Marin authorities focus on curbing holiday retail theft

Novato police Officer Adrian Roman spent the morning of Black Friday patrolling the city with a watchful eye.

He made the rounds along Grant Avenue in the city’s downtown and took a spin through Vintage Oaks Shopping Center off Rowland Boulevard.

The unofficial start to the holiday shopping season is generally the time when thieves seek valuables such as gifts and purses left in busy shoppers’ parked vehicles, he said.

“A lot of people are not aware of their surroundings, and that bothers me,” Roman said.

Police agencies such as Novato, San Rafael, Central Marin and others are assigning extra staff to patrol retail centers this shopping season. Law enforcement agencies are urging shoppers and residents to take greater care to help prevent thefts during the holidays.

“This is the time of year when the number increases just because of the number of people shopping, more vehicles, more packages, more opportunities,” Novato police Lt. Nick Frey said about the rise in theft during the holidays.

“We’re definitely all in on this to make the shoppers feel a little bit safer and the business owners feel a little bit safer, and to just let them know we’re out there,” he said.

In Novato, Frey said, police are focusing more on foot patrols in the downtown area where business owners have raised concerns about homeless people.

Stephanie Koehler, executive director of the Downtown Novato Business Association, said reports of incidents in which homeless people yell at passersby and harass business owners are on the rise. Koehler said the increased police foot patrols on Grant Avenue might act as a deterrent.

Frey said that police are also working to assist homeless people.

“We’re trying to connect them with the services as well as adhering to the laws and regulations to make sure their rights are not being violated,” he said.

Retail thefts, auto burglaries, auto thefts and robberies tend to spike during the holidays, Novato police Lt. Sophia Winter said. Last year, reported larcenies in Novato rose from 428 cases in 2021 to 576 cases in 2022. Auto burglaries jumped from 60 cases in 2021 to 108 cases in 2022, according to police.

Novato police are also raising awareness of package thefts. On Tuesday, a thief was caught on camera stealing several packages from the porch at a house on Laurelwood Drive. Police are advising residents to take measures such as installing video doorbells and alarm systems, leaving porch lights on and having packages delivered to a secure place such as a lockbox or an Amazon locker.

In San Rafael, overall property crime is down since last year, but the city has had a 58% increase in shoplifting cases in 2023 compared to last year, according to the police department.

“The San Rafael Police Department will continue to have extra patrols around our local businesses, retail locations and neighborhoods,” Sgt. Justin Graham said.

On Wednesday night, a shopper walking to her car in the parking lot at Target in San Rafael was robbed of the Xbox video game console she had just purchased. Police reported that two robbers wearing ski masks came up from behind and stole the victim’s purse and gaming system before running away.

In Central Marin, police Sgt. Jeff Peterson said the staff is mainly focusing on large shopping destinations such as Corte Madera Town Center and Marin Country Mart in Larkspur. He said the department has a good relationship with private security companies that report suspicious activities.

“Auto burglaries haven’t been as much of a trend as they used to be,” Peterson said about Central Marin’s jurisdiction. “The primary concern for our citizens and businesses is on the side of retail.”

Elsewhere, in southern Marin, the Mill Valley Market fell victim to retail theft last month when three suspects allegedly robbed the store and stole an estimated $1,200 worth of merchandise, mostly alcohol. Employees detained them after they tried to flee.

Ryan Canepa, a manager and co-owner of the store, said that his staff hasn’t noticed a spike in thefts during past holidays. He said the staff hasn’t changed its policy of detaining suspected thieves.

“We always tried to catch people who steal from us,” Canepa said.

In September, the National Retail Federation estimated that the retail industry recorded $112 billion in losses from theft last year, according to its survey of retail security executives. That is an increase from $93 billion reported in 2021.

“Retails are seeing unprecedented levels of theft coupled with rampant crime in their stores, and the situation is becoming more dire,” said David Johnson, a federation vice president.

Also in September, the California Board of State and Community Corrections issued $242 million in grants for 38 law enforcement agencies to combat organized retail theft.

And last month, the California Highway Patrol announced a coordinated statewide task force would be deployed to combat organized retail crime. The CHP is working with local law enforcement agencies to identify and locate retail theft suspects.

“We work closely with our retail partners to locate, recover and process large amounts of stolen goods that have been stolen from retail establishments across the Bay Area,” said Officer Andrew Barclay of the CHP’s Golden Gate Division.

Back in Novato, throughout his Black Friday patrol, Officer Roman made himself visible to discourage potential thieves. He said he looked for suspicious activities such as pedestrians who avoid eye contact with him, and drivers who repeatedly circle around a parking lot that has plenty of open spaces.

Roman said it only takes 10 to 15 seconds to secure valuables in a trunk, which is the toughest place for a thief to access.

“A lot of people are so complacent and think it’s not going to happen,” Roman said of theft. “But it’s a cold world we live in right now and retail theft is spiking, unfortunately.”

Theft prevention tips

Marin County sheriff’s Sgt. Adam Schermerhorn said keeping a few tips in mind could help people avoid becoming a crime victim. The sheriff’s office recommends:

• locking doors and windows of vehicles and homes; securing or avoiding leaving valuables in cars
• being aware of surroundings and parking in well-lit areas
• shopping during daylight hours, if possible
• activating vehicle and home alarm systems
• tracking package deliveries and ensuring packages are not left out all day
• looking out for neighbors
• reporting suspicious or criminal activities to authorities