California Advances Legislation to Combat Auto Theft and Resale of Stolen Goods
The California Senate has approved a bipartisan package of 15 bills designed to combat auto theft and the resale of stolen goods. This legislative effort aims to increase penalties for organized crime rings, expand drug court programs, and close legal loopholes to facilitate the prosecution of auto thefts.
One key proposal would require large online marketplaces such as eBay and Amazon to verify the identities of sellers who make at least $5,000 in profit annually. This measure seeks to curb the sale of stolen goods by making it harder for thieves to offload their merchandise.
Senate President Mike McGuire emphasized the urgency of these measures, highlighting the bipartisan commitment to improving public safety and addressing voter concerns. Typically, it takes months for lawmakers to deliver bills to the governor, but the rapid advancement of these bills reflects a new, tougher stance on crime ahead of an election year.
The California Retailers Association has noted the challenge in quantifying the impact of large-scale thefts due to inconsistent data sharing among stores. However, a study by the Public Policy Institute of California revealed a steady increase in shoplifting in urban areas like the Bay Area and Los Angeles between 2021 and 2022.
Assembly lawmakers have also advanced additional measures targeting retail theft. One bill, authored by Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, aims to enhance law enforcement’s ability to combine the value of stolen goods from different victims to impose harsher penalties. It also allows for the arrest of shoplifters based on video footage or witness statements, creates a new crime category for selling or returning stolen goods, and mandates that online sellers maintain records proving the legitimacy of their merchandise.
Other proposals focus on cracking down on cargo thefts, restoring the district attorney’s authority to prosecute thieves and resellers beyond their jurisdictions, and enabling retailers to obtain restraining orders against convicted shoplifters.
These legislative moves signify a rejection of calls to roll back progressive policies like Proposition 47, which reduced penalties for certain crimes, including thefts under $950 and drug possession offenses, from felonies to misdemeanors. Despite saving $113 million this fiscal year from reduced prison populations and funding local programs to fight recidivism, law enforcement officials argue that Proposition 47 has made it more challenging to prosecute shoplifters and enabled organized crime rings. Efforts to reform the measure failed in 2020, but a coalition has submitted over 900,000 signatures to put a repeal initiative on the November ballot.
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