Deep Dive Into California's New Anti-Theft Laws
What You Need to Know About CA’s New Retail Theft & Property Crime Laws
California made major moves to address property crimes in 2024, from shoplifting to cargo theft and organized retail crime. A historic package made up of 11 bills was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in August, and voters took things into their own hands in November, passing Prop. 36 by wide margins.

With the new year underway, that legislation has come into effect.

Retail theft and property crime

California’s felony theft threshold has been set at $950 since Prop. 47 was passed in 2014. Two new laws aim to address some of the challenges with that precedent, which has become more controversial over the past decade.

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AB 2943 will allow for the aggregation of the value of property stolen from different victims across counties or jurisdictions to reach the felony threshold. Similarly, AB 1779 permits the consolidation of theft charges and associated offenses that take place in different counties into a single criminal case.

Meanwhile, SB 905 allows for the aggregation of the value of property stolen from vehicles during the course of multiple acts, supporting a charge of automotive property theft for resale.

The Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act took effect in December, effectively rolling back certain provisions of the hotly debated Prop. 47, which many believe set the felony threshold for crimes like shoplifting too high. An essential element of the law introduces the concept of “wobbler” offenses, or crimes that may be charged as felonies or misdemeanors depending on other mitigating factors. Now, petty theft or shoplifting with two prior theft-related convictions may be charged as a felony.

Law enforcement now has more avenues to tackle shoplifting and petty theft, too.

For one, AB 2943, also known as the Retail Theft Reduction Act, gives an officer the right to arrest a person for shoplifting given there is probable cause, even if they did not witness the act. The same law doubles the allowable probation period for shoplifting and petty theft from one to two years, and allows defendants under 25 to be sent to rehabilitative programs. sourcingjournal.com

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Shoplifting Fueled LA's Robbery Surge?
LAPD stats showed an uptick in robberies. Was it really just shoplifting?

LAPD statistics showed an uptick in robberies in some areas this year, partly caused by shoplifting incidents that led to felony charges. Police officials say the increase in so-called “Estes robberies” is the result of some retailers encouraging security guards to aggressively confront thieves.

At the Los Angeles Police Department’s weekly crime briefings this fall, its leaders tracked what seemed to be a troubling rise in robberies in police divisions such as Southwest and Rampart. The numbers showed an increase in stickups — if only on paper.

Upon closer inspection, department records obtained by The Times indicate that most of the incidents may have started as shoplifting.

Under LAPD metrics, hundreds of thefts in which a suspect uses force or fear in the commission of a crime are counted as robberies — even if no weapons were used and no injuries occurred.

It’s a common scenario: A shoplifter, arms full of merchandise they didn’t pay for, makes a beeline for the exit, only to have their escape blocked by a security guard. A struggle ensues, and the thief knocks the guard over or merely threatens to do so, triggering a potential felony charge.

Through the first week of October, there were more than 1,200 such incidents across L.A., according to department statistics released through a public records request. This accounted for roughly 1 in 8 robberies, down slightly compared with the same period in 2023.

Some officials wonder whether the data reflect a shift by business owners toward more aggressive loss prevention strategies, leading to more in-store confrontations with security guards. latimes.com


Historic ORC Bust in Canada
Inside the biggest police takedown ever at Shoppers Drug Mart

The surprising story of how police brought down a multimillion-dollar crime ring selling stolen goods on Amazon.

In late summer 2022, the security team at Loblaw Companies, the Canadian retail giant that owns Shoppers Drug Mart, realized the situation was much worse than they thought.

A string of thefts had used the same handful of bank cards at the self-checkout machines. So the analysts checked the Shoppers database to see how many times the cards had been used. According to that analysis, the cancelled receipt trick had been used more than 1,000 times across Ontario, going back at least six months.

“They hit us in 148 stores,” said Dean Henrico, the senior vice-president of asset protection at Loblaw.

Using surveillance footage, Henrico’s team was able to piece together images of a group of suspects they believed were hitting the stores over and over. By late fall, Shoppers Drug Mart and police believed the group had stolen more than $1.9 million worth of merchandise.

Since the pandemic, big-box retailers say sophisticated, brazen crime rings have been stealing millions of dollars worth of merchandise, then reselling the stolen goods to unsuspecting customers on online marketplaces like Amazon. And while stores and police sometimes catch the runners, they rarely get close to whoever is at the centre of the ring, making the real money.

“Capturing the kingpin, or the mastermind, is extremely difficult,” Henrico said. But this time, Henrico said, his team caught a break — leading to the biggest police takedown ever at Shoppers Drug Mart. thestar.com


3,300+ Fewer Crimes Committed in NYC in 2024
Major crimes in 2024 dropped 5% in NYC as murders, shootings down
New York City experienced a 5% drop in major crime in 2024, Mayor Adams and NYPD Commissioner announced Monday, as they moved to send 200 more cops into the subway system. The drop in crime was led by a dip in murders, from 391 in 2023 to 377 last year, and 48 fewer people shot.

“This translates to 3,362 fewer incidents of major crime last year compared to the year before — and these are not just numbers,” Tisch said. “We’re talking about thousands of people who are not injured abused, attacked or targeted by criminals.”

There was also a 5% drop in major crime in the subway system and in housing projects, Tisch and Adams announced in a press conference at NYPD headquarters at One Police Plaza in Lower Manhattan. The additional cops, Tisch noted, will be assigned to ride the trains and patrol the platforms — the two places where 78% of subway crime occurs.

Another move, already underway, Tisch said, is the assignment of 650 cops to newly-designated “zones,” crime hotspots across the city, with plans to create weekly internal reports detailing “specific segments of neighborhoods, blocks and even certain streets, where we see spikes in violence and disorder.” In the summer months that 650 will grow to 1,000.

She noted the recent drop in retail theft on Fulton St. in Downtown Brooklyn that followed the creation of such a zone.

Felony assaults also increased, by 5%, with spikes in stranger attacks, domestic violence and cops assaulted, Tisch said. nydailynews.com


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Johnson County, KS: 33 arrests after Kansas police effort to address retail theft
In the days leading up to Christmas, police conducted a coordinated operation to address retail theft in Lenexa. Multiple units within the Lenexa police department collaborated on this effort, including the K9 Unit, Bike Unit, Directed Patrol Unit, Uniform Patrol, and Dispatch. The operation utilized both uniformed and undercover officers, focusing on high-traffic shopping areas near W. 95th Street and Quivira, according to a media release. This proactive approach resulted in 33 arrests on various charges, including theft, felony theft, possession of stolen property, possession of narcotics including cocaine, fentanyl, and meth, possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a stolen vehicle. Among those arrested was a group suspected of involvement in an organized retail crime ring, with over $13,000 worth of stolen merchandise found in their vehicle. Additionally, several individuals with outstanding warrants were taken into custody.  hayspost.com


Chambersburg, PA: Suspected organized retail theft ring busted in Chambersburg after four Michiganders arrested
Four people from Michigan who “were on their way from Michigan to New York” are now behind bars in Franklin County after PSP say they had mixed results stealing from Chambersburg-area retailers. Jasmine Adrianna Cockhern, Aaron Tamone Turner, Michael William-Scott, and Amontaie Cincere Evans remain behind bars on $100,000 bail each after being charged with felony conspiracy to commit theft of movable property and misdemeanor conspiracy to commit retail theft. William-Scott also was charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana. Multiple Pennsylvania State Police Troopers were called to the Walmart on Lincoln Way East in Chambersburg on Sunday, January 5th around 8:44pm for a retail theft. Troopers say they were told that four suspects matching the descriptions of Cockhern, William-Scott, Evans, and Turner, were stealing from the store. Those individuals were all transported back to PSP Chambersburg for interviews. Just before that call, a PSP Troopers was dispatched to the Dollar General for a retail theft. PSP say that four suspects, matching the four in custody, “entered the store and purchased several gift cards at the location using a card which she (the manager) described as ‘having instructions on the back’.” In total, the store said that they had lost about $3,500 from the fraudulent transactions, coming in at $500 each on seven separate cards. After interviewing Cockhern, Troopers say they learned that the group was “driving from Flint, Michigan to New York to visit a friend”. Cockhern told them that they “developed the idea of purchasing various gift cards in the stores while they were on the road. Cockhern advised that financial institutions return money approximately 50% of the time when they request to have the money refunded.” When taken into custody, Troopers say they gathered $3,300 worth of cash, 17 gift cards, and 12 financial cards.  tristatealert.com


Port Orange, FL: Stop sticks halt fleeing vehicle in Port Orange, leading to arrest of retail theft trio
Three suspects were arrested Monday after fleeing police in connection with a series of retail thefts in the Daytona Beach and Port Orange area, authorities said. According to the Port Orange Police Department, detectives investigating an organized retail theft crew tracked the suspects to a Bath & Body Works store in Port Orange. When officers interrupted their alleged criminal activity, the suspects fled the scene in a white Ford Fusion. The driver refused to stop during a traffic stop, speeding away and running red lights, police said. Sergeant Rogers deployed stop sticks, deflating the vehicle’s tires. The suspects began throwing stolen merchandise out of the car windows before the vehicle became inoperable.  aol.com


Lindon, UT: 4 arrested in Lindon gun store robbery that claimed over 70 guns
Four men were taken into custody this week, accused of taking part in a burglary that resulted in over 70 guns and several other items being stolen from a Lindon gun store in late December. According to court documents, the theft happened on the evening of Dec. 28 into the morning of Dec. 29. Police say one suspect, identified as Edgar Cortez Mesa, 36, was caught on surveillance footage loading several trash cans filled with the stolen guns, power tools, and clothing items into the back of a stolen business truck before fleeing the scene. Police were able to track Cortez Mesa to a residence in American Fork where they reportedly saw Cortez Mesa and a second suspect, identified as Carlos Andres Raimondi-Perez, 44, loading items into a truck.  abc4.com


Selinsgrove, PA: Pair steal credit card, makes thousands in purchases at Lowe's

Lakeville, MN: Roseville Man Faces Felony $1400 Theft Charges in Dakota County

Santa Clara County, CA: $1,200 worth of stolen meat retrieved by Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office deputies

Lake County, FL: Police searching for man accused of stealing more than $1,000 from Clermont Dick's Sporting Goods

Aberdeen, MD: Man arrested for stealing $1,000 worth of electronics from Walmart

Ocala, FL: Man steals over $600 in merchandise from Lowe’s; several priors