A recent report by ABC Action News identifies car burglaries as a near epidemic throughout parts of Fresno. Several media sources, including the Fresno Bee, are highlighting the crime and encouraging the public to take notice. Politicians, civic leaders and law enforcement authorities are likely to feel pressure to become more aggressive in their efforts to curtail the crime. This can mean that innocent people will get caught up in the dragnet.
The ABC report describes the plight of a single parent whose car window is smashed when she enters a store for a few moments. The story is dramatic and powerful and it is not an isolated incident. ABC News asserts that "these criminals are equal opportunity offenders who don't discriminate based on area. Every policing district has seen an increase in break-ins compared to this time last year. The highest increase is in Northeast Fresno." If you are arrested for suspicion of breaking into cars, you should be aware that law enforcement officers and prosecutors are becoming increasingly aggressive in their efforts to prosecute this crime. Many property crimes have recently been reduced from felonies to misdemeanors. But a conviction on misdemeanor charges carries serious penalties especially if prosecutors want to use your conviction as a deterrent. In such cases, you especially need an experienced and aggressive criminal defense attorney.