Prop 36 'greatest thing that's happened,' leads to 50% drop in retail theft at River Park

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A new state law appears to be stopping thieves in their tracks after videos of dramatic and brazen smash-and-grabs went viral online.

"It's been the greatest thing that's happened for our retail," Tracy Kashian at Fresno's River Park said about Proposition 36.

Kashian said the law has resulted in a double-digit reduction in retail crime in seven months.

"We are seeing a decrease in numbers, a profound decrease in numbers," Kashian said. "Over 50% of the smash and grabs have decreased."

Proposition 36 stiffens penalties for retail theft, bringing it from a misdemeanor to a felony for thieves with at least two prior convictions.

"The law went into effect, and it's like everybody went on vacation, in terms of the thieves," Kashian said.

The threat persists. River Park's Drip-on-Drip sneaker store still leaves its cash register open in plain sight of the window after thieves hit the retailer twice in 13 months. One time, a car plowed through the storefront, costing thousands in damages...

"We have a lot of local tenants here, so for them to have their inventory taken and stolen, it's very hard to recover from that," Kashian said.

Local law enforcement supported Prop 36, but critics raised concerns.

"If this passes, it will absolutely send us back," Jose Bernal at the Ella Baker Center said before the election.

Bernal feared it could lead to mass incarceration, sending more people to jail, left to await trial in a slow court system.

The Fresno County Sheriff's Office now confirms its "population numbers have remained consistent."

"We were kind of just sitting here, kind of in limbo with not a lot we could do," Kashian said. "Once this did come into effect, we've seen the drop in numbers. We know it's working."

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