The OCDA is letting criminals know that it doesn’t pay to commit crimes in Orange County

SANTA ANA – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has launched a multi-county public safety advertising campaign to make it clear that crime doesn’t pay in Orange County and that thieves will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Over the last several years, Orange County has experienced a significant number of defendants coming from Los Angeles, Riverside, and other surrounding counties with the sole purpose of committing residential burglaries and robberies, smash and grabs, and commercial burglaries.

Using federal asset forfeiture money, the District Attorney’s Office has taken advertising space out on static and electronic billboards on major freeways coming into Orange County from Los Angeles and Riverside counties as well as on billboards throughout Orange County, including a billboard at the Outlets at Orange with the simple message:

CRIME DOESN’T PAY IN ORANGE COUNTY

IF YOU STEAL, WE PROSECUTE

THE ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE

The public safety advertising campaign also includes ads on public transit buses in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Norwalk, and Glendale, bumper stickers, and digital marketing advertising targeting active cell phone users in the counties of Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Imperial counties.

The billboard and bus ads alone are estimated to reach more than 38 million people over a four-week period. The Department of Justice and the Department of the Treasury Asset Forfeiture allows monies seized from criminal operations to be used by law enforcement to pay for advertising to deter crime.

“There is nothing more important than public safety,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “My job – and the job of my prosecutors, investigators, and staff – is to keep you – and your loved ones safe. Sacramento hasn’t made our jobs easy. When the risk is far less than the reward, it’s no surprise that criminals are committing smash and grabs, residential burglaries, and simply walking out the front door of stores with arms full of stolen merchandise. While you’re standing in line waiting to pay for your items. Crime doesn’t pay in Orange County. Sacramento may be rolling out the red carpet for thieves – but here in Orange County we’re throwing the book at criminals who come here to steal. If you steal, we will prosecute. It’s that simple.”

Recognizing the onslaught of home invasion burglaries and robberies, commercial burglaries, and smash and grab robberies, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer created a vertical prosecution unit in June 2022 to prosecute these cases from filing to conviction. H.E.I.S.T. (Home Invasion. Eradication. Interdiction. Strike. Team.) consists of six veterans prosecutors and four district attorney investigators dedicated to prosecuting these cases while working with our law enforcement partners across Southern California to identify, arrest, and successfully prosecute these burglary crews.

If you are retailer interested in displaying this advertising on your electronic billboard, please contact Orange County District Attorney’s Office Director of Public Affairs Kimberly Edds at 714-504-1917 or at Kimberly.edds@ocdapa.org.

Art Pedroza Editor

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

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