Newsom signs laws expanding California's crackdown on retail crime

OAKLAND, Calif. - California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed new legislation Friday to broaden ongoing efforts to combat organized retail crime.

Newsom signed into law 10 bills that focused on cracking down on property and retail crime.

"These bills will strengthen existing laws. They will enhance other laws. And they will address the challenges of previous initiatives," he said, surrounded by onlookers. "This goes to the heart of the issue and it does it in a thoughtful and judicious way."

Some of the changes the new laws make include allowing officers to arrest someone for shoplifting with probable cause, even if the officer didn't actually see the person steal. 

Prosecutors are also able to add up the value of property stolen from different victims and locations so that the total reaches the felony grand theft threshold of $950.

The laws double probation for shoplifting and petty crimes to two years, and also allow businesses to get "retail theft restraining orders" to prohibit someone convicted of organized retail theft from entering the store for up to two years. 

One law ends a loophole where district attorneys had to prove the owner of a car locked it in order to convict someone for auto burglary. 

These are just some of the changes.

"In order to create an environment that’s economically feasible, we have to do something. We have to curb this and make it more feasible for our businesses to sustain (themselves)," said Alex Stettinski, president of the San Jose Downtown Assoc. Added state Sen. Mike McGuire, (D) Healdsburg, "We’re sending a loud and clear signal to criminals. You’re not welcome in the Golden State."

On Thursday, the governor's office released new data indicating the state's anti-theft initiatives are effective, with more than 800 arrests for related crimes this year and more than $7 million in stolen goods recovered.

The California Highway Patrol has been part of a task force since 2019, aimed at reducing retail crime. The new laws are adding to this effort.

SEE ALSO: California lawmakers reverse course on retail theft ballot measure

In July, there was a 212% increase in criminal investigations and 106% more arrests than in June, with 167 arrests in July alone — more than double June's count.

The state also allocated $267 million to 55 cities, including several in the Bay Area like Palo Alto, San Francisco, and San Jose, allowing these cities to hire more officers to probe such crimes and make arrests.

Retailers and law enforcement have been working together to catch perpetrators.

Sgt. Andrew Barclay of the CHP Golden Gate Division said, "As retailers are seeing this happening they’re able to identify things that they can bring to the table that will provide more security for them but also provide those investigative leads for us."

And retailers had a huge hand in creating the new laws too. 

"I came to leadership, I said here is what we need to help us curtail this happening in our stores. And they listened, and we worked together," said Rachel Michelin, president and CEO of the California Retailers Association. 

"This is the real deal. Grocers and retailers understand that, no one more instrumental by the way than Rachel and the retailers," said Governor Newsom.