RED BLUFF, California — In a disturbing development, three former employees of a Home Depot store in Red Bluff claim they were fired for trying to catch a serial thief last year, a claim that underscores the ongoing tension between retail asset protection measures and recent changes in the law that have impacted theft offenses.

The controversy revolves around Proposition 47, passed in 2014, which decriminalized certain drug and theft offenses from felonies to misdemeanors. Retailers have expressed concern that the measure has increased theft by making it more difficult to effectively combat shoplifting. Critics attribute this view to the fact that such changes in the law have limited the abilities of asset protection professionals who are supposed to prevent shoplifting.

Jonathan Stelly, a former customer experience manager at Home Depot, expressed his frustration with the current situation.

“This really shows how wrong it is for companies to set boundaries and policies and then fire really good people for doing their jobs,” Stelly said. He and his former colleagues claim that their attempts to catch a repeat offender led to their firing, even though their actions were in line with company protocols.

Governor Gavin Newsom has responded to these concerns by signing 10 bills that address shoplifting, property theft and auto theft. The legislation is designed to strengthen existing laws and adjust the provisions of Prop 47 to better align the needs of businesses and the legal system. “These bills will strengthen other laws and address the problems with Prop 47,” Newsom said. He promised tougher enforcement, tougher penalties and real consequences for crime-related problems.

Stelly supports these legislative changes because he believes they will create a better environment for asset protection teams.

“I think it’s a good idea to make it easier for companies and firms to protect the integrity of their customers and employees while giving them the ability to make arrests and detentions,” Stelly said.

Interestingly, Stelly and his colleagues say that the shoplifter they previously caught has since contacted Wesley Johnson, who worked in asset protection. According to them, the person has turned his life around, undergone rehabilitation and acknowledged the events that led to his firing.

As the debate over Prop 47 continues, this case highlights the complex confrontation between criminal justice reform and the practical reality of shameless criminality in California.