Here’s an article from San Francisco [0].

> Under current state law, shoplifting merchandise valued under $950 is considered a misdemeanor and often not investigated.

The law classifies it as a misdemeanor. Police aren’t investigating and prosecutors aren’t prosecuting.

So it’s an issue of enforcing law vs technically having a law.

Cities can individually choose to change this and deter shoplifting by prosecuting this as misdemeanors can still have up to a year in jail.

[0] https://www.nbcbayarea.com/investigations/shoplifting-san-fr...