Gov. Ron DeSantis backs legislation cracking down on retail thieves
Owen Girard contributed to this report.
CAPE CORAL, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his support for cracking down on retail thieves at a press conference Tuesday.
Current legislation by Rep. Bob Rommel, R-Naples, hikes penalties for retail theft.
DeSantis spoke at the Cape Coral Police Department.
The bill would make it a third degree felony for an individual who joins five or more people in retail theft, a second degree if the same group encourages others to join in through social media, and a first degree felony for any repeat offenders who have already been convicted of the same crime within a one year time period.
And the punishment for criminals who steal delivery packages from private properties will be a felony if the package is valued at or above $40. Currently, the law enforces punishments of a felony if the product is valued at $100 or above.
Rommel Tuesday said that criminals who try to organize and engage in retail theft will form a “long term relationship” with Florida’s Department of Corrections and local law enforcement.
The representative, who noted he is from the New York area, said he doesn’t travel there anymore because of crime issues.
DeSantis warned that over $100 billion was lost in 2022 due to retail theft, which he said was due to policies failing to disincentivize that behavior.
Companion legislation in the Senate is being brought by Sen. Jay Trumbull, R-Panama City.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass joined the governor.
DeSantis said he is “pleased” with Rommel’s proposals and called on leaders to approach public policy by being tough on crime, in comparison to New York and California.
Rommel recently said that the bill will discourage potential criminals from participating in retail theft and will make those who commit the crimes “pay the price” for what they did.
Moody said that Florida is attracting a lot of new residents, and attributed that trend to DeSantis’ and Republican leadership on “law and order.”
“That is not only important for our citizens […] but it’s important for the men and women who wake up every day and put on that badge [and] go out to work, because they know that their leaders have their backs,” she said. “Florida is leading.”
