“I had supported Proposition 47, which basically said you wouldn't prosecute —the crimes were much different at the level of up to $950. I thought it was a good idea at the time because I thought, we need to give people an opportunity, we need to give people a chance,” Canepa said to CBS News Bay Area.
“I made a mistake, it was a big mistake, and you have to acknowledge your mistake,” he confessed. “By doing this, what we've done is we're letting people take thousands and thousands of dollars. And why should people be subjugated?”
The local outlet reported that last weekend, four individuals, including two teens, were arrested for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars' worth of fragrances from a cosmetic store at the Hillsdale Mall in San Mateo.
Canepa blamed state laws for thwarting efforts to hold shoplifters accountable.