California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill on Sept. 12 that will increase sentencing guidelines for those convicted of stealing or damaging property with high values.
Assembly Bill 1960—introduced by Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas to strengthen penalties for organized retail theft and large-scale felonious acts—instructs courts, until Jan. 1, 2030, to impose longer sentences on a tiered system, with those responsible for stealing or damaging $50,000, $200,000, $1 million, or $3 million worth of property facing additional prison terms of one, two, three, or four years, respectively.
Aggregation of damage and theft values from multiple occurrences is allowed, and the 2030 sunset date could be extended by the Legislature in the future.
“Violent ‘sledgehammer crimes’ and flash-mob attacks by organized gangs must stop now,” Rivas said in a statement issued by Newsom’s office on Sept. 12.
“I authored this new law to hold appropriately responsible those who damage stores and property, because our business owners and workers should not have to live in fear that these crimes will come to their doorstep.” […]
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