DeSantis rips California, New York policies allegedly fueling retail theft in announcing new Florida crackdown

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis connected Tuesday blasted California, New York and "many leftist jurisdictions" he says "are enacting policies that disregard unit theft aliases moreover promote it," while announcing caller Florida authorities further cracking down connected unit theft and structure piracy successful nan Sunshine State. 

"Those policies are dormant connected presence successful Florida. We drawback criminals and prosecute them," DeSantis wrote connected X, pursuing a news convention he hosted astatine a Walgreens successful Stuart, Florida, wherever he signed authorities known arsenic HB 549. The caller rule increases penalties for unit theft, structure piracy and inciting looting via societal media. 

"You look astatine a spot for illustration California, they passed Proposition 47 that allows group that perpetrate unit theft to beryllium charged pinch misdemeanor, moreover if it had traditionally been a felony. That intends they get galore unit theft offenses. Did they get held accountable? No, they get a slap connected nan wrist," DeSantis said. "You look astatine New York, they eliminated rate bail for galore offenses, including offenses for unit theft, truthful that now you tin only get a felony theft complaint if you bargain much than $1,000 worthy of merchandise, thing less, you get a table quality summons that has caused group to loot stores and do $999 worthy of looting. And past they time off knowing that they're not going to beryllium held accountable." 

In 2022 alone, nan U.S. knowledgeable $112 cardinal successful unit theft, including $4 cardinal successful New York that year, nan politician said. 

New York City has seen shoplifting summation by 63%, DeSantis said, adding that it is up successful Los Angeles by 81% and successful San Francisco by 24%. 

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis aft signing HB 549, which increases penalties for unit theft, structure piracy and inciting looting via societal media. (Florida Governor's Office)

"Now, that has an effect connected you arsenic a user because nan prices will spell up to bespeak those stolen goods. That's conscionable basal business," DeSantis said. "It besides conscionable has a demoralizing effect connected people. When you spell successful and you want to bargain toothpaste and it's for illustration Fort Knox because it's each under fastener and cardinal for basal items. You sewage to get a clerk to travel and unfastened it and each this worldly conscionable to do basal shopping. That is not thing that is bully for value of life. And then, of course, if you tin person group travel successful and conscionable bargain unit and locomotion out, that creates a contempt for nan norm of rule that has a spillover effect successful areas acold beyond unit theft." 

By contrast, Florida has seen shoplifting alteration by 30% since DeSantis first took office, he said. 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced caller authorities cracking down connected unit theft and structure piracy. (Florida Governor's Office)

"Nationwide, 88% of retailers person reported that shoplifters are much fierce and convulsive now compared to conscionable a fewer years ago, 49%. So they person observed overmuch much convulsive and fierce behavior. Why? Because I deliberation these group travel successful and they person a consciousness of entitlement that they tin return what they want and that they're not going to beryllium held accountable," DeSantis explained. "And truthful I deliberation nan behaviour has reflected that. You spot stores closing down successful different parts of nan United States, whether that's Target closing 9 stores successful Portland and Seattle, Walmart closing stores successful Chicago, Nordstrom closing stores successful San Francisco. That is simply a nonstop consequence of nan deficiency of committedness to nan norm of rule and holding criminals accountable." 

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The caller rule institutes a third-degree felony, punishable by up to 5 years successful prison, if criminals perpetrate unit theft pinch 5 aliases much individuals. 

It besides enforces a second-degree felony, punishable up to 15 years successful prison, if criminals perpetrate unit theft pinch 5 aliases much individuals and usage societal media to solicit others to participate successful nan theft. Committing unit theft pinch a firearm aliases pinch 2 aliases much anterior convictions of unit theft constitutes a first-degree felony charge, punishable by up to 30 years successful prison. 

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said astatine a Walgreens property convention to denote caller authorities cracking down connected unit theft. (Florida Governor's Office)

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The rule besides grants nan expertise to complaint a felony for aggregate unit thefts occurring successful nan span of 120 days, which is an summation from 30 days. HB 549 besides increases nan punishments for structure piracy. Theft of spot successful an magnitude little than $40 is simply a first-degree misdemeanor. A consequent usurpation is simply a third-degree felony, and theft of spot weighted astatine $40 aliases much is simply a third-degree felony.