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California Governor Gavin Newsom has introduced a plan to intensify the state’s fight against retail and property crimes.

In a recent press release, Newsom emphasized the need for new legislation to enhance criminal penalties for those involved in retail theft and auto burglaries. “These laws will make California safer and bolster police and prosecutor tools to arrest and hold professional criminals accountable,” said Newsom.

Newsom’s legislative framework includes proposals to improve enforcement tools, aggregate theft amounts, eliminate “sunset dates” for organized retail crime, and increase penalties for large-scale stolen goods resellers. This announcement is an extension of Newsom’s “Real Public Safety Plan,” which focuses on strengthening local law enforcement, ensuring accountability for perpetrators, and removing guns and drugs from the streets.

State leaders, including California Attorney General Rob Bonta, have commended Newsom’s approach. Bonta highlighted the severe implications of organized retail theft, not only for businesses and consumers but also for public safety. “The California Department of Justice is committed to tackling these crimes head-on. We appreciate the Governor’s leadership and will continue working with his office and our legislative partners to eradicate organized retail crime,” he stated.

This latest initiative follows Newsom’s earlier action in November, where he engaged the California Highway Patrol to ramp up operations against organized retail crime. These actions follow significant criticism from Californians in cities targeted by organized retail crime, like San Francisco and Los Angeles. The uptick in thefts has resulted in the closure of some stores in impacted areas, including CVS, Starbucks, and Macy’s.