In an ironic series of misfortunate events, a California Democrat was robbed while addressing the state's sweeping crime problem due to soft-on-crime policies.
Bay Area councilman Kalimah Priforce, who describes himself as socially progressive, had his wallet and keys stolen from his bike bag while speaking with residents in the crime-infested Democratic area about the uptick of retail theft happening at businesses.
The incident occurred at the Bay Street Mall in Emeryville, which has seen rampant crime and theft thanks to liberal leaders not prosecuting criminals.
Emeryville, a suburban town in Oakland, is supposed to be an upscale place to live and one of the best places to own a home in California. However, the fact that Priforce was robbed in broad daylight in a suburb highlights the grim situation the Democratic state faces.
Recently, the mall made headlines after a mob of at least 50 teenagers stormed the stores, forcing Bath and Body employees to lock "themselves in the stockroom" for protection. The incident resulted in one gunshot and a stabbing.
"A lot of stores that can't afford private guards need panic buttons, a direct line to the police, so they don't have to actually pick up the phone [and] call the police dispatch," Priforce stated.
The councilman called for better protection for business owners, saying that the city needs to equip stores with better cameras and surveillance.
"Unfortunately, we place more emphasis on luxury-rate market apartments in our cities than we do on our public safety," Priforce continued.
California is not the only state to face rampage theft. Other Democrat-run cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Philadelphia have also endured skyrocketing crime.
This week, a Chicago television crew was robbed at gunpoint while, ironically, reporting on robberies.
The Spanish-language station Univision Chicago crew was held at gunpoint by three armed men wearing ski masks demanding money. According to authorities, the criminals stole a few personal belongings from the team before fleeing the scene.
According to a 2022 report, California's violent crime rate increased by 6.1 percent since 2021, and property crime was up 6.2 percent. However, the report found that despite homicides taking a slight dip, robberies jumped by 10.2 percent.