Shaming shoplifters suggested by Aurora City Council member

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An Aurora City Council member has suggested shoplifters in the city should be publicly shamed for stealing.

Council member Steve Sundberg, a small business owner, made his remarks during the Planning and Community Development Policy Committee meeting Aug. 14. He did not offer specifics but hinted he and the police department may have something in the works. He likened the shaming to the public humiliation of johns on Colfax Avenue "back in the day."

Steve Sundberg wants shoplifters to know Aurora means business

In a statement to the author of this article, Sundberg said: "Of course, I would like to see more arrests for shoplifting, but as we currently face a shortage of police officers we look for other ideas. There are repeat, even daily offenses by certain people victimizing these stores and literally causing them to go out of business. We will have a sporting goods store location sadly go out of business before their lease expires because of rampant theft (Sundberg said during the meeting it is Dicks's Sporting Goods). I don’t have legislation in mind, but I’d like to see new efforts with an incoming permanent police chief and public information officers in the department. I want to demonstrate we are proactively fighting crime in the city. More actual footage of crime fighting, like what Westminster did in this situation: https://share.newsbreak.com/89ykio06.

"A specialty merchandise store in the Los Angeles area is having success by posting images of people and footage of theft called 'The new mug shot' on their Instagram page," the statement continues. "They ask who the person is and the public helps in identifying them. It’s led to drastic reduction in shoplifting at their stores. Sometimes, the individual will contact the store and offer to return the merchandise if they take their picture down.They are finding it is not just economically disadvantaged people stealing, but in California, especially, people who are wealthy are shoplifting, because they know there are essentially no consequences."

Sundberg's remarks during the meeting came in response to a larger conversation about retail theft in Aurora. Sundberg noted that merchants going out of business because of high losses leave behind vacant storefronts that become blighted. Robert Oliva, senior project manager for the city, said several initiatives are under way aimed at educating retailers about theft. They have been told they must report crimes for police to investigate them. They also are being offered incentives for initiating security measures, Oliva said.

King Sooper's reduces shoplifting with signs

Representatives from the community development and police departments have been meeting with major retailers along with Mayor Mike Coffman and council member Danielle Jurinsky. Oliva said King Sooper's disclosed during one meeting that new signs placed in the store alerting shoplifters to Aurora's tough laws has significantly discouraged theft. Oliva said the city has offered to print such signs for other retailers and deliver them to their businesses.

In February, the City Council mandated three days minimum sentence in the city jail for people who steal items worth $100 or more. The city already had a mandatory jail sentence for those stealing $300 or more worth of merchandise. For shoplifters who are repeat offenders, the bill imposed a 90-day minimum jail sentence. Those who have been convicted of shoplifting three times must serve a minimum 180 days in jail.

The Aurora Chamber of commerce also has launched a campaign to educate small businesesses about theft. The next meeting will be 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 29 at the People's Building, 9995 E. Colfax Ave. It will be livestreamed.

In May, Walmart announced it was closing its neighborhood store on Colfax in Aurora. Mayor Mike Coffman met with the retailer and agreed that city officials would meet monthly with local Walmart managers to ensure that the city and Walmart are working closely together on reducing retail theft.