A new study found that California has some of the most theft-prone beaches in the country.
The study, conducted by sports betting information and analytics firm The Action Network, ranked Santa Monica Beach as having the second-highest theft rate in the country.
KNX News’ Jon Baird spoke with beachgoers about their thoughts on the theft rate.
"No, I didn't know that," one man said. "You're kidding me.
Two women who work in the area said they were not at all shocked.
“Nothing shocks me anymore in Santa Monica,” one of them said.
The other said it’s a “conundrum” when it comes to keeping personal belongings safe while at the beach.
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“We leave our stuff on our towels. It doesn't feel comfortable because you're in the water, you can't watch it,” she said. “So you kind of try to hide it in a way or leave it in your car, but that's not safe either, because people break into cars.”
The other two California beaches in the top 10 were Baker Beach, which ranked sixth, and Gualala Point Regional Park, which ranked ninth. First place went to Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach in North Carolina.
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