Santa Clara County DA commits $150,000 to retail crime prevention programs

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Santa Clara County small businesses have been the target of major organized retail crimes in the past few weeks, including at least two jewelry stores in San Jose and Milpitas.

The same crews have been linked to other crimes by law enforcement.

While criminals are changing the way they commit crimes, local leaders are changing the ways to prevent them.

"This is absolutely, hundred percent unacceptable and not on our watch in our county," Santa Clara Co. Supervisor Otto Lee said. "We cannot, must not tolerate such violent, disgusting acts."

A joint commitment from the City of San Jose and County of Santa Clara following a brazen and dangerous break-in at the Kim Hung jewelry store.

VIDEO: 88-year-old store owner assaulted during brazen smash-and-grab heist in San Jose

The 88-year-old store owner suffered a stroke and was also cut by broken glass after the assault, according to sources. No arrests have been made.

Not only did the robbery lead to thousands of dollars of damage and stolen goods, but the shop's owner suffered a stroke and a heart attack after being pushed over.

Thankfully, he is out of the hospital recovering. But District Attorney Jeff Rosen is not letting crimes like this slide.

"Organized retail theft gangs are terrorizing our community," Rosen said. "And they're not just destroying storefronts and stealing jewelry - they're destroying dreams."

DA Rosen's office is contributing $150,000 to keep those dreams alive.

The money will be used for new programs combatting retail crime throughout the county that aims to stop crews who have been linked to the Kim Hung break-in, as well as another in Milpitas.

VIDEO: Suspects smash front of Milpitas jewelry store before being scared off by owner

Surveillance video captures a group of masked suspects smashing into the front of Fine Jewelry in Milpitas, but within seconds, the suspects flee after the owner fires a shot.

The funding from DA Rosen's office will pay for 200 devices for small businesses throughout Santa Clara County to connect their security systems to San Jose PD's real-time intelligence center. To stop crime in its tracks while it's happening.

"When a business participates in the program, our department members can see a crime as it happens, using camera feeds that they authorize and then we relay that information to responding officers," SJPD Chief Paul Joseph said.

"I feel unsafe," Pho John owner John Phan said. "I mean, if they do this to this business, they can do any other business - including mine. So, I'm glad that, because of this incident, having this program can help local business prevent all this from happening again."

The City of San Jose in particular has seen great success with other safety technology programs.

INTERACTIVE: Take a look at the ABC7 Neighborhood Safety Tracker

In this same district, Councilmember Domingo Candelas says a mobile surveillance program has nearly eliminated incidents where the cameras are at.

There's hope for similar success with this real time intelligence center.

"Bad actors who want to harm our city are always getting better at what they do, so our police department must do the same," Mayor Matt Mahan said. "We need to innovate faster than those who would do harm." ))

Businesses can purchase their own devices to connect to the network or register their existing systems for police use by visiting ConnectSanJose.org.