Two people were arrested on suspicion of felony theft following an organized retail theft operation in Hemet last weekend, authorities said.
The Hemet Police Department’s Organized Retail Theft team made the arrests on Friday for felony theft charges under Proposition 36, police said Saturday.
Proposition 36, otherwise known as the Homelessness Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act, allows law enforcement to arrest individuals regarding theft, property damage and drug-related crimes that previously would have been “cited and released in the field with a court appearance date,” police said.
No further information on the suspect’s names or background was immediately available.
“With the implementation of Proposition 36, the men and women of the Hemet Police Department are committed to enforcing the new regulations passed by California voters,” Police Chief Michael Arellano said.
Anyone with information regarding retail theft incidents was urged to contact the Hemet Police Department at 951-765-2400.