CALIFORNIA, USA — Retail theft has been an ongoing problem in California as people feel the impacts at the stores and in their wallets. Now, lawmakers are responding with a comprehensive retail theft prevention package.
On Tuesday, the Speaker of the Assembly, California's Attorney General, and a group of lawmakers announced seven bills in a comprehensive package to address the issue. Among them was AB 2943, the California Retail Theft Reduction Act. It would target serial retail thieves with a penalty of up to three years behind bars and provide rehab and diversion programs.
"Making sure that we're not doing things that are going to result in people being put in prison for stealing a sandwich. I mean, we're focusing on these retail crime rings that are hitting stores over and over again," said Asm. Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood).
AB 3209 would allow retailers to get a restraining order for up to two years following a conviction or more than two citations for a theft offense. Other bills announced would address organized retail theft with resources for law enforcement and district attorneys.
"These seven bills will sharpen California's ability to tackle organized crime head on to address retail crime to hold perpetrators accountable when they commit crime, to protect our communities, to keep our businesses safe," said Attorney General Rob Bonta.
It's a bipartisan effort; Republican Assemblymember Juan Alanis introduced AB 1972, which would allow the California Highway Patrol more resources at railroads to help combat cargo theft.
"My bill adds railroad police to the task force and allowing the CHP led task force to move more efficiently in the efforts by adding cargo theft to investigate and have the authority and their priorities," said Asm. Juan Alanis (R-Modesto).
Following the announcement of the retail theft package, Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper, who's been vocal about fighting these crimes, says all these bills confuse him, and he wants to know why Proposition 47 is not going back to the voters.
"The public has to stand up and say, 'Hey, enough is enough.' And I think we're headed that way, and it's election year too. Don't let that get lost on people. It's an election year. So like I said, why all this now...," said Sheriff Cooper.
Cooper is referring to 2014's Prop 47 that reduced dozens of crimes, including non-violent theft, from felonies to misdemeanors. He also noted that no law enforcement representation was at Tuesday's presentation. Regardless, the California Retailer's Association president supports the package.
"Retailers want to be able to just sell our products; we want to deter retail theft from even coming into our stores. So I am very cautiously optimistic," said Rachel Michelin.
Many of these bills were heard in the Public Safety Committee. They will still need to go through more committees before making their way to the governor's desk.
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