The poll, released Wednesday evening, shows that 71% of voters are likely to vote yes on the initiative, while 26% would vote no. California Republicans favor the ballot measure the most, with 85% saying they would vote yes. About 63% of Democrats and 73% of independents also said they would vote yes.  

A “yes” vote on Prop. 36 would roll back provisions of Prop. 47, a voter-approved initiative that reduced some felonies to misdemeanors and set a $950 threshold for shoplifting charges.

Proposition 36 would also create a new treatment-focused court process for some drug possession crimes and require courts to warn people convicted of selling or providing illegal drugs to others that they can be charged with murder if they keep doing so and someone dies, according to the state’s Legislative Analyst Office.

“When asked how important the outcome of the vote on Proposition 36 is, three in four likely voters say it is very (41%) or somewhat important (36%). Those who would vote yes on the measure are three times more likely than those who would vote no to call it very important (51% to 16%),” according to the study.

Despite millions being allocated by Gov. Gavin Newsom to cities and counties targeting organized retail crime, shoplifting crimes continue to be an issue.

A study by the Council of Criminal Justice, a nonpartisan research organization, showed that shoplifting incidents in New York and Los Angeles had increased by over 60% between 2019 and the middle of 2023.

Recently, Newsom signed a “smash and grab” law that would increase penalties for individuals who take, damage, or destroy property while committing any felony.

The study also evaluated likely voters’ views on other ballot measures, such as Prop 3, which would enshrine marriage rights in the state constitution, and Prop 35, which would provide permanent funding for Medi-Cal Health Care Services.

The poll was conducted between Aug. 29 and Sept. 9 among 1,071 likely voters. The sampling error is plus or minus 3.7%.

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The Moreno Valley Sheriff’s Station Special Enforcement Team had been investigating the trailer cargo theft ring since February and served a search warrant on the warehouse off of Highway 74 on Thursday night in an unincorporated area called Good Hope.

Inside the warehouse, deputies found pallets stacked high with stolen goods, including food and industrial-grade tools, the department said.

Retail theft has been an increasing problem in the last year or so, prompting state and local officials to respond by creating task forces and proposing legislation to impose harsher penalties on repeat offenders and allow retailers to file restraining orders against repeat culprits.

Truck driver Rajdeep Singh, 34, was detained at the Good Hope location during the search and arrested on suspicion of possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia.

“This is an ongoing investigation, and deputies are working to determine Singh’s involvement and identifying additional suspects,” the department said in a statement.

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The suspects, all residents of Jurupa Valley, were identified by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department as:

• Thomas Balandran, 50
• Sherri Alvarez, 48
• Brianna Balandran, 19
• Unidentified juvenile, 17

On April 24, deputies responded to a business in Temecula where thieves attempted to steal over $1,000 worth of merchandise.

Investigators identified the suspects and discovered they were responsible for at least 10 retail thefts throughout Riverside, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles counties. The family had reportedly stolen over $7,000 worth of items during those incidents, authorities said.

On May 13, a search warrant was served at a home in the 6800 block of Valley Way in Jurupa Valley.

During the search, deputies found a large amount of stolen merchandise with price tags still attached. Other items, including narcotics and paraphernalia, were also found in the home.

Detectives learned there were additional homes connected to the thefts that involved suspects knowingly buying stolen goods to resell for profit, also known as “fencing.”

On May 14, two additional warrants were served in Moreno Valley where over $3,000 worth of stolen items were found.

The adult family members were arrested on charges of organized retail theft, burglary, conspiracy, and grand theft. The 17-year-old juvenile was released to a family member and charges will be filed with juvenile probation.

Deputies discovered that Balandran was on probation for grand theft at the time and additional charges were added to include violation of probation and drug-related offenses.

Investigators believe there are more retail thefts involving the family that have not been reported.

Anyone with additional information can call Deputy Christina Weber at 951-696-3133.

“The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office has zero tolerance for these offenses and will continue to work proactively with our allied agencies, loss prevention partners, and the District Attorney’s Office to combat organized retail crime,” authorities said.

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