New California Law Cracks Down on Resale of Stolen Goods with Tougher Penalties

New California Law Cracks Down on Resale of Stolen Goods with Tougher Penalties

California Governor Gavin Newsom signs 10 new bills to combat rampant retail theft, cracking down on organized crime rings and online resellers of stolen goods.

At a Glance

  • New laws increase penalties for shoplifting, organized theft, and resale of stolen goods
  • California Highway Patrol’s task force has made nearly 900 arrests and recovered over $7.2 million in stolen goods since January
  • Shoplifting incidents in California increased by 29% in 2022 compared to 2019
  • Legislation targets repeat offenders and aims to make prosecution easier

California Takes Aim at Retail Crime

In a decisive move to address the growing problem of retail theft, California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a package of 10 new bills into law. The legislation aims to combat organized retail crime by increasing penalties for various theft-related offenses and cracking down on the resale of stolen goods.

The new laws target multiple aspects of retail crime, from shoplifting and organized theft rings to online marketplaces that facilitate the resale of stolen merchandise. One key bill, SB1416, enforces harsher sentencing for middlemen in organized crime rings, extending sentences based on the value of stolen goods. Another, SB1144, makes it easier to file civil charges against online marketplaces reselling stolen goods.

Impact on Businesses and Consumers

The retail industry has been grappling with the economic fallout of organized theft for years. Shoplifting incidents in California increased by 29% in 2022 compared to 2019, with commercial burglary up 16% and robbery up 13%. The Bay Area reported the highest rates of retail crime and the largest increases since 2019.

“While these bills in theory are great, Newsom has witnessed a steady organized retail crime problem in California for nearly two decades,” Hitha Herzog, chief research officer at H Squared Research and part time faculty at Parsons School of Design, told The Post in a statement. “If these bills had been introduced when Newsom took office in 2010, the issues we are now seeing in downtown San Francisco, Los Angeles and beyond would have been mitigated.”

The impact of retail theft on businesses has been significant, leading to lower profits, hiring challenges, and a degraded in-store experience for customers. Retailers have been urging local and federal governments to address the issue, with some pushing for federal legislation to make prosecuting theft as a federal felony easier.

Law Enforcement Efforts and Results

The California Highway Patrol’s special retail crime task force has been at the forefront of combating these crimes. Since January, the task force has made nearly 900 arrests and recovered over $7.2 million in stolen goods. Since 2019, the CHP has recovered $45 million in stolen goods and arrested nearly 3,000 people.

“This goes to the heart of the issue, and it does it in a thoughtful and judicious way,” Newsom said of the package. “This is the real deal.”

The new legislation allows law enforcement to combine the value of stolen goods from different victims for harsher penalties and use video footage or witness statements for arrests. It also addresses cargo thefts, closes a loophole for auto theft prosecution, and requires online marketplaces to collect bank accounts and tax IDs from high-volume sellers.

Looking Ahead

While the new laws represent a significant step in addressing retail crime, some critics argue that more needs to be done. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the problem by creating more opportunities for criminal activities, and California’s strict felony threshold of $950 remains lower than many other states.

As these new laws take effect, their impact on crime rates and the retail industry will be closely monitored. The success of these measures could potentially influence future legislation at both the state and federal levels, as lawmakers and retailers continue to grapple with the evolving challenge of organized retail crime.

Sources

  1. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs retail crime bills in scramble to tackle rampant shoplifting
  2. New California laws aim to reduce smash-and-grab robberies, car thefts and shoplifting
  3. California cracks down on organized retail crime with new package of laws
  4. Gavin Newsom signs new retail theft laws as voters weigh even tougher penalties
  5. Gov. Newsom signs new California laws to crack down on retail theft

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