(NewsNation) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed new penalties to curb retail theft and porch piracy, announcing new legislation during a news conference Tuesday.
Currently in Florida, a person will only get a felony after committing five different retail thefts within 45 days. DeSantis wants to change this.
DeSantis said he wants to have severe enough penalties to deter people from retail theft in the future. “You should not have to get five thefts to make a felony,” he said.
In his announcement, DeSantis proposed making it a first-degree felony if an individual commits retail theft with a firearm or has already had two or more prior convictions of retail theft, a second-degree felony if criminals use social media to solicit others to participate in retail theft and a third-degree felony if you commit retail theft with five or more individuals.
The proposed bill also addresses “porch piracy,” saying stealing delivery packages from private properties will be a third-degree felony if the package is between $40-$100 in value.
In Florida, a first-degree felony carries a maximum of 30 years in prison and/or up to $10,000 in fines. A second-degree felony carries up to 15 years in prison and/or up to $10,000 in fines and a third-degree felony could see up to 5 years in prison and/or up to $5,000 in fines.
In 2022, retailers across the country lost $112 billion to retail theft, with sharp increases in major cities like New York, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. According to DeSantis’ announcement, shoplifting in Florida has decreased by 30% since he took office.
“If you commit a crime in Florida, you are going to be held accountable,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “We will not tolerate retail crime, porch pirates and the lawlessness that they allow in California and New York.”