Photo of sign apparently mocking California retail theft law goes viral

SAN FRANCISCO ( KRON ) — A sign posted this week outside of the Louis Vuitton store in downtown San Francisco has caught the internet’s attention. Photos of the sign began to circulate on social media and have since gone viral — one X post has more than 7.7 million views.

The sign, which reads “STOLEN GOODS MUST REMAIN UNDER $950,” appears to mock retail theft law in California.

In the state, retail thefts are prosecuted as a felony only if the value of the stolen items exceeds $950. Retail theft valued less than that is charged as a misdemeanor. That has been the case since voters passed Proposition 47 in 2014.

A San Francisco Department of Public Works spokesperson told Nexstar’s KRON that the sign was not put up by the city. The spokesperson added that a city worker was sent on Sunday to check it out.

However, by the time the worker was there, there was no sign located.

A San Francisco Police Department spokesperson confirmed to Snopes the sign did exist, but had been taken down.

“We can confirm that this unauthorized sign was posted and was immediately removed upon discovery,” Officer Robert Rueca said.

Another photo of the same sign was also seen outside of a Dior store nearby, which was victim to a smash-and-grab last fall . Around $150,000 worth of items were taken from the luxury designer store.

The Dior store theft is one of many incidents of retail theft that have occurred in San Francisco’s Union Square neighborhood throughout the years. In 2021, the Louis Vuitton store was burglarized and looted.

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