Here in California, they passed a bunch of laws over the last three years..... Release everyone who is "non-violent". To reduce prison overcrowding. Then reduce what qualifies as "violent" (now you can drug and rape a woman, and you can shoot a cop, and it's not considered violent) to further reduce crowding by releasing those on drug charges with violent add on charges. Add to that, they raised the $$ amount threshold for misdemeanor/felony from $500 to $900. So all these recently released upright citizens go around stealing anything under $900....
It's gotten crazy with all the petty theft.