The legislative package, authored by Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) and Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Los Angeles), will focus on so-called organized retail theft crime rings, which are blamed for the uptick in the high-profile, smash-and-grab incidents plaguing California.
If passed, the bill would penalize what the lawmakers referred to as "professional retail thieves," increasing potential prison sentences to up to three years. Under the legislation, thieves could be prosecuted for the total value of items stolen in a series of crimes, even if there were separate victims. It also would target the resale of stolen merchandise, including items sold online.
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