A debate is emerging in California over whether a return to tough-on-crime policies is needed to deter brazen smash-and-grab robberies and shoplifting sprees caught on camera throughout the state.
A trio of state lawmakers on Thursday unveiled the California Retail Theft Reduction Act, which would focus on “professional retail thieves,” creating a new crime with a penalty as long as three years behind bars for the possession of stolen property with the intent to sell. Because “intent to sell” can be difficult to prove in court, evidence can include repeated offenses or possessing an amount of goods that is “inconsistent with personal use.”
The act, according to Rep. Rich Zbur, D-Los Angeles, also would target:
- Aggregation: The value of thefts from different retailers can be added up so they can be prosecuted as grand theft.
- Resellers: Online sellers would be required to maintain records to show that goods were obtained legally and large retailers would be required to report “theft data” (though details remain unclear).
- Enforcement: Police could arrest shoplifters based on a witness’ sworn statement or video footage of a crime.
- Intervention: Courts could refer some shoplifters to alternative programs instead of jail or prison.
“Organized retail theft is having a chilling effect on our communities,” Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Salinas, said. “Crime, like everything, evolves. And criminal enterprises are using new and different ways to get around current prohibitions … It is our responsibility to ensure that our laws are addressing the situation at hand.”
In 2014, California voters approved Prop. 47, classifying property theft valued under $950 as a misdemeanor, in an effort to thin out overcrowded jails.
A decade later, retail theft is on the minds of voters as videos circulate of dozens of people stealing from high-end stores and business owners are assaulted during robberies.
Los Angeles Police Department data
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