The Desert Review
By Armando Camarena
Anyone who’s been to an auction knows the adrenaline and anxiety of a bidding war, that rush of “What’s going to happen next?” Unfortunately, those running the auction yard are similarly struck with a feeling of suspense for a different reason, we’re wondering when vandalism or theft might strike next.
I’ve seen theft nearly every form. My first experience with it wasn’t from a stranger. It was an inside job. Our night shift employee thought no one would notice him stealing parts from vehicles on our lot, for his own car, or to sell to friends.
External theft has been an even bigger problem. Thieves have rammed vehicles through our gates to break in, leaving behind wrecked, stripped-out cars abandoned days later. For years, we battled a lone thief who would cut through our fence monthly, stealing parts and equipment ahead of our auctions. We spent thousands on cameras, shifted employee hours to catch him, and repeatedly called the police. Nothing worked.
These aren’t isolated stories. Commercial property crime is a real and serious problem across California. In San Bernardino County alone, property crimes increased by 3.7% in 2023. Statewide, California leads the nation in organized retail theft, with businesses losing an estimated $4.4 billion annually. Although some state officials continue to tout otherwise, business owners like me know that the data is flawed.
The losses are steep: stolen equipment, damaged property, lost productivity, and higher insurance premiums.
It’s frustrating, costly, and demoralizing.
When we expanded to a site in Colton, security was top of mind. Areas like ours, commercial, manufacturing, and industrial, are easy targets for criminals who know they’ll likely never get caught.
We must start talking openly about giving business owners the innovative and cost-effective tools to stop crime before it happens. Traditional security systems, cameras, alarms, and guards are reactive. They don’t deter criminals who know they’ll be gone long before police arrive. What’s needed are technologies that prevent crime.
That’s when we looked into electrified security fencing, a solution many businesses still don’t know about. We learned it was legal in California and – thanks to the recently passed AB 2371 (Carrillo, D-39) – the process was simple to secure the necessary permits. Once the system was installed, everything changed.
Electrified security fencing creates a physical barrier that’s nearly impossible to climb or cut through, while sending a clear message to thieves: “Don’t even think about it!” This combination physically blocks offenders and psychologically deters them from even attempting a break-in.
AB 2371 was a game changer for us and hundreds of Californians. Passed in late 2024 with bipartisan support, it streamlined the permitting process for installing electrified security fencing by cutting permitting times down to just days in many jurisdictions. The law removed layers of red tape while still upholding strong safety standards like warning signs, emergency shut-offs, and international certifications.
Since the bill became law, more than 600 businesses have already filed permits for these systems, proof that we can’t keep reacting after the damage is done.
Technology like this shouldn’t be a last resort. It should be part of a broader conversation about giving business owners effective tools to prevent crime. Often, policy conversations in Sacramento focus on what happens after the theft: what’s being stolen, whether charges will be pressed, and what the sentencing should be. But prevention spares small business owners from the burdensome judicial process, saving them time, energy, and resources.
California businesses cannot survive in a climate where crime prevention is treated as an afterthought. It’s time to make prevention the rule, not the exception.
Armando L. Camarena is an advocate for proactive measures that support safer communities and stronger local economies. Camarena has 40 years of experience in California’s automotive auction industry and is the owner and CEO of U.S. Auctions LLC—an automotive auction house based in San Bernardino County.