Vacaville man cited after nearly $800 in groceries stolen from Davis grocery store

DAVIS – A Vacaville man was cited by Davis police for shoplifting nearly $800 worth of groceries Monday morning.

A local grocery store reported a theft in progress, as the suspect pushed a cart full of items out of the store and loaded them into his car, police say.

After loading the groceries, which included milk, eggs, and wine, into his car, he left the grocery store. Davis police stopped him nearby and he was cited, according to a Davis police spokesperson.

"People are stealing everything because they know they can. There's no consequences for anything, so is there a segment stealing necessities," Sacramento County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Amar Gandhi said.

Need and opportunity can be catalysts for driving up incidents of retail crime, experts say.

The Retail Theft Reduction Act proposes a new felony charge for thieves who steal more than $950 worth of property with the intent to sell, exchange or return merchandise for value.

Right now, under Prop 47, thefts like this, worth less than $950, can only be charged as misdemeanors, not felonies.

"These big retailers can absorb a lot of these costs, but when they do, those costs are then being passed on to you when you're paying more for these goods," Gandhi said.

Sympathetic shoppers could see the why behind this crime but still paid at check out.

All of the items were returned to the store.