CHICAGO – Thieves are becoming more and more bold in Cook County, walking out of stores with armloads of merchandise as Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx's social justice policy to not prosecute retail theft under $1000 becomes more well known.
CWBChicago.com posted the following video on social media this week, appearing to show several men walking out of a Marshall's store in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood with armloads of coats as store employees standby.
As one of her first policies in office, State’s Attorney Kim Foxx declared retail theft charges would be misdemeanors unless thieves steal over $1000 or have 10 prior felony convictions to receive the same punishment. Others say the limit she seriously pursues is over $2500.
This issue was a topic at a recent candidate forum hosted by south Cook County's Bremen Township GOP Organization and the Will County GOP in early December.The two GOP candidates for state's attorney that participated disagreed with Foxx's policies.
"I'd follow the law," attorney Chris Pfankuche said when asked about the policy. "Kim Foxx is setting arbitrary theft limits. She violates her oath of office every single day – I will follow the law."
Pat O'Brien – who recently stepped into Republican circles after voting and working for Mayor Daley – said there's really no attempt to prosecute felony retail theft in the Foxx administration. "The ideas that you can change behavior by ignoring it doesn't work," he said. "Professional thieves not being prosecuted, they're selling the merchandise for drugs – causing more problems."
While Indiana has a higher threshold for theft being a felony rather than a misdemeanor, the point is the legislature set that limit, not a county state's attorney like Foxx is, O'Brien said.
"The difference is those limits were set by the legislature," he said. " Astate's attorney should not be telling the legislature which laws she will enforce."
That particular part of the night's discussion is available here:
