Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, along with Democratic Assembly members Rick Zbur and Kevin McCarty, introduced the California Retail Theft Reduction Act after months of bipartisan collaboration and two hearings. This legislation aims to tackle the growing issue of shoplifting and organized retail theft, which is negatively impacting businesses and communities.
California Takes Aim at Shoplifting Surge: New Legislation Targets Organized Retail Theft
California Targets Organized Retail Theft Surge: New Law Cracks Down on Shoplifting and Boosts Security Measures
Rivas emphasized the importance of updating laws to address evolving crimes like organized retail theft. Zbur highlighted the focus on professional retail thieves, proposing penalties of up to three years in prison for possession of stolen goods with intent to sell, supported by evidence such as repeated offenses or possessing large quantities inconsistent with personal use.
The bill’s main features include requiring online sellers to keep records proving they obtained goods lawfully, requiring large retailers to report theft data, allowing police to arrest shoplifters based on witness statements or video evidence, and permitting the combination of thefts from various retailers for prosecution as grand theft.
The legislation also offers an intervention approach, allowing courts to refer some offenders to alternative programs instead of incarceration. The urgency for such measures stems from a 29% increase in shoplifting in 2022, despite being below pre-pandemic levels, and a 16% rise in commercial burglaries of high-value items between 2019 and 2022.
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California Targets Shoplifting Surge and Porch Piracy
The $950 threshold set by Proposition 47 in 2014 for prosecuting shoplifting as a felony has been a contentious issue, with some attributing the rise in theft to its effects. While there are calls for its overhaul, Rivas emphasized the need for careful consideration in the legislative process to ensure effective policy-making.
In addition to combating organized retail theft, there are also efforts to address other forms of theft, such as “porch piracy.” Democratic Assembly member Evan Low introduced a bill to make it illegal to steal mail packages from the vicinity of a home, expanding the scope of protection against theft.
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