacation in California! You can pay for your trip by just loading up a trailer full of goodies before you head home.