A while back, I did a column that compiled a list of scam terms and today I’m going to feature one in particular: Smishing.

As I previously wrote, I hate this word. It sounds gross and feels gross to write and say. According to the Federal Communications Commission, the FCC, the term is a combination of SMS (Short Message Service, or texting) and phishing, a scam in which the perpetrator pretends to be a legitimate organization or company. In shorthand, smishing is just phishing but through text instead of email.

Recently, the United States Postal Service had to issue a warning because scammers pretending to be USPS are sending fake package tracking links to people that ultimately put malware on devices.

The target gets a text message from someone claiming to be with the USPS offering to provide free package updates, even though tracking is generally free to begin with through most legitimate carrier websites, and asks you to fill out an online form to see where your package is at.

You go to the website and at that point, the site can begin creeping nasty software to your phone or tablet. The form itself can even ask for personal information directly. The goal of these scams is to get as much information about you as possible to eventually commit some form of financial fraud.

In the case of the postal service, a statement was issued declaring that it would never send text messages or emails without the customer asking for it or agreeing to it beforehand.

Stay safe out there folks and enjoy the spring weather while we have it.

Scam of the Week generally runs every Tuesday. Readers are welcome to contact reporter Jake Hutchison to report scams and potential scams they have come in contact with by calling 828-1329 or via email at jhutchison@chicoer.com.

The agenda features two other revisits: fees for retrieving shopping carts removed from retailers and removing the city’s limit on downtown bars. Closed session includes updates for councilors on labor negotiations and Warren v. Chico as well as quarterly performance reviews of the city manager, city clerk and city attorney.

Assembly Bill 481 requires local law enforcement agencies to submit an annual report to the state with an updated inventory of items the bill classifies as military equipment and policies for utilizing this equipment. AB481 also requires a public engagement meeting, which Police Chief Billy Aldridge conducted Thursday evening in City Council Chambers.

The inaugural AB481 report went to councilors for approval before the public engagement meeting. Aldridge flipped the sequence this year and told the two-dozen attendees he’d amend the report should input merit changing it. He told this newspaper Friday that he did not need to do so after reviewing questions and comments.

In December, councilors put the brakes on resetting monetary amounts in an ordinance that would impose a fee on businesses when the city picks up abandoned shopping carts off the retailer’s property. Code Enforcement brings back a proposal that still would charge businesses that don’t respond to a notice within three days. The recommended charge would be $20 — rising to $50 on the third offense within six months.

Also last year, the council discussed removing from the municipal code a limit on bars in the downtown north district. Questions arose; staff will bring back answers for councilors’ consideration.

The Chico City Council meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday at 421 Main St.; closed session starts at 5 p.m. Meetings are free and open to the public.

According to Megan McMann, community relations coordinator for BCSO, Radtke left a suicide note in his truck and later killed himself. McMann said there is no evidence of foul play, and that his body was found Saturday morning in Cohasset by Butte County Search and Rescue.

The search began when Radtke’s family contacted the sheriff’s office Friday to report him missing.

According to a press release Friday, “Prior to contacting BCSO, the family obtained information that Mr. Radtke had possibly traveled to Cohasset. On the morning of March 29, Mr. Radtke’s vehicle was located in the area of Cohasset Road and Musty Buck Road.”

Butte County Search and Rescue used dogs and drones in their search for Radtke.

McMann said the investigation into Radtke’s death is still ongoing.

“The Homeless, Drug Addiction, Retail Theft Reduction Act would take out the bad efforts of Prop. 47 that made all drug possessions misdemeanors,” said Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey. “It decriminalized drugs which drives addition which impacts mental health issues and homelessness. Particularly since 2015, we’ve seen homelessness increase 51% in California while homelessness in the nation has gone down 11%. Does this tie in to Prop. 47? I believe so. This is not a red or blue issue, it’s a California issue.”

Under Prop. 47, passed by voters on Nov. 5, 2014, some non-violent property crimes including commercial burglary, possession of stolen property and grand theft crimes, where the value does not exceed $950, were reduced from felonies to misdemeanors. It also made some drug possession offenses, including possession of a controlled substance, into misdemeanors. Prop. 47 also provides that past convictions for these charges may be reduced to a misdemeanor by a court.

“We have got to stop the madness,” said Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea. “I and other public safety officials warned of the damaging effects of Prop. 47. And, now we’re seeing those effects with increased theft and skyrocketing overdoses. This reform act is a chance to change that and I hope people will get behind it.”

The Homeless, Drug Addiction, Retail Theft Reduction Act seeks to reverse significant parts of Prop 47 by allowing felony charges to be brought against those with two or more drug or theft convictions for possessing certain drugs, including fentanyl and for thefts under $950. It would also provide addiction and mental health services for treatment-mandated felony charges but also increase sentences for some other drug and theft crimes.

Oroville Police Chief Bill LaGrone said the reform act would “benefit the community by allowing us, law enforcement, to better do our job.”

“It would reduce retail theft and hold those who choose not to follow the law accountable,” he said.

Oroville City Councilors Tracy Johnstone and Shawn Webber as well as Assistant Police Chief Jess Darnell were among those staffing the table at the 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
signature collection pop-up event. About 140 signatures had been collected during the first hour and half, according to Webber.

“It’s been busy,” said Webber. “I think Prop. 47 was written with the best intentions but the criminal element will do what they do and find loop holes in the law so they think ‘we can do anything we want’ because the drug offenses and thefts under $950 are just misdemeanors.”

Smith and Johnstone concurred with Webber. Smith said Prop. 47 had “unintended negative consequences that have caused suffering for individuals, families and businesses. Reforming Prop. 47 is long overdue.” Johnstone echoed the sentiments saying it was “time to make a change and hold people accountable.”

Among those who signed the petition Friday was Mayor Dave Pittman who said conditions under Prop. 47 are “not sustainable. Things have to change, period.”

State organizations that support the Homeless, Drug Addiction, Retail Theft Reduction Act include the California District Attorneys Association, the California Police Chiefs Association, Crime Victims United and the California Sheriffs Association among others.

Officers responded to a report of a shooting into a home around 2:25 a.m. Thursday near D Street and Roseben Avenue and found the three people with gunshot wounds, according to a news release from the Oroville Police Department. Several bullet casings were found in the area.

While officers were at the home investigating, they heard more gunshots to the west on Elgin Street. They searched the area and found a second home that had been shot at, but no one was injured in the second shooting.

Police are investigating both areas and ask anyone with information about the shooting to call 530-538-2444 and ask to speak to Detective Hunter DeHerrera.

Members of the Police Community Advisory Board joined two-dozen fellow Chicoans. City Clerk Debbie Presson and Police Capt. Greg Keeney sorted question cards for the session mandated under state law. It was scheduled for an hour, though Aldridge took an additional 20 minutes to get to every question and engage in a discussion of the term de-escalation.

“The only thing I ask (for a question) is it’s relevant to the topic tonight,” Aldridge prefaced, adding: “It’s pretty much the same presentation as last year with a few updates.”

Assembly Bill 481 requires police agencies to report annually on its use of military equipment and associated policies. The City Council will review and authorize the report Tuesday; councilors received it with the agenda released earlier Thursday, and if the engagement meeting prompts a change, Aldridge promised to revise and resubmit.

“This is being held before (the) council (meets) because this is a request from last year,” he explained, contrasting with 2023 session that followed council approval. “It hurts nothing to allow this to occur before the council meeting.”

The report appears on a dedicated AB 481 webpage on the city’s website (chico.ca.us).

Aldridge went over the inventory of equipment before taking questions. New for this year are a small drone; robots for SWAT (one with a hot gas delivery system he characterized as safer than any before, another with a door-open device in lieu of a breaching shotgun); a Bearcat armored vehicle without a gun in the turret; loud speakers; and less-lethal arms to replace shotguns.

The equipment classified as military grade under AB 481 cost $180,679 — less than a half-percent of the department’s 2023-24 budget — plus $9,700 for training by outside agencies. By comparison, personnel account for $30.1 million, and other operating costs are $6.3 million.

“A lot of the equipment and tactics we use with the equip do de-escalate situations,” Aldridge said, and reduce the number of officer-involved shootings.

For the coming fiscal year, “we plan to ask for nothing new,” he said, beyond standard costs for maintenance, replacement and ammunition. In summation, he said, “We met the requirements of the law and will continue to meet requirements of the law.”

Q&A

After a 40-minute recap of the report, Aldridge took questions, calling on Lt. Joel Schmid and Lt. Omar Peña for more details.

Inquiries ranged from micro (such as the number of beanbags and rifles inventoried) to macro (situations for specific armaments, including drone deployments logged on the department website). He invited further questions by email — cpdpsu@chicoca.gov — or to PCAB representatives.

“Of course, we’re always open to suggestions on policy,” Aldridge said, with the caveat that some policies stem from legal requirements.

One audience member asked the reason Chico is equipped to this extent.

“We can’t just think locally — we need to think globally of what we might be faced with,” Aldridge responded. “We try to have contingencies for anything that may happen. We want to have the tools available, even if we don’t have to use it.

“We would hope you’d want your law enforcement to have the upper hand in critical situations,” he continued, adding: “While it looks like we have this build-out of our arsenal, it’s the standard in law enforcement.”

Police said Sylvia Satara McDaniel, 33, and Brian Dean Martin, 29, were arrested on suspicion of burglary and suspicion of other crimes.

Located at 307 W. Fifth St., the Stansbury Home, which was built in 1883, was reported burglarized Feb. 22. Thousands of dollars of antique items were stolen and the property was vandalized, police said. Dino Corbin, president of the Stansbury Home Preservation Association, described the items taken as “irreplaceable.”

However, some of those items have now been recovered, police said. According to the news release, during a search of Martin’s residence on the 1700 block of Vista Verde Avenue, officers and detectives located and recovered some stolen items from the Stansbury Home.

Police had an arrest warrant for Martin following an incident on March 6 when he allegedly fled from Chico police during a traffic stop.

Martin was arrested for being a felon in possession of ammunition as well as suspicion of burglary and vandalism. McDaniel was arrested on suspicion of burglary and vandalism.

“We are very pleased with the efforts of Chico police detective Kevin Hass and his team. They have worked very hard on this case,” Corbin said. “We are still working on recovering the remaining stolen items and the $5,000 is still being offered for information leading to the return of the remainder of the stolen items.”

WEDNESDAY

Theft

Chico River Road, Chico: A catalytic converter was reported stolen off an irrigation pump.

Olive Highway, Oroville: A man reportedly stole a laundry basket full of ice bags from an outdoor freezer.

Robinson Street, Oroville: A vehicle was reported stolen near the 900 block.

THURSDAY

Assault

Arlington Drive, Chico: Injury against a spouse was reported near the 1300 block.

Burglary

Lincoln Boulevard, Oroville: A houseboat, parked to receive work, was reported broken into with speakers and other items taken, and major damage caused.

Theft

Bird Street, Oroville: Grand theft was reported near the 2200 block.

Linda Loma Drive, Oroville: A vehicle was reported stolen near the 0 block.

Vandalism

Fogg Avenue, Oroville: Vandalism was reported near the 2000 block.

Canyon Highlands Drive, Oroville: Vandalism was reported near the 100 block.

FRIDAY

Assault

Nord Avenue, Chico: Assault with a deadly weapon was reported near the 400 block.

Country Drive, Chico: A shooting at an inhabited dwelling was reported near the 600 block.

Burglary

Cynthiann Lane, Palermo: A person slowly moving into their new home and renovating it reported everything inside was stolen.

Gold Country Lane, Oroville: A trailer was reported broken into.

Stageline Road, Palermo: A 100 gallon tank was reported stolen with a second one attempted to be removed but its well broken.

Theft

Lumpkin Road, Feather Falls: Missing gate locks and bike racks from a school yard were reported.

SATURDAY

Assault

Rio Lindo Avenue, Chico: Assault with a deadly weapon was reported near the 300 block.

Burglary

Chico Oroville Highway, Durham: Firearms and jewelry were reported stolen from a residence.

Theft

Self Lane, Oroville: Two bicycles were reported stolen from an unlocked shed.

SUNDAY

Assault

Broadway Street, Chico: Assault with a deadly weapon was reported near the 300 block.

MONDAY

Burglary

Robinson Street, Oroville: A burglary was reported near the 1700 block.

Miners Ranch Road, Oroville: A house was reported broken into by way of a broken window.

Robbery

East Avenue, Chico: A robbery was reported near the 800 block.

Vandalism

Thermalito Avenue, Oroville: A bullet hole was reported in a greenhouse.

Oroville Bangor Highway, Oroville: A truck was reported vandalized.

TUESDAY

Burglary

Montgomery Street, Oroville: Burglary was reported near the 2300 block.

Foothill Boulevard, Oroville: A burglary was reported.

Virginia Avenue, Oroville: A break-in was reported with the entire house cleared.

Theft

Dayton Road, Chico: Trail cameras installed because of a dumping issue were reported stolen.

Hugo Cardenas, 32, was arrested Monday by the Stockton Police Department following a string of reported events that began in Gridley.

According to the release, Butte County Sheriff’s Office Deputies found Veronica Avalosdecardenas, 55, of Gridley, deceased while responding to an assistance request by Cal Fire-Butte County for a suspicious medical call near the 300 block of Obermeyer Avenue.

The Sheriff’s Office said detectives found evidence leading to suspicion that Cardenas physically assaulted and murdered Avalosdecardenas, then left in a vehicle.

After Stockton police arrested Cardenas, detectives from Butte County Sheriff’s Office traveled to Stockton and gained additional evidence supporting their suspicion, according to the release.

Cardenas is currently booked into Butte County Jail on an open count of murder.

Caseloads have stockpiled and nearly a quarter of the prosecution positions remain unfilled. However, there could be a light at the end of the tunnel.

Butte County’s Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a hiring bonus program for the District Attorney’s Office, effectively giving a total of $30,000 to new hires over the course of two payments. The first would be paid to the person once hired and the second after a probationary period.

District Attorney Mike Ramsey spoke to the board during the item, explaining that prosecutors are desperately needed.

“It is important to note that no criminal case investigated by the Sheriff’s Office or city law enforcement can go forward without review by me or one of my deputies,” Ramsey said. “… Without sufficient prosecutors to conduct these reviews, arrests become merely a two-day stay in the jail without further consequences.”

Ramsey added that each of his 21 deputy district attorneys averages a workload of 400 active criminal cases and that prosecutors do not get overtime.

The funding for the program will not come out of the county’s general fund but instead from savings accrued from the office’s Assembly Bill 109 revocation sub-fund.

“The fund has been building over several years, and I considered it to be a rainy day fund,” Ramsey said. “Well, it’s beyond raining. It’s flood season, and our situation is dire.”

It is stated in the resolution that the hiring bonuses are non-pensionable and will only apply to four vacant positions. Additionally, the program will go until March 31, 2025 at which point it will return to the board for review.

The resolution also states that the county will try to recover bonuses paid to those who leave before reaching set milestones.

With little discussion from the board, the program was approved unanimously.

Other hiring programs

Ramsey’s request was far from the only discussion regarding hiring bonuses.

Along with the approval for the DA’s Office, the board approved a change to the bonus programs set for the Butte County Sheriff’s Office as well as a retention bonus for Ramsey’s office atop the previously mentioned hiring payout.

For the Sheriff’s Office, a hiring bonus was set at $10,000 for new hires and $30,000 for lateral hires. A resolution unanimously approved by the board on Tuesday changed how this amount would be paid out. Previously, the bonuses were divvied up into three milestones but the new resolution reduced it to only two.

A second program that provides $1,500 to employees who refer a successful hire got the same treatment and was reduced to being provided immediately upon hiring the new employee rather than having its own milestones.

Ramsey stayed at the forefront and requested a longevity bonus for the sake of retaining current employees which also garnered approval from the board. Full-time employees with his office will be given $7,500 on April 1, 2024 followed by the same amount again in one year, totaling $30,000.

These programs are funded via each individual department and do not affect the general fund. Supervisor Tami Ritter noted that this helped in the decision to approve them.

“I’m supportive of these programs because we will be able to fill positions that have remained vacant for too long but the other piece I want to highlight is that I don’t know that I would be as supportive of programs like this if it had a negative impact on the general fund,” Ritter said. “I think that’s what makes these things palatable is that they’re not coming from the general fund. If it’s within the department’s budget, I think it’s easier for these things going forward.”