People v. Kruckenberg CA3

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedNovember 16, 2020
DocketC089917
StatusUnpublished

This text of People v. Kruckenberg CA3 (People v. Kruckenberg CA3) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Kruckenberg CA3, (Cal. Ct. App. 2020).

Opinion

Filed 11/16/20 P. v. Kruckenberg CA3 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT (Yolo) ----

THE PEOPLE, C089917

Plaintiff and Respondent, (Super. Ct. No. CRF18-7107)

v.

DUSTIN JAY KRUCKENBERG et al.,

Defendants and Appellants.

In the course of a week, defendants Dustin Jay Kruckenberg and Edward Phillip Farris committed three thefts from the same store, and a jury found them guilty of grand theft. On appeal, Farris contends: (1) as to the theft that would alone support a grand theft conviction based on the value of the property taken, there was not substantial evidence they took property with the specific intent to deprive the owner of possession; (2) there was insufficient evidence to find a common plan or scheme so as to permit aggregation of the value of the property taken in the three thefts; and (3) the trial court erred in instructing the jury it could aggregate the value of multiple thefts to reach the felony threshold. Both Kruckenberg and Farris contend their prior prison term

1 enhancements should be stricken. In supplemental briefing, Kruckenberg also contends the matter should be remanded for an ability to pay hearing on fines and assessments. We conclude that defendants’ prior prison term enhancements must be stricken, and that Kruckenberg’s case must be remanded for resentencing. In all other respects, we affirm the judgment. BACKGROUND On July 30, 2018, Kruckenberg and Farris went to a Target store in Davis. Video surveillance showed Kruckenberg pushing a shopping cart through the store and Farris walking next to him. Kruckenberg put an air mattress and vacuum cleaner in the cart, while Farris added another vacuum cleaner and two tents. Kruckenberg pushed the cart past the café and out of the store, bypassing the checkout area. Farris left the store with no merchandise. The value of the merchandise taken was approximately $579.95. On the morning of August 5, 2018, video surveillance showed Kruckenberg pushing a shopping cart through the same Target store with Farris at his side. Kruckenberg put a toaster oven and vacuum cleaner in the cart, to which Farris added a second vacuum cleaner. Kruckenberg again pushed the cart past the café and left the store. Farris again left the store with no merchandise. The approximate value of the merchandise taken was $599.97. Later that same day, Kruckenberg and Farris returned to the store. Kruckenberg pushed the cart with Farris next to him. Aaron Demar, a loss prevention officer, saw Kruckenberg pushing a cart full of merchandise near the café, past the checkout area. Farris was standing near the checkout area. Demar approached Kruckenberg about 10 feet from the exit and asked for his receipt. Kruckenberg said he was still shopping. Kruckenberg then pushed the cart into the women’s department, abandoned it, and he and Farris left the store. Inside the cart was a vacuum cleaner, a fan, and a digital air fryer, the approximate value of which was $979.97.

2 Demar did not detain Kruckenberg because store policy is to apprehend the person only after they have left the store with merchandise. Demar also acknowledged sometimes customers go to the café before they finish shopping, but noted Kruckenberg was near the exit with the cart aimed toward the door. PROCEDURAL HISTORY A jury found both defendants guilty of grand theft exceeding $950 (Pen. Code, §§ 484, subd. (a), 487, subd. (a)).1 In bifurcated proceedings, the trial court found true the allegations that each defendant had served two prior prison terms (§ 667.5, subd. (b)) and each sustained a prior strike conviction (§ 667, subds. (c) & (e)(1)). It sentenced Farris to an aggregate term of eight years: the upper term of three years, doubled for the strike, plus two consecutive one-year terms for the prior prison term enhancements. The trial court sentenced Kruckenberg to an aggregate term of four years eight months: the lower term of 16 months, doubled for the strike, plus two consecutive one-year terms for the prior prison term enhancements. As to both defendants, the trial court imposed a $30 criminal conviction assessment (Gov. Code, § 70373), a $40 court operations assessment (§ 1465.8), a $300 restitution fine (§ 1202.4), and an identical parole revocation restitution fine, suspended unless parole is revoked (§ 1202.45). The trial court also ordered defendants to pay direct victim restitution to Target in the amount of $1,504.91. DISCUSSION I Substantial Evidence Farris contends that substantial evidence does not support his conviction for grand theft. Specifically, he argues there is insufficient evidence of a taking with the requisite intent as to the third incident, in which the value of the merchandise was over $950. He

1 Undesignated statutory references are to the Penal Code.

3 further argues that there is insufficient evidence of an overarching scheme between the three thefts to permit aggregation of the values of the property taken. In reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence, “ ‘we review the whole record in the light most favorable to the judgment to determine whether it discloses substantial evidence—that is, evidence that is reasonable, credible, and of solid value—from which a reasonable trier of fact could find the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.’ ” (People v. Cravens (2012) 53 Cal.4th 500, 507.) “We must presume in support of the judgment the existence of every fact that the trier of fact could reasonably deduce from the evidence. [Citation.]” (People v. Medina (2009) 46 Cal.4th 913, 919.) “The conviction shall stand ‘unless it appears “that upon no hypothesis whatever is there sufficient substantial evidence to support [the conviction].” ’ [Citation.]” (Cravens, supra, at p. 508.) The standard is the same in cases in which a conviction is based primarily on circumstantial evidence. (People v. Clark (2016) 63 Cal.4th 522, 625.) Theft is divided into two degrees, grand theft and petty theft. (§ 486; People v. Ortega (1998) 19 Cal.4th 686, 696, overruled on another point in People v. Reed (2006) 38 Cal.4th 1224, 1228.) There are not separate offenses, but simply different degrees of the crime of theft. (Ortega, supra, at p. 696.) “The demarcation between grand and petty theft is now $950. When the value of the property taken exceeds $950, the crime is grand theft. [Citations.]” (People v. Rader (2014) 228 Cal.App.4th 184, 199; § 487, subd. (a).) “Theft in other cases is petty theft.” (§ 488; People v. Romanowski (2017) 2 Cal.5th 903, 908.) A. Defendants’ convictions for grand theft based upon the third incident is supported by substantial evidence A defendant may be convicted of grand theft upon evidence proving “ ‘(a) embezzlement, (b) larceny or (c) obtaining property under false pretenses. . . .’ ” (People v. Hunter (1957) 147 Cal.App.2d 472, 475.) “The elements of theft by larceny are well settled: the offense is committed by every person who (1) takes possession (2) of

4 personal property (3) owned or possessed by another, (4) by means of trespass and (5) with intent to steal the property, and (6) carries the property away. [Citations.]” (People v. Davis (1998) 19 Cal.4th 301, 305.) Grand theft by larceny requires asportation. (People v. Williams (2013) 57 Cal.4th 776, 787.) Asportation requires the property be (1) severed from the possession of the true owner; (2) in the complete possession of the thief; and (3) moved, however slightly. (People v. Shannon (1998) 66 Cal.App.4th 649, 654 (Shannon); People v. Edwards (1925) 72 Cal.App.

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Related

People v. Cravens
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People v. Ortega
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People v. Dukes
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People v. Neder
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People v. Buonauro
113 Cal. App. 3d 688 (California Court of Appeal, 1980)
People v. Shannon
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People v. Posey
82 P.3d 755 (California Supreme Court, 2004)
People v. Tijerina
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People v. Medina
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People v. Rader
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People v. Whitmer
329 P.3d 154 (California Supreme Court, 2014)

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People v. Kruckenberg CA3, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-kruckenberg-ca3-calctapp-2020.