NEW YORK (NewsNation) — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she’s heard the pleas of business owners for help with combatting shoplifting and vows to crack down on retail theft as part of her 2024 policy agenda, the New York Post reports.
Specifically, business owners demand tougher penalties against serial offenders in their stores.
“We plan on being more active in Albany this year. We’re bringing up shopkeepers from legislators’ districts to get in their faces,” said Nelson Eusabio of the National Supermarket Association and part of the coalition Collective Action to Protect Our Stores.
Eusebio noted lawmakers must do something to curb retail theft as lawmakers representing 213 districts across New York are up for re-election in the fall.
Last year, lawmakers rejected a bill to increase the severity of charges for some repeat shoplifters. Instead, the legislature passed a single bill establishing a shoplifting task force, which Hochul vetoed.
On Sunday, Hochul’s office said the governor will unveil a plan to stem shoplifting during her State of the State address Tuesday, according to the New York Post.
The New York Post reports Hochul signaled her commitment to addressing retail theft during a speech to the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police and Sheriffs’ Association on Nov. 9: “The rise in retail theft (is) something that we’re focused on. We have some announcements for our State of the State coming out on this initiative.”
Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz, D-Bronx, emphasizes his measure aiming to charge repeat shoplifters with fourth-degree grand larceny — a Class E felony that may be a bailable offense, the New York Post reports.
“This has to be a priority as long as our shopkeepers are suffering. We all know shoplifting is a problem,” Dinowitz said.
Though crimes are down in some areas, Dinowitz notes that grand larceny thefts remain too high, and even noted the catalytic converter on his wife’s car was recently stolen.
Hochul’s pledge comes after a group of migrants stole Versace, Dior and Prada sunglasses from Manhattan’s Bloominglade’s totaling $5,300, per the New York Post.
About 15 asylum-seekers swarmed the retailer shortly before 6:30 p.m. Saturday and grabbed more than a dozen pairs of the sunglasses before making a run for it, the outlet reports.
All but one of them escaped. Stiven Matos, 23, was charged with robbery, criminal possession of stolen property, possession of burglar tools and resisting arrest in the incident.
The New York Post reports police recovered 10 pairs of Versace specs, two pairs of Prada glasses and one Christian Dior pair. It is not immediately clear if the rest of the mob got away with additional merchandise.
In New York City, 93% of grocers said they were victims of shoplifting last year. Of those, 60% said they’ve been burglarized every single day of the week in 2023, according to the results of a September survey by members of the National Supermarkets Association shared with The New York Post.
According to Capitol One Shopping Research, stores throughout New York state lost $4.4 billion due to retail theft in 2022.
This comes as the mayor of New York City recently announced plans to freeze the hiring of new police officers through 2025.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams recently told all city agencies to expect a 5% cut in funding. Adams has pointed to resources being strained as the city continues to see an influx of migrants coming in as the reason for these cuts.
