It's been a season of crime in California, real and perceived.

Smash and grab thefts, follow-home robberies, high-profile murders,

national, even international news accounts have painted a golden state of chaos.

But the numbers tell a different story.

Some major crime indicators are up, others are down.

We're nowhere near historical highs, but that

reality isn't making anyone happy. And when Californians get mad about crime, watch out America.

I'm Gustavo Ariano. You're listening to The Times, Daily News from the LA Times. It's Friday, January 7, 2021.

Today, we examine California's historical approach to crime waves.

Basically, the state didn't just throw the book at people.

It dumped the entire library on them.

You'll hear from my fellow L.A. Times Metro columnist Erica D. Smith about the state's legacy.

And I'll also chat with our fellow colleague, Sam Dean, about how luxury stores are taking advantage of public fear right now and making it work to their advantage.

A company spokesman says despite increases in security, theft at the San Francisco stores

is five times the Walgreens average. The company says organized retail theft is causing

it to close five more stores. Tension on the streets right now is palpable. Rich people feel

threatened in a way they haven't in a while, if ever.

And that has criminal justice reform advocates worried that their years-long efforts,

like bail reform, defund the police, decriminalization of certain offenses,

that those efforts might be derailed or undone altogether by politicians and the public.

L.A. Times Metro columnist Erica D. Smith recently wrote about this in the wake of the killing

of Jacqueline Avon, the prominent black philanthropist.

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