DeSantis signs law targeting package and retail thieves

STUART, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation on Tuesday combatting porch piracy and retail thief in the state.

The new law would make it so any package stolen that is valued between $40 and $750 is a third degree felony. It also makes it a second degree felony if the property stolen is taken from more than 20 homes.

Additionally, the legislation establishes a first degree misdemeanor if the property stolen is valued at less than $40.

Rep. Bob Rommel, R-Naples, sponsored the bill, HB 549. Sen. Jay Trumbull, R-Panama City, carried the Senate version.

DeSantis emphasized during a press conference that Florida is a law and order state that proudly punishes crime, particularly retail theft.

“If you look, that is not the norm, unfortunately, in many jurisdictions across this country,” he said. “You look at a place like California, they passed proposition 47, that allows people who commit retail theft to be charged with a misdemeanor, even if it had traditionally been a felony.”

“You look at New York, they eliminated cash bail for many offenses, including offenses for retail theft, so that now you can only get a felony theft charge if you steal more than $1,000 worth of merchandise and anything less, you get a desk appearance ticket,” he said.

The bill also amends penalties for regular retail theft, including enhanced punishment for when five or more criminals work together to overwhelm a retail store or merchant.

It additionally defines harsher charges for criminals who utilize social media to participate in retail theft and for porch piracy.

“In Florida, we’ve actually seen a decline in real theft over the last four years and we’re proud of that,” DeSantis said. “I think it’s because a lot of people know this is not the state you want to try that in.”

The governor explained how retail theft stretches far beyond stores and shopping centers as porch piracy in on the rise. He emphasized the importance of cracking down on this type of crime across the state.

“So if you order something and they leave it at your front door, you come home from work or you bring your kids home from school, the package is gonna be there and if it’s not, someone is gonna have hell to pay for stealing it,” he said.

Florida Attorney General Ashely Moody thanked the governor for his work and lawmakers for their willingness to combat retail theft .

“Florida has really set the blueprint for other states by which to measure their own success and progress,” she said. “And what that means is we’re doing what Florida does best. We’re being proactive.”

“Florida leads. We don’t react. We stay ahead of challenges and problems,” she said. “We work with our great legislative leaders, our sheriffs, like Sheriff Snyder, our great retail partners, to get the job done.”

Carlos Gonzalez, the major crimes investigations manager for Walgreens, thanked the governor and lawmakers for their work to combat retail theft.

“One clear thing when it comes to organized retail crime – it is not simple shoplifting, ladies and gentlemen,” he said. “We’re talking about sophisticated criminal networks that are organized and are educated in our laws.”

Gonzalez explained that groups can generate income from retail theft crimes to help fund larger, more dangerous crimes like terrorism and drug trafficking.

The bill passed 83-27 in the House and 36-3 in the Senate.

The legislation is set to go into effect on Oct. 1.