Maybe you’ve already seen them — the billboards, bumper stickers and bus ads touting “Crime doesn’t pay in Orange County.”  

If you haven’t, officials with the O.C. District’s Attorney Office are spending federal dollars to make sure that you do.  

The multi-county public safety advertising campaign was launched to make it clear that criminals “will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” according to a news release from the OCDA’s office that also takes several jabs at legislators in Sacramento.  

“Over the last several years, Orange County has experienced a significant number of defendants coming from Los Angeles, Riverside, and other surrounding counties with the sole purpose of committing residential burglaries and robberies, smash and grabs, and commercial burglaries,” the release states.  

Saying that nothing is more important than public safety, O.C. DA Todd Spitzer blames Sacramento for making the job of prosecutors and investigators harder.  

“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,” he says in a video posted to YouTube. 

Authorities say they are using federal asset forfeiture money, funds seized from criminal operations by law enforcement, to pay for the campaign, which is allowed under the rules set by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of the Treasury Asset Forfeiture.  

Both static and electronic billboards reading “CRIME DOESN’T PAY IN ORANGE COUNTY, IF YOU STEAL, WE PROSECUTE, THE ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE,” have already gone up on major freeways going into O.C. from Los Angeles and Riverside counties, as well as billboards throughout O.C. itself, including at the Outlets at Orange.  

The ads placed on public transit buses in L.A., Long Beach, Norwalk and Glendale are estimated to be seen by 38 million people over a four-week stretch, officials said.  

It’s unclear how many of those people actually intend to commit crimes in O.C. and if they do, whether they will take the message seriously.

In addition, a digital marketing campaign targeting cellphone users was launched across Southern California communities, including San Diego and Imperial counties.  

“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,” Spitzer says in the video promoting the campaign.