SEAL BEACH, Calif. — A video posted by the Seal Beach Police Department showing two shoplifting suspects discussing California’s new laws while handcuffed in the back of a cruiser has gone viral.
The video, posted on Dec. 22, starts with surveillance video showing the trio of suspects entering an Ulta Beauty store on Dec. 4 where police said they took off with nearly $650 worth of stolen merchandise. Less than an hour later, the suspects entered a Kohl’s store where they allegedly stole more than $1,180 worth of merchandise, according to KCAL.
The video then cuts to body camera video of Seal Beach police officers pursuing the suspects on foot through a parking lot before they are arrested, according to KCAL. The next video shows two of the three suspects sitting handcuffed in the back of the patrol car.
“It’s a felony?” one suspect asks.
“B---h new laws,” the other suspect responds. “Stealing is a felony. And this is Orange County b---h they don’t play.”
Seal Beach police explained Proposition 36, which creates harsher penalties for organized theft.
“Proposition 36, which voters approved in November 2024, creates stricter penalties for organized theft and expands law enforcement capabilities to combat repeat offenders,” the Seal Beach police statement said. “Specifically, it permits felony charges for petty theft with prior convictions, allows aggregating the value of stolen goods from multiple thefts to meet the $950 felony threshold, and introduces enhancements for theft crimes involving two or more offenders acting in concert.”
The police department said the video was released as part of their “Don’t Steal in Seal” campaign, which highlights arrests to educate the public on the consequences of committing crimes in the city.
“The campaign has received widespread praise for this innovative approach and effectiveness in engaging the community,” the department release said.
The suspects were booked on charges of grand theft, conspiracy to commit a crime and resisting arrest, KCAL reports.
