A sign that was posted outside the Louis Vuitton store in downtown San Francisco a few days ago has gone viral after photos of it began circulating on social media. One post on X has garnered over 7.7 million views.
The sign, which reads "stolen goods must remain under $950," seems to mock California's retail theft laws. In the state, thefts are prosecuted as felonies only if the stolen items are valued over $950, while thefts below that amount are charged as misdemeanors.
When the photos first appeared on X over the weekend, many people speculated that the images might have been photoshopped or created with AI technology. One of the photos even received a Community Note from users suggesting this. However, this is not true according to Gizmodo.
The photos are of a "real" sign in the sense that they were not created using programs like OpenAI or Photoshop. The sign was captured from multiple angles, as seen in pictures circulating on Twitter, which supports the claim that it was actually placed in front of the Louis Vuitton store.
Although the signs appear professionally made, they contain subtle clues indicating they weren't official, such as screws that differ from those typically used by the city. This suggests they were installed by anonymous pranksters. The San Francisco Department of Public Works and the Office of the City Administrator confirmed to Gizmodo via email on Monday that the sign "was not City sanctioned and not posted by the City." The SFDPW could not confirm whether the sign had ever been posted (or the work of technology).
Another photo of the same sign was also spotted outside the nearby Dior store, which was targeted in a smash-and-grab last fall, resulting in the theft of around $150,000 worth of items.
The Dior store theft is one of many retail theft incidents that have occurred in the Union Square area over the years. In 2021, the Louis Vuitton store was also burglarized and looted.
