‘Porch pirates’, ‘smash and grab’ thieves will face harsher penalties under new Florida law

STUART, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis said he is laying down the gauntlet and holding criminals accountable for “lawlessness” if they commit retail theft crimes or steal delivery packages from the porches of homeowners.

Pointing to Blue states like California, New York and Illinois where the problem of “porch piracy” and “smash and grab” crimes are a growing problem “If you steal in Florida, we will catch you and we will prosecute you,” said DeSantis who signed HB549 this week.

The legislation carries harsher penalties for convicted criminals. Also built into the new law are cases where people use social media to encourage others to join in on the crimes.