Billboards in LA, OC warn 'Crime doesn't pay in Orange County'

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. - Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer has launched a multi-county public safety ad campaign with the message "Crime Doesn't Pay in Orange County." The campaign includes billboards, bus ads, bumper stickers, and digital marketing aimed at sending a clear message to potential criminals: "If you steal, we prosecute."

These billboards line major highways in both Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Spitzer initiated the campaign due to the fact that a majority of suspects arrested for smash-and-grab and aggravated theft in Orange County are not residents of the county.

The billboards are set to remain up for four weeks and are funded using federal asset forfeiture money rather than taxpayer dollars. This initiative reflects Spitzer's commitment to combating crime and promoting public safety across multiple counties in Southern California.

The core objective of the campaign is to underscore that crime won't go unpunished in Orange County, and perpetrators will face full prosecution, according to Spitzer. It encompasses various mediums including billboards on major freeways, ads on public transit buses, and digital marketing campaigns targeting cell phone users.

Spitzer emphasized the paramount importance of public safety, asserting, "If you steal, we will prosecute." Recognizing the surge in burglaries and robberies, Spitzer established a specialized unit tasked with prosecuting these cases comprehensively, from filing to conviction.

The public safety advertising campaign also includes ads on public transit buses in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Norwalk, and Glendale.

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.

A new billboard campaign warns criminals: 'Crime doesn't pay in Orange County.'

"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."