Newsom signs measure strengthening penalties for 'smash-and-grab' robberies

California will enforce new penalties for those who damage or destroy property valued at over $50,000 while committing a felony, including retail theft, after Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed a law Thursday aiming to curb large-scale theft offenses and smash-and-grab robberies. 

“California already has some of the strictest retail and property crime laws in the nation — and we have made them even stronger with our recent legislation,” Newsom said in a statement. “We can be tough on crime while also being smart on crime — we don’t need to go back to broken policies of the last century.”

The bill, known as AB 1960, was introduced by State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D) who said, “Violent ‘sledgehammer crimes’ and flash-mob attacks by organized gangs must stop now…our business owners and workers should not have to live in fear that these crimes will come to their doorstep.”

The signing follows a bipartisan package of 10 bills aimed at cracking down on property crimes and the state's $267 million investment in local grants to help law enforcement address organized criminal activity.

To date, over 6,900 suspects have been arrested for retail and property crime offenses by agencies that have received the grant, according to a release from Newsom's office. Since 2019, California has invested $1.1 billion to fight crime, hire more police and improve public safety, it added.

According to reports earlier this year, the California Highway Patrol had recovered $45 million in stolen goods and arrested nearly 3,000 people since 2019. The agency has surged officers to hot spots in Oakland, Bakersfield, and San Francisco to improve response times for crimes.

The San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles have seen a steady increase in shoplifting between 2021 and 2022, according to a study by the non-partisan Public Policy Institute of California.

In November, Californians will vote on Proposition 36, which would create felonies for repeat shoplifters, some drug charges and other crimes. The proposal would repeal parts of Proposition 47, a landmark bill that turned many crimes in the state from felonies to misdemeanors.

According to a survey by the National Retail Federation, 88 percent of retailers nationwide reported a rise in confrontational and violent behavior from shoplifters in the past year.

Safe and Sound Security, a private security company, reported that 14 of California’s 15 largest counties have seen an increase in commercial burglary rates, while the state’s smaller counties have experienced a decline.

Lawmakers and other supporters of AB 1960 say it will help spark a much needed change.

“By implementing stricter sentencing enhancements for the value of stolen property, we are sending a strong message to criminals that preying on other people’s possessions will not be tolerated,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna. “This piece of legislation is vital in ensuring that those who continue to undermine our community’s well-being face appropriate consequences, ultimately creating a safer environment for all.